73 Comments
User's avatar
Mai's avatar

Hey! This week is also my birthday, I’m in the process of making the cake right now :)

I noticed the ingredient list for the cake has milk in it, but it’s not mentioned in the instructions. I thought I recognized milk in the gif you posted so I added it in.

Can’t wait to see the final result! Congrats on your James Beard!

Nicola Lamb's avatar

Thank you for flagging! Updated the recipe now :)

Nicola Lamb's avatar

MILK listed in cake ingredients gets whisked into the oil/yolk/sugar mixture. Method updated!

Karen West Richard's avatar

My birthday today!! 66. Should I make two cakes??

Nicola Lamb's avatar

Happy birthday Karen!!! Definitely make ALL THE CAKES

Sophia Shirley-Beavan's avatar

What a fantastic sounding concoction. I think I may have just found my husband’s birthday cake!

Nate Whittington's avatar

If I saw that blueberry crumb in a case, I would pay literally anything for it. $15. $100. I don't care, I need it. 🤤

Also congrats!!

Nicola Lamb's avatar

Ahahaha. I hope you’re making it for yourself asap!

User's avatar
Comment removed
Jun 26, 2025Edited
Comment removed
Nate Whittington's avatar

I'm assuming this isn't your account, so I reported it.

Nicola Lamb's avatar

thank you im gonna delete all these accounts and block them so they cant comment on this page too! hopefully ir gets deleted soon.

Charlotte Galforg's avatar

Happy Birthday! That cakes looks and sounds amazing. I so enjoy your kitchen projects.

Nicola Lamb's avatar

Thank you so much!

Lisa Rodrigues's avatar

My dream cake is something with chocolate and marzipan

Julie Hewitt's avatar

Martha Stewart’s Wedding Cake in Baking by Julia Child is an excellent almond paste cake with marzipan decor. It’s so frickin good. The buttercream is rum, includes a meringue layer and is very straightforward. Would be amazing with chocolate!

Henry Lau's avatar

Happy birthday! I was just wondering to myself if freezing the sugar syrup would make better crystals? Congratulations on the awards too! My partner has already requested this cake for her birthday

Nicola Lamb's avatar

I’m not sure - evaporation is key here not the solidifying of the lemon juice - I think it would give you shards but would melt once on the cake! Give it a try and let me know

Eva's avatar

Yum! This looks incredible!

It's my dad's birthday later this week and I'm going to give this a shot. He's not a fan of chamomile though - do you think it would be okay to swap the chamomile for loose leaf earl grey?

Eva's avatar

Also FYI, milk is listed in the ingredients for the cake but not the method. Added it to the yolk/flour mix - hope that is correct!

Nicola Lamb's avatar

thank you Eva!!!

Eva's avatar

It was absolutely stunning, thanks so much for the recipe! Especially love the bay leaf syrup

Claudia Laverack's avatar

I just made this and I might be being blind, but I think you forgot to say to add the milk in the first instruction for the cake! Was wondering why the mix was so thick- somehow managed to very carefully incorporate the egg whites and get a pillowyish batter… proof will be in the tasting i guess haha.

Nicola Lamb's avatar

Oh my gosh! Thank you for flagging. Will sort now!

Maria's avatar

I made this on Sunday, but swapped for a fig leaf infused buttercream cream, and a white tea soak for the sponge. WOW. Every moment spent making this was joy. Nicola you are a huge inspiration and have taught me so much. I hope you can know how truly, deeply appreciated you, Sift, and Kitchen Projects are. So, CONGRATS and happy birthday!!! Thank you for blessing us with so much knowledge and inspiration…and a beautiful moment with a beautiful cake🥹

Julie Hewitt's avatar

This sounds positivity Devine! I agree! I love her flavor combinations and all the textural components!

Victoria Carr's avatar

Congratulations. SIFT is amazing. I recommend it a lot here in the US based on the wonderful post you made explaining that the recipes in the American edition of the book were thoroughly tested - a real breakthrough as following British baking recipes can lead to disaster here!

Lucie Kehoe's avatar

I all at once want to make this entire cake, and also cherry-pick all the elements of it for other cakes. AMAZING. Happy birthday aaaaaand huge congratulations 🥂

Lisa Laskin's avatar

I just want to face-plant into this cake

Melissa's avatar

Happy birthday!!

🎂 🥳. My dream cake has coconut and cherry x

Sophie Bamford's avatar

So pretty and I’m very excited by the crunchy lemon sugar shards! I can’t believe I’ve never thought to infuse flavours directly into the butter!