Helloooo hope you are well 😀
As promised last week, here’s my post on the birthday cake I made for Colin. I got it from the BBC website; it lured me into a false sense of security by claiming to be “easy”.Â
I’m an awful baker. Baking, as many people say, is a science. Everything usually has to be precise and there’s not much room for improvising (something I’m notorious for).
The recipe is posted here. I made two somewhat catastrophic changes to the recipe: I switched the double cream for single cream (trying to be healthier). I also used hot chocolate powder instead of cocoa powder, because I’m an idiot who didn’t think there was a difference between the two.Â
As a result, my cake wasn’t particularly chocolatey, but still very tasty. I’ve decided to post about it anyway, because I know it will be delicious if I stick to the ingredients properly next time. Now… who’s birthday is coming up next? 😉
Here’s what I did:
(My fateful choice of ingredients)
I used the video tip in the recipe to cut the baking paper to size. Eagle eyes will notice my “pointy” bit isn’t exactly perfect, and I ended up making a few extra snips before lining the tin. Again, I will know for next time. *blush*
I mixed my melted butter, sugar, oil, hot chocolate powder (should’ve been cocoa!) and vanilla extract. I added eggs, one at a time, then my milk & cream.
I sifted flour and baking powder into the bowl and mixed again, before pouring into my cake tin.
I covered with foil and baked in a preheated oven at 180 degrees, for 30 mins.
I let it cool, then cut in half horizontally. I also cut the raised part off the top, so it would be nice and flat for plopping my icing on (and I devoured the remnant with a cup of tea!)
I slathered on the icing mix (again, should’ve been with cocoa powder!), then sprinkled with the little decorative crispy chocolate balls (did anyone else just start singing the South Park Chef song?).
This is where disaster struck. I whipped my single cream. I whipped, and I whipped, and I whipped… and it just wasn’t happening. A swift Google later, I learned there is not enough fat content in Single cream to make it “whipped”. Oopsy!Â
I felt somewhat better about my life, when I realised others had made the same mistake. Someone wrote on a baking forum that you could still pour the cream over the jam (spread on the bottom layer of cake by now), and sandwich it in with the top layer. It won’t look the same, but it will taste the same, apparently. So I did.
By this point, I was thinking about buying a real birthday cake and confessing all. But I persevered. I carefully placed the top layer on, sealed with my remaining icing, then left to set for a couple of hours.
Success!  A proper birthday cake!Â
The cake itself was very moist and lovely. I’m sure any cake purists are reading this post in despair, but I liked it, and the Birthday Boy did too! 😀
Learn from my mistakes: Cocoa Powder is NOT hot chocolate powder, and Single Cream does NOT whip. Someone please confess they didn’t know these things either… I beg of you!
Anyone have any fail-safe birthday cake recipes they’d like to give me?
I’m taking a couple of weeks off, as I’m not being particularly productive in the kitchen right now. Be back in a couple of weeks! Until then, take care everyone. 🙂 x
Mmm… chocolate cake for a birthday – I have a chocoholic daughter who would love one of these! The finished cake looks great – so glad it tasted good too despite the trials and tribulations. Lovely finish too with those crispy choco balls – think I have some in my cupboard which I have never used!
hopeeternal
‘Meanderings through my Cookbook’
Thank you 🙂 There was a good while when I thought it was all going to go in the bin, but perseverance pays off! I’ll need to get my hands on some of that lovely edible glitter that was on your 25th anniversary cake; it looked so elegant and lovely 🙂
I’m sure it was a right nice cake – it looked good to me!
I don’t do baking myself – too much measuring and technical stuff for my liking lol
Happy birthday to Colin!
Thanks, Jan 🙂 we must have the same cooking mentality haha!
Thank you for your kind comments on my blog. I don’t think you should be so hard on yourself, I swear people say baking is a science to intimidate other people not to give it a try! I’m not one for precision but I am always complemented on the lightness of my cakes and I’ve never really bothered getting anything to the ‘light and fluffy’ stage!
How could a wonderful home made cake, baked with love not be delicious? You’ve made a fantastic cake and all those things that went a little wrong you have learnt from.
I just made a lemon drizzle cake for my Uncle’s Birthday (not a shameless plug for my blog I promise) as you asked about a fail safe cake.
You’re welcome, Caroline 🙂 your blog is excellent! Consider myself truly intimidated in the world of baking haha. I know lots of people who take to it like a duck to water, and I’m so envious! You must be a natural baker to get your cakes nice and light 🙂
Aww that’s true, I’d rather have a lovingly baked cake any day over a shop bought one! I shall have a gander at your lemon drizzle cake; the mere mention of it made my mouth water!
Ah those are easy mistakes to make. I remember my MIL trying to whip single cream to put into brandy snaps – it was never going to work! But having lived on a farm all her life, she couldn’t see how cream wasn’t just cream.
The cake certainly rose well and the thing with baking is really to follow the recipe. Only the most experienced can start to change things! Glad you both enjoyed it anyway, that is main thing.
I’m so glad your MIL had the same trauma as me; I was beginning to feel very silly! Thanks, Janice 🙂 the cake was indeed enjoyed and devoured!
Great birthday cake – don’t believe a word of the being exact bit! I improvise all the time and …errrr …. on the whole mine come out fine. They always taste good and that’s the important bit. At least you’ve now learnt about cocoa and single cream 😉
This is true hee hee! Your cakes always look spectacular; I have been eyeing up a few of your tray bakes of late! 🙂
i’m just wondering where i can get my hands on some crispy chocolate balls! …and i mean that in the most innocent way possible. 🙂
I got mines from Sainsburys… those saucy devils! 😀
Catherine, I’m smiling along as I read cos I am guilty many times…many silly changes to recipe. But I kept the secret to myself when my cake didn’t turn out right…hehe. Your birthday cake actually looks very pretty…well done! I would love a BIG slice…mmmm
Aww I can’t imagine one of your cakes not turning out right, Mary, you’re a pro! 🙂 I’ll send a big slice up to Aberdeen next time I make it 🙂