Allotment cake thats a bit cheeky ;) November 18, 2011
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This is another variation of my shed / allotment / gardening / vegetable patch cake….
I love this cake… I love the builders bum too 
– Hope you like it x
An Elf I’ve named Harry… November 12, 2011
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Well… Christmas is nearly upon us and Children in Need is just around the corner, so I have made this Christmas cake to be used in a guess the weight contest at a local business in Birmingham…
Whilst making the cake I came to call the Elf Harry… I think it suits him What do you think?
Harry and his little friends the Present Penguins are helping guard the cake below and make sure everything is in order 
Hope you like them x
Happy 5th November! November 5, 2011
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I loved making this cake and I thought I would share it on my blog…. What an awesome day… Every year without fail as night falls all around you fireworks will be lighting up the night sky with their glittery show and bonfires will be warming the faces of millions of people… What an amazing event… Albeit a celebration of a gunpowder plot to blow up parliament – but hey ho thats in the past
This cake is for a very lovely little girls birthday. Happy Birthday Lola!
Chocolate bar cupcakes September 14, 2011
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Chocolate bar cupcakes.
These sumptuous snacks are a great way to incorporate your favourite chocolate treat and cake, to make an effective fantastic smelling mouth watering cupcake.
Ingredients;
8 oz Margarine
8 oz Caster sugar
4 large eggs
7 oz Self raising flour
1 oz Cocoa – I use Bournville
8 oz unsalted butter
1lb Icing sugar (confectioners’ sugar)
8oz of fudge sauce – you can either make your own or use the shop bought.
Chocolate bar of your choice x 3
Milk chocolate for melting – chocolate buttons are great for this because you don’t need loads of chocolate and they melt really quickly.
You will need;
Cupcake cases
Cupcake pan
Mixer
Large bowl for the cake batter
Large bowl for the buttercream mix
Small Pyrex bowl for melted chocolate
Sieve
Icing bag
Icing nozzle of your choice – I used a large open 8 point star
Small icing bag or homemade parchment bag - http://www.wikihow.com/Improvise-a-Pastry-Bag
Chopping board
Sharp knife
Scraper.
A couple of dessert spoons
Cooling rack
The magic;
Turn your oven on to 175oC in a fan assisted oven 190 oC in an unassisted oven or Gas mark 5.
Place your cupcake cases in the tin (I use the large cupcake cases (the ones in between fairy cake and muffins) so I get about 12 cupcakes from one mix. If its fairy cake cases you have you are likely to get 24 from a mix and if its muffins probably 8 from a mix. (Sizes vary, so just see how you go).
Cream the margarine and sugar together until light, fluffy and pale.
Scrape the sides of the bowl
Add a sieved large spoonful of S.R.flour - mix quickly.
Add the eggs one at a time and beat after each addition.
Combine the remaining flour and cocoa and sieve into the mixture, scrape the sides of the bowl and beat it quickly one last time.
Spoon equal measures into each cupcake case so that they are ¾ full.
Place in the top or middle of your oven for 17 minutes.
After 17 minutes open the door of you oven briefly, just to let any condensation out (condensation can be one of the reasons your cupcakes peel when they’re cooling).
Look at your cupcakes to see how you think they’re doing (don’t hold the door open for too long and when you close the door DON’T slam it or you’ll end up with flat cakes.
Usually my cupcakes will need another 3 minutes baking time.
Bake them till the middle springs back when lightly presses or a knife comes out of the cakes clean.
Once they’re ready take them out of the oven and leave them on the side for 3 or 4 minutes… Take the cupcakes out of the tin and place on a cooling rack; This needs to be done as soon as you can after they’ve baked. The longer they are left in the tin to cool the more likely it is that the case could peel away again.
While the cupcakes cool on the rack;
Using the mixer, cream the unsalted butter until it is pale in colour.
Add the icing sugar a bit at a time and beat and scrape the sides in between each addition of sugar.
Add your fudge sauce.
Beat for 2 minutes to combine well.
The buttercream should hold soft peaks – if it is too stiff, loosen it up with some milk and if its too runny add some more icing sugar a bit at a time and set aside.
Chop your chocolate bar into pieces that are about 1cm square and set aside.
Once your cupcakes are completely cool;
Melt the chocolate buttons in a Pyrex dish either using a Bain Marie or a microwave; If you are using a microwave turn the power down to low and blast for 30 second bursts and stir after each (this stops the chocolate from catching and burning). The chocolate should be runny like gloss paint.
Put the chocolate in your small piping bag
Put the icing sugar in the piping bag with the nozzle and coupler if you use one (I personally don’t use couplers).
Pipe the buttercream onto each cupcake one at a time.
Hold the icing bag at a 90o Angle to the cake, start from the outer edge and squeeze the piping bag with an even pressure whilst moving in a circular motion towards the centre of the cupcake; to finish stop applying pressure and pull away.
Sprinkle some of your chopped chocolate bar of choice over the buttercream and then drizzle some melted chocolate over the top.
TIP:- I will pipe the buttercream onto all of my cakes in one go, then add the toppings to all of the cakes and then lastly put the chocolate over all of them… Because the chocolate is runny the flow won’t stop once you have cut the end of your bag off, so if you did try to put it down the chocolate would run out all over the side.
Let the chocolate set and then they are ready to serve!
Happy 170th Anniversary to the Wesleyan Assurance Society. September 5, 2011
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The Wesleyan Assurance Society is celebrating its 170th Anniversary this month… I was asked to make their cake
C.O.A Grand Marnier fridge cake August 26, 2011
Posted by Bespoke Baking by Daniѐle in Recipes.2 comments
Chocolate, Orange, Almond & Grand Marnier fridge cake.
This little beauty is quick and easy and is devilishly delicious as an adult sweet treat or you could serve it with coffee after dinner as petit fours (please remember it has alcohol in it, so be careful!)
Ingredients;
The grated peel of 2 large oranges
4 oz flaked almonds
3 tblsp Golden syrup
2.5 oz unsalted butter
6 oz Rice crispies
1lb 5 oz milk chocolate
4 tblsp Grand Marnier
You will need;
A 12” x 8” tin
Some cling film
Your preferred choice of chocolate melting device (I use a microwave)
A saucepan
Some spoons for stirring and smoothing
A fridge or ice house ;0)
The magic;
Line the tin with cling film, pushing it into the corners (this means the cake will lift out easily)
Place the butter, syrup and the peel from one orange in the saucepan and melt over a low heat (don’t burn the butter).
Once the butter mixture has melted, stir in the rice crispies and almonds and stir until well coated.
Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared tin and push down with the back of a spoon to make your base (If you’re not happy with the consistency of the base you can always sprinkle a few extra rice crispies over the top and smooth it in (its personal preference).
Place the tray with the mix in the freezer.
Melt your chocolate; I use a microwave…. For the amount of chocolate I have mentioned, I place the chocolate in a Pyrex bowl and use the low heat setting on the microwave and put 4 minutes on the clock. I stop every 30 seconds to stir (this stops hot spots occurring and burning the chocolate which can happen very quickly). If you do burn the chocolate then you’ll have to discard it and start again; Personally I won’t walk away from the chocolate to make sure it’s well looked after .
If it’s not melted after 4 minutes, keep blasting for additional 30 seconds (don’t be tempted to rush it and turn the heat up or leave it for longer, it’s worth the patience).
Once the chocolate is melted and at a consistency like gloss paint, add the orange peel from the second orange and stir briefly.
Take the base out of the freezer.
This next step you need to be quite quick with.
Add the Grand Marnier to the chocolate and beat it until it’s combined, pour straight over the base and smooth out.
Put it in the fridge for a few hours until it is set or if you’re impatient like I am in the blast freezer for an hour and see how it is!
Once the chocolate is completely hard, the cake is set and ready to serve.
Lift it out of the tin and peel the cling film from around the sides, use a sharp knife dipped in boiled water to cut through the chocolate; Tip – I dry the blade with kitchen towel before I cut the chocolate with it so it doesn’t slip.
Plate up and serve…. Remember it has alcohol in it, so it needs to be enjoyed responsibly!
Personally I wouldn’t eat it and drive.
Coffee Gateau….. Its frilly too ;0) August 6, 2011
Posted by Bespoke Baking by Daniѐle in Recipes.4 comments
This is a 3 layer delight… Perfect after dinner treat or any time of the day for that matter.
Ingredients for the sponge;
8oz margarine
8oz caster sugar
4 large eggs
3 tblsp Campo chicory and coffee essence.
8oz self raising flour.
The magic;
Oven temperature – 185 degrees for electric ovens 170 degrees for fan assisted and its between gas mark 4 and 5.
I use three 9″ round sandwich tins which I line with baking parchment.
Cream the margarine and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs and Campo and beat (don’t worry if it looks curdled).
Add the flour and beat well.
Spoon equally between the 3 tins and pop in the oven for about 20 minutes until the middle springs back when lightly pressed or a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Place on a rack to cool.
In the meantime….
Ingredients for the buttercream;
1lb unsalted butter at room temperature
2lbs icing sugar
4 tblsp Campo chicory and coffee essence.
The magic;
Beat the butter until very pale and creamy, add the icing sugar gradually beating between additions until the buttercream holds a stiff point. Add the Campo and beat until smooth.
Pop the kettle on and put a teaspoon of instant coffee into a cup and add a few tblsp’s worth of boiled water on then let it cool.
Assembly;
You will need -
- Pastry brush
- Spatula
- Cake board or plate thats at least 4 inches larger in diameter than the cake.
- Piping bag (I use disposable one and therefore don’t use a coupler with my nozzles)
- Petal piping nozzle.
Turn out the cakes…. Place a small amount of buttercream in the middle of you board to anchor your cake and place your first layer of sponge on top of it.
using you spatula, spread a thin layer of buttercream over the top of the cake – don’t do the sides yet.
Take your second piece of sponge and lie it on top of the layer of buttercream you just spread and make sure its lined up with the cake underneath.
Take the pastry brush and the coffee and paint the coffee onto the second layer of sponge until its well covered and starting to look soggy.
Take the third layer of spong in your hand and buttercream the bottom of it. Then line it up with the coffee soaked middle layer.
You should now have your 3 layer sandwich…
Take your spatula and apply a thin layer of buttecream to the entire outside of the cake (make sure its all covered so it doesn’t dry out)
Take a look at your board or plate… is it clean and free from buttecream splatters? – If not give it a wipe to tidy it up. You won’t want to do this after you have piped the gateau incase you knock it.
Fill your pastry bag with buttercream to a level that your happy to work with. You can always keep filling it up as you go along if you dont want it too full.
Holding you pastry bag with the nozzle pointing downwards and the bag at a right angle to the board, make sure the wide part of the petal nozzle is facing you and the thin part is next to the cake.
Move the bag and nozzle close to the base of the cake and in a sweeping movement from left to right ot vice versa keep a constant squeeze on the bag and as you pipe lift the bag upwards in a zig zagging motion. Each movement should go over and mimic the one before, creating a stack the same size all the way up.
Once you get to the top of the cake release the pressure on the bag and start a new column next to the one you just did.
Do this around the entire cake until you meet the first stack.
For the top, start at the top edge of the cake in the positions that you lifted off from on your first stack. Do the zig zagging movement in towards the centre of the cake instead of lifting upwards, move into the centre of the cake. Make the zig zags smaller as you reach the middle. Lift of the pressure once your in the middle.
Again go all around the cake doing this.
As a finishing touch I did an extra small circle of zig zags in the very middle of the cake (this was just to use up the last of the buttecream, you dont have to do this.
Voilà, c’est fini….
Then sit back and enjoy all of your hard work with a cup of tea and a piece of your gorgeous gateau! :0)
