Birthday cake dilema!

What do you do when you have a child that is

fussy about cake?

Earlier this month I had this very dilemma, as I do every year in May when the time comes to plan for my dearest (middle) child’s birthday.  Thankfully this year, I stumbled upon this inspirational image and fantastic recipe.  Of course with him being fussy about cake meant that I had to adapt the flavour combinations of this idea, but I’m pleased to say that my, Ginger cake, Lemon sorbet & Vanilla ice cream version went down a real treat!

7 layer Ice-cream cake

INGREDIENTS

• 1 frozen pound cake (10 3/4 ounces) in aluminum loaf pan, un-thawed, or 1 homemade 4 1/2-by-8 1/2-inch pound cake, room temperature
• 2 cups raspberry sorbet, softened
• 1 cup vanilla ice cream, softened
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped chocolate wafer cookies
• 2 large egg whites
• Cream of tartar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

STEP 1

Remove cake from pan and cut horizontally into 4 slices. Line pan with plastic wrap, leaving 6-inch overhang on two sides. Build cake layers in pan in this order: bottom cake slice, 1 cup sorbet, cake slice, 1/2 cup ice cream, cookie crumbs, 1/2 cup ice cream, cake slice, 1 cup sorbet, top cake slice. (If necessary, return ice cream to freezer as you work.) Wrap in plastic and freeze at least 1 hour (or up to 3 days).

STEP 2

In a heatproof bowl, lightly whisk together egg whites and pinch of cream of tartar. Set bowl over (not in) a pan of simmering water and whisk until whites are foamy. Slowly whisk in sugar and cook, whisking, until sugar is dissolved (to test, rub some between your fingertips).

STEP 3

Remove bowl from heat and, with an electric mixer, beat on medium-high until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 6 minutes. Add vanilla and beat 1 minute. Remove cake from pan, trim sides if desired, and dollop meringue on top.

  * * * * *

If all else fails, forget the ice cream, hollow out a cake & fill the damn thing up with sweets!

DIY Pinata cake!

But if they really don’t like cake in any capacity, then you could, of course do away with the cake altogether and try one of these instead, (at least they look like cakes)!

Watermelon Bombe, (with chocolate chips).

A funky idea for both boys and girls!

Ice cream bombe with raspberry meringue

Lovely and girly, this dessert can be prepared a few days before a party. Then let the ice cream bomb (without the meringue) soften in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes, until you can slice it. Turn it out onto a serving tray. Then freeze the ice cream bomb for 10 minutes so the surface can harden so the meringue doesn’t fall off. You have to work fast when you pipe the meringue since the ice cream melts. You will need a blow-torch to cook the meringue.

• 2 litres softened vanilla ice cream
• ¾ litre softened raspberry sorbet
• 1 cake base (purchased is fine)
• 1 small (¾ litre) and 1 large (2 litres) metal bowls

Raspberry meringue

• 3 free-range egg whites
• 4 drops fresh lemon juice
• 325 ml sugar
• 200 g fresh raspberries

1. Freeze the bowls (so the ice cream sticks better to the sides and does not melt as quickly when the bowls are to be filled).
2. Soften the sorbet in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes. Pack it firmly into the little metal bowl. Cover with cling film and freeze it until the sorbet is hard again, about 2 hours.
3. Soften the vanilla ice cream in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes. Cover the bottom and walls of the larger (frozen) metal bowl with vanilla ice cream so you leave the centre hollow.
4. Take the bowl with the raspberry sorbet out and rinse the outside of the bowl quickly with hot water. Take the sorbet out and press it into the hollow space in the vanilla ice cream. Fill in any excess space with more vanilla ice cream and spread a layer of vanilla ice cream on top so the sorbet disappears into the middle of the bomb.
5. Cut a round slice out of the cake bottom so it covers the entire surface of the ice cream. Cover with cling film and freeze again until the ice cream bomb is hard.
6. Rinse the outside of the bowl quickly with hot water and press the ice cream out. Freeze it again so the surface freezes.
7. Whisk the egg whites, lemon juice and 1 dl sugar with an electric mixer into a thick meringue in a dry and clean stainless steel bowl.
8. Add another 1 dl sugar while whipping it.
9. Mash the raspberries with the rest of the sugar and whip it into the meringue at low speed. Whip it hard until it is firm.
10. Pipe or spread the meringue over the ice cream bomb and cook the surface with a blow-torch.