WHAT do you get when you add 48 eggs, four kilograms of flour and two kilograms of sugar to a pre-dawn start?

Arguably one of the most impressive sponge cakes to ever grace a Warwick birthday party.

Rose City baker and cake creator Brad Steele had a 1.30am start yesterday – half an hour earlier than usual – to factor in his contribution to the 150th celebrations.

But the born-and-bred local wasn't complaining.

“I was honoured to have been asked to make Warwick's 150th birthday cake,” he said.

Mr Steele and his partner Gail have spent hours on the intricately decorated sponge that will hold centre place at the Town Hall birthday party this morning.

Our city's special celebratory cake weighs in at close to 10kg and measures an impressive metre in length and 60cm in width.

“We used 48 eggs from Williams farms at Canningvale for the cake,” Mr Steele said.

“Along with just over four kilograms of Queensland grown flour.

“Two kilograms of Bundaberg sugar and a pinch or so of salt.”

Despite the scale of ingredients, a cake of these dimensions can be cooked in a modern baker's oven in just 40 minutes at a hot 200 degrees.

“Sponges are something of an Australian tradition,” Mr Steele said.

“So it seemed rather fitting to use a recipe like this on a day like today.”

More than four litres of mock cream – the old-fashioned favourite made by combining butter, icing sugar and milk – have been used to ice the cake.

“The icing is caramel flavoured, which works perfectly with sponge, and allows us to have the sandstone-coloured background we need,” Mr Steele said.

On the centre of the cake is a stately photograph of Warwick's Town Hall printed on rice paper with edible ink, to link the past with the present.

Along with the super-size sponge, the Steeles have also supplied a quintessentially last-century morning tea for this morning's birthday party.

In the style of kitchens past, the couple has recreated old-fashioned favourites like jam and coconut slice, apple slice, lamingtons and scones and cream.

So could it be a case of move over MasterChef for this well-known local bakery?

“Bakeries have been around since Warwick began and I don't think we have any need to fear for our future,” Mr Steele said.

“Everybody needs bread.”

BIRTHDAY CAKE

• 48 fresh eggs from the Williams family Warwick egg farm
• 4kg Queensland-grown flour
• 2kg Bundaberg sugar
• Pinch or two of salt
• Bake in 200 degree oven for 40 minutes
• To ice: 4 litres of mock cream icing – made by combining butter, sugar and milk