Birthday cake. It’s funny how as I’ve gotten older my taste buds have changed. No more would dry old chocolate cake with chocolate icing do for my birthday. As a kid though, you couldn’t hold me back. There would be months of mental planning of what type of cake to ask mum to make for me. Much flicking through the always dependable Womens Weekly cookbooks. There were so many things to be considered, it was the one day of the year where you could pick what ever you wanted to eat, followed by what ever cake you desired. For a couple of years running I quite liked a chocolate cake with lemon icing. Nothing flash, just slapped on and a couple of candles. Yes please…
Now though. I’m a little over chocolate cake. I still have to make them for Mr Chocolate (obviously) and the The Monkeys are rather keen too. However for my own, I wanted to play with something different. I still ponder for far too long on what cake to make, (but that’s half the fun isn’t it? The pondering and the wondering?) I had the image in my head, and I think I had the right sort of taste on my tongue. Now I just had to get it to work…
A rather tall birthday cake
Three layers of meringue
9 egg whites
500 gms sugar
In a mixer beat egg whites until they are stiff and then slowly add sugar in small amounts. Mixture should become stiff, sugar disolved, with lovely peaks. On some parchment paper lay 3 disks of meringue. Large, medium and small. The smaller one with peaks and the other two, flattened. Now bake at 120C for approx 1hour 45 minutes. Allow to cool.
Creamy mixture in between…
250gms mascarpone
300mls cream
1 tps rose water
scraping of 1 vanilla pod
1 tps vanilla extract (you might not need it, depends on your vanilla pod.)
1/2 cup sugar
In bowl add mascarpone, scrapped vanilla pod, rose water, sugar and whip. In a seperate bowl whip the cream up and then carefully fold through the mascarpone mixture.
Blueberries and Strawberries…
Time to get those layers happening. Meringue, mascarpone, berries, and then again. With the peaked meringue at the top.
Verdict?…Actually pretty good. I still love the combination of mascarpone and vanilla, I’ve used it a few times now and I think there just may be a few more times to come. The meringue, I hadn’t made before, but it was actually pretty fun to make. I really like the fact that it is so light, and the berries were just a good addition. A contrasting fresh flavour with the sweetness of the other two.
An easy cake that speaks of summer.
So will I be making it again? Yes, I think I just might.
You didn’t mention it was your birthday yesterday!! Happy birthday!! 🙂
Magnificent meringue cake, and brilliant job on your first attempt! 🙂
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Thank you. Meringue it’s a funny one, that I definitely want to play with again.
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Happy birthday fellow Scorp! (mines this week)
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Scorpians rock don’t we 🙂
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That looks scrumptious! I have to say that I am a bit over the chocolate cake too. Always prefer something with fruity tones now. Must be the grey hairs talking? lol.
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Thanks Multiple Mum. Actually I think it could be the grey hairs talking….(must put some sherry on my shopping list…)
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Oh! And Happy Birthday!
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Let me say it (late) again: HIP HIP HOORAY FOR YOUR BIRTHDAY! What a wonderfully beautiful and delicious cake and all the more so when shared in great company.
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Actually I think it tasted better because you guys were there.
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Happy Birthday Brydie. How cool is this layered pav cake huh. You’ve really hit the top shelf with this one, very decadent & creamy rich yummy goodness there. Hope you had a wonderful day & this is the best year yet for you 🙂
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Thanks Anna. It is decadent that’s for sure. I swam a little longer yesterday to get a bigger piece… a little balancing.
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That looks delicious, I like a bit of mascarpone, and I love meringue.
Happy birthday.
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Mascarpone and I are firm friends.
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Ooh my, but that looks so delish Brydie. What a fabulous job you’ve done with it. and I just happen to have some spare whites sitting in the fridge wondering what to do with themselves!
Hope you had the best time on your day! :0)
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Spare whites no more. I hope you make it Pam, an easy, light sugar hit.
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Happy birthday, that looks fantastic!!
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Thanks Dixie 🙂
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When I saw the photo I thought “that just screams summer” and then I read on and found that you ended your post with much the same comment! Happy Birthday. I hope you had a lovely day.
Nothing quite like a good pav is there?
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Summery, very summery. A sugar hit with out the full feeling that all the winter desserts can give.
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Many Happy Returns ! I have to make a choccie cake tomorrow for him indoors, he’s not over them yet and it’s his birthday on Tuesday. Your meringue palace looks dreamy!
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Joanna, I think Mr Chocolate will be 90 and still requesting chocolate cake for his birthday. (Maybe called Old Man Chocolate by then.) He was actually quite surprised that this one was so tasty AND there was no chocolate in it.
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Happy Birthday Brydie!!!
Your cake is lovely.
I hope your famly celebrate you all week long!
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Thank you Heidi.
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
That is the most fabulous birthday cake. I must remember it next September when my turn comes around. Because I want one of those!
Do I have to wait for my birthday? Can’t I just have it on any occassion?
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Herby what about a Sunday lunch, they come around regularly enough. No need to wait until next September then 😉
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Happy Birthday! And what a magnificent creation to celebrate it with! May there be many more birthday with many more delicious cakes 😀
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Thanks Lorraine 🙂
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Happy Birthday, Brydie!! What a delicious birthday feast you have there. Hope your day was all you wished for! 🙂
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Oh that looks so lovely. It is 8 in the morning and I am not craving that exact cake.
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Happy belated birthday! What an amazing cake. So creative.
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Thank you lovely ladies.
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Yum! Divine!
I love sponge cake with passionfruit and whipped cream, so this looks right up my alley! And my brother would always choose the WW cake of the guy with spiky black hair and a nose ring – mum would spend HOURS making it!
Hope you had a wonderful wonderful birthday
xoxo
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Ah, where would several generations of birthdays be without the ever dependable WW cookbooks!
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Yep – this works for me!
Almost a health food cake really, isn’t it – what with the fresh fruit …?!
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Amanda this one is so healthy it hurts.
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My kind of birthday cake too – looks scrumptious. Like the tower effect and the fruit perching on the sides. I still haven’t used mascapone, but have made labna and scraped vanilla seeds into that which is pretty damn good. Planning cakes is fun, I’m always planning tea parties that I rarely ever have. A belated Happy Birthday and hope you enjoyed the day.
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I’m always planning tea parties as well, that never seem to happen. Such a civilised way to spend an afternoon!
Thanks for the birthday wishes.
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Happy Birthday fellow scorpio!
I had a pav for my birthday cake this year too. Just can’t seem to master the crispy crunchy shell. Yours looks just perfect!
xo
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ah Rachel, I knew you were cool. Now I know why, a fellow scorpio 😉
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Yes, I too am over the old chocolate cake. You three layer meringue cake is a much more exciting choice!
Happy Birthday, your cake looks fabulous!!
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Thank you Susan.
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geez…the cake is gorgeous.
i am so late but happy birthday to you.
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Thanks Kristi. It was pretty tasty, might even get another look in next year.
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