17th July 2010: Birds the confectionists - Swiss tart
Rating: 8.5/10

I'm not a big fan of cream cakes, something that Birds is renowned for. Instead, I tend to choose the 'dry lines', a term my boss uses for the non-cream cakes. One of my favourites is definitely the swiss tart- a mini version of the classic cherry bakewell tart. I often ate the Mr Kipling cherry bakewells throughout my childhood, along with other supermarket versions. It's not a cake I've been a huge fan of as I did think they were actually quite boring. I also once tried making my own bakewell tart and it turned out to be rather dry, which again has put me off. However, since tasting Bird's version I have certainly changed my mind!

This cake may be small but it surely does not lack in taste. A crisp, sweet pastry shell encloses a thin layer of jam, moist frangipan filling and a decent layer of glace icing. The tart is, of course, topped with a ruby red glace cherry- a definite must for a cherry bakewell tart!

The swiss tart is one of my favourite cakes at Bird's and is perfect when you fancy a little something sweet.