Gaby's Bakery - Skateboard Birthday Cake

September 22, 2023

Gaby's Bakery - Skateboard Birthday Cake

The boys love their birthday cakes and put a request in early each year. The theme is whatever they're interested in at the moment. Last year it was Nerf guns, and this year skateboarding having had lots of lessons in Camden Skate Park and Alexander Palace then coming home proudly showing their war wounds.

This was my effort around a vanilla sponge, because one of their friends didn't like chocolate. Michael has voiced his concerns about the sons of Jewish mothers being overindulged! Haha. Can't help it. :))

Skateboard Birthday Cake

Ingredients:
For the cake:
330g sugar
280g plain flour
240ml buttermilk
170g unsalted butter (room temp)
3 eggs
2 ¾ tsp baking powder
1 tbsp vanilla extract
½ tsp salt

For the frosting:
500g icing sugar
250g unsalted butter (room temp)
A few drops of vanilla extract
Food dye to colour

To decorate:
Edible modelling paste
Food dye

Method:
To decorate:
A few days before making the cake decide on the design as this will need to be made in advance as the modelling paste and dye will take a day or two to dry.

Knead the modelling paste until it is soft, smooth and crack free, then start to make your design. Let this dry and harden and then paint using liquid food dye. Leave to fully dry.

For the cake:
Preheat oven to 150⁰C (fan). Grease and line 2 round 20cm cake tins. In a bowl mix the flour, baking powder and salt.

In another large bowl beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then add the eggs one at a time beating in between each. Add half the flour mixture, then half the buttermilk, alternating and beating between each but only until just combined (don’t overmix).

Divide the batter between the two prepared tins and bake for appx. 25-30 mins, until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Once ready take out the oven, pop out the tins and allow to cool on a wire rack.

For the frosting:
Once the cake is fully cooled you can frost it.

Beat the butter, icing sugar and vanilla for a few minutes until light and fluffy. I spread a thin layer of the white frosting on the top of one of the cakes and then place the second one on top, then spread a thin layer of the frosting over and around the cake with a palette knife or cake spreader making sure it is smooth and even. Place this in the fridge to set. This will ensure when you frost the cake you don’t get any crumbs.

Add food dye to the frosting now to get the desired colour. You can split the frosting into a couple of bowls and dye different colours depending on your design. Take the cake out the fridge and apply a slightly thicker layer of the coloured frosting to the cake, leaving rough, smoothing, swirly, etc. Once you have frosted the cake you place on your modelling paste design. Then put back in the fridge to set.

Enjoy.

 Gaby Van Clarke





Also in Blogs

Gaby's Bakery - Homemade Healthy Snicker Bites
Gaby's Bakery - Homemade Healthy Snicker Bites

June 19, 2026

Healthier and way more delicious than the ones you pick up at the Tesco checkout, or Harrods! Dates, dark chocolate, peanuts and no added sugar, this no-bake recipe is simple to make and best kept in the fridge afterwards.

Continue Reading

Berni's Colour Edit: Why Healthy, Glossy Hair Is This Year's Biggest Trend
Berni's Colour Edit: Why Healthy, Glossy Hair Is This Year's Biggest Trend

June 19, 2026

If you’ve been scrolling through Instagram or TikTok lately, you’ve probably noticed a major shift in the hair world. The era of over-bleached, high-contrast, dry-looking hair is officially behind us. This year, the biggest celebrity hair trend isn't actually a specific colour, it’s health and high-gloss shine, something we excel at in salon!

Continue Reading

Why Good Brushes Matter
Why Good Brushes Matter

June 18, 2026

Professionally, I wouldn't touch 99% of the hairbrushes for sale on the market. I don't know what goes on inside big companies. One might make plastic household items like bowls and bins, and maybe someone thinks, “Hey, let's make a mould for a hairbrush...

Continue Reading