Divine Butter Cake

I had another cake order the other day.

Butter cake with Passionfruit Icing.

I felt a little daring, having my new mix master and all!

The butter cake turned out abosolutely perfect! The recipe was given to me from a work college.

When she got married many moons ago, the book was given to her by her neighbour.

Hint Hint!

I tried a new trick when I cooked this cake. I placed a tent shaped piece of foil lightly over the top of the cake while it cooked. In the past, the tops of my cakes have been a bit hard and brown on top. The foil stopped this!

I'm not exactly sure how it works, but it was amazing

After the cake cooled. I sliced it into 3 layers. I was stressing so much!

I'd watched a youtube video of this pro chef doing it. I was terrified I would ruin it!

Luckily, I didn't. I didn't really have time to cook a whole new cake!

I lightly brushed each of the cakes with a sugar/water syrup wash. Hoping this would stop them from drying out.

The icing. Oh the icing!

The royal icing for the letters, was hard. I think it should have been a bit thicker.

First time though, so not too bad!

The buttercream was beautiful. Even my partner liked it and he hates passionfruit!

This was also my first time piping the shell border. I didn't think this through very well, as I used the buttercream from the top and added a bit of royal to thicken it.

Unfortunately this meant the seeds came with it.

So half way around piping, it stops.

Seed caught.

This happened ever 2-3 shells. I'd have to take the tip off, blast it with water to clear it, then try again.

But alas! The end result was perfect!

Unfortunately I don't have a picture of the layers. I'm sure they would have looked absolutely amazing. I was told the cake was gone in a matter of minutes - no time for a photo!

One Step Up

Once again, backtracking.

Going one step up again with the cake decorating.

This cake was for a work college of my partner's. It was meant to have a white chocolate car on top. But alas, my molding didn't work. I still think it turned out alright.

The cake was chocolate mud. Covered with a dark chocolate ganache. Decorated with dark chocolate leaves made from mint leaves. And chocolate sprinkles covering the sides.

As with most of my cakes, I seem to have a slight issue with getting the icing/frosting smooth as silk. I'm such a perfectionist!

Also when I receive these cake orders, It's usually in the middle of the week. So I get home at 6pm and have to make the cake, bake the cake, let the cake cool. Make the frosting and decorations. Crumb coat. Let it set. Coat again. Maybe set again and coat again then decorate....all before I go to bed!

I always end up buying more then I need. I think again in case something goes wrong.

I wouldn't have time to start from scratch or run out to get some more chocolate or something lol.

But, the cake went without too many problems. Everyone loved it.

And my cake was moist again!

Oh what Business I've been up to!

Oh I've been up to quite a bit. I just haven't been bothered to blog it.

Let's start at this one.

I think this was the first cake I made when I started making them for my partner's work colleges birthdays. This was actually for his boss though, as a Congratulations for a charity run. I think it was like 25k or something. Something that I couldn't have done lol.

This cake was two dark chocolate cakes. Chocolate buttercream in the middle. Covered with a light layer of chocolate buttercream as a crumb coat. Then covered in a dark chocolate ganache.

The chocolate curls and the writing were the hardest bits. I still need practise on the writing.

I love getting feedback for my cakes. Everyone loved it. They were very impressed and the cake was moist. I always worry my cakes will dry out.