Fairy tale birthday

What started as a wee bit of fun about 5 years ago when I attempted to make a birthday cake for my sister has now turned into a tradition, or more of an expectation, that Mum (a.k.a. Me) will make a cake. I'm not complaining mind you. I love both the baking and (dare I be so bold) the artistic side of decorating a birthday cake. It's a really lovely feeling when the cakes are admired, but most of all it's wonderful when my kids are chuffed to bits with the cake that has been made to their own (very specific) requests.

My daughter (a.k.a. The Princess of Power) turned 5 recently. For such a petite wee thing, she knows what she wants.

So, exactly as directed, here we have a Fairy Toadstool House.



The cake was madeira cake, filled with lemon butter icing and blackcurrant jam.

Madeira Cake

(quantities for 7"/18cm round tin)

230g SR flour
170g sugar
170g margarine
3 eggs
30 ml milk

Method

All in one method, beat for one minute in mixer. Bake in greased tin for 1¼-1½ hours at 150 C.

Madeira cake is perfect for birthday cakes. It's a denser cake and more moist than classic Victoria sponge, and so keeps a bit longer. The slow baking also means that it doesn't rise as much as Victoria sponge, which is ideal for decorating.

The base of the cake was a 7 in round cake. The toadstool 'roof'' was a large Pyrex bowl, which I lined with baking paper before baking.

The cake was iced with ready to roll fondant icing. The coloured icings were made simply by needing paste colours into white fondant - the pre-coloured icings are hard to come by in NZ and so are very expensive. DIY colouring at least allows some control of the end result - especially given such fussy 'clients'!


I have to say I was pleased with the result, and the Princess of Power was very chuffed. Oh, although she did express disappointment that the door didn't open to reveal a table and chairs for the Fairies to sit and eat their tea. That's ok though. Smug Mummy is never a good look!