A birthday in April

Sinead's Ultimate Chocolate Birthday Cake

This is definitely number one on my list of requested cakes! Chocolate cake, chocolate ganache, aero bubbles, milkybar moments, white and milk chocolate fingers. You'd only want a sliver of this for your whole weekly intake of chocolate..... that's we cut huge slices!! :)

The Weirdest But Nicest Chocolate Cake I Have Ever Made

Introducing Chocolate MAYO Cake.. yes yes made with mayonnaise???????? I came across this recipe on odlums.ie and thought oh maybe it has something to do with Co. Mayo or something, but no no I clicked on it out of interest and the recipe actually includes mayonnaise? I suppose it replaces the fat and some egg as that's basically what mayonnaise is but I still found the concept bizarre! I obviously used the family as tasters and the faces on them as they were about to eat it were that of curiosity and disgust haha, but it went down a treat! It was, no lie, a savage chocolate cake!!MMM!! Everybody loved it :)

Recipe:
3eggs, 275g caster sugar, 1tsp vanilla, 225g mayonnaise, 275g Self Raising Flour, 50g cocoa, pinch of bread soda, 300ml cold water
Temp:
180C Gas 4

Grease and line 2 round sandwich tins, 18-20cms. I actually used 22cm and it still came out risen high
Mix the flour, cocoa and soda in a bowl and set aside. In a separate large bowl, beat the sugar, eggs and vanilla, until light and creamy. Beat in the mayonnaise well - med to high speed for 4-5 mins.
Alternately beat in the flour/cocoa/bread soda mix and cold water. Starting with the dry mix and also finishing with the dry mix.

Divide into tins and bake for 35 to 40 mins until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

ITS A VERY LIQUID BATTER SO DONT BE ALARMED LIKE I WAS :) :)

When the cakes are completely cooled, sandwich and ice using a chocolate butter icing:

75g butter, 175g icing sugar, 3tbsp cocoa, 2tbsp warm milk (makes enough to sandwich together and ice the top of the cake). I popped a few chopped almonds around the the top aswell cuz i had half a bag spare from something else! decorate how you wish.. be creative :)

Mums Birthday

Revenge of the Death By chocolate!! The chocolate ganache cake has fast become a staple favourite in my hosue :) I altered the topping slightly for this version by putting mini smarties on top and had sparkler candles on it as a finishing touch. It was again devoured, cakes really do not last long around here!

Follow the same recipe as Pams Birthday cake find it here and decorate whatever way you want, use your favourite chocolates or sweets. Another sweet I've used would be white maltesers or white buttons etc.

Pams Birthday

The last couple of years birthdays have meant Marks and Spencer Chocolate Ganache Cake! But I'm so over buying cakes when they're easy enough to master at home with a bit of practice. Pam obviously wanted a death by chocolate cake and nothing else would do so i made a double layer chocolate cake sandwiched and fully covered with chocolate ganache. Then on top there was aero bubbles and chocolate sprinkles and it was surrounded by chocolate fingers.... served with whipped cream OH MY GOD could not eat for a day :)

Recipe

175g butter, 175g caster sugar, 4 eggs, 250g self raising flour, 1tbsp cocoa powder, 50g plain choc melted

Gas 4 or 180C

Line and grease 2x 20cm tins

• Cream the butter and add the sugar. Beat until soft light and fluffy
• Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well each time
• Fold in the flour and cocoa powder until mixed thoroughly and stir in the melted chocolate
• Fill tins and bake until sponge bounces back or a skewer comes out clean. 20 to 25 mins
• Leave to cool on a wire rack and cover with ganache and decorate

Simple Chocolate Ganache
450ml Double Cream ********IT HAS TO BE DOUBLE! i had serious issues when i used single cream
375g Plain Chocolate

Bring the cream to the boil and stir in the chocolate, keep simmering and stirring until the chocolate is melted.
Leave to cool and place in the fridge for 2 hours or until set and firm. Then whisk the mixture until light and fluffy.

****I made this ganache a couple of times and the 2nd out of a few times i had to use single cream. It didnt set at all in the fridge and therefore wasn't spreadable at all as it was still so runny! I beat in icing sugar 50 g a time until it firmed up to a piping consistency. It'll be a good bit sweeter but still tastes amazing.... chocolate cream and sugar like... what's not to love!!

Joes Birthday!

So one of the first movies myself and Joe went to see was Watchmen, so I decided for his birthday cake I would attempt to make the smiley face badge into a cake! God I was running around the kitchen like a blue arsed fly trying to get it perfect... it was hilarious! The cake itself was a white chocolate cake with vanilla butter icing, covered in bright yellow fondant icing with a bit of raspberry jam underneath for good measure! It was the blood spatter on it that caused me the most grief, one wrong move and I would have ruined the whole cake covering! So I practiced dropping candle wax and royal icing from a height to try get it right but nothing worked properly so i eventually dabbed it on with my finger .... after all that!!

The real icing on the cake was Joes reaction :) well chuffed! xx

Recipe:

225g soft butter, 225g caster sugar, 4 eggs, 2 tsp vanilla extract, 250g plain flour, 2tsp baking powder, 50g white choc melted, 50 ml milk
Gas Mark4, 180C , 350F
Grease and line 2 x 8inch spring form tins

• Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy
• Beat in the vanilla and then eggs one by one, beating well in between
• Sift in the flour and baking powder and fold in gently
• Add the milk and cooled melted chocolate and combine thoroughly
• Put mix into the two tins evenly and bake for 20 to 25 mins
• Cool on a wire rack and sandwich with vanilla butter icing. Jam the tops and sides and cover in ready to roll fondant icing(dyed yellow!)**. Using a black icing pen draw on eyes and smile and dab on the blood spatter with royal icing (icing sugar red colouring and water).

Vanilla Butter Icing
150g butter softened, 300g icing sugar, 1tsp vanilla, dash of milk.
Cream together

** I used Sugarflair colour in Melon available HERE