Monday, March 31, 2008

Daring Bakers - let them eat cake!



Once again I am slightly late in posting my DB challenge (but it is still 30 March somewhere in the world right now!). That is mainly because I had no special occasion to make this cake for, and I didn’t want to do it too close to Easter, so thought I would make it yesterday and then bring to work for morning tea today – I was still assembling the cake at 7.40am this morning, which is why I am a late poster.

The March Daring Baker challenge was picked by my fellow kiwi, Morven. The recipe comes from Dorie Greenspan’s From My Home to Yours and is the perfect party cake. After checking out some of the other blogs this morning with the most gorgeous looking cakes on them, I think mine can be called The less than perfect party cake!!! The cake was a lemon sponge layered with buttercream and raspberry jam and then coated in more buttercream and thread coconut.



The cake itself was easy to make. A simple lemon sponge – it was quite simple to put together and just involved lots of beating. Making it with just egg whites, rather than whole eggs made it lovely and light as well. I made the buttercream yesterday, deciding to just make a half batch to coat the cake with and then fill it with whipped cream (one of Dorie’s alternate suggestions). Dorie used raspberry jam to fill her cake. I made some blackcurrant jam in the weekend and decided to fill mine with that instead of raspberry.

My buttercream came together beautifully! But I made a big mistake! Because I was making the components last night for my cake today, I put the buttercream in the fridge over night. I just couldn’t get it back to that beautiful creamy consistency this morning and so I had to put it down the waste disposal and then beat some more cream and use that to decorate the outside of my cake.



I know that the cake looks fine, but I wished I had put more effort in to making it look gorgeous like some of the other Daring Bakers!! Still, it tastes nice. And it was a challenge as I have never made a layer cake like this before - that is what i love about the Daring Baker and other challenges - it takes me out of my comfort zone!! Thanks Morven and thanks to the other Daring Bakers. You can check out their creations here.

10 comments:

CB said...

Bummer to hear about your refrigerated frosting fiasco but alls well that ends well. Lovely cake.
Clara @ I♥food4thought

Morven said...

Sorry to hear about your buttercream going to waste but I'm glad to hear it worked out with the whipped cream. I'm sure your homemade jam made it extra special.

Nikki57 said...

Sorry to hear about the buttercream! I definitely wouldn't call it less than perfect, it still looks great

Anne said...

Your cake looks so soft and fluffy :) You did a fabulous job!

Cakelaw said...

Hi Tammy, I think your cake looks great! Whipped cream would have tatsed lovely with it - unless you are a buttercream fan, I think that whipped cream would have tasted better. (PS Just came back today from NZ, and was in Auckland as my "home base" for most of the time. Went to The French Cafe - it was just as gorgeous as you said!)

Unknown said...

Your cake looks beautiful, but I'm sorry to hear about the buttercream!

Deborah said...

It still looks mighty tasty! Glad you found the time to make it!

Heather said...

looks yummy, I didn't fare well with the frosting either.

Sheltie Girl said...

Your cake looks wonderful. I'm so sorry you had some trouble with it.

Can't wait to see what we cook in April.

Natalie @ Gluten A Go Go

Miss Ifi said...

Oh noes!!! the buttercream!!!! well still cream is always good and the jam loooks really delicious! Congratulations on your challenge!