favourite cake

Lemon Drizzle, Lemon Drizzle, Lemon Drizzle.

Sorry everyone it's me who got a bit overcome chatting about my old hometown Birmingham. It's my age you know

I will start a thread on it elsewhere perhaps at some time.

Angel cake

Yes Birmingham has hijacked this thread - sorry! Just to say Tegan Bingley Hall is still there only rebuilt and quite posh, a venue for weddings etc. Sorry also for assuming the Kardomah was only in Brum

Elephants feet

Does anyone remember those giant chou pastry things with whipped cream and choc in? bears feet/claws/paws called something like that.

I had forgotten those butterfly cakes mrsmopp they were rather more-ish weren't they?Think I will make some wheat/gluten free ones for my DGS at the week-end.

Back to cakes!
We loved home made butterfly cakes which were really just sponge with the tops cut and arranged like wings, using buttercream and dusted with icing sugar. We thought they were a real treat and my own family liked them too.
Not made any since the kids grew up though.

KatyK and Dragonfly1 yes the Kardomah in Colmore Row was close to Snow Hill station where I caught the train home every day.

The roof top garden at Lewis's was a mini zoo in the 1950s.

Dragonfly1 did you mean John Lewis or Rackhams which was the big store I remember ?

Tegan we went each year to Bingley Hall for the Ideal Home Show. The highlight was to have an icecream and sit and watch the dancing coloured fountain water display.

Gosh the memories are flooding back.

Did any of you from Brum go to the Hippodrome ?

newist that's exactly right, they were called russian slices, and boy were they delicious, I could eat one [possibly two] right this minute.
Never heard of the Kardomah, but it's obviously bringing back loads of good memories for some of you.

There were Kardomahs all over the place in the 60s, not just Brum! There was certainly at least one in Manchester...don't think I'd like Kunzel Cakes now, although I did then!

The Kardomah! Memories! My mum and aunt used to take me in there on our occasional trips to Brum - I'm sure it was near Snow Hill - then we'd have lunch in John Lewis. I remember their restaurant as being a bit posh, and we all always had roast lamb! Memories indeed. And yes, kunzle cakes too. Glorious!

Used to go to the rooftop garden for an ice cream. Do you remember Bingley Hall?

I thought I recalled one in Colmore Row. Yes I remember Lewis's and (vaguely) Barrows and the Beehive store. I can remember the queues around Lewis's at Christmas to see Father Christmas. He had an assistant called Uncle Holly who used to help with crowd control . They also had a rooftop garden at one point. Ooo you've got me going now.

Oh was it New Street Bee? I can just vaguely remember it. Nankate we still have a few Druckers in Birmingham and one in Sutton Coldfield. They are lovely places, selling beautiful cakes, sandwiches and more.

Bewitch I think there were 2 Kardomahs in Brum in the 1960s. One in New Street the other Colmore Row.

Do you remember Lewis's and Barrows ?

I have just read through the posts, I remember Russian cake rosesarered what I remember was it was on a pastry base then the bits of cake, all different colours were pressed together then soaked in rum essence, the icing on top of the ones we had was always pink with chocolate stripes on the top. They were really moist and delicious

There was a Kardomah in Paris... largely patronised by anglophiles, who thought it tres snob in their Harris Tweeds and Cavalry twills. There were framed photos on the wall of the Kardomas in places like Blackpool. Fascinating place - I have no idea how long it lasted - that was in 1963, I think...

katyK NanKate The Kardomah - it was in New Street, almost opposite the Odeon. Lots of memories of being there - what a super atmosphere. It was THE place to go I recall.

KatyK I meant Druckers the Swiss cake shop not Zuckers - what a plonker I am.

You are right KatyK I can see myself going in there now for a coffee and cake. I felt very grown up frequenting the Kardomah.

I wonder if we were ever in there at the same time ?

I went to the Burlington Secretarial College and there're was a Swiss cake shop (think it was called Zuckers) nearby which I thought was very exotic.

NanKate - Oh yes the Kardomah. That brings back so many memories. Was it on Colmore Row on the corner of the Great Western Arcade, or have I got that wrong?

Thanks BeeWitch for the Kunzle info! He was Swiss, I might have known.
Deeda your cake sounds good, any chance of the recipe?Is this an Italian cake?

My own lemon fairy cakes are my favourite (I say 'my own' but own up to being inspired by a supermarket version of them).

Shop bought cake would have to be a plain madeira cake.

I as never very keen on Kunzle cakes, I preferred fondant fancies (still one of my favourites)
I an just eating a slice of lemon and poppy seed cake made from a Woman's Weekly recipe. I find it very addictive - something about the combination of crunchy poppy seeds with the sugary lemon juice.