Sturdy cake recipe needed, one that lends itself to sculpting please.

[S1ur]

Just had ds' birthday and I made a scrumptious choc and orange drizzle cat cake (based on the delicious Marsy of course) But gorgeous though it was, that recipe won't do for dd's upcoming birthday - it was just to moist and yummy.

So she wants a treasure chest, propped open and filled with coins etc. I therefore need a carvable, sturdy sponge recipe that will do the trick.

I have heard Nigella's bun recipe might work? Anyone any ideas?

Thank you

standard madera i would do,

6 oz flour, sugar and butter and 3 eggs- multiply up as needed.

You will need to put propped lid bit of cake on a thin board tho

Board you think? hmm. Thank you. That recipe is my standard too. It does work reasonably well for carving. But I wonder if anyone has any alternatives..

it's this kinda thing I'm aiming for

?

Nigella's 'buttermilk birthday cake' from the domestic goddess book wold be perfect. It has a disconcerting 'boinginess' but stands up to the cutting and icing of 'shape cakes' really well. Good luck.

I would say iMum's recipe is more of a Victoria sponge which is crumblier and less firm than a true Madeira, the madeira sponge recipe I use stands up very well to being carved (all the cakes on my profile are made from this recipe)

For 8inch square madeira cake:

450g S/R flour
400g Caster sugar
400g butter/marg
7 eggs
3.5 tablespoons milk

Grease and line tin, sift flour into bowl and add all over ingredients. Mix on slow speed until everything is combined then mix on high speed for 1 minute.

Pour into tin and bake at 150 degrees C for 1 3/4 - 2 hours. (I tend to find that they're cooked by 1hr 45 so keep an eye on it!)

Leave in tin for 5 -10 mins then turn out onto wire rack to cool. (If you turn it out too quickly it will fall apart)

(If you want to make a 10inch, add 100g extra flour, 115g extra butter, 115g extra sugar, 2 more extra and 0.5tbsp milk. Will need another 15-30 mins to cook)

The instructions on your link say to make a wedge with off cuts of cake to support the lid, which should work fine if the cake is firm enough.

For carving cakes I tend to freeze them and carve them when stll frozen/semi frozen. Which helps alot.

Oh just came back to this.

Thank you very much for that recipe Olihan, and for the tips Sibh and imum