Birthday cake

watermeadow, hats off to you. I think your objective is to approach others who know the recipient well and you'll come up with the perfect result. Obviously they will be sworn to secrecy and probably enjoy being part of the delightful conspiracy. Enjoy!

Have a look at the Patisserie Valerie website for ideas. They have some truly delicious and amazing looking cakes which avoid the rather horrid block-colour fondant effect that is taking over the universe. I had a 60th birthday cake from them, a plain sponge with cream and covered with fruit and it looked and tased wonderful.

Chicken, Sachertorte has no marzipan. I like it and do make it but would prefer madeira or what about a tower of cupcakes, various, chocolate and lemon and maybe some with jam centres, all decorated? If you go for the sacher/chocolate one I used to add a few spoons of rum for adult special occasions. Or just found this
www.bbc.com/food/recipes/vodka_strawberry_89729

Celebration cakes theses days are getting more ott than ever.Rich fruit cake does not seem to be the norm these days which would not have given those making the cake a problem other than the colour of the icing and the decorations. My own wedding cake was a rich fruit two tier elaborately iced no expense spared affair made by Huntley and Palmer in the early sixties. Any one else have one of these ?

Ree Drummond (pioneer woman) makes a wicked confetti cake, again Pinterest
So if you decided to go for vanilla when you cut it, it will look pretty inside all multi coloured. Good luck and please put a picture on gransnet to show us ? By the way how old is this person?

I like naked cakes, with fruit of all kind draped over. If more than one layer, you can make one gluten free, one dairy free, and one nut free. These can look spectacular.

I do not like chocolate cake in any shape or form so, for my recent 70th birthday, my DD had a beautiful salted caramel cake made. It was delicious.

My DS and DiL made me a chocolate cake basket with tulips on as they said they were the easiest flowers to make. Being just before Christmas I also had my second rich fruit Christmas cake which I’d plain iced. (My MiL’s cake recipe makes too much for one cake). Both got eaten. Perhaps two cakes is the answer!

I usually make things that are related to the birthday boy/girl.Cars,guitars,camera's ,garden scenes ,fishing scenes ,teddy bears ,t-shirt shapes with slogans on, burgers and chips you name it I've made it .Sadly I never take photographs of them ..it just occured to me that the only pictures I have are of wedding cakes taken on the day .I dont charge people for cakes I make them for my pleasure and once they're handed over my relationship with them is ended.I seldom make the same cake twice though my D got the same cake for her 38th birthday that she got for her 8th ..at her request .A large chocolate bear covered in chocolate fudge icing .Next big birthday is hers again she'll be 40 so I'm waiting to see what she wants

I will pass on my secret for making a cake with cream type icing look wow with very minimal effort. (Sometimes I can be bothered with cutting amd shaping, doing pillars, rolling fondant, making fondant animals etc and sometimes, frankly, no I cannot)

maddocksfarmorganics.co.uk/products/edible-petal-confetti

You will get best results placing the petals with tweezers, but its still a job of a few minutes amd it looks absolutely boss.

I went to a birthday party where there was a lovely display on the main table, huge plant pot full of greenery and brightly coloured flowers.
Was amazed later when it was cut into, to reveal a delicious madeira cake. We were each given a slice of madeira plant pot, a bit of greenery and a coloured flower.
Delightful

I love this thread smile

I'm another that isn't keen on chocolate cake, prefer vanilla every time. I used to bake a lot of cakes but gave up when I spent weeks creating flowers to decorate a coffee cake for my mum's birthday and when I showed it to her the response I got was 'I'd have preferred a cheesecake from M&S'. I don't think most people realise just how much work goes into a celebration cake

Watermeadow - not sure it is fair to you to ask you to make a cake with NO spec at all. I'm sure you are talented but even Michaelangelo needed to be told what was needed. I'd say you can't do it unless you get some help!

I too think that you need to go back to the commissioner and say you need guidance - what a compliment to be asked!
You can of course, think about the cakes your friend has enjoyed, which will give you some idea.
It seems to me that you either go with a plainish cake and serious decoration, or a more interesting cake - like Hummingbird - a family favourite - which won't take such elaborate decoration, although fresh fruit is lovely on it.
I have a relative who is a serious cake maker, and her madeira cake decorated with fresh fruit (and a bit of whipped cream) is amazing.

My daughter made a cake for my nephew's big birthday. The cake was simple, and it was covered with edible photos of him as a little 'un, a teenager, groom and dad. Edible photos can be ordered at good cake-making shops. (Some big supermarkets, I'm told?) Print the photos off on A4 paper and take them in!

Why not take a look on Pinterest for some inspiration?

I agree with Humbertbear, the answer is a layered cake with different flavours. I once made a wedding cake with apple cake, lemon cake and carrot cake, all covered with a cream cheese frosting which went with every layer. I have to confess that the cake wasn't very glamourous, but was large, pretty, and every crumb was eaten. It was decorated with sweet peas, fake ones on the actual icing and real ones wound into them.

I’m with you Ninathenana, I loathe chocolate cake. I’m always bemused in restaurants too when faced with a dessert menu of mainly chocolate puds.

Mercedes - what a gorgeous cake! You DM is churlish!

Decided to make a drip cake (very fashionable) 4 layers of Madeira cake, gold metallic covered buttercream as fondant is inedible, chocolate dripping down the sides, top covered with sweets, flowers, chocolates and a gold 40.
Thanks for suggestions, I’ll send you all a virtual slice!

Yes please, sounds delicious
We'd love to see a photo before you slice it

I hope there’ll be enough to go around all of us.

Water meadow, I was wondering, if there is any cake leftover, could you bring it to the Argy Bargy Cafe, we can help you finish it off,?? All the pictures of cakes posted on here look wonderful, what a talented lot you all are,