If I ever ask Ed what cake he wants for his birthday, the answer is a victoria sponge, with buttercream in the middle and icing, sprinkles and a cherry on top. Quite specific really.
This year though I had an ulterior motive as I wanted to enter a cake into the #nigellaforever challenge.
With a deadline fast approaching and a theme of ‘seduced by chocolate’ I wanted to kill two birds with one cake. After a quick flick through my Nigella books this ‘Best Birthday Cake’ seemed to cover all the bases, as not only is it a victoria sponge type affair, but it also has a goopy chocolate topping AND a custardy filling. Ed’s other favourite cake is, coincidentally, a custard doughnut.
I have to admit, this mornings first baking attempt was a total disaster.
I read Nigella’s instructions which noted that the cake comes out of the oven after 20 minutes ‘spookily puffed up’ due to the custard powder in it. It did too…and this led me to ignore my intuition that warned me that it was not cooked through. After removing the cakes from their tins they gradually oozed out their innards in a most disturbing manner. Even after chopping the centres out and thinking I could salvage them as some sort of bundt style cake I had to admit that they were a monumental cock up, see here.
V2 had far more than the allotted 20 minutes. I gave it more like 35 minutes to make sure that it was cooked. You need to wait until it has no wobble in the middle.
20 minutes my arse.
The filling is a custard enriched buttercream and the topping is a hot pouring mix of chocolate, molten sugar and golden syrup. Pour on until you are wobbly in the middle.
I am not enough of a kitchen slut (no really) to pour the topping on whilst it is still hot and runny, as Nigella suggests. I couldn’t bear to let it run all over the plate. I let it cool a little then poured it on, but be aware, it then creates an impervious coating that repels all sprinkles, so a little coaxing was required.
We have just enjoyed a slice of this with a cup of tea. Very nice it was too.
Happy Birthday Ed x
You can find the recipe here
Things we make 
Charlotte
February 17, 2011
Hello!
yum, love the idea of chocolate & custard, very pretty too, you’re very good doing a second version, I’m afraid I may have given up ;o)
Glad you all had a fun evening
x
thingswemake
February 18, 2011
Thanks – I would have given up if I hadn’t prepared the frosting and the filling :-S We went to the Matlock Balti and had a really super meal. Really proud of George – our little grown up diner!
foods for the soul
February 17, 2011
You take such amazing photos! Wonderful composition and very attractive depth of field. Every photo makes me want to eat a humongous slice of that cake!
thingswemake
February 18, 2011
What a lovely comment! Thank you so much.
princesayasmine
February 17, 2011
The cake looks great! You and Nigella make a great team.
thingswemake
February 18, 2011
thank you! Good luck with your new job.
aforkfulofspaghetti
February 18, 2011
Cor. Custardy sponge, buttercream, and chocolate? Lucky Ed!
Final version looks great, Claire. But I think you should have a word with Nigella about those oven timings.
Vickii
February 18, 2011
This looks gorgeous! I was considering Nigella’s Boston Cream Pie for my entry for the custardy filling and chocolate topping and your cake reminds me so much of it, I’m going to have to try it. Happy birthday to Ed!
Sara
February 19, 2011
That cake looks amazing and Happy Birthday to Ed!
Oh, and my new favorite word/term is “kitchen slut”—haha, that gave me a good laugh! 🙂
Sally
February 20, 2011
Once again your pictures and description have made me want to make a Nigella recipe that I’d overlooked in the past. It looks like a kitch and sickly mess in the Nigella book!
sanyaliving
February 20, 2011
Too funny! You sound very much like I do in the kitchen! But you have more persistence!
And amazing photos! You post is picture perfect!
Jenn@eatcakefordinner
February 21, 2011
I love your all black blog with white lettering! This cake sounds incredible.
MothersHeart
February 23, 2011
This sounds just wonderful! I love getting your post in my e-mail … and have lots of enjoyment reading them. Now – If I did more baking – or should I say cooking …. I would certainly try the
‘things you make’ !!!
thingswemake
February 27, 2011
Ah thank you, a lovely comment. Glad you enjoy our posts.
Rachel S
November 21, 2012
Totally agree on cooking time… I have made it several times as it is so delicious, each a bit more cooked through than the last incarnation! I also do 1 1/2 quantity of the custard buttercream filling as it never seems quite enough to give the generous filling shown in her book.
Sarah
January 31, 2014
I am SO glad you mentioned about the cooking time – I love all Nigella’s recipes but this is the first time I have ever baked a cake which turned out to be uncooked in the middle, so I googled the cooking times and found your site. The flavours were lovely so I’m trying it again but baking for longer – thanks for the tip about checking that it doesn’t wobble!
thingswemake.co.uk
January 31, 2014
It’s a first and only for me too. A cake that big can’t cook in 20 minutes. When I got it right though it was a nice cake. Good luck with your next one!