Arthur's 5th Birthday {Kite} Party

 

This weekend we threw a kite themed party to celebrate Arthur's 5th Birthday. We pitched up at the beautiful Stanmer Park and the sun shone down on us (how lucky were we?). We sent out d-i-y kite kits as invites so the kids could bring them along with any other kites that they may already own. We had 15 children with seven extra siblings and 20 adults: quite a party.

I made individual picnic lunchboxes for the kids (cheese roll, mini cheddars, mini raisin box, apple juice and a tunnocks teacake) and, for the adults, two big batches of pasties (swede & potato and spinach & ricotta). I also filled a big wicker basket with pea pods and provided brown paper bags (greengrocer style) for kids and adults alike to put their peas into. We stole the idea from all those aperitivo bars we saw in Milan last month.

As well as flying kites, trees were climbed and chocolate birthday cake was consumed. Finally we sent everyone off with a bag of sweets and a CD that we compiled especially for the occasion. Here's the track listing:

Come Fly With Me Frank Sinatra
(Fly High and) Let Me Go Gary Barlow
Up, Up & Away The 5th Dimension
Flying The Beatles
Let's Fly A Kite Mary Poppins
Little Fluffy Clouds The Orb
Up Where We Belong Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes
Move On Up Curtis Mayfield
Being For The Benefit Of Mr Kite The Beatles
Eye In The Sky The Alan Parsons Project
Eight Miles High The Byrds
Higher Than The Sun Keane
Learning To Fly Pink Floyd
Fly Me To The Moon Julie London
Mr Blue Sky Electric Light Orchestra

We love playing our CD at home and I heard reports today that some of the pint-sized party-goers are forgoing CBebbies, preferring to play their CD and dancing around to Frank Sinatra at full volume! You've got to love that!

A Weekly Bake + English Apple & Cinnamon Cake

 

I'm rather chuffed at the moment. I've been contacted by a new cafe that is to open in a local park here in Hove and they've asked me to make some cakes for them. Now, people often ask why I don't sell my cakes. The initial idea brings about all kinds of romantic notions, but having given it some realistic thought I'm not sure I would just want to produce sponges day in, day out - that could become dull. I love baking when I'm preparing something for my family or friends - that is something altogether different.

However, I went along and meet one of the cafe owners for a chat with an open mind, and I'm glad I did. Knowing my other commitments they have asked if maybe a couple of cakes a week would be manageable. Yes, I believe it would. But the best bit is that they have given me complete creative freedom to bake whatever cakes I like. I can bake my favourite tried and tested recipes as well as delving into my stockpile of new recipes I'm longing to try. Far to good an opportunity to turn down. What's more with regular baking comes regular blog posts. A win-win situation.

The cafe is due to open sometime in a few weeks time, but the owners are doing a promotional prelaunch pop-up this weekend. Due to the basic set up of the pop-up, my first couple of bakes had to be a cake with a bit of stability, the kind of thing you can eat holding in a napkin, rather than on a plate with a fork. You can't launch a cafe without a good chocolate cake so I made this Easy Chocolate Cake and as an alternative, this Apple & Cinnamon Cake.

English Apple & Cinnamon Cake (pictured with the pink rose decorations)

300g self-raising flour

1½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp salt

250g demerara sugar

125g butter, melted

2 large eggs, beaten

175ml milk

250g English apples, peeled, cored and chopped

icing sugar for dredging

Preheat the oven to 180℃ / 350℉ / Gas Mark 4

Grease and line the base of a 23cm circular cake tin. 

Sift the flour, cinnamon and salt into a bowl and stir in the sugar. Mix in the melted butter, eggs and milk, followed by the apple. Beat until smooth.

Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 40 mins, or until the cake springs back when lightly pressed and it is golden.

Place on a wire rack to cool, before removing the cake and dredging with icing sugar.

Chocolate Cake

I didn't mean for it to be so long - seven weeks is some lapse of time, even for me. I can't even come up with a credible excuse for it. No, the reason for the delay in posts is simply that life took over. This blog has to play second fiddle to all the other stuff - the business, the kids, school, running the house and everything else that makes up a busy life. 

I have been busy on the blog in a behind-the-scenes kind of way though. I now have a wonderful new logo and banner, which will replace the one you are seeing now. Someone, who is very clever with blog design, is putting it all into place for me (tweaks will have to be made), but I ought to be unveiling my new look to you very soon and I, for one, am quite excited.

Until then, I have a recipe for you: Chocolate Cake. I've made numerous Chocolate Cakes over the years, each with varying degrees of success, but this one came up trumps. It really is the perfect recipe for a chocolaty celebration cake. It does have a hint of 'mocha' to it due to the inclusion of coffee in the sponge and the icing - swap the coffee for milk if you think you'd prefer it.

This particular cake came about when a friend asked me to bake one for her daughters birthday party. She required it to be undecorated so she could add the final touches herself to fit in with the theme of the birthday party. Had I been required to decorate it, I would have gone to town with fresh blousy flowers. 

Chocolate Cake

For the sponge:

• 180g dark chocolate
• 200g butter
• 1 tbsp instant coffee
• 85g self raising flour
• 85g plain flour
• ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 200g dark brown sugar
• 200g caster sugar
• 25g cocoa powder 
• 3 large eggs at room temp
• 75ml buttermilk 
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the icing:

• 175g dark chocolate
• 75g butter
• 1 tbsp golden syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 125ml sour cream (or cream)
• 300g icing sugar 
• 1 tsp of instant coffee granules dissolved in 1 - 2 tbsp of water
• 
  
• Preheat the oven to 160℃ / fan 140℃ and grease a 20cm round cake pan and line the base with baking paper.
• 
  
• Break the chocolate into pieces into a small pan and add the butter. Dissolve the coffee with 125ml of cold water and add to the butter and chocolate mixture and melt over a gentle heat. Once melted, set aside to cool.
• 
  
• In a large bowl sift the 2 flours and bicarb. Add the sugar and cocoa and stir until it’s all combined.
• In a separate bowl, or large jug, beat the eggs until light and fluffy. Add the buttermilk and beat again. 
• Add the cooled chocolate and egg / buttermilk mixture to the dry flours and fold together.
• 
  
• Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tin and bake for 1 hr 25 min – 1 ½ hours. Check by piercing the cake with a small sharp knife or skewer – it should come out clean. The top of the cake will be firm and may have a few cracks. This is fine as you'll cover it with icing. Allow the cake to completely cool in the tin and then carefully remove from the tin and peel off the paper. Cut in half horizontally ready to finish with the chocolate icing.
• 
  
• To make the chocolate icing, break the chocolate into pieces and place in a bowl with the butter, suspended over a pan of simmering water. When melted add the syrup and cream and stir to combine.
• 
  
• Sift the icing sugar into a bowl and add the chocolate mixture. Beat with an electric beater until combined and smooth. Finally add the dissolved coffee and stir to incorporate. Use the icing to fill and cover your cake.

Photography: Buttercup Days

Recipe: Adapted from BBC Good Food Magazine

A Chocolate Cake That You Can Eat During a Heatwave

Over the weekend we spent a lovely hot afternoon with some special friends, aka my yoga ladies (minus one, plus husbands and children). The occasion was to see our (yoga lady #1) friend Sarah and her two gorgeous girls who were briefly back in their home town for a few days. It was in Sarah's stunning Milan home that we stayed on our trip there at Easter. Marianne (yoga lady #2) and Jamie hosted the afternoon in their lovely garden. The children, eight in all, played like a dream running around bare-footed in-and-out of the paddling pool, while the grown ups relaxed and drank glasses of chilled bubbles.

Later we all enjoyed a delicious barbecue and for pudding had this chocolate cake that I took along, having made it the evening before. You see, according to Sarah eldest daughter Emilia (7), the Milanese don't really know how to bake a decent chocolate cake. Apparently they are always far too dry. A bold statement I know. I can't comment myself as I didn't really eat any chocolate cake whilst in Milan. But Emilia has and this is apparently the case believe it or not.

So the pressure was on to bake a 'moist' chocolate cake. Also, what with the heatwave I needed to find a recipe that could cope with the heat, yet still deliver that chocolate hit. In this recipe the sponge does all the work without the need for any chocolate frosting or covering that would sweat in the current heat, making it perfect for heatwaves. Well, I found it. The original recipe is by the talented Katie Quinn Davies and is titled 'Easy Chocolate Cake' - and very easy it is too. I made a few substitutions with ingredients. Below is the original recipe. However, I replaced the Savoiardi biscuits with Jules Destrooper's Almond Thins and the Frangelico with 2 tbsp of milk in order to make it kid friendly. Also, do check the cake as it bakes as mine was cooked in just 35mins - but I do have a rather speedy oven.

Easy Chocolate Cake

Serves 8 - 10

6 small savoiardi biscuits, crushed

300g good-quality dark chocolate, broken into small pieces

150g unsalted butter, softened

165g caster sugar

4 eggs

155g ground almonds

150g mascarpone

3tbsp Frangelico

icing sugar, shaved chocolate and double cream, to serve

Preheat oven to 200˚C/400˚F/ Gas 6.
Grease and line a 22cm round springform tin and sprinkle with 1tbsp of crushed savoiardi biscuits, just to coat the tin.

Bring a small pan of water to a gentle simmer and melt the chocolate in a small heatproof bowl that fits snugly over the pan without touching the water, stirring occasionally. Carefully remove from the heat and set aside.

Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and creamy, then add the eggs one at a time, beating between each addition - don't panic if the mixture resembles scrambled eggs at this stage.
Stir in the remaining crushed savoiardi biscuits, the melted chocolate, ground almonds, mascarpone and Frangelico. Mix until combined.

Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 55-65 minutes until the cake has a crust on top and is firm around the edges – a skewer inserted into the centre should come out clean. Be careful not to overcook, as the centre of the cake should remain a little moist. Dust the cooled cake with icing sugar and sprinkle with chocolate shavings before slicing and serving with a generous dollop of cream.

Photography: Buttercup Days

Chocolate Brownies

I've often found that Chocolate brownies can be hit and miss. But since coming across this Linda McCartney recipe seven years ago I wouldn't consider using any other. The recipe makes a generous batch which, once you've tasted one, you will be thankful for.

Chocolate Brownies.

300g unsalted butter

300g good quality dark chocolate (70%) broken into pieces

5 large eggs

450g granulated sugar

1 tbsp vanilla extract

200g plain flour

1 tsp salt

A baking or roasting tin 34 x 25 cm, 6cm deep

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F/ GM4. Line the baking tin with baking paper.

2. Melt the butter and chocolate together in a heat-proof bowl suspended over a saucepan of barely simmering water.

3. Beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla extract together in a bowl until the mixture is thick and creamy and coats the back of a spoon.

4. Once the butter and chocolate have melted, remove from the heat and beat in the egg mixture. Sift in the flour and salt and continue to beat until smooth.

5. Pour into your lined tin, ensuring the mixture is evenly distributed. Bake in the oven for 20 - 25 minutes, or until the whole of the top has formed a little brown crust that has started to crack. This giant brownie should not wobble, but should remain a little gooey on the inside. Leave to cool for 20 minutes in the pan before turning out and cutting into 28 portions.

Party Time - Part Five: The Cake

Well, as the week draws to a close, so do my posts on Lily's 6th Birthday Party. I'm going to finish with a must-have part of any birthday (whatever your age), The Birthday Cake.

I'm known for my loving of an excuse to bake a cake and get a little creative with it. Lily wanted a surprise cake, so I appreciated the free-reign I had on it. Due to all the party prep, it needed to be simple to make and quick to decorate.

Well, after considerable time browsing my cookbooks and magazines I went for a classic chocolate cake layered with a chocolate ganache. The recipe was taken from my latest purchase of Olive Magazine. In fact the recipe stars on the front cover and quite rightly too as it was an absolutely divine 'melt-in-your-mouth' cake - I recommend it to anyone!

Well, in order to make my life easier, I made the decorations 'earlier'. The bunting was easily constructed using the small pieces of left-over fabric from the fabric party hats and the ribbon gave the pink factor that was sure to make the cake a hit with Lily, which I am pleased to report it was.