Another Year, Another Birthday Cake ~ Durian Layered Cake 榴莲鲜奶油蛋糕

Last year I made a Mango Yogurt Cake for D’s birthday. That was during my maternity leave when Lucius was merely a 2-month old infant. This year I also made a cake with fruit for him and Lucius has become a 14-month old little boy. Time flies.

It is a Durian Layered Cake. This birthday cake marks my second frosted cake after Lucius’s first birthday cake. However, my frosting skill doesn’t seem to have any improvement. Instead, I think the frosting of this cake is worse, partly due to the under beaten whipping cream. The cream is so soft that it’s super hard to smoothen and when I tried to pipe star, the star simply became a dot.

I actually completed this cake in a rush. I can only blame myself for my poor time management and lack of self-discipline. I suppose to head home after getting durian which is the key ingredients of this cake but I end up spending the rest of my time shopping for other stuff. At the end I went home with extra shopping bags which consisted of dress, blouse, shorts, pajamas and shoes. Sigh, women.

I only left with about 1-1/2 hour to complete the cake before D came home to pick us out for dinner and this included time for the cake to cool down. I tried my best and managed to complete the cake in about 2 hours time. When I sliced the cake it was still little warm inside but no choice.

To make the cake is very easy. First bake a vanilla sponge cake. I used this recipe (yield one 8-inch cake or two 6-inch cakes). Just omit the kaya and replace the pandan paste with 1 tsp of vanilla extract. You can use any of your favourite sponge cake recipes.

If you use a stand mixer, while the mixer is beating the cake batter, you can start to prepare syrup. Water and sugar ratio is one to one (i.e 100g of sugar to 100g of water), just cook sugar and water till sugar dissolved, let cool.

While the cake is baking, start to prepare durian cream. Beat whipping cream (I used non-dairy) to stiff peak; take some to mix with durian flesh (cream to durian flesh ratio is about 1:4). I didn’t weigh but for a 6-inch cake I think I used about 200g of durian flesh. For my own record, I whisked 200g of whipping cream and still had some leftover. Keep the remaining whipping cream for frosting. Chill both durian cream and whipping cream before use.

After the cake has cooled down, slice into 3 pieces horizontally. Brush/spoon each cake layers (both sides) with syrup except the bottom layer. This will keep the cake moist.

Sandwich cake layers with durian cream and frost the whole cake with whipping cream, decorate as desired. Chill for a few hours before cutting. Pop it into freezer for a while just before eating makes the cake taste even better.

The finished cake is totally different from what I have in mind. I think it looks more like a Mother’s Day cake than a birthday cake for a boy man. However, with limited time this is the best I can come out. I am glad that the cake is well received by my family and the birthday boy.