A Cake Fit for a Princess

Once upon a time a princess requested a cake...

So not usually one for a 'pretty' cake, I was worried when my 3 year old niece asked for a "massive princess cake, with glitter and Peppa Pig and cupcakes and things and sparkles" I talked her out of Peppa Pig. But the brief wasn't exactly within my usual repertoire of cupcakes, tarts and boozy mince pies, but I do love a challenge. 

I have never used fondant before to cover a cake, I usually go for a cream cheese or buttercream frosting piped or pallet knifed on, but I was under strict pre-school instructions as to the type of cake requires. Trust me, you don't mess with a 3 year-old on her birthday.

I stocked up my rather boring, cream and chocolate baking supplies with the most pink, glittery and princess-like baking products and set about creating a cake fit for a princes...

Glitter & Fondant..a new adventure!

First the cake. I decided (with my niece!) that a simple vanilla would be best. I usually follow the Hummingbird Bakery Vanilla Cupcake recipe, but this time I used Mary Berry's Vanilla Cupcakes from the Great British Bake Off book. I was pleased with the results, I well risen, light and moist cake with oodles of flavour. My tip here is to have lots of patience with the mixing and sieving and folding, taking your time here makes all the difference. I also used real vanilla rather than vanilla essence, so much better in the end!

Folding; Boring but worthwhile patience!

Next, a big batch of my favourite buttercream frosting (Icing sugar, milk, butter, vanilla pod) to coat the cake  ready for the fondant to be placed over the top. It's best to chill for about an hour at this stage to help create the perfect base for the fondant.

Crumb-coating. Now, chill!

 Time enough to make a mini heart cake for the top. It's essential in this princess business, apparently!

After I had chilled the cake, I rolled out the white fondant with the help of even MORE icing sugar and carefully folded it over the triple layer cake. I was scared of tear and bumps, but I was surprised at how simple it was to neaten up and smooth down. Just handle your fondant with TLC and it'll do as you want.

Next, I dyed some more sugar fondant with food colouring paste. It's important not to use liquid food colouring, as it make the fondant impossible to mould and manage and it gets a bit messy. It takes some kneading to get an even colour, but keep going! I used a heart and a butterfly cutter to produce and army of pink shapes. I also coloured more sugar fondant and crumb coated my heart cake and placed it on top. 

Tip: I didn't have any edible glue to play with, so I warmed up a little bit of apricot jam (home-made, of course) and used that to create a base for my glitter.

After the butterflies had been sufficiently dusted in pink glitter I fluttered them over the top of the cake. I used Silverspoon Designer Writing icing to write 'Laila' on the heart to add a personal touch for the said princess. I used the same icing to write the '3' on the coordinating mini cupcakes. 

The finished cake and mini cupcake went down a treat at her mini party. The princess was pleased and life in her Kingdom went on...and the magical cake and it's eaters lived happily ever after...

It's Autumn, Whoopie!

A new month, a new adventure in the kitchen.

I have never tried making Whoopie Pies before, but thought I'd give these little American treats a whirl. To celebrate Autumn, Halloween and all things pumpkin. I chose a Hummingbird Bakery Cake Days recipe for Pumpkin and Cream Cheese Whoopies.

Perfect for Halloween, Bonfire Night and Autumnal days...

Time to get carving the pumpkin out, getting rid of the seeds (ready to roast with salt and pepper for a snack later!) the flesh got diced, the other bits thrown in the compost and the rest of the pumpkin sat waiting to be transformed into a jack-o-lantern whilst the whoopies were cooking.

After mixing, following a recipe which used oil not butter, I wasn't convinced that the mixture looked right at all. It looked way too flat, way too runny and a bit of a mess. The book states making sure you get 'exact' measurements so the pies fit together once cooked. I must admit, I was rather pessimistic about how they'd come out. But its all about practice and making mistakes isn't it?

The filling is the best bit though. Mascarpone cheese, vanilla and icing sugar whipped into a fluffy and light cream cheese filling. The recipe suggests using the American marshmallow treat 'Fluff' brought by the jar. Being veggie and wanting to sample my first whoopie, I left it out - but I am sure it'd add extra bounce to your whoopie filling if it was kept it. 

After 20 minutes and three batches in the oven, I it seemed I was falsely pessimistic about the outcome. They did in fact rise and they were surprisingly light and fluffy. I'm not get used to the super-fast oven I was using  so they were slightly too browned for my liking, but still, very Autumnal and they went down extremely well with family and friends. 

I'll certainly be getting my whoopie on again soon. I'm thinking Christmas, ginger and calling the filling snow?