Vanilla and Chocolate Marble Cake

So this is actually a cake that I tried out at the weekend.. its simple, light, impressive and very tasty. Very addictive actually. I think my boyfriend and I finished half within one night. This is a truly fabulous cake that will impress anybody!

Recipe

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/5557/chocolate-marble-cake

My Changes:

1. I cut down by half on the sugar. 

Decoration

1. Place about 50g of butter into a bowl, add 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder and icing sugar. The consistency you want is not to thick that it will get stuck in the piping bag, yet not to runny it will not hold its form. 

2. Pipe little rosettes around the border of the cake.

3. Place sliced fresh strawberries in the middle and dust with icing sugar. 

4. Now...DIVE IN! 

Pistachio and Raspberry Cake with White Chocolate Ganache

Pistachio and Raspberries make THE perfect couple.. add a White Chocolate Ganache Filling and Decoration and we are singing! Try this and you will not be disappointed... it is simply delicious!

Recipe

http://www.marthastewart.com/314110/pistachio-cupcakes-with-raspberries

I used this cupcake recipe to make this cake. However, instead of making cupcakes I put the batter into two separate cake tins. 

My Changes:

1. I made a white chocolate ganache for the centre filling, here is how it is done...

Ingredients

200ml double cream

420g white chocolate, finely chopped.

Method

1. Place the chopped white chocolate into a medium size microwave safe mixing bowl. Set aside while you heat the cream.

2. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until just boiling.
3. Pour the cream over the chocolate and leave to stand for two minutes. This will give the chocolate time to soften.
4. Stir the ganache until smooth. If all the white chocolate has not melted then place the bowl in the microwave and heat for 30 seconds. Remove and stir until smooth.

5. Leave the white chocolate ganache to cool. 

6. Whisk until stiff to a peak 

Decorating 

1. Once your cakes have completely cooled down, turn the first cake upside down so that the uneven end is at the bottom of the plate. 

2. Pipe the ganache as a border and then fill the rest of the cake with around 2 dessert spoons of ganache. 

3. Place the other cake on top of the filling. 

4. I then piped a border of ganache around the cake and placed torn up pieces of raspberries in between each fold.

5. Dust with icing sugar and sprinkle with chopped pistachios and there you have it! 

For piping techniques visit this youtube site for help:

http://www.howcast.com/videos/509136-Basic-Piping-Techniques-Cake-Decorating-Tutorials

xx

Ultimate Carrot Cake

So.. everyone loves carrot cake right? 

This is the carrot cake I made for my french boyfriend which he adored so get baking ladies ;) 

Recipe

http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/18516/simple-carrot-cake.aspx

My Changes:

1. I reduce the amount of sugar to 200g. 

2. I reduce the amount of vegetable oil to 280ml

3. For the cream cheese icing I reduce the amount by half. 

4. I decorate the cake with grated carrot and chopped walnuts.

Easter Pavlova

Hello Hello,

So here goes, my first post...


This is a yummy Pavlova that I made for Easter for the family...

Recipe

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/easter_lemon_pavlova_99601

My Changes:

1. Instead of lemon curd I made a strawberry puree which I folded into the cream. To do this you need about 200g of fresh strawberries, chop them up and but them into a blender or puree them with a hand blender. 

2. Once you have whisked the double cream so you can put it over your head in a bowl without it falling out, marble in the strawberry puree.

3. Add this into the centre of the meringue and top it off with fresh sliced strawberries. Yummy!

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