The first Saturday of the month is when I share all the things that I baked in the previous month. This month is going to be a very short post because I only made one thing!!
It was my sister's 50th birthday this month. Over the years she has been the party cake maker but it probably stands to reason that she couldn't make her own. Therefore I was approached to make the cake a few days before the event. I had seen something not too long before that I thought would make!
The recipe actually called for a butter cake with a white chocolate ganache frosting. I decided that I would make the Vanilla cake from RecipeTinEats and still make the same frosting. In retrospect, this was the wrong decision!
One of the key ingredients in a white chocolate ganache is white chocolate, and there was a lot. I didn't realise that the version of Lindt white chocolate we got had a filling in it until I ate one of the last pieces. By that point the ganache was basically done, and the recipe called for the ganache to go in the fridge for a few hours and then you whip it up to a lovely creamy frosting. I made it the night before, put it in the fridge. When I started to whip it up, it very soon became clear that it was not working the way it was meant to! I had what appeared to be a very sweet rice consistency.
What to do? Well, I found a recipe for White Chocolate Butter Cream frosting so I decided to go with that. Thankfully we had just enough white chocolate left in the house. By this point though, I was very stressed and didn't read the recipe properly. Instead of using powdered/caster sugar I used granulated sugar so, whilst the frosting tasted amazing it was a bit gritty. By this point, it was a case of either we go with it, or go and buy one.
As I would expect it didn't look as elegant as the one that I saw in the first place, but it was a bit of fun!
Here is the cake
Now don't feel too sorry for us. We still managed to have plenty of sweet treats. My step daughters (it still feels a bit weird to refer them in that way ) moved in with a few months ago and they did a bit of baking including carrot walnut cake, chocolate chip cookies and chocolate brownies. I do feel like I need to reclaim my kitchen though. No idea what I am going to make though.
I did acquire two new cookbooks this month. The first was The Farm Table by Julius Roberts. I love the colours of the cover. This is a book that focuses on cooking with the season and I do know what the first recipe is that I am going to try.
And the second was Meliz's Kitchen by Meliz Berg. I haven't had a chance to look through this but I have heard good things about the books.
We had a work event this week which was focused on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. We got to hear prominent Aboriginal Australian and former journalist Stan Grant talk to us. As part of a small pack we received we used a packet of Native Seasoning so I am going to have to work out what to do with it. The information on the back just says use to season savoury foods.
Last month I had the great idea to share which new recipes we tried this month. Normally we try a few new different recipes. This month, the month after I declared I would be sharing them, we only tried one which was a Pot Roast.
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Now it is not necessarily pot roast weather here, but I was listening to an audiobook where the main character wanted to make a pot roast so then I decided that we needed to have one too! And it was delicious! So delicious that we might make it again when the cooler weather comes!
I am sharing this with In My Kitchen hosted at Sherry's Pickings
Weekly meals
Interesting to hear that Diversity, Equity and Inclusion has come to Australia. It's been widely criticized in the US. First the right wingers hated it for its principles, then the middle and left wingers began to see problems with the way that it's implemented and handled especially in Universities.
ReplyDeleteToo bad you had so many problems with a cake as you usually make really delicious-looking bakes.
best, mae at maefood.blogspot.com
It still tasted good. I would definitely make the frosting again,with the right sugar this time!!
ReplyDeleteI have that Julius Roberts book on reserve at the library. He's a cutie :) Your cake looks very unique and colourful. Thanks for using the IMK logo. Have a great March. cheers sherry
ReplyDeleteI try to use the logo when I can fit it in the post!
DeleteI love how you post your bakes, good bad or otherwise! It is always fun to come and see what you have been up to in the kitchen. Have a great week ahead, take care.
ReplyDeleteNot every bake works out the way we expect right Melynda
DeleteThe cake making sounded stressful but I bet your sister loved the result - that's a very cute looking cake! Hope you have a moreish March!
ReplyDeleteThanks Sammie!
DeleteI am sure the cake was appreciated and enjoyed! And this is the second time I am seeing The Farm Table today so I think that is a hint for me to get a copy :)
ReplyDeleteIt was appreciated and enjoyed Tandy. Sounds like you should take the hint!
DeleteWell, I would say that you were the cake baker! We've seen ample proof. I'm a bit late but things in my life are a bit befuddled at the moment.
ReplyDeleteIt's the worst isn't it when you have your eye on something and you think it will work but you run into a roadblock! That's happened to me so many times in baking :)
ReplyDeleteI think your cake is lovely and all the more special because you made it rather than purchase it. I will be interested in what you think of the cookbooks once you have explored them.
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