a rather tall birthday cake

Posted on by

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.

46 thoughts on “a rather tall birthday cake”

  5. 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.

    Like

    Reply ↓

  6. 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 🙂

    Like

    Reply ↓

  8. 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)

    Like

    Reply ↓

  10. 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?

    Like

    Reply ↓

    • 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.

      Like

      Reply ↓

  13. 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?

    Like

    Reply ↓

  19. 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

    Like

    Reply ↓

  21. 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.

    Like

    Reply ↓

  25. Pingback: songs to make cupcakes to « Cityhippyfarmgirl

  26. Pingback: blue cherry meringue tart and thoughts of 35 « Cityhippyfarmgirl

  27. Pingback: little soft sweet white peaks of cloud | cityhippyfarmgirl

Leave a reply to Wendy Cancel reply