Birthday cake for classmates? Yes, that’s what it’s called, so be prepared to organise quite a few in your child’s school life. “It’s not as daunting a task as you might think either,” explains Angelie Martin-Spencer who prepared this truly exquisite display for under $600. That’s right, a main birthday cake plus side cakes galore that are guaranteed to leave schoolmates pleased as punch. Moreover, your already burdened wallet will not be as empty as it would have been had you invited the entire class, in addition to family and friends, to your house for even the smallest of birthday parties.

Naturally, you can pick up a few party plates, hats and streamers in addition to blowing up a couple of balloons, but basic works too and the classroom can become the perfect setting. Here’s how to create your first-class cake. This one, by the way, received rave reviews from Xavier Turner, Cameron Manning, Jhelani Cover, Quincy Smith, Dwight Blackwood and Matthew Keane, so here goes.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups white sugar

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup boiling water

For frostingMethod

1/2 cup butter

2/3 cup HERSHEY®’S Cocoa Powder or any other good quality cocoa powder

3 cups confectioners’ sugar

1/3 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour two 9-inch pans.

2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer for 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in centre comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with “Perfectly Chocolate” Chocolate Frosting.

4. To make “Perfectly Chocolate” Chocolate Frosting: Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beat to spreading consistency. Add small amount of additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla.

5. One Pan Cake: Grease and flour 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Heat oven to 350ºF. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely. Frost.

6. Three-Layer Cake: Grease and flour three 8-inch round baking pans. Heat oven to 350ºF. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost.

7. Bundt Cake: Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan. Heat oven to 350 oF. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 50 to 55 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. Frost.

8. Cupcakes: Line muffin cups (2-1/2 inches in diameter) with paper bake cups. Heat oven to 350 oF. Fill cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake 22 to 25 minutes. Cool completely. Frost. Makes about 30 cupcakes.

Plain cake recipe

To really make your life easy, you can just use a good quality cake mix ($122 + tax plus the cost of 3 eggs and 1/3 cup vegetable oil). Don’t frown on them, Betty Crocker and J F Mills really know what they are doing, just flavour a white or yellow cake mix with a teaspoon of vanilla, lemon or almond extract, whichever flavour you prefer, and bake as directed.

The same goes for the frosting, you can purchase a ready-made frosting of your choice, but finish your cake with sprinkles, candy, fruit and decorations of your choice.

For the plain cupcakes, Martin- Spencer used coloured sprinkles to decorate them, and M&M’s on the chocolate cupcakes. For the main cake, she added decorative balloons and ribbons for a festive look.

Chef’s Note:

Each batter will yield 12 cupcakes and 1 six-inch layer for the main cake