cake decorating – Feasting Is Fun

Apricot White Chocolate Triple Sponge Cake

After being approached by Maha Home to create a cake using the new Innovative Range by Mason Cash that they stock, I was beyond excited. I can remember every single adult female in our family owning the iconic, beige coloured, cane bowl by the same manufacturer. Yet with this new range I was in for a double treat (I’ll explain more later). I chose to create this gluten free Apricot White Chocolate Triple Sponge Cake.

As a result of my health issues, I rely heavily on the ability to order items online. Having had mixed results from the different companies I order from I have learned who I can trust to properly package and ship things within an acceptable time frame. With Maha Home I placed my order and it arrived the following day. Every item was securely wrapped, without there being an excess of packaging. Most importantly every single item, when unwrapped, was in perfect condition. Because of the careful packaging, lowest price match promise and prompt delivery I would happily order from them in future.

I will admit that it did take some time to complete the unwrapping!

I tested and used all of the items except the reamer and jar scraper while making the Apricot White Chocolate Triple Sponge Cake.

Note: please visit the Mason Cash website for specific care and use of items listed.

My Thoughts On The Innovative Kitchen Kit

Innovative Kitchen Mixing Bowl:

I love the size of this bowl and it is beautiful to look at. It’s wide enough to get my hands in, for making bread, pastry and crumble. Using the tilt feature allows for thorough mixing. Also I would use this as a serving bowl, for example my Creamy Garlic Lemon Chicken Pasta Salad. While the bowl itself isn’t too heavy, once ingredients are added I would struggle to be able to lift this and mix in the crook of my arm. Also this bowl would make a perfect new home/wedding/birthday present for a newbie or keen baker.

Innovative Kitchen Spoon Rest:

Possibly my favourite item! Although this may seem odd, as someone who frequently uses an electric whisk that always drips on to the worktop having this spoon rest is an absolute joy. Large enough to rest both beaters from my whisk, or the large solid spoon and the balloon whisk from the range, this has saved me a substantial amount of clean-up time.

Innovative Kitchen 1 Litre Measuring Jug

Absolutely the cutest item in the range. A really useful size jug with accurate measurements inside. For that reason it was particularly useful when creating the Apricot White Chocolate Triple Sponge Cake. Especially easy to use in the microwave and the colours match my kitchen perfectly.

Innovative Kitchen Whisk And Reamer

Such a comfortable balloon whisk to hold and use. I wasn’t sure at first how useful the reamer would be, however after making a batch of Homemade Chelsea Buns, with a lemon drizzle I found myself happily using both the reamer and whisk. Brilliant invention.

Innovative Kitchen Spatula

Fantastic large spatula at one end with a smaller spatula at the other end. Any worries I had about how comfortable it would be to hold were immediately dispelled on first use. Two for one usage, saving utensil room in the kitchen.

Innovative Kitchen Solid Spoon And Jar Scraper

A strong solid spoon that is comfortable to hold and use. I see a wooden spoon as one of THE most essential items in any kitchen, this spoon fits the bill and some! No longer do I have to sniff my range of wooden spoons when baking, to check for lingering curry/garlic smells. I now have a dedicated wooden spoon for baking, that also has a very handy jar scraper at the other end. Especially useful for honey and marmite, both particularly sticky and reluctant to leave the inside of a jar. Again double usage from one utensil.

Recipe: Apricot White Chocolate Triple Sponge Cake serves 10-12

For the cake sponges

225g + 112g/8oz + 4oz (337g/12oz) Unsalted Butter at room temperature – plus extra for greasing the cake tins

225g + 112g/8oz + 4oz (337g/12oz) Caster Sugar

1/4tsp + 1/8tsp Salt (3/8tsp)

2tsp + 1tsp Vanilla Extract (3tsp) – I use Nielsen-Massey

4 + 2 (6) Large Free Range Eggs

225g + 112g/8oz + 4oz (337g/12oz) Gluten Free Plain White Flour – I use Doves Farm alternatively use regular white wheat flour

2tsp + 1tsp Baking Powder (3tsp) – I use Waitrose as it is gluten free

Filling and decorating the cake

6tbsp Good Quality Apricot Conserve – I like Bonne Maman

2 x 240g (drained) Canned Apricot Halves

4 Fresh Apricots – if not in season there will be enough left to decorate from the canned apricots

For the white chocolate ganache

600g/1lb 5oz Good Quality White Chocolate

600ml/21fl oz Double (heavy) Cream

For the dark chocolate curls

109g/4oz Good Quality Dark Chocolate – minimum 70% Cocoa Solids

100g/4oz Unsalted Butter – cut into chunks

Method: preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan, 350F, gas mark 4

To make this Apricot White Chocolate Triple Sponge Cake

Note – you will need 3 x 20cm/8in round sandwich tins for this recipe. If, like me however, you only have 2, simply follow the first set of quantities given in the recipe. Make 2 cake sponges using the first quantity given in the recipe and bake. Once the cakes are turned out, wash up one sandwich tin and proceed to make the third cake using the second quantity given in the recipe. Alternatively if you have 3 cake tins make the cake batter using the full quality given (shown in brackets in bold), dividing the mixture equally between the three sandwich tins.

Making the triple sponge cakes

First of all grease with butter and line the sandwich tins with baking parchment.
Next crack the eggs into the jug and whisk to combine.
Add the butter, sugar and salt to the large bowl and whisk together until pale and creamy.
Pour the eggs into the large bowl and add the vanilla extract.

Sieve the flour and baking powder into the bowl.
Using a large wooden spoon mix the ingredients together until just combined. Over mixing when using wheat flour can lead to a heavy cake.
Divide the cake batter evenly between the sandwich tins, using the spatula to scrape the bowl clean. Ensuring nothing is wasted.
Smooth the top of the cakes with the spatula.

Place the cake tins into the centre and lower part of the preheated oven.
Bake the cakes for 25-30 minutes.
The cakes are baked when golden and they spring back from a light touch in the centre.
As soon as the cakes are baked remove from the oven.
Allow the cakes to cool in the tins for 15 minutes and then turn out on to a cooling rack.
Proceed with making the third sponge as per the note above.

Making Dark Chocolate Curls To Use As Decoration

Chop the dark chocolate into small chunks.
Place the chocolate into the jug and add the butter.
Using a microwave heat the chocolate/butter for 30 seconds on medium power. Repeat until both chocolate and butter are melted.
Stir using the small spatula until the ingredients are combined and glossy.

Pour the dark chocolate ganache into a baking tray approximately 38cm x 25cm x 3cm (15in x 10in x 1in).
Tilt the tray so that it is evenly covered with ganache.
Refrigerate the tray for 1 hour to set the ganache.
To make the curls, push a straight edged implement (I have used a small metal cake server, a dough cutter or something similar would also work well) into the ganache. The chocolate will form curls. Place each curl on to a cold plate. Repeat until all of the chocolate has been used. During hot weather it maybe necessary to chill the chocolate ganache in between making curls.
Once made, place the plate of chocolate curls into the fridge until needed. Note, the dark chocolate curls can be made the day before, Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Making the white chocolate ganache

Measure out the cream into the jug.
Heat in the microwave on medium for 30 second bursts until the cream is hot – not boiling.
While the cream is heating chop the white chocolate into small chunks and place into the large bowl.
Pour the hot cream over the white chocolate chunks.
Stir continuously with the spoon until all of the chocolate is melted and combined with the cream. The mixture should look glossy.

Pour 300ml of the liquid white chocolate ganache into the jug.
Place the large bowl of ganache into the fridge to cool.
Meanwhile, using the whisk, whip the white chocolate ganache in the jug until it just holds it’s shape (see bottom left photo below).
Place a cake sponge, flat side down, on to some foil on a plate.
Spoon the soft, yet floppy ganache on to the sponge. Spread the ganache with the small spatula to cover the sponge allowing it to naturally drape around the sides.
Place the sponge into the fridge to set.

Assembling the Apricot White Chocolate Triple Sponge Cake

First of all, drain both cans of apricot halves into a sieve.
Place the remaining 2 cake sponges, flat side up, on separate plates. Make sure the sponge that will be the bottom layer of the cake is on a serving plate or board.
Spoon 3 tablespoons of apricot conserve on to each sponge and spread to the edges using the small spatula.
Place 8 apricot halves evenly around the outside of each sponge and 4 in the centre.

Remove the cooled ganache from the fridge and whisk until it firmly holds its shape.
Fill a large piping bag with the ganache.
Cut the end of the piping bag off to leave a 1cm opening.
Applying even pressure pipe swirls of ganache between the apricots on the edge of the cake working in towards the centre, until there aren’t any gaps left. Repeat for the second sponge.
Place both sponges into the fridge and leave to set for 30 minutes.
Once the ganache has set it is time to assemble your cake.
Place the second layer centrally on top of the bottom layer.
Finally, place the ganache covered sponge on top.

Decorating The Apricot White Chocolate Triple Sponge Cake

Arrange the fresh (or canned) apricots on top of the cake and add the dark chocolate curls.
Refrigerate the cake for a further 30 minutes, or until time to serve.

Remove the cake from the fridge 10 minutes prior to serving. Doing so allows for easier slicing.

I made the gluten free sponges the day before assembling the cake. They were stored in an airtight cake tin separated by sheets of baking parchment.

If you have enjoyed this recipe for Apricot White Chocolate Triple Sponge Cake you may also like these:

Summer Mixed Berry Sponge Cake

Raspberry Lemon Celebration Layer Cake

FF Apricot White Chocolate Celebration Layer Cake — Raspberry Lemon Celebration Layer Cake

Fluted Chocolate Lemon Marble Cake

While making this Apricot White Chocolate Triple Sponge Cake I had great fun testing out the Mason Cash Innovative Kitchen items sent to me by Maha Home. As well as creating a feast, fun has to be at the heart of what I do. Likewise, by testing new kitchenware I learn what works and what doesn’t. As a result I can offer an unbiased opinion to you my readers. Your trust in me is central to any review I undertake. Resulting in a review that is open and honest.

So, whatever you are making, baking and creating in your kitchens, have fun preparing and sharing your feast.

Sammie xx

In the photograph above I added edible Pansies to create a pop of colour. When using flowers to decorate a cake, ensure they are edible and free from any chemicals.

Maha Home sent me the Innovative Kitchen items by Mason Cash for the purpose of reviewing. Please visit their website for lowest price match promise and discount code T’s & C’s. All opinions, views and content are my own. I was not paid to carry out this review. No part of this post may be reproduced or duplicated without the written permission of the owner. Please see my Disclosure Policy.

Elizabeth Harris Perfect Cupcake Decorating Kit

Here on Feasting is Fun we encourage sharing. Whether it be bakes freshly made in our kitchens, or inviting friends and neighbours round for a cup of tea and a natter. As part of this I get asked by different companies to review products or produce. Resulting in me getting to share with you, my lovely readers, great products that really do earn their place in the kitchen. Today I share with you the Elizabeth Harris Perfect Cupcake Decorating Kit Review.

Elizabeth Harris learned to bake when she was young, in her Mum’s kitchen. Her love and passion deveolped over the years and she is now renowned for making bespoke cakes for every occasion. Developing her own product range, including the Perfect Cupcake Decorating Kit, is a step further to equipping and teaching others how they too can create stunning cakes.

Few people have the luxury of large kitchens with empty cupboards waiting to be filled. Items that take up valuable storage space need to earn their place. Everything needed, except for ingredients, to decorate a cupcake is contained within the sturdy, neat tin. First impression when handling the tin and it’s contents is of quality as well as a beautiful design.

Elizabeth Harris Perfect Cupcake Decorating Kit — Elizabeth Harris Perfect Decorating Cupcake Kit tin and contents.

Neatly packaged within the tin are the following items:

12 cupcake cases.
3 piping nozzles of different sizes and shapes.
Cupcake corer, used to remove the centre of a cupcake so that it can be filled.
Sturdy 14in/35cm reusable piping bag.
Splatter proof, fully comprehensive instruction guide, including basic cupcake and buttercream recipe. Also step-by-step photographs showing how to achieve 3 different cupcake decorations.

Since the instruction guide provides a reliable cupcake and buttercream recipe, it is ideal for those who are just learning to bake. Likewise, the quality of the nozzles and variety of decorating designs is perfect for both the inexperienced and more proficient cake decorator. A washable reusable piping bag not only helps the environment, but also saves money on buying their disposable counterparts. Finally the addition of a cupcake corer allows the baker to fill the cupcake with a sweet surprise.

While reviewing the kit, the basic cupcake recipe included in the instruction guide was used. Three different flavoured cupcakes were made. Vanilla, rose and lemon and peach with an apricot jam filling. Flavour extracts were used for the cake batter and food colours for the buttercream. The recommended buttercream recipe was also used.

Recipe used from the instruction leaflet. Makes 12 cupcakes.

110g/4oz Butter softened at room temperature
110g/4oz Caster Sugar
1/8tsp Salt – added as unsalted butter was used
2 Free Range Eggs – I use large – lightly beaten
1tsp Vanilla Extract – I use Nielsen-Massey
110g/4oz Self Raising Flour
1-2tbsp Milk
Optional 1/4tsp each Lemon and Rose extract. Also available from Nielsen-Massey
Optional 15 drops Peach flavouring available from – Foodie Flavours. Apricot Jam for the hidden filling.
Gold Sugar Balls

Method: followed from the instructions given.

Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan, 350F, gas mark 4.

Line a muffin tin with 12 cupcake cases.
Cream together the butter, salt and sugar in a bowl, until pale.
Add 1tbsp of flour, vanilla extract and slowly beat in the eggs to the mixture.
If using flavourings add and beat into the mix.
Gently fold in the remaining flour, adding 1-2tbsp milk until the cake batter just drops from a spoon (dropping consistency).
Spoon the cake batter to half fill each cupcake case.
Place the muffin tin in the centre of the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes.
The cupcakes are baked when they are golden in colour and an inserted cocktail stick comes out clean. As soon as the cupcakes are baked remove from the oven.

Allow the cupcakes to cool for 10 minutes in the tin then remove and place on a cooling rack to completely cool.
For apricot jam filled peach cupcakes, once cool, place the cupcake corer on to the centre of the cupcake. Twist until the corer touches the top of cupcake. Remove and add 1/2tsp of jam. Press the top of the corer and the cake plug will be released. Place on top of the jam filled cupcake. Continue until each cupcake is filled.
Proceed to pipe a hydrangea pattern, using the medium star nozzle, as detailed in the instructions. See below for buttercream recipe.

Making the buttercream:

140g/5oz Butter softened
280g/10oz White Icing Sugar
1-2tbsp Milk
Food Colouring – I used gel colours available from Wilton

Whisk the butter in a bowl until softened. Add the icing sugar and whisk slowly to start, increasing in speed. Add milk if the mixture is too stiff. Continue whisking until the buttercream is pale and fluffy. Divide the buttercream into separate bowls and colour as desired. A cocktail stick dipped into gel colouring allows control of depth of colour. While carrying out the review I created a light and dark orange. Finishing the frill and hydrangea cupcakes with these colours.

While simply spooning alternate colours into a piping bag gave the hydrangea cupcakes a pretty, range of colours. Just like on a real flower.

Using deep orange buttercream with the flat nozzle fitted to the piping bag, the frilled cupcakes were decorated. Since the nozzle was the wrong way round each frill faced downwards creating a ballerina tutu effect. Gold sugar balls topped off these vanilla cupcakes.

Finally the rose and lemon cupcakes, topped with a deep red edged cream frosting. A technique that is easier than it looks. Since, as suggested in the instructions dual coloured icings can be spooned either side of the piping bag, fitted with the large star nozzle, giving a pretty coloured rose when piped. Yet a different effect can also be achieved by dipping the blunt end of a wooden barbecue skewer into your chosen colour food colour. Place the gel end of the skewer into the empty piping bag, nozzle attached and wipe the gel up once side of the bag. Repeat on the other side. Fill the bag with uncoloured buttercream.

To decorate, squeeze out some buttercream into a bowl until the colour starts to show. Spoon back into the piping bag. Starting in the centre of a cupcake, keep an even pressure and pipe a swirl as detailed in the instructions. As each cupcake is frosted the intense colour will pale in colour. Finally giving variation, similar to real roses.

After washing, drying, reusing and storing every part of the Elizabeth Harris Perfect Cupcake Decorating Kit, I am thoroughly impressed. The instructions are clear and easy to wipe down for the messy baker! Each piece of equipment feels strong and sturdy. Three decorating ideas are given, each with great photos and easily understood. More ideas are available on Elizabeth’s YouTube channel here.

Elizabeth Harris Perfect Cupcake Decorating Kit is available to buy from larger Home Bargains stores nationwide. An ideal present for a beginner baker, or someone who bakes but wants to learn decorating techniques. Finally a warning, cake decorating can become addictive. Elizabeth Harris has a beautifully designed range of cake decorating equipment, bakeware and items for the kitchen, simply visit her website.

FF Elizabeth Harris Cupcake Decorating Kit. — Learn how to create beautiful cupcakes with the Elizabeth Harris Perfect Cupcake Decorating Kit.

If you have enjoyed this review of the Elizabeth Harris Perfect Cupcake Decorating Kit you may also enjoy these cupcake recipes to use with your kit:

Maltesers Popping Candy Cupcakes

Raspberry Ripple Almond Cupcakes

Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Drizzle Cupcakes

Carrying out reviews allows access to products that I may not normally come across. Creating cupcakes with this Perfect Cupcake Decorating Kit taught me new decorating techniques. Also, developing new cupcake recipes is always a bonus. Quite often I give away reviewed products. Not so with this kit. It has found a permanent home in my newly decorated kitchen. It will be bought and given as gifts.

Whatever you are making, baking and creating in your kitchen, have fun preparing your feast.

Elizabeth Harris sent me the Perfect Cupcake Decorating Kit to review. I was not paid for carrying out this review or writing this blog post. All opinions, observations, product/ingredient recommendations are mine alone. No part of this blog post may be copied or reproduced without the written permission of the owner. Please see my Disclosure Policy.

Chocolate Heart Topped Rose Bundt Cake

Valentine’s Day is nearly upon us and whether you subscribe to red hearts, roses and all things lovey-dovey, or not, walk down any high street and you can’t fail to avoid it. For me, each day is about expressing my love to those around me. Most importantly my hubby, our children and then my beautiful sister and her amazing family. Whether you celebrate February 14th as a specific day to show people your love, or choose other days, every single day, this Chocolate Heart Topped Rose Bundt Cake is sure to be well received.

Love, for me is about showing someone I’ve thought of them. It can be a small act of making a cup of tea and a kiss, or it can be a grander gesture, such as buying theatre or concert tickets. One way I like to show loved ones that I’ve thought of them is to bake or cook for them. Making their favourite meal, baking cookies such as these Chocolate Heart Cookies, all adds to the love in our home.

Something absolutely guaranteed to win most people round is chocolate. Having been sent a beautiful selection of chocolates from Lloyd’s Chocolatiers, I wanted to show them off. As the chocolate hearts are filled with delicate whipped creams, caramel, praline or divine caramel, they provide the perfect decoration to this lightly flavoured cake. Easily removed when served, they create a stunning addition to any plate.

Made with love. Served with love. These beautiful and varied chocolate hearts create a stunning dessert plate. This definitely says “I love you”.

FF Chocolate Heart Rose Bundt Cake — **Chocolate Heart Topped Rose Bundt Cake**

While baking a chocolate cake may seem an obvious choice, I instead decided to choose a flavour to compliment the chocolates. Keeping the rose flavour subtle within the cake also stops it from overpowering the chocolates. Since the aim is, that each should compliment the other. Finishing with an un-flavoured glaze and dust of glitter, takes this cake from pretty to elegant.

Recipe: Chocolate Heart Topped Rose Bundt Cake serves 8-10

For the cake batter:

275g/10oz Unsalted Butter softened

275g/10oz Caster Sugar

1/4tsp Salt – I use Maldon

2tsp Vanilla Bean Paste – or Vanilla Extract

6 Large Free Range Eggs

1tsp Rose Extract – I use Nielsen-Massey

300g/11oz Plain White Four

2tsp Baking Powder

100g Full Fat Natural Yoghurt- I use Yeo Valley

For the icing and decoration:

450g/1lb White Unflavoured Icing Sugar

100mls Cold Tap Water

Edible Glitter – I use My Cake Decor gold glitter pump spray

Chocolate Hearts

Method: Preheat the oven to 160C/140C fan, gas mark 3

First of all, ensure the Bundt pan is clean and dry. Shake the can or bottle well. Spray, or brush Wilton cake release thoroughly using a soft pastry brush. Note – if the weather is cold the liquid in the bottle may be difficult to squeeze out and brush. Stand the bottle in a jug of hot water for 10 minutes, shake well and use.

Making the cake batter: Into a large bowl add the softened butter, sugar and salt.
Whisk/beat together until well combined, pale and creamy.
Next, into a separate bowl, sieve the flour and baking powder together – dry ingredients.
Into the creamed butter bowl add the vanilla paste, rose extract and 2 eggs. Then add one third of the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
Add a further 2 eggs, another third of the dry ingredients and mix as before.
Finally, add the last 2 eggs, yoghurt and the last third of the dry ingredients. Mix until thoroughly combined, however take care not to over mix.
Spoon the cake batter into the prepared Bundt pan, pressing down as you do. Smooth the top of the batter with a spoon.
Place the Bundt pan in the centre of the oven and bake for 1hr – 1hr 15 minutes.
The cake is baked when it is golden in colour, shrinking away from the sides of the pan and an inserted skewer comes out clean.
Once baked remove the cake from the oven.

Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes.
Now turn out the Bundt cake on to a cooling rack.
Leave the cake to cool completely before icing.

While the cake is cooling, make the glacé icing.
Sift the icing sugar into a bowl.
Add the water and stir thoroughly, until a smooth consistency is achieved.
When cool, place the cake on the cooling rack, over a clean baking tray. This will catch any excess icing drips.
Start to spoon the icing over the top of the cake, working your way around the cake.
Continue to spoon icing through the central hole and around the outside until the cake is fully covered.
Leave the icing to naturally drip from the cake and finally set.
If using, dust the cake with edible glitter.
Move the cake on to a serving plate or stand.

Place the chocolate hearts on top of the cake, reserving some for serving alongside.

Serve with love and a smile.

The cake will keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days. If it lasts that long.

If you have enjoyed this recipe for Chocolate Heart Topped Rose Bundt Cake then you may also like these:

Maple Syrup Iced Coffee Bundt Cake

Strawberry Sweetheart Cake

Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake

Nordic Ware have a range of different shapes and styles of Bundt Pans. Since they are not cheap they are an investment worth looking after. Especially, if like me, cake decorating isn’t your strongest point. Yet, if looked after properly, the detailed Bundt Pans will last you a lifetime. Because each cake baked has love stirred into it, nothing else can compare with the taste. Ultimately they pay for themselves, with magnificent cakes that aren’t bought from a bakery.

On Valentine’s Day and everyday, I wish you love, health, peace and happiness.

Sammie xx

LLoyds Chocolatiers sent me the chocolate hearts to try. All content, photography, views and opinions are my own. Please see my Disclosure Policy.

Orange Lemon Ombre Piped Rose Cake

Birthday season is upon us in the Feasting family. Cakes, bakes, canapés and celebration continue from now, right through to the New Year. Therefore, making this Orange Lemon Ombre Piped Rose Cake with family in mind, resulted in a beautifully decorated, delicious cake, perfect for guys and girls of all ages.

So the cake itself is made using Wright’s Baking Orange Cake Mix, to which lemon zest is added. Baked as a single cake, it is then sliced into three layers which are sandwiched back together using tart lemon curd. The result, a balanced citrus flavoured cake, that wakes up your tastebuds ready to party!

In addition, the decision to decorate the cake with piped buttercream roses, shows an increase in confidence with regard to piping. Creating an ombré effect, from pale lemon swirls to deeper tangerine lends a modern finish to this cake.

Since piping this Heart Engagement Bundt Cake, crumb coating, covering the whole cake in a thin layer of buttercream, was not an option, it was a must. Resulting in a cake that looks much cleaner, more professional, as well as any gaps between the roses are already covered.

While not absolutely necessary, the added edible violas give the finished cake an elegant, yet natural touch. Their presence hints at the floral, citrus flavoured cake hidden by the piped roses.

Recipe: Orange Lemon Ombre Piped Rose Cake serves 12-14

2 Packets Orange Cake Mix available from Wright’s Baking online shop you will need 1 1/2 packets of mix for this recipe

90ml Vegetable Oil – I use sunflower oil plus a little extra for greasing the cake tin

300ml Water

1 Large Free Range Egg

1tsp Lemon Zest – the zest of one regular lemon

Approx 1/2 jar Lemon Curd

For the ombre buttercream:

700g White Icing Sugar

350g Unsalted Butter – softened to room temperature

2tbsp Very Hot Water

Gel Food Colouring – Red and Yellow, or Orange – I use Wilton

1tsp Lemon Extract – I use Nielsen-Massey

Optional – pesticide free viola flowers

Method: Preheat the oven to 170C/150C fan, gas mark 3.5

You will need a 20cm/8″ diameter 8.5cm/3.5″ deep tin to bake this cake.

Starting with the cake tin, grease the entire tin and also line the base with parchment paper.
Into a large bowl add the water, egg, oil and one packet of the orange cake mix. Weigh the other packet of cake mix and divide in half. Add half of the packet contents to the bowl – it was approximately 260g. Please check the weight for yourself.
Whisk the ingredients together according to the instructions on the packet.
Finally add the finely grated zest of 1 lemon, approximately 1tsp, to the bowl. Whisk to distribute and combine.
Pour the citrus cake batter into the prepared tin.

Place the cake tin in the centre of the oven and bake for 1 hour 30 minutes. Test the cake at 1 hour 20 minutes with a skewer. The cake is baked when an inserted skewer comes out clean.
As soon as the cake is baked remov from the oven, place on a rack and allow the cake to cool completely in the tin.

Breath in the rich, citrus, homebaked aroma.

When the cake has cooled turn it out of the tin. Also if necessary, run around the outer rim of the cake with a palette knife. Doing this will loosen any slight sticking, that said Wright’s cake mixes are excellent and always turn out of the tin easily.

Preparing the cake for decoration:

During baking the cake rose slightly more in the centre. The cause may have been the addition of an egg to the cake mixture, or, baking at a slightly higher temperature.
First cut off any dome on the top of the cake. Having a small rise in the centre is an advantage with the finished cake.
Slice the cake evenly into 3 layers. A serrated knife cuts cleanly through the cake, minimising crumbs.
Place the bottom layer, cut side up, on a board or cake stand.
Spread the bottom layer with an even, thin layer of lemon curd, so that it almost reaches the edges.
Next, place the middle layer on top of the bottom layer, matching up the sides.
Again, spread a thin, even layer of lemon curd on to the cake, keeping just inside the edges.
Finally place the top of the cake on to the middle layer.

Preparing the cake:

Place the softened butter into a large bowl.
Sift the icing sugar into the same bowl.
Next add the very hot water and lemon extract.
Finally whisk the ingredients together, starting on a slow speed and increasing the speed, until you have a pale, fluffy, lump free, buttercream.
Remove 3 heaped tablespoons of the buttercream and set aside to crumb coat the cake. First place the buttercream on the top of the cake. Use an offset spatula to spread the icing across the top of the cake, gently pushing it over the sides. Rotating the stand, or board, gradually cover the sides of the cake with a thin layer of buttercream. Finish by dipping a palette knife into hot water, drying and running the hot knife over the cake, this will produce a smooth finish. Place the cake in the fridge for 30 minutes to allow the crumb coat to set slightly.

Colouring the buttercream:

Divide the remaining buttercream equally, between 3 bowls.
Use cocktail sticks, gel food colouring and a teaspoon to stir, start colouring the icing. It is easier to achieve the lightest colour, which is piped on to the top of the cake, first. Doing so sets the shade and tint of the icing.
Following on, add more colouring to the next bowl, until the shade is correct. Finishing with the last bowl and deepest colour, add extra red and yellow gel until the desired deeper colour is obtained.
To pipe the buutercream, fit 3 large, disposable piping bags with large star piping nozzles – Wilton #1M. Fill each bag with a separate shade of buttercream. Label the piping bags light, medium, dark, so they are distinguishable.

Decorating the Cake:

Starting right in the centre, on top of the cake, using the lightest shade, pipe the first rose. Begin in the centre of the rose, keeping pressure steady on the bag pipe a star, continuing into an e shape, then continuing round to form a rose swirl.
Continue working evenly around the centrally piped rose, piping more rose swirls. Carry on until the top of the cake is covered, or almost covered, in evenly piped rose swirls.
Following on, use the next shade darker, pipe rose swirls around and inbetween the lighter shade, then pipe evenly around the side of the cake.

Complete the cake by piping the darkest shade around the base of the cake. The full ombré effect is then complete.

For the very best results place the piped cake into the fridge, or somewhere cold, for 30 minutes.
Just prior to serving add the edible violas.

Beautifully baked, evenly distributed fruit, decorated with rose swirls, this Orange Lemon Ombre Piped Rose Cake demonstrates how easy it is to create a sensational cake using a mix.

Because of my health limitations, creating this cake from scratch would be too much for me. Of most importance, my aim, to show how the ombré piping effect is achievable, at home, with a little practice. Secure in the knowledge that the cake underneath is reliably good. A couple of badly piped roses were removed, using a butter knife and re-piped. Practice and making mistakes is how we learn to improve our skills.

If you have enjoyed the recipe for this Orange Lemon Ombre Piped Rose Cake you may also like these:

Strawberry Chocolate Vanilla Drip Cake

Fluted Chocolate Lemon Marble Cak

Strawberry Sweetheart Cake

Beautiful cakes do not have to be difficult to create. Since I am most definitely not an accomplished cake decorator, I have learned a few decorating techniques that enable me to finish a cake to a good standard.

Most of all I hope you have been inspired to try out a new technique? Also homemade cakes taste infinitely better than their supermarket counterparts. While they are convenient, no amount of love, has, at any stage been added to the cake. Whereas baking at home creates a unique, delicious cake that will prompt huge smiles from the recipient and those who share in the celebration and cake!

Sammie xx

Loveliest Lemon Curd Cake

For for those of you who have visited Feasting is Fun before, you will be very aware of my love affair with lemons. I absolutely adore not only their tart, intense flavour, but also their ability to transform a sweet or savoury dish. After using lemon curd to create my Lemon Ripple Ice Cream, I decided to use it in a bake. Specifically this delightful Loveliest Lemon Curd Cake.

FF Lemon Curd Cake — Loveliest Lemon Curd Cake perfect for afternoon tea.

A wonderfully moist, damp cake, the lemon curd injects a wonderful tartness in the centre that is balanced by the lemon swirled buttercream on top.

If you love lemons, then I’ll guarantee this Loveliest Lemon Curd Cake will delight you!

Baked as a whole cake, that is then cut in two, this refreshingly flavoured cake is simple to make and decorate.

Loveliest Lemon Curd Cake with an added sprinkle of glitter.

I was sent a new cake tin to try out, so I decided on this Loveliest Lemon Curd Cake. The cake batter has both finely grated lemon zest and lemon extract oil in it. I’ve given an alternative for the oil in the recipe, although I do recommend buying some if you can. It brings another level of lemonyness to the cake and unlike fresh lemon juice, does not cause any curdling of the cake batter or buttercream.

Lemons have such a sunny yellow colour that they really do bring the sunshine indoors whatever the weather!

Recipe: Loveliest Lemon Curd Cake serves 8-10

You will need an 8″/20cm diameter cake tin that is 3″/7.5cm deep

275g/10oz Unsalted Butter – plus a little extra for greasing

275g/10oz Caster Sugar

1tsp Lemon Oil – I use Nielsen-Massey

6 Large Free Range Eggs

275g/10oz Self Raising Flour (if using plain add 2tsp baking powder)

1/4tsp Salt – I use Maldon Sea Salt

Grated Zest of 1 Whole Lemon

4-5tbsp Lemon Curd – I use Waitrose luxury lemon curd – make sure you pick a tart one

For the icing:

100g/4oz Unsalted Butter

200g/7oz Sifted Icing Sugar

1/2tsp Lemon Oil – or 1tbsp Lemon Curd

2tbsp Very Hot Water from a kettle

Optional – Sprinkles and edible glitter

Method: Preheat the oven to 160C/140C fan, gas mark 3

Grease with butter and line the base of the cake tin with baking parchment. I was testing a new PushPan. I still greased and lined the tin.
Into a large bowl add the butter, salt and sugar.
Whisk/beat until pale and creamy.
Add all 6 eggs (I crack mine into a separate bowl first) and the lemon oil/substitute with 1tbsp of lemon curd if no lemon oil is available.
Sift in the self raising flour.
Mix on a low speed until just combined.
Add the finely grated zest of one whole lemon.
Mix the cake batter until just smooth – I do this by hand using a spoon.
Spoon the Loveliest Lemon Curd Cake batter into the cake tin and smooth the top.

Loveliest Lemon Curd Cake ready for the oven.

Place the cake tin into the centre of the oven and bake for 1 hour – 1 hour 15 minutes. The cake is baked when an inserted skewer comes out clean. My cake took 1 hour 15 minutes to bake.
Once the cake is baked remove from the oven and allow to cool completely in the cake tin.

When the cake is cold remove from the tin.
With the PushPan tin I used, I simply popped the pan on to a tin of beans and pressed the sides down. The cake released from the tin very easily.

Making the lemon buttercream:

Into a large bowl add the softened butter, sifted icing sugar, lemon oil or curd and 2 tablespoons of hot water.
Whisk slowly at first, increasing in speed as the icing sugar is absorbed. Continue whisking on high for a couple more minutes until you have a pale, creamy, light buttercream.
Scoop the buttercream into a disposable piping bag fitted with a large closed star tip.
Carefully cut the cake in half horizontally, so that it becomes a sandwich cake.
Spoon enough lemon curd on to the bottom layer to cover it generously.

Place the top of the cake back on and pipe six buttercream swirls around the edge and one in the centre of the cake.

Add sprinkles and edible glitter (if using) and your Loveliest Lemon Curd Cake is ready to be sliced and served.

I do love a slice of cake for Sunday afternoon tea, or any day of the week afternoon tea, when the cake is this good!

I honestly think the pictures in this post speak for themselves. This Loveliest Lemon Curd Cake bursts with lemony yellowness once cut and tastes absolutely perfect. The soft buttercream and tart lemon curd, with a deliciously moist lemon cake.

Today will not be the only time I make this cake!!

If you have enjoyed the recipe for this Loveliest Lemon Curd Cake here are some others you may also enjoy:

Glazed Lemon Bundt Cake

Lemony Strawberry Pavlova

Lemon Drizzle Cake Bars

Whilst this Loveliest Lemon Curd Cake looks pretty with the buttercream swirls, it really is the layers of lemon flavour that make this cake so enticing.

Whatever you are making and baking in your kitchen this weekend I hope that you are having fun. As I popped a couple of slices of this yummy cake over the back fence to our neighbours, almost blinded by the glitter sparkling in the sunlight, I was reminded of how much I simply enjoy sharing.

Baking for my family, friends, neighbours, postman and postlady, random delivery drivers, makes me feel good. Why?? Because it puts a smile on someones face. The heart of this blog is to share, enjoy feasting with people and have fun whilst doing so.

There is no price to making someone smile.

Who will you make smile this week?

Sammie xx

Strawberry Chocolate Vanilla Drip Cake

Hello, I have an exciting recipe to share today. Since I first admiring the variety of Drip Cakes on Pinterest I have wanted to make one. This past weekend with the help of 2 Wright’s Baking cake mix kits, I did it (full recipe instructions for making this cake from scratch are included). Finally, I have now made this Strawberry Chocolate Vanilla Drip Cake.

Had it not been for the cake mixes from Wright’s I honestly would not have had the energy to make this cake. Yet, I proved that with a little bit of patience and guidance anyone can make a drip cake using great packet mixes, plus some extra chocolate and strawberries.

The Chocolate and Victoria sponge mixes create cakes that are as light as clouds. I baked the cakes on Saturday and then assembled and decorated this gorgeous Strawberry Chocolate Vanilla Drip Cake on the Sunday.

You Too Can Make This Drip Cake :

If you have ever wanted to make a drip cake, yet been too scared or overwhelmed to try? Use the following step by step photographs and instructions to show you how. You need not be a proficient baker or cake decorator, yet you CAN make this Strawberry Chocolate Vanilla Drip Cake.

Taking you through every stage, you will learn how to achieve a stunning drip cake. Once you have learnt the basics you can create all different kinds of drip cakes. I wanted to keep my cake simple, yet elegant. The chocolate dipped strawberries add height and a pop of colour.

Above all, I never dreamt that my Strawberry Chocolate Vanilla Drip Cake would turn out so well.

Pushing Out Of My Cake Decorating Comfort Zone:

Because cake decorating isn’t my strongest skill, learning new techniques can be challenging. Also sometimes my hands can be really shaky, resulting fewer cake recipes making it on to the blog.

What I’m trying to say is, I’m just like you. Yes I’ve learnt to pipe roses with buttercream, but that really is the extent of my cake decorating knowledge. So my hope is to teach you how to create a show stopping cake and that, with a little patience you too can create one!

There’s No Shame In Using Great Quality Cake Mixes:

Starting with a good quality boxed cake mix from Wright’s meant that all my concentration could be used decorating the cake. I will be creating recipes with different flavours, colours and toppings in the future, but for my first drip cake, all I wanted to concentrate on was creating that iconic ‘drip’!

Chocolate and vanilla were chosen simply because the inside of the cake would then reflect the beautiful outside. The cake mixes are so easy to whip up and bake, plus the buttercream mixture is included in the box. All I needed to add was butter.

Note: in order to decorate this cake successfully you will need a large palette knife (not a small offset one – that I mention in some of my recipes). Also if making the cake using my recipes you will have ire than you need. Perhaps you could bake an extra layer?

Recipe: Strawberry Chocolate Vanilla Drip Cake serves 10-12

1 Chocolate Sponge Baking Kit – from Wright’s Baking

1 Victoria Sponge Baking Kit – also from Wright’s Baking

Alternatively use the cake batter recipe for my Apricot White Chocolate Triple Sponge Cake

( Make the cake batter as instructed in the recipe. Use half of the vanilla batter to bake 2 plain sponges. Add 75g Cocoa powder and 2tbsp milk to the remaining batter, stir gently until the ingredients are fully incorporated. Bake the chocolate sponges as instructed.)

2tbsp Butter for greasing the sandwich cake tins

240g Unsalted Butter- softened to room temperature

200g White Chocolate – I use Waitrose Belgian white chocolate

100g Dark Chocolate minimum 70% Cocoa Solids

15 Good Quality Fresh Strawberries medium/large in size – if only very large strawberries are available you may want to use fewer.

Note: if making your own buttercream you will need 250g unsalted butter, 100g good quality cocoa powder (sifted) and 400g icing sugar (sifted), prepare as for the buttercream including the 2tbsp very hot water.

Method: Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan, gas mark 4, 350F

Making And Baking The Sponge Cakes:

Grease 2 x 7″ (17.5cm) sandwich cake tins and line the base with baking parchment.
Make up one packet – I used the Victoria sponge mix first – according to the instructions on the box.
Divide the cake batter equally between the 2 tins.

Place the sponge tins in the centre of the oven and bake for 15- 20 minutes. The sponges are baked when they are a golden colour and spring back from a light touch. Mine took just under 20 minutes to bake. Also, baking times may vary slightly if making from scratch*.
As soon as the cakes are baked remove from the oven.
Allow the sponges to cool for 5 minutes, then run a palette knife around the outside rim of the cake.
Turn the cake out gently and place right side up on a cooling rack.

Wash up the sponge tins in warm soapy water, dry, grease and line the bases as before.
Make up the chocolate sponge mix according to the packet instructions.
Divide the cake batter equally between the 2 tins and bake in the middle of the oven, as before for 15 – 20 minutes. Mine were baked at 15 minutes.
As soon as the chocolate sponges are baked remove from the oven. See note * above.

After 5 minutes cooling run a palette knife around the outside of the cake, turn out gently and allow to cool on a rack.
Once cool your cake is ready to assemble and decorate.

Making The Frosting And Assembling The Cake:

Gently peel the parchment paper away from the base of each sponge.
Whisk/beat 240g of softened butter in a large bowl.
Add both packets of buttercream mix – chocolate and vanilla.
Slowly whisk until they are incorporated into the butter.
OPTIONAL – I always add 1-2 tablespoons of very hot water to any buttercream that I make. I added 2 tablespoons to the buttercream mixture. I would not advise adding water if you are using stork or other margarines.
Continue whisking until you have a smooth, glossy, chocolate buttercream.

I recommend using either a cake board or a flat plate placed on a cake stand, or cake decorating turntable. I used a cake board on top of my cake stand. This is so that once covered in buttercream, the cake, will fit into the fridge to chill.
First of all add a generous tablespoon of buttercream to the cake board, this helps anchor the cake whilst it is being assembled and decorated.
Place the first sponge flat side up on the centre of the board.
Using a palette knife thinly coat the upper, flat side of the sponge in buttercream.

Next add the second chocolate sponge, again flat side up and cover with a thin layer of buttercream.
Continue in the same manner with the vanilla sponges, leaving the last sponge without a covering of buttercream.

Covering The Cake With Buttercream Frosting:

Ensure that you have plenty of space to work around the cake. I moved mine to the dining room table where I was able to sit (better for my back) and cover the cake.
Add enough buttercream to cover the top of the cake evenly – approximately 0.5-1cm deep. Run the palette knife across the top to roughly smooth it.
Next add buttercream to the side of the cake near the top. Spread it with the palette knife so that it fills in the gaps between the sponges. I started at the top and rotated the cake stand, working my way down to the bottom of the cake as each sponge layer was covered. Always aim to keep the buttercream as even and smooth as possible, using a palette knife.

The whole cake is now covered in buttercream with a roughly smoothed top and sides.
Fill a large jug with very hot water and have some pieces of kitchen paper to hand.
Clean the palette knife and let it sit, immersed in the hot water for a minute.
Remove the palette knife and wipe dry with the kitchen paper.
Hold the flat side of the palette knife to the side of the cake and smooth the buttercream. Repeat by dipping the palette knife back into the hot water, drying and smoothing, rotating the cake stand as you do so. This may take a little practice but you’ll soon get the hang of it.
The buttercream becomes very glossy and smooth. Continue until the sides are as smooth as you can get them.
Next smooth the top of the cake in exactly the same way.

Use kitchen paper to gently go around the base of the cake and remove excess buttercream from the board. I remove any big lumps and then hold the kitchen paper to the board as I rotate the cake, gradually getting closer and closer to the cake.
Place the covered cake into the fridge to chill and set for 30 minutes.
When it is touch dry you may start to decorate it.

Decorating The Strawberries With Chocolate:

Break up the white chocolate into a heatproof microwaveable bowl.
Zap in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between each heating session. When the chocolate has half melted remove the bowl from the microwave and continue stirring until all of the chocolate is melted.
Set to one side to cool.
Meanwhile break up the dark chocolate and melt in exactly the same way as for the white chocolate.
Dip half of the strawberries into the dark chocolate, ensuring they are completely covered with only the green showing, use a teaspoon to pour the chocolate near the top of the strawberry. Set the strawberries on to a silicone mat or some baking parchment.
Remove 2 tablespoons of the melted white chocolate and place in a small, disposable piping bag. Snip the very end off leaving a small hole.
Pipe lines across the uncovered strawberries and over the chocolate covered strawberries. You can also experiment with piping little dots on to the strawberries. Leave the strawberries to set.

Creating The Drip Effect:

Finally, while the white chocolate is still pourable but cooled you can start creating your drips.

Using a spoon pour the cooled, melted chocolate around the edge of the cake encouraging drips to form by adding a little more chocolate in places. Aim for a variety of drip lengths around the outside of the cake.
Next spoon the remaining white chocolate on to the centre of the top of the cake. Use the spoon to spread it to meet the rim formed by the drips and then swirl with your spoon to give an attractive finish.

Adding Chocolate Strawberries For A Spectacular Finish:

Gently add some strawberries to the back of the cake, building height by laying them on top of each other. Also add a few strawberries around the base to create a stunning, professional finish.

Place the cake back into the fridge, especially during warmer weather, until it has set.

Now take lots of photographs as it is great to have a visual reminder that you have accomplished something so stunning.

Importantly, keeping some of the strawberries red, with just a little piped white chocolate really makes the whole cake pop. Having a burst of colour stops the cake from being all brown and cream, which is definitely not as fun as a spot of red here and there!

If you have enjoyed the recipe and tutorial for making this Strawberry Chocolate Vanilla Drip Cake here are others you may also like:

Chocolate Peanut Butter Drip Cake

Black Forest Giant Doughnut

Fluted Chocolate Lemon Marble Cake

Finally, while not being the world’s best cake decorator means I can learn. Baking and decorating cakes should be fun. And it can be with instructions and photos to guide you through the process. Above all, cakes are made for sharing with friends, family and even the Post Lady!

Have I inspired you to try a new cake decorating technique?

Have fun decorating, making and baking your feasts.

Sammie xx

Wright’s Baking provided me with the cake mix kits to try. All content, opinions, views and photographs are my own. Please see my Disclosure Policy. I am not a professional baker or cake decorator, any advice given is purely for guidance.

Chocolate Sunflower Cake

Last week the Chelsea Flower Show was held by the Royal Horticultural Society. Hard working gardeners, growers and designers showcased their talents, for a few days, in the grounds of the Royal Hospital in Chelsea. So inspired by this theme, I decided to try and bake a flower cake. I hope you enjoy looking at and eating my Chocolate Sunflower Cake.

Baked in the Blossom Bundt Tin made by Nordicware this rich, moist chocolate cake is coated in the centre with milk chocolate, yellow coloured white chocolate was used to define the petals. A dusting of gold glitter highlighted the petals and dark chocolate granite by Callebaut was used for the centre of the bloom.

Whilse Sunflower’s are a little early to be shown at Chelsea, this Chocolate Sunflower Cake is perfect to eat anytime of the year. Today it is really brightening my day, it is very wet and windy outside. Not how I hoped the weather would be at the end of May!

I knew I wanted to bake this cake in my Blossom Bundt tin, but I was honestly stumped for ideas on how to decorate it. Making a chocolate cake would, hopefully ensure everyone enjoyed the flavour, I just needed to come up with a design!

My very good friend Vicky, suggested, after seeing a photo of the cooked cake, that it looked like a sunflower. That was all the inspiration I needed. I formulated a rough plan in my head and went with it. Also, I think the finished cake is more a Van Gogh sunflower, than an absolute replica. Finally, I’m so pleased that it turned out so well, especially as cake decorating is not one of my strongest gifts!

Recipe: Chocolate Sunflower Cake serves 10

You will need the Blossom, or similar type Bundt tin to make this cake as I have.

Cake Release Spray – I use Wilton

275g/10oz Unsalted Butter

275g/10oz Caster Sugar

1/4tsp Sea Salt Flakes- I use Maldon

5 Large Free Range Eggs

2tsp Vanilla Extract I use Nielsen-Massey

75g/3oz Cocoa powder

200g/7oz Plain White Flour

2.5tsp Baking Powder

100ml/4fl oz Double Cream

To Decorate:

100g/4oz Good Quality Milk Chocolate

200g/7oz Good Quality White Chocolate

100g/4oz Dark Chocolate Curls or mini dark chocolate chips

Optional – Yellow Gel Food Colouring and Gold Edible Glitter

Making The Cake Batter

Preheat the oven to 160C/140C fan, gas mark 3, 325F.

First of all, in a large bowl add the butter, sugar and salt.
Whisk/beat until pale and creamy.
Add the vanilla extract and beat in until combined.
Sift the cocoa, flour and baking powder into a separate bowl – dry mixture.
Measure the cream into a jug and then add the 5 whole eggs ( I crack them into a small bowl first) – wet mixture.
Add 1/3 of the dry mixture and 1/3 of the wet mixture whilst beating/mixing slowly.
Repeat the last step.
Add the last of the wet mix and then the last of the dry mix. Fold all the ingredients together until just combined.
Spray the Bundt tin with cake release spray (if using the liquid use a pastry brush to ensure every part of the inside of the tin is completely covered).
Spoon the chocolate cake mixture into the Bundt tin, pushing the mixture into every part of the tin. The Bundt tin should be 2/3 full. If using a different Bundt tin ensure it is filled no more than 3/4 full.

Baking The Chocolate Bundt Cake

Place the cake in the middle of the oven and bake for 1 hour.
The cake is baked when an inserted skewer comes out clean.
As soon as the cake is baked remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes in the tin.

After 10 minutes cooling in the tin turn the Chocolate Sunflower Cake out onto a cooling rack.

Allow to fully cool before decorating the cake.

Decorating the Chocolate Sunflower Cake:

Preparing the chocolate

Separately chop/break up the white and milk chocolate and place in separate heatproof, microwaveable bowls.
Zap the milk chocolate first for 20 seconds at a time, stirring in between heating sessions. When the chocolate is nearly melted remove from the microwave and stir until completely melted.
Repeat the last step for the white chocolate.
Place the cooling rack across a clean baking tray.
Have 2 clean teaspoons to hand for each of the melted chocolates, the dark chocolate curls and glitter. It’s also handy to have some kitchen towel to hand as working with chocolate can get very messy!!
Dip a cocktail stick into the yellow food colouring gel and add to the white chocolate, mix thoroughly until the desired colour has been reached.

Creating The Chocolate Centre Of The Sunflower

Start by spooning the milk chocolate all around the centre of the cake, so that it completely covers the inside of the Bundt hole.

Cover the milk chocolate as fully as possible with dark chocolate curls or chips. The centre of a sunflower is the darkest part.
Tap the cooling rack to remove any stray dark chocolate pieces.

Adding The Yellow Chocolate Petals

Next come the petals! The blossom Bundt is not symmetrical, so pick the first petal, next to the milk chocolate to start.
Using a small teaspoon, spoon melted white chocolate on to the petal. Filling out the shape of the petal and encouraging the chocolate to drip, just at the tip of the petal. This detail may get lost as you work your way around the cake, however, I found the top petals the easiest to fill, so it’s great practise for creating the eventual outline of the flower petals.
Once you have completed the top petals, start filling in the next level down. Most importantly, keep standing back and looking over the cake to ensure an even look.
Continue adding length to the petals, evenly around the cake, until all the chocolate is used. The whole cake will not be covered in chocolate and that is how it should be. It makes the petals and the centre really stand out.

Adding The Finishing Touches

If using the glitter, start by adding it just to the tips of each defined petal. Then you can follow the central line on the petal with a light dusting of glitter.
Finally give the centre of the cake a really good dust of glitter. The glitter also represents pollen, in fact I wish I had a fondant bee to add to this cake, I think it would look amazing. If you are good with fondant, perhaps try making one to add to your Chocolate Sunfower Cake?
Once decorated move the cake to a cake stand or board so that it doesn’t stick to the cooling rack.

My Cake Decorating Journey

For me, the beauty of this cake is in it’s organic, natural design.

When first completed I wasn’t very happy with the finished outcome. Since looked too messy in my eyes. Rather like a great piece of music that grows on you the more you listen to it, this Chocolate Sunflower Cake has really grown on me. Technically it is the most difficult cake I have ever decorated and two days on, whilst looking at these photographs, I cannot believe that I created this cake.

I am not looking for praise. No one is a harsher critic of my work than me. Honestly I’m not sure I could say I had fun decorating this cake. Also, I was too deep in concentration (not easy when you are in a lot of pain) and determined to create a cake that vaguely resembled a flower. Finally, I see now that I accomplished what I set out to achieve and that gives me a great sense of joy. Also if I can do it, so can you!

Taste wise this cake is utterly delicious. The cream lends a moistness to the rich dark chocolate flavour and the chocolate decoration adds just a hint of sweetness.

If you have enjoyed this Chocolate Sunflower Cake here are some others you may like too:

Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake

Swirl Lime Drizzle Cake

Strawberry Sweetheart Cake

The Chocolate Sunflower Cake was truly a challenge to decorate. In challenging ourselves, we will make mistakes. The way to improve is to not let those mistakes stop us from trying again and again until we have achieved our goal.

Do you like to be challenged, or do you prefer to stay in your comfort zone?

So, whatever you are making, baking and creating in your kitchens, have fun preparing and sharing your feast.

Sammie xx

No part of this post may be reproduced or duplicated without the written permission of the owner. Please see my Disclosure Policy.

Meet Our Penguins

Hello, big apologies for not posting recently. Birthdays (mine included!), Christmas preparation, children breaking up from school, flu bugs etc have simply left me with zero time to write. Finally I was able to decorate our Christmas cake, so I thought I’d let you Meet Our Penguins!

However, I’m back and have been up since 4.30 this morning. So I thought I’d finally get round to icing our Christmas cake.

Today I woke up early and popped downstairs, in the beautiful, peaceful, quiet of a sleeping house and set about decorating our cake. And most importantly, giving our Penguins and Snowman a playground! So that you can Meet Our Penguins!

I will take you through, step by step, the fun I had decorating this years Christmas cake. The cake covered in this tutorial is a traditional Christmas fruit cake. I will try to get the recipe posted in the next couple of weeks. So, please don’t worry, as it’s not necessary to bake your cake 3 months before Christmas. In fact, I’ve baked ours in the week leading up to Christmas before!

Ingredients To Cover An 20cm/8inch Deep Fruit Christmas Cake

3-4tbsp Apricot Jam

500g/1lb 20z Ready Made Marzipan – golden or white

750g/1lb 10oz Fondant Icing also known as Sugar Paste

Coloured fondant for contrast – optional

A selection of Christmas decorations to place on top of your cake

Edible glitter – optional

Preparing The Christmas Cake To Meet Our Penguins

First of all place your Christmas fruit cake on to a cake board or flat cake plate or stand.

Next, heat 3 tablespoons of apricot jam in a saucepan, on a low heat, until the jam is slightly runny. At this stage you can then sieve the jam to remove any lumps. I didn’t bother as the jam I’d bought was fairly smooth and it was 5am and I really couldn’t be bothered! But feel free to sieve if you want to. Remember, the jam is there as a ‘glue’ for the marzipan to stick to, nobody will see it!

Next, using a pastry brush, completely slather the top and sides of the cake with jam. Don’t worry if some drips on the board as this can be wiped off later. Most importantly is to cover the cake thoroughly as the jam will act as the ‘glue’ to which the marzipan sticks.

Covering A Christmas Cake With Marzipan

Preparing The Marzipan

Unfortunately Marzipan isn’t as flexible as fondant icing. And it has a tendency to tear when rolled into a large disc and draped over the cake, which is the method I use for fondant. Because the marzipan will be covered by the fondant icing, I use a different method.

First of all make sure that you have the cake tin in which you baked you cake to hand. As this will be used as a template for the top of the cake and a rough guide for the sides.

On a clean board or worktop, place a light dusting of corn flour. Also, dust your rolling pin. Take the Marzipan out of the packet. I found a 500g packet suitable for one cake. I bought the marzipan from.Waitrose. Lightly dust your hands with corn flour. Gently knead the marzipan so that it becomes softer and more pliable. As a guide at this point I divide the marzipan into 2 equal balls.

Rolling Out And Placing The Marzipan On The Cake

Roll out the first ball, taking care to make sure the marzipan does not become stuck to the worktop. When it looks roughly the size of the top of the cake place the cake tin on top of the marzipan. If it’s not quite big enough roll a little more until you have just over the size of the cake tin. Then using the cake tin as a template, place on top and cut around with a knife.

Using a rolling pin place the marzipan disc on top of the sticky cake.

Tip – if the disc isn’t centralised the jam will make it easy to slide the marzipan into the correct position.

Next shape the other half of the marzipan into a square. Roll until you have a long strip of marzipan, using the side of the cake tin as a guide. It’s very hard to get an even length, but don’t worry you then just trim the sides before placing the strip of marzipan around the side of the cake.

Meet our penguins Christmas cake, adding the marzipan later. — Use your hand to press and mould the marzipan to the cake.

If there are any small gaps, use the off cut pieces of marzipan to fill them.

Patching gaps in the marzipan layer on a Christmas fruit cake. — Plug any gaps with spare marzipan.

Covering A Christmas Cake With Fondant

Preparing and rolling out the fondant

Now that the cake is covered in marzipan, the hard bit is over. Since covering with fondant is going to be super easy.

First of all completely clear and wipe down your worktop or board and rolling pin. When you’re working with white fondant, the tiniest speck of anything will show up. Even so, DON’T STRESS! Decorations can always be used to hide the odd speck!!

To cover the large cake I used 750g of White Fondant icing.

One 500g block and approx half of another block, left over from the smaller cake & wrapped in cling film to prevent drying out. — One 500g block and approx half of another block?

Knead the fondant with hands lightly dusted in corn flour. As soon as it is nice and pliable form into a ball.

Fondant is very sticky, so keep your hands, worktop & rolling pin well dusted with icing sugar. — Fondant is very sticky, so keep your hands, worktop and rolling pin well dusted with corn flour.

Pat the ball into an even disc shape. Using your rolling pin, roll outwards from the centre of the disc, turning the disc by a quarter before rolling again. Ensure there is plenty of corn flour on the worktop so that the fondant moves freely.

Using the cake tin, again, as a guide, roll out the fondant so that it is wide enough to cover the top and sides of the cake, allowing a good extra couple of centimetres all round to allow for the marzipan layer.

Using the tin you can roughly guess the final size of the fondant.

If you prefer to be more exact with your measurements, add the width ( diameter = D) of the tin plus 2 x the height (H) of the tin plus 2cm.

D + (2 x H) + 2cm = Total width of rolled fondant.

Placing the fondant on to the cake

Use your rolling pin to drape the fondant over and carefully centralise over the top of the cake. Moving swiftly drape the fondant over the cake.

Note: if the fondant tears badly, remove and start again – the thickness should be that of a £1 coin. Too thick and the fondant will be too heavy and tear. And too thin and the fondant will not be strong enough to take the weight of draping.

I hadn't quite centralised the fondant, but I got away with lightly lifting it a moving to the left!!! — I hadn’t quite centralised the fondant, but I got away with lightly lifting it and moving to the left!

Working swiftly, use your hands to smooth the fondant over the top and sides of the cake. I found I almost had to ‘tuck in’ the sides of the cake. There will be excess around the sides, just keep smoothing and gradually a beautiful smooth, covered cake will begin to appear!

Using a small, sharp knife, cut away the excess fondant from the base leaving a good 1-2 cm of excess attached. Pat and tuck this fondant until the side of the cake is completely covered and using the fondant press down to form a seal with the cake board. This will help to keep your cake fresher for longer. However if, like me when covering my in laws cake, you have an uneven finish around the base, remember you can always cover it with ribbon!

A beautifully fondant covered cake. Clean the board with a piece of damp kitchen towel.

DECORATING YOUR ICED CAKE

Using Fondant To Decorate The Cake

Seeing as I decided to go ‘off piste’ with my icing this year, usually I use Royal Icing, but on a whim, I decided to live dangerously and opt for Fondant icing. Since one of the Christmas cakes was a gift and I’d only ever used Fondant icing once before, I would say that counts as dangerous. But then I like to live life on the edge!

Since I had bought the 6 super cute Penguins and a Snowman decorating the cake centred around them. So I thought it’d be fun to have the Penguins skating on an iced lake with The Snowman watching over. A fantastical, Christmas scene.

So at 6am Christmas Eve my vague idea started to take shape. First of all, I took a blob (approx 70g) of pale blue fondant, kneaded it until soft and formed it into a rough ball shape. Then I rolled it out, a little haphazardly! The shape you see on the cake is literally the shape I ended up with!

Creating the fondant base to add Christmas decorations. — The cake is covered and ready to Meet Our Penguins.

Creating Fondant Snowflakes

Then using 3 different sizes of snowflake, plunge cutters (designed for sugar craft) I cut out different sizes of snowflakes. I attached them and the blue, ice lake using edible glue. Alternatively you could use snowflake or star cookie cutters to create cut out the fondant.

NOTE : Use Corn flour to dust your cutters to prevent the fondant from sticking.

I placed the snowflakes in an irregular pattern around the side of the cake, allowing some of the smaller snowflakes to edge the top, some falling over the edge. As the lake was an irregular shape, visually I think this worked better than a regular pattern.

Meet our penguins, the theme for a fondant covered Christmas cake. — Meet Our Penguins – all that’s missing is some sparkle.

Meet Our Penguins and The Snowman

I mixed up a thick paste of icing powder, a teaspoon of meringue powder and a little water, to make royal icing. This would ensure the Penguins and Snowman stuck firmly to the cake and board. Alternatively you can buy readymade royal icing.

Using a small knife I pasted a small amount of the Royal icing to the base of the Snowman and Penguins and placed them on the cake. Honestly this was the best bit! As I was adding the Penguins they all seemed to have their own little personalities. Yes I know we are talking about cake decorations, just look at their little faces and you will see what I mean!

Finally I added a sprinkle of edible white glitter (available from Amazon )

Meet our penguins a personality packed fondant covered Christmas cake. — Meet Our Penguins with extra sparkle.

Overall the cake, in my opinion, just has a balance to it. While it isn’t symmetrical it is balanced, but most of all FUN! I’m so glad you got to Meet Our Penguins!

If you have enjoyed this Christmas post Meet Our Penguins you may also like these:

Chocolate Christmas Pudding Cookies

Cream Cheese Pastry Mince Pies

Christmas mince pies made with cream cheese pastry. — Christmas Mince Pies made with cream cheese pastry.

Snowy Black Forest Roulade

Black Forest Roulade dusted with icing sugar. — Snowy Black Forest Roulade

Christmas is a wonderful time to get together with friends and family. And home baked treats make any gathering extra special. Even if you cheat slight, such as buying a fruit cake, you can then decorate it yourself. Most important is the time you spend with those you love, not the time spent stressing in the kitchen!

Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas.

Sammie x

No part of this post may be reproduced or duplicated without the written permission of the owner. Please see my Disclosure Policy.

My Thoughts On The Innovative Kitchen Kit

Innovative Kitchen Mixing Bowl:

Innovative Kitchen Spoon Rest:

Innovative Kitchen 1 Litre Measuring Jug

Innovative Kitchen Whisk And Reamer

Innovative Kitchen Spatula

Innovative Kitchen Solid Spoon And Jar Scraper

Recipe: Apricot White Chocolate Triple Sponge Cake serves 10-12

For the cake sponges

Filling and decorating the cake

For the white chocolate ganache

For the dark chocolate curls

To make this Apricot White Chocolate Triple Sponge Cake

Making the triple sponge cakes

Making Dark Chocolate Curls To Use As Decoration

Making the white chocolate ganache

Assembling the Apricot White Chocolate Triple Sponge Cake

Decorating The Apricot White Chocolate Triple Sponge Cake

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You Too Can Make This Drip Cake :

Pushing Out Of My Cake Decorating Comfort Zone:

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Recipe: Strawberry Chocolate Vanilla Drip Cake serves 10-12

Making And Baking The Sponge Cakes:

Making The Frosting And Assembling The Cake:

Covering The Cake With Buttercream Frosting:

Decorating The Strawberries With Chocolate:

Creating The Drip Effect:

Adding Chocolate Strawberries For A Spectacular Finish:

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Recipe: Chocolate Sunflower Cake serves 10

Making The Cake Batter

Baking The Chocolate Bundt Cake

Decorating the Chocolate Sunflower Cake:

Preparing the chocolate

Creating The Chocolate Centre Of The Sunflower

Adding The Yellow Chocolate Petals

Adding The Finishing Touches

My Cake Decorating Journey

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Ingredients To Cover An 20cm/8inch Deep Fruit Christmas Cake

Preparing The Christmas Cake To Meet Our Penguins

Covering A Christmas Cake With Marzipan

Preparing The Marzipan

Rolling Out And Placing The Marzipan On The Cake

Covering A Christmas Cake With Fondant

Preparing and rolling out the fondant

Placing the fondant on to the cake

Note: if the fondant tears badly, remove and start again – the thickness should be that of a £1 coin. Too thick and the fondant will be too heavy and tear. And too thin and the fondant will not be strong enough to take the weight of draping.

DECORATING YOUR ICED CAKE

NOTE : Use Corn flour to dust your cutters to prevent the fondant from sticking.

Meet Our Penguins and The Snowman

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