Light Chocolate Cake

Thought I’d do the second cake as a separate post to enable easier searches. Making my brother’s cake may have contributed to the highest stress levels I have ever experienced when baking. I was so nervous about the outcome. He’s fussy; as in likes-chocolate-cake-but-only-one-type-of-chocolate-cake fussy. This one type of chocolate cake seemed utterly impossible to recreate. It’s from our local bakery but is the richest, most sickly chocolate fudge cake ever and after numerous searches on-line for something similar, I had to compile my own ideas into a new recipe. But do you know what his verdict was? HE PREFERRED IT! I don’t think I’ve ever heard words so golden! 

The sponge itself was perfectly chocolately, and definitely not in a sickly way which was perfect for everyone else who wanted a slice and didn't want to feel queasy. But no matter how hard I tried, I could not find the kind of fudgey, gooey icing I was searching for without the use of cream (which he was quite adament he didn't want- difficult customer). This turned out to be a good thing because it stopped the cake from being too sickly. So, if you're looking for cake that's moist and chocolately, but still light enough to eat a whole slice, here's the recipe: 
(find the original here, thanks Mary Berry! Here video tutorial is especially useful)

Ingredients-

2 oz (50g) cocoa
6 tablespoons boiling water
3 eggs
2 tablespoons milk
175g self raising flour
1 rounded teaspoon baking powder
100g baking spread, I used Stork
250g caster sugar
50g dark chocolate, melted
30g milk chocolate, melted

(For the icing and filling)
Batch of buttercream (enough to fill, and cover an 8" cake)
1 tbsp cocoa powder
30g milk chocolate, melted
30g dark chocolate, melted

Method-

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/160 fan/Gas 4 and prepare two 20cm (8") cake tins.
2. Measure the cocoa and boiling water into a large bowl. Mix together until it reaches a smooth paste-like consistancy.
3. Add the remaining ingredients and beat again until combined. After melting your two chocolates, either over a pan of simmering water (without the bottom of the bowl touching the water!) or with intermittent bursts in the microwave, leave to cool slightly. When the chocolate has cooled, stir it through the mixture until combined.
4. Divide the cake mixture between the two tins. Put in the oven for about 30 minutes until well risen and you see it pulling away from the sides of the tin. Leave to cool.
5. After making your batch of buttercream, melt the dark and milk chocolate separately and leave both to cool slightly. Add cocoa powder to buttercream and stir through. Then add the two chocolates and beat until all combined. Spread over the first sponge, put together and then ice the top. Enjoy! 

Let them eat cake

Easter weekend was pretty inconveniently timed this year and was over my mum’s and my brother’s birthday so not only were we busy present-buying and celebrating but it meant that my desire to back an Easter cake this year was met by two family members who were also hungry for their own birthday cakes too. But instead of going overboard and doing three cakes over one weekend, I settled for two and my mum’s doubled up as the Easter cake too. So first up the Lemon Drizzle, minus the loaf tin, plus some buttercream. Find the original recipe here, and my altered recipe below…

Ingredients-

Zest of 1 lemon, plus half the lemon for juice

1 tsp vanilla extract

225g baking margarine (I used Stork)

225g caster sugar

4 free range eggs, beaten

225g self raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tbsp milk

Bag of mini eggs, or other decoration of your fancy

(For the lemon buttercream, to sandwich)

Batch of plain vanilla buttercream- enough to fill one cake

Half of the lemon for juice (plus extra if you feel it necessary)

(For the lemon syrup, quantities for covering just one half- obviously double up if you want to do both)

2 tbsp demerara sugar

Juice of one lemon

Method-

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/Gas 4 and prepare two 20cm sandwich cake tins and line the bases with baking paper.   
2. Put the lemon zest, vanilla, baking margarine and sugar into a large bowl and beat until pale and fluffy.
3. Gradually add the beaten eggs with a little of the flour, mix and then repeat until all the egg is gone. Fold in the rest of the flour and the baking powder, make sure not to overbeat! Finally add the milk and then spoon equally into the two tins.
4. Bake for 25 minutes. This is approximate because I waited until it had risen and was coming away from the sides of the tin. I also turned up the oven an extra 10 degrees towards the end for a few minutes to produce the gorgeous golden-brown colour on top. 

5. While the cake is still warm, poke holes in the cake with cocktail sticks. Mix together the demerara sugar and lemon juice until the sugar looks as though it's beginning to disssolve. Pour over the cake (one or both, depending on what you fancy- I did both and it gave it a wonderful texture), aiming it around the holes so that it sinks in.

6. Leave to cool and remove them from the tins. When completely cool, peel off the baking paper from the bottom.

5. Make your batch of buttercream (sorry for not putting something more detailed here- I don't think I have ever measured quantities of buttercream, I just add and taste until it's tasty and I have the right amount!) and mix in the lemon juice. I went for quite a weak taste here because of the already lemony sponge and syrup. When the cakes are cool, spread the buttercream onto one of the cakes, placing the other one on top when you've finished. Use any leftover to blob on the top with a piping bag and top with your decorations of choice.

Holiday updates

I love being at home, but sometimes it can be too wonderful because I never want to leave. Mum and I had lots of little plans and we ticked off things we've wanted to do for ages, including having a little shopping trip (of course). We managed to coincide this with a theatre trip to see Wicked with the local 'Welcome Club', the leisure club in our area for the older generation. It was so much fun!! We had a lovely lunch in John Lewis, consisting of a mediterranean-style tartine and a delicious banana and caramel cupcake (a recipe I will certainly be attempting soon!).

Afterwards, I decided to invest my money in some decent products for my skin. For ages I have been complaining about my problem skin, having tried everything to try and improve it. Everything apart from a decent skincare routine, I might add. I know, bad girl. I've bought products in the past and haven't kept up the routine, or have just used them when I feel I need them (which isn't as often as they should be used). Before I returned from France, I started to look in the mirror and see an ill person staring back- I just didn't look healthy. My skin was dry, blemished, and as far from radiant as possible. I had bags under my eyes and looked bad enough that people constantly asked me, "Are you okay? Are you tired?"

Hence the efforts to look after myself. So I went for a skin consultation with the lovely ladies at the Clinique stand in John Lewis who recommended their anti-blemish skincare routine. I purchased the soap bar as my cleanser and also the moisturiser (steps 1 and 3), with the intention of using my current toner and potentially replacing it with the Clinique one in future (step 2). I have been using the products for about 3 weeks, and was told to wait at least a month to start seeing more permanent results. But the first week I was using these saw my skin clear up instantly, it was incredible! It has worsened slightly now, but I expected that, and even then it isn't as bad as in the past. I'll update in the near future to give a proper review of the results.


Meanwhile, I've become a green tea addict and have started to actually like eating vegetables. Shock, horror. I love cakes, and chocolate, and crisps and I generally have a huge appetite so everytime I sit down for a meal, I eat more than your average girl. I never thought eating healthily would be for me, but I tried it and I love it. I think it is something to do with the fact that you know what you're putting in your body is good for you. That makes me a happy girl. Plus, I still treat myself which stops the overwhelming temptation to buy everything in a French bakery when I walk past. Success.