Making a chocolate sponge on Tues to eat on Sat?

[JudithOfThePascha]

DS is having a birthday party on Saturday. I have limited time on Friday when I can finish the decoration but have to make the actual thing on Tuesday evening.

I am planning on making a chocolate sponge with chocolate buttercream in between layers and top on Tuesday evening and popping it in the fridge. Then, on Wed evening (when I get back from an evening out) covering it in fondant icing. Obv then I will just leave it on the side. I won't be able to do anything on Thursday and with both kids running round because of half term, days are out, too.

Will the cake be ok or will it end up too dry? Is 24 hours in the fridge after the buttercream too long?

Thanks MN.

I would freeze the cake until Friday. It will only take five minutes to buttercream and fondant it.

It might be a bit stale after so long, especially if it goes in the fridge.

Thanks. Would you freeze it and ice it while still frozen or would you let it fully defrost first?

Could I make the buttercream in advance, do you think?

I would do the same and freeze the sponge until Friday and ice it then. If you buttercream & ice it that far in advance, it really won't be at its best on Saturday.

Also, a rich cake like Mary Berry's "Divine Chocolate Cake" keeps and freezes really well and I have frozen it iced - it's a flourless recipe with apricot jam and a chocolate and butter icing (probably much like a sachertorte. It was just as good defrosted.

I would let it defrost before you ice it. Yes you can make the buttercream in advance, but store it in the fridge. Just remember to bring it out in advance of using it to bring it to room temperature so it's soft enough to use. I've made that mistake before!!

If you aren't fussy about which recipe you use then this keeps really well but it is too gooey to withstand any elaborate ie heavy, decorating. Brownies keep well too.

This is the one (another recipe WITH flour comes up as well but this is the one I have frozen iced so you could make the whole thing Tuesday and opo it in the frezzer til Friday evening:
www.goodtoknow.co.uk/recipes/495997/mary-berry-s-chocolate-birthday-cake

That would be pop it in the freezer!
I leave out the coffee when making it for kids

Thanks for all your help. I think I will stick to my usual chocolate cake recipe as it's very reliable and I know it will withstand the icing afterwards. There's lightsabers and all sorts going on the top...

One final question - do I wrap the cake in clingflim to freeze and leave it in the clingfilm while it defrosts?

I made a Madeira cake for my ds last year with about the same timescale and it was fine. It's more dense, and stayed very moist, you can just cut it in half to put your filling in.
Not sure if you can just add chocolate to recipe?

Oh, Madeira stronger for the decorations on top too

Thanks. Right, I may now have had a change of heart and am thinking madeira cake with chocolate buttercream (before the fondant and decs). The recipe I have found states lemon essence - I assume using vanilla essence will be fine?

Blimey, if you are so busy, pop to the supermarket and buy a birthday cake.

Cointreau - if I was in the slightest bit sensible, I would. Instead, I prefer to exhaust myself planning beautiful star wars cakes that take huge amounts of time, effort and money, certain in the knowledge that, at the end of it all, DS will tell me he actually wanted a yoda/ power rangers/ football cake anyway. Why would anyone not do that?!

Yes vanilla fine, I did lemon but I didn't do chocolate :)

Yes, I would wrap the cake in cling film and leave it wrapped while it defrosts. Vanilla essence will be much better if you are using choc buttercream. If you have a chance to get to Lakeland, I use their vanilla extract - more expensive but lasts for ages & well worth it for the taste.

Good luck with the Star Wars theme!