Tropical splatter showstopper birthday cake

• Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas mark 4. Brush all three cake tins with melted butter to grease.
• Line the bottoms with baking paper rounds and dust the insides with a little flour.

For the blueberry and black sesame cake

• Beat the butter, sugar and vanilla extract until pale and creamy.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.
• Add the flour, baking powder and salt and mix gently.
• Add the sour cream, blueberries, sesame seeds and orange zest.
• Fold in using a spatula then spoon the mixture into a cake tins and set aside.

For the coconut and passion fruit cake

• Sift the flour and baking powder together into a medium size bowl.
• In a separate bowl, whisk the butter until smooth, then add the sugar and continue to blend until you have a creamy texture.
• Add the egg yolks to the butter and sugar mixture, beating well after each addition, then add the vanilla extract.
• If using an electric mixer, reduce the speed to low.
• Add the flour and baking powder a little at a time, alternating with the coconut milk and mixing until smooth.
• Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed then stir in the desiccated coconut. Set aside.
• Beat the egg whites with a whisk to soft peaks.
• Stir a quarter of the egg mix into the cake batter then fold in the remaining whites.
• Divide the batter evenly between the two large tins and smooth the tops. Add all the cakes to the oven and make a note of timings.
• The blueberry cake takes 50 to 60 minutes while the coconut cake takes 25 to 30 minutes to bake.
• Timings can vary depending on your oven. Check the cakes with a skewer (if it comes out clean, it is cooked). While the cakes are in the oven, make the syrup.

For the tropical syrup

• Squeeze the juice from the oranges into a pan and add a spoonful of sugar.
• Bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar, then add the peel and take the pan off the heat, allowing to cool. Remove the peel before use. 
• Once the cakes are ready, set them aside to cool, poking a few holes in the top with your skewer.
• Pour over a couple of tablespoons of syrup on each cake, a little at a time and allow to sink in.
• Leave in the tin for a further 5 minutes to settle, then remove and allow to cool completely on racks.
• While the cakes cool, make the cream cheese icing.

For the cream cheese icing

• Beat the cream cheese and butter in a mixer until smooth. Add half the icing sugar and gently mix together using a wooden spoon before beating with the mixer.
• Repeat with the remaining icing sugar and cream cheese until smooth and fluffy. Place one of your coconut cakes on a cake board or plate.
• Spread with 3 to 4 tbsp cream cheese icing. Spoon over the passion fruit pulp. Top with the other cake.
• Cover the assembled cake generously with the cream cheese icing and be sure to fill all the gaps. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
• Cut the blueberry cake horizontally into 3 equal layers. Place one layer on a cake board or plate and spread with cream cheese icing as before.
• Layer until complete and then cover with the remaining icing. This will also need to chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
• Measure across the top and sides of both cakes using a piece of string. This will act as a guide for when you roll the icing out later. 

For the fondant icing

• Make sure your work surface is clean and free of crumbs, dust with cornflour or icing sugar.
• Knead fondant icing for a couple of minutes to soften before rolling out to about 0.5cm thick.
• Use the string measurements for guidance and cut the icing to size with a little to spare.
• Drape the coloured fondant icing over the top of each cake in turn and smooth down, pushing out any air bubbles and creases.
• Start at the top then work down for best results.
• Cut away the excess icing and save the offcuts for decoration.

To decorate 

• Cover the countertop with cling film - things will get messy! 
• Pour two teaspoons of water into a large bowl and add icing sugar.
• Mix slowly, adding more water until you have a consistency similar to gloss paint.
• Divide the icing into four little bowls and add your chosen food colourings to each and mix.
• Dip a small (clean!) paint brush into the first bowl of icing and get ready to unleash your inner Jackson Pollock.
• Use the brush to flick splatters all over both cakes, cleaning the brush thoroughly between colours.
• Once the icing is dry, insert 4 dowel rods into the centre of the coconut cake and trim them so that no more than an inch protrudes from the top.
• Carefully sit the smaller cake on top, making sure it is central.
• The dowels will stop the top cake from sinking or shifting.
• To finish off, add ribbons of your chosen colour and enjoy!