Need a robust birthday cake that will keep well

[hewlettsdaughter]

Hi, my ds will be celebrating his 13th birthday on a canal boat with 20 or so other scouts. Can anyone suggest an easy cake (or cakes) that I can make and send with him? It needs to be able to travel well, without falling apart, and keep for at least 5 days (probably not in a fridge). Tall order, I know...

A fruit cake would work, although they aren't very popular with kids.

Perhaps a better alternative would be to try a madeira cake instead, as they are more robust than a victoria sponge. An eight inch cake should do it for 20. I follow the recipe and guidance on the website below; it works for me.

www.lindyscakes.co.uk/2009/12/17/baking-the-perfect-madeira-cake/

The cake itself will definitely last 5 days in an air-tight container. I should think that icing would be okay too, although I'd probably steer clear of a buttercream icing and use Regalice or something similar instead. I am however, no expert.

Thanks Gforgumbrella - that might do the trick. Presumably it would need some kind of icing as otherwise it might be a bit plain.

I had thought about a fruit cake but agree it probably wouldn't be very popular.

I think the chocolate brownies that I make would keep for that long (and are often used to celebrate birthdays round these parts, think piled on a plate with a few candles in). I have to be honest though, and say that they so rarely last for more than a few days that I'm only pretty sure . Am happy to give you the recipe if you want it x

The cake boss cake (link below) will last for 5 days if covered in fondant icing - and will still be soft and delicious!! Can't recommend it enough!

(not sure link will work as I'm on my phone )

www.cakeboss.com/CakeBossSpongeCake.aspx

Thanks both. What's your chocolate brownie recipe, parttimedomesticgoddess? I will look at the cake boss cake.

Try the bero milk chocolate cake it has evaporated milk in it so keeps moist. its
7oz self raising flour,
8oz caster sugar,
half teaspoon salt,
1oz cocoa,
4oz margerine,
5 tablespoon evaporated milk,
5 tablespoon water,
few drops vanilla essence

Put in 2 tins and bake gas mark 4 for 30-35 mins.

Its yummy! Don't bake in loose bottomed tins as mixture wiLl seep out.

This qty makes 12, and I always make it with gluten free flour (and rarely use nuts):

100g butter
40g cocoa powder
50g plain chocolate broken into pieces
2 medium or large eggs
Half level teaspoon salt
225g light muscovado sugar
50g self-raising flour
75g pecan nuts roughly chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 180 C. Butter a 7in square cake tin. Put butter in saucepan over gentle heat and stir until melted. Stir in cocoa powder until it is smoothly blended, then add the chocolate. Continue stirring until melted and then remove from heat.
Put eggs in large bowl with salt and sugar and whisk thoroughly until light and frothy. Then whisk in butter and chocolate mixture. Sift flour on to mixture and stir in well. Stir in the chopped nuts, if using, and pour the mixture into the buttered pan. Bake in centre of oven for 30 to 40 minutes - it should still feel slightly undercooked. Cool in the tin, then sieve a little icing sugar over them and cut into squares or oblongs and remove from the tin with a flexible spatula.

Enjoy x

I have given this some thought and agree that a dense maderia cake (Lindys cakes) flavoured with orange zest and extract would be perfect. It would hold together and be cut without falling apart.

To keep it moist I would cut into three (semi freeze first makes it easier) and cover with a dark chocolate granache - granche keeps as the cream is boiled and it will keep - I would add a heap of icing sugar and cool this will thicken it and make it hold better.

This is a delicious cake (like chocolate orange).

If you are confident I would consider regalice cover the granche - this will guarantee it keeping moist.

Thanks all. Bacon - I like the idea of flavouring the madeira. I've got a bit of time so might have to try one or two of these recipes out...

Green and blacks inmate cake - recipe here - makes an enormous, rich chocolate cake which is dense (and therefore resilient) and keeps for up to 2 weeks no problem.

That sounds yummy! I've actually got the Green & Blacks chocolate cookbook so have looked up the original. I would be a bit worried the chocolate glaze might melt though.

I wouldn't bother with the glaze - I have used that recipe with buttercream and fondant.