Struggling to decide if the flavour profile will work, birthday cake!

[dontcomeatme]

It's my younger DSis birthday on Monday and I wanted to make her a cake. She loves chocolate and strawberrys, particularly Nutella and or diary milk melted.
I wanted to make a three tier cake with multiple sponges, bottom vanilla, top chocolate and a mix in the middle. Image attached of the design of the sponges I see in my head when she cuts it. Then use this recipe
https://charlotteslivelykitchen.com/nutella-buttercream/
to make a Nutella buttercream for in between the sponges and a thin layer around the cake, with sliced strawberrys between every layer and decorative on the top.
My question is, for quickness I was just going to buy a vanilla sponge mix and a chocolate sponge mix for the cakes, however, I know Nutella is a very particular flavour profile, would I need to make the chocolate sponge Nutella as well, I'm worried a "normal" chocolate cake with Nutella buttercream will just taste wrong? Or am I over thinking it?

I think I’d be more bothered by the soggy strawberries

But yes Nutella and chocolate alone would be fine but it all sounds a bit complicated with the strawberries and vanilla cake too

I've quite often put Nutella on its own on both vanilla and chocolate fairy cakes and it's still been delicious, so I think would be fine? But bumping in case other people have more knowledge :)

@Airconismyking this was my concern too, plus I know the cake won't last as long with strawberrys. I was contemplating just using the strawberrys on the top of the cake. We do plan on eating it on that day so it should be fine?

She couldn't decide between vanilla sponge or chocolate so I'm doing both 😅

use a good strawberry jam and decorate it with chocolate covered strawberries. Box cake mix saves about two minutes, make it from scratch!

https://www.nigella.com/recipes/devil-s-food-cake

https://www.janespatisserie.com/2019/02/09/vanilla-cake/

these are easy enough

I normally do but we've just moved and my cake supply cupboard currently has zero ingredients in it 😅 I was just going to send the OH to the shop at the weekend and this was easier

That devil's food cake looks unbelievable though, added to the list haha

Haha well you need to build up your stocks 😆😆 m&s box cakes aren’t bad or the wright’s Madeira in the paper bag.

@FurForksSake I know the struggle is real 😂 and to top it off I think my electric mixer is in a moving box still and in the loft! This cake is going really well so far haha

lol! You may need a new one 😆I’ve got a gorgeous kitchen and but most of my cakes I use an ancient James Martin electric hand whisk. It’s a war horse!

Wouldn’t be a problem - chocolate with chocolate/hazelnut doesn’t need any other mediating components.

The strawberries won’t keep long - I’ve used freeze dried strawberries/strawberry compote depending on how quickly it’ll be eaten. Or just have a bowl of chopped strawberries nearby that can be served alongside the cake?

@FurForksSake well my OH is going to love me in a minute when I say it's time to go in the loft 😅
I don't even know the name of mine, its an off cream ugly thing that belonged to my nana! Those are always the best ones haha

@Martharian we are planning on eating it the same day, would that be okay? There is a group of us gathering it will definitely get eaten. Really want to try the strawberrys on the cake but I'm worried about it now.

If you can put them on the same day that it’s eaten, I think it’ll be fine!

Fresh strawberries between the layers will be fine for a day, if cake left I'd refrigerate overnight and eat next day allowing it to come back to room temp, the strawberries will be part mush which can actually be very nice as they have soaked flavour in but still edible.

Ooh this does sound nice, I might have to keep a slice to try the next day

I agree with this. I often put fresh strawberries in the middle of a Victoria Sponge and we all like the slightly mushy soaked in strawberry bit later on.

I think chocolate + hazelnut + vanilla + strawberry sounds delicious. I think some vanilla in there lightens it a bit.

@BendingSpoons This was our thinking too. We all find a full chocolate cake a bit overbearing, and normal chocolate ganache or frosting is a little too sweet. So I thought I'd completely wing it and try to balance the flavours so its not so heavy or sickening, I'll let you all know if it's awful on Monday 🤣

@BendingSpoons while I've got you, quick question 😊 I was originally wanting to do a thin layer of buttercream and sliced strawberries in between the layers. But then I read about trying to avoid the strawberries leaking too much, one person recommended separating some buttercream, chopping some strawberrys up small and mixing it together. Then use that as the in between layer? Which would you think would be nicer? I've never used fresh fruit in cake before 🙈

I'm not a particularly expert baker. I usually do a (sort of) Victoria Sponge cake with jam and then thinly sliced strawberries on the bottom layer and buttercream on the top layer to deliberately let it soak through! Chopped strawberries in the buttercream sounds like a good option, but if you are eating it same day it shouldn't go too soggy. Personally I like slicing them as you can fit more in, but that's personal preference and I'm sure Paul Hollywood would not approve of my 2nd day sponge!

@BendingSpoons I'm not an expert either haha. Oooh sod Paul Hollywood that sounds delightful 😋 I think I'm going to chop it up and put it in the buttercream and then sliced on top! X

Can we have pictures and reviews of what you make afterwards please? Many thanks 🥄🥄🥄🥄

@FurForksSake most definitely! I'm really looking forward to making it, currently dragging my 2 young DC around the shops trying to get everything I need 😅 x

This sounds like a plan! The more the better in my opinion.

@BendingSpoons well this is kinda the plan in my head for the strawberries, but whether it looks like this on Monday is truly 50/50 at this point 😅

Oh my god just realised I've said three tier cake in the OP 🤣 it's just three layer haha

Strawberries and Nutella is DIVINE- as pp have said, eat the same day it’ll be fine

The flavour combination sounds great to me!

I think if I were making it I'd see If I could get Strawberry flavouring or conserve/good quality jam.

I'd use mixes, like better crocker or something, because they're more reliable in my kitchen (dont trust my oven 🤣).

I'd do the layers as you said, but would make some buttercream for between the layers, that had the strawberry conserve/jam and some flavouring to taste, don't put it too close to the edges because it'll be pinkish, and not too much or they'll slide about on top of each other.

Make sure if your layers have rised rounded. Cit the tops off so they're flat, and once cooled I'd assemble as above, and then use Nutella buttercream over the top and edges, then instead of sliced strawberry I'd half dip some in melted chocolate, and have those on top with the chocolate against the cake so the moisture stays in the strawbs/doesn't make the cake soggy. You could also put some smashed up/grated/whatever you want chocolate arranged nicely on top too.