Baking a Birthday Cake!?!


Question: I'm not a great cake baker! I've done a few Victorian sponges and Maderia Cakes in the past, but My mum has just turned 50 and is come to stay in a few days and wanted to TRY and do a birthday cake for her! You know the sort, with jam inside, covered in icing, with piped edges etc..... Has any one got any advice? or details they can offer, to help me get through this challenge of a life time!! (ha ha) Many thanks for your help! Ps. I Don't want to just buy one from a supermarket!!!


Answers: I'm not a great cake baker! I've done a few Victorian sponges and Maderia Cakes in the past, but My mum has just turned 50 and is come to stay in a few days and wanted to TRY and do a birthday cake for her! You know the sort, with jam inside, covered in icing, with piped edges etc..... Has any one got any advice? or details they can offer, to help me get through this challenge of a life time!! (ha ha) Many thanks for your help! Ps. I Don't want to just buy one from a supermarket!!!

TWO-LAYER BLACKBERRY JAM CAKE

1 1/2 cups butter
3 cups white sugar
5 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups blackberry preserves
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
1 1/2 cups shredded coconut
1 1/2 cups raisins
butter cream icing
additional blackberries, to garnish

Filling:

1 cup softened cream cheese
1/2 cup blackberry preserves
2 cups fresh blackberries

Preheat oven to 350°F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease two 10 inch round cake pans and set aside.
Cream together the butter and sugar. Add eggs separately, beating well after each.

Sift together soda and flour; add alternately with sour cream to creamed mixture. Mix well.

Add jam, pecans, coconut and raisins. Mix well and pour into prepared pans.

Bake for 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove cakes from pans and allow to cool completely.

In a small bowl, combine all filling ingredients except the fresh berries.

Spread the filling onto the top of one cake and arrange the fresh berries on top. Place the other cake on top and press down lightly, making sure the cakes are “stuck” together.

Frost the cake with the butter cream frosting and arrange the fresh berries on top, to serve.
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JAM CAKE

2 c. sugar
2 tsp. allspice
2 tsp. cloves
3 1/2 c. self-rising flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 c. pecans, chopped
4 eggs, beaten
1 c. cooking oil
2 c. blackberry jam
1 c. buttermilk

Mix first 6 ingredients together then add next 4 ingredients. Mix all at once and bake 1 1/2 hours in a well-greased and floured tube pan at 325 degrees. Test with toothpick. Bake 10 minutes longer if not done. Cool up side down.
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CARAMEL BUTTER FROSTING FOR JAM CAKE:

1/2 c. butter
1 c. brown sugar

Melt butter, add brown sugar. Bring to a boil, stir 1 minute or until slightly thick. Cool slightly, add 1/4 cup milk, beat smooth. Beat in 3 1/4 cups sifted confectioners sugar until of spreading consistency. Double for jam cake.
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KENTUCKY JAM CAKE

5 eggs, separated
2 c. sugar
3 c. flour (sifted)
1 c. butter
1 c. buttermilk
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cloves
1 1/2 tsp. allspice
1 c. jam (raspberry, strawberry or blackberry)
1 c. chopped raisins (optional)
1 c. chopped nuts (optional)

Cream butter well. Add sugar gradually. Beat until light and fluffy. Add beaten egg yolks. Add flour alternately with buttermilk to which you have added soda. Add egg whites. Bake at 325 degrees for 40 minutes.

ICING:

2 sticks butter
2 c. sugar
1 sm. can milk
1 tbsp. white syrup

Allow cake layers to cool before icing.
Cook to soft ball stage; beat well quickly until firm enough to spread on cake.


FRUIT FILLING:

9 egg yolks
2 sticks butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. chopped maraschino cherries
1 c. chopped raisins
1 c. coconut
1 c. nuts

Combine egg yolks, butter, sugar and beat until thick, about 10-12 minutes. Add vanilla, nuts, fruit, coconut. Spread between layers (three layer cake).
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PEACH JAM CAKE

CAKE:

3/4 c. butter
1 c. sugar
3 eggs, separated
2 c. flour (plain)
1 tsp. soda
1/2 c. buttermilk
1 c. peach preserves

ICING:

2 c. sugar
1 c. milk
1 sm. can coconut
1 c. nuts, chopped
1 lg. can crushed pineapple, drained
Juice of 1 orange

Cream butter and sugar well. Add egg yolks and blend well. Combine flour and soda; add to sugar mixture alternately with buttermilk. Add peach preserves. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. Bake in 2 or 3 layers, well greased and floured. Bake in 325 degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until done.
ICING: Combine sugar and milk, cook slowly to soft ball stage. Remove from heat and mix other ingredients to above mixture. This will seem soft but cake will take it up. Spread between layers and on the sides.
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STRAWBERRY JAM CAKE

2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 c. shortening
1 c. sugar
3 eggs
1 c. strawberry jam
3/4 c. buttermilk

Cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs (1 at a time and beat). Add jam and beat until smooth. Add dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk.

i love madeira cake (being potugese) and your mum likes it 2 y dont you make 2 round layers of it with jam and cream between and cover the cake in white icing decorating the edges with the icing like you see the proffessionals do.

then in the middle write something

Hey!
First - Happy Birthday to mom! :)
I found some cake video recipes which might help you make up your mind: http://www.sutree.com/Learn.aspx?q=cake

Good luck and happy birthday!

ok

http://search.foodnetwork.com/food/recip...

http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/search.p...

http://search.myrecipes.com/search.html?...

http://www.bettycrocker.com/search/searc...





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