The best cake you've ever made!

[whiskeysheri]

It was dad's birthday yesterday, but we're all getting together on Saturday for it and I want to make his cake. Does anyone have a brilliant recipe that they wouldn't mind sharing with me, please? I've made plenty of cakes in the past, but want to try something new that has gone down really well ('scuse the pun...). :)

Thanks in advance! :) x

[Eve]

I like quite simple cakes.

Plain fluffy sponge with coffee buttercream icing (you could go extra special and use an irish cream blend or put some irish cream or vanilla flavouring in) and walnuts.

A chocolate sponge with dark chocolate buttercream middle with orange flavouring and dark chocolate iced topping with not too soggy mini mandarin segments (like you get in a tin) on the top - like a chocolate orange cake :)

[Lucy-Thomas]

Try this. I made it recently and everyone who tried it said it was the best cake they,ve ever tried. It is a cross between a cake and pudding and is delicious.

Ingredients
250g/9oz unsalted butter
375g/13oz caster sugar
rind of 2 oranges, grated
4 eggs
450g/1lb carrots, grated
150g/5oz almonds or pecans, chopped
1 tbsp vanilla essence
juice of 1 orange
250g/9oz plain flour
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp mixed spice
1 tsp salt

For the icing:
225g/8oz full fat soft cheese, at room temperature
65g/2�oz unsalted butter, at room temperature
400g/14oz icing sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla essence

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
2. Grease a 23cm/9in spring-form cake tin.
3. Beat the butter, sugar and orange rind until they are light and fluffy.
4. Slowly add the eggs, beating well to incorporate each addition fully before adding more.
5. Fold in the grated carrot and chopped nuts.
6. Add the vanilla essence and orange juice.
7. Finally, sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, spice and salt together, then fold into the cake mixture.
8. Pour the mixture into the prepared spring-form tin and bake in the preheated oven for about 45-60 minutes. The sides of the cake should be coming away from the sides of the cake tin and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake should come out clean.
9. To make the icing, cream the cheese and the butter together until smooth.
10. Add the icing sugar and vanilla essence, and beat until smooth. This frosting is rich thick and delicious.
11. Spread the icing generously over the top of the cake.

[Lucy-Thomas]

By the way. How old was pater?