The ‘Cake District’ – a stunning 70th birthday-bake to enjoy at home

A birthday treat

Happy 70th birthday to us! And a big thanks to Deborah Cox, who created this stunning two-tier celebration of all things Peak District to mark our special day.

Deborah, from Manchester, clinched top spot in our social media challenge to find our ultimate birthday bake. She says: “I’m a huge lover of the Peak District and also an obsessive amateur baker and Great British Bake Off fan.

“My cake is inspired by Bakewell Tart and Ashbourne Gingerbread. It features Bakewell sponge with raspberry jam and almond buttercream with iced gingerbread decorations.”

You don’t need to be a star baker to recreate our birthday cake, thanks to this single tier recipe shared by Deborah. Star baker Deborah Cox.

Almond Sponge

• 250g softened butter • 250g caster sugar • 4 large eggs • 1–2 tsp almond essence • 185g self raising flour • 65g ground almonds • 3–4 tblsp milk Two 21cm x 5cm deep sandwich tins, greased and lined with a circle of baking paper

1. Preheat oven to 180C / gas mark 4. 2. Cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. 3. Add the essence and the eggs, one at a time, beating well with each addition. 4. Fold in the flour and almonds, adding a little milk to make a soft dropping consistency. 5. Divide the batter into the tins and bake for about 25 minutes, until the cakes are springy to the touch on top and a skewer inserted comes out clean. 6. Leave in the tins on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then turn out and leave to cool completely.

Almond Buttercream

• 350g icing sugar • 175g softened butter • 1–2 tsp almond essence • 1–2 tblsp milk (soften if needed)

1. Cream the butter then gradually add the icing sugar. 2. Beat well until pale and fluffy, adding a little milk to soften if needed. 3. Add almond essence to taste.

To finish: • strawberry or raspberry jam • food colourings • 500g fondant icing (leave 10g white then tint 290g pale blue and 50g each pale green, medium green, pale purple and dark purple)

To assemble: 1. Trim the cakes if necessary, then sandwich with buttercream and jam. 2. Add a thin, smooth coat of buttercream on top and sides and chill for 30 minutes until firm. 3. Cover the cake with pale blue fondant. 4. Roll out the other colours and cut overlapping hill shapes. 5. Brush on a tiny amount of cooled boiled water to attach the shapes to the sides of the cake. 6. Roll tiny balls of white fondant for the sheep. Stick randomly on one or more dark green hills. 7. Use a cocktail stick dipped in black colouring to add heads and legs. 8. Decorate with iced gingerbread.

Iced Gingerbread Biscuits

• 175g plain flour • 2 tsp ginger • 1 tsp mixed spice • 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda • Pinch salt • 90g unsalted butter • 75g dark brown sugar • 2 tblsp golden syrup • 300g royal icing sugar A flat baking tray lined with baking paper 1. Draw your designs onto card for templates. 2. Combine flour, spices, bicarbonate and salt. 3. In a saucepan, gently heat the butter, sugar and syrup until melted and combined. 4. Tip in the flour mixture and stir together to a smooth dough. 5. Shape into a flat disc and allow to cool. 6. Knead lightly and roll out to 5mm thickness. Cut around the templates with a sharp knife, then chill for 30 minutes. 8. Bake at 180C for 8–10 minutes, until the edges are very slightly darker. Cool completely on the tray, then ice with coloured royal icing.