Birthday Cake

Is it sad to have to make your own birthday cake?  It's a pity my lovely Mum in law couldn't be here for my birthday, as she it a great baker (and it would have been great to see her too, she hasn't had a chance to visit since our abortive holiday in June) and would have been able to make a far better cake than this.

I saw Lorraine Pascale make this cake on her programme last Monday and claim that it was easy if a little fiddly.  It is her "Crouching Tiger Hidden Zebra Cake" and it is the only recipe not to be on the BBC website. 

It is supposed to have vertical stripes, but mine has more splodgy swirls.  I think I made the batter a little stiff, which is why it is a little bit dry, but the addition of a chocolate ganache and then a dollop of cream seems to alleviate that satisfactorily.  It is probably a good thing we only have a birthday once a year, as I will be eating far to much of this cake in the next few days.