It’s Bea’s eleventh birthday on Tuesday and so we threw a little party on Saturday.
Matilda and Martha usually have very clear ideas about what they want to do for their birthdays, who they want to invite and what they want in the way of presents.
Bea is only ever clear about one thing – the cake.
This year she wanted a zombie.
Hidden beneath the thick layer of green icing is my go-to birthday cake – Nigella’s buttermilk birthday cake which I have written about many times (prettier version here).
I make one cake, slice it in two and then layer it back together again with Nutella into which I whip lots of double cream. If you are tempted to try this, be warned: the Nutella always resists the addition at first, and then sort of gives up and goes soft and glossy and completely delicious.
Fabulous! I do like a good cake and this is a great one!
Thank you! I have to say, I scraped off most of the icing on my slice.
Oh, wow. Tremendous. Nutella and cream you say…..
It’s quite dangerous… and you can use any cream really, double, single or whipping. I usually put about three generous tablespoons of Nutella in a bowl and then slosh the cream in bit by bit, making sure each addition is blended in before adding any more. I stop when I’ve got a smooth mousse-like consistency, light and glossy. Sometimes I have to add a bit more Nutella. Obviously you have to keep tasting it to be sure!
Oh my goodness. My 6-yr-old daughter would love it. I’m wondering how you did the eyeballs? they look suspiciously like Ferrero Rocher’s…….?
The eyeballs were sweets called golf balls and I painted on the pupils. For the hair and stubble I used liquorice laces and lime laces, and the green boils were green bubble gum balls. I painted on the scars with a cocktail stick which I dipped in red and black food colouring and the teeth were made with chewing gum. Very satisfying way to spend a Saturday morning!
Golf balls? I have never seen them here in Australia. Are they particularly English sweets perhaps? Both kids looked at the picture and said ‘eeuw, gross, disgusting’, so I’m guessing they loved it
I can’t say that I’d heard of them either, but I saw them in the sweet shop and thought they’d make perfect googley eyes, my girls told me that they’re called golf balls – they are pitted like golf balls, so I suppose they’re right! I guess you could use some kind of gobstopper or large ball of bubble gum – pink eyes would probably look good, or yellow!
What a fantastic looking cake!
You did a great job. I’ve used that recipe a few times for big people birthdays. The Nutella cream sounds yummy.
Eeeeeekkkk! Effective though…
Really scary- in a delicious way.