And we all want some… Merry Birthday Pudding

Let’s face it, having a Christmas birthday can suck – from the joint presents and the birthday night no-shows, to the hundreds of Merry Christmas messages clogging up newsfeeds in place of the Happy Birthday wishes and Christmas puddings in place of birthday cakes

That’s why this year Three Mobile has launched a campaign to make it right for everyone who has a Christmas birthday and enrolled the help of Great British Bake Off winner Edd Kimber to kick off the celebrations with a specially designed “Merry Birthday Pudding” – a one-off cake creation to celebrate everyone with a December birthday.

That’s
why this year Three Mobile has launched a campaign to make it right for
everyone who has a Christmas birthday and enrolled the help of Great
British Bake Off winner Edd Kimber to kick off the celebrations with a
specially designed “Merry Birthday Pudding” – a one-off cake creation to celebrate everyone with a December birthday.

On
first appearances this cake creation looks like a traditional Christmas
pud, but break into the surface and you’ll realise what looks like dark
fruit cake is actually a chocolate ganache and white chocolate cream
façade that covers a colourful, sparkly sponge reminiscent of a
delicious birthday cake. That’s not all – the centre is bursting with
colourful sweets that scream Happy Birthday and not Merry Christmas.

Edd
Kimber, commented: ‘I have friends with Christmas birthdays and they
always feel left out, so the idea of making it right for them is great –
and what better way to do it than with cake! It was a real challenge to
create something that was, in its truest form a birthday cake, but had a
real Christmas twist. I love the idea of playing with traditional
recipes to create something new and unique and hope people enjoy making
the Merry Birthday pudding at home.’

Edd’s cake is one of the Three’s festive Merry Birthday films that can be seen here.
The film follows the story of Noel whose birthday, like many others
across the UK, falls on Christmas Day – and boy does it suck!

If you know someone like Noel who has a Christmas time birthday then the
Merry Birthday Pudding is the perfect gift to get their birthday off to a
swing this December. Watch Edd’s step-by-step recipe here and also find the full recipe below.

The Merry Birthday Pudding Recipe

Funfetti Cake

·       175g unsalted butter, very soft

·       175g caster sugar

·       1 tsp vanilla bean paste

·       3 large eggs, lightly beaten

·       175g self raising flour

·       1-2 tbsp milk

·       50g sprinkles

Vanilla Buttercream

·       60g unsalted butter

·       120g icing sugar

·       1 tsp vanilla bean paste

·       1-2 tbsp milk

Spiced Chocolate Ganache

·       200g dark chocolate

·       175ml double cream

·       2 tbsp light brown sugar

·       1/2 tsp mixed spice

·       1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

·       1/4 tsp ground cardamon

·       20g unsalted butter, softened

White Chocolate Glaze

·       100g white chocolate

·       40ml double cream

To Decorate

·       120g colourful sweets

·       Holly and ivy decorations

Directions

1.     To make the funfetti batter place all of the ingredients, except the milk
and the sprinkles into a large bowl and using an electric mixer beat
together until smooth and combined. Add the milk and sprinkles and mix
together briefly to incorporate evenly.

2.     Place the batter into a 1litre pudding basin that has been lightly greased
and coated with flour and its base lined with parchment paper. Bake in
an oven preheated to 180C (160C Fan) for 1 hour or until a skewer
inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool in
the basin for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool
completely.

3.     Whilst cooling make the buttercream by simply beating the butter and sugar
together until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and milk and beat to
combine.

4.     Oncecooled use a serrated to knife to cut the cake into four layers. Place
the middle two on top of each other and use a cookie cutter to cut a
hole in the middle of the layers. Use the buttercream as glue to stick
the cake back together, but before you place the last layer on top fill
the hole with the sweets, sealing in with the last piece of cake.

5.     To make the ganache roughly chop the chocolate and place into a large
bowl. In a small pan place the cream, sugar and the spices and bring to
the boil, whisking to help dissolve. Once just come to a boil pour over
the chocolate and leave for a few minutes before stirring to combine.
Add the butter and stir to combine. Set the ganache aside until
thickened then use to cover the cake, creating our mock Christmas
pudding.

 6.     To finish the decoration place the cake into the fridge until the ganache
is firm to the touch. Place the white chocolate and cream into a bowl
set over a pan of simmering water and stir together until smooth and
melted. Remove from the heat and pour over the cake, teasing it over the
edges. Finish by placing the holly and ivy decorations on top.

-ENDS-