Couple of questions about cake

[Kreacheriscleaning]

I have been asked to make a birthday cake for my sisters girlfriend.
I make cakes quite often but they are usually just round or square- the same shape as the pan.
DS has requested a shaped cake though. So I made the cakes last night and froze them as I won’t have time next week.
Would I be best shaping while frozen or defrosting first please don’t say that I should have done it before freezing.

Also, any suggestions for filling a chocolate cake that are a bit more interesting that bog standard chocolate buttercream?
I wondered about winding up oreos in the buttercream but the outside will need to be smooth vanilla buttercream so not sure if that would make life hard.

I usually use fondant but can’t this time.

I'd cut it when it's defrosted, or at least not frozen solid..

Lots of ideas for fillings online..

Maybe something minty?

I will go for defrosted then. Thank you @redgin

I have looked online but nothing has really taken my fancy. Wondered if MN had any recommendations. .

I would do it when it’s halfway defrosted that’s way shouldn’t be too crumby.

Filling - salted caramel, white choc, chocolate fudge, nutty flavour , chocolate orange, mix in raspberries into the chocolate icing,

Ohh nutty. I’d not thought about that. Maybe some Nutella or similar.

I don't like Oreos so can't recommend it but it would be easy to make double vanilla buttercream then put half in a separate bowl and add the crushed biscuits.

Also if not using fondant, Google 'crumb coating' - you basically make a looser buttercream and cover thinly, then refrigerate, then you can do the top coat with normal buttercream and it looks nice and tidy without getting crumbs in it. If you have a pallette knife, I find this best.

I always start carving whilst the cakes are frozen as they hold together much better. They defrost very quickly.

I also vote for frozen.

In terms of filling I love using a cherry jam that has really large pieces and sweetened mascarpone and gives it a nice black forest gateau taste.

My dd made some cupcakes the other day and flavoured ordinary buttercream with salted caramel flavouring, and then grated a little nutmeg on the top. Awesome.

Swiss meringue filling is amazing

Sorry that should be swiss meringue butter cream

• google Swiss meringue butter cream recipe

Then have a tin of carnation caramel and add a good few dollops to the buttercream. spread a layer of caramel alongside the Swiss meringue buttercream that s now flavoured with the caramel,

Then gently ping some dark choc in the microwave u til it a putty like but not fully melting and with a veg peeler make choc curls for on top with some sea salt

Swiss meringue buttercrean is a game changer for me! I only made it for the first time a few days ago, and its not as difficult as a lot of online recipes make it look. I used the sugar geek recipe.

To me it tastes like whipped cream, but not cold iyswim, but it's very stable so can be left at room temperature and can be piped etc. It's nowhere near as sweet, or as heavy as normal buttercream so it will take on other flavours really well I think. The caramel about sounds lovley!

Mocha?