It is 12:24, this is early for me when it comes to baking expeditions. You see I seem to have this inability to bake during regular hours. Granted I started at about 3pm today, but I’m still icing away at 12am. I’m wondering if anyone else has ever had a case of baking insomnia?
The reason why I’ve been a busy bee in the kitchen is that I’m having a small party for my niece tomorrow. Just me, my sisters, my brother in law, and my four nieces.
Me: So what is your favourite food?
Niece: Uh…
Me: Just your favourite thing to eat for dinner
Niece: Uh… Sausage Rolls!
So this isn’t some big affair. I ran up to the shops and bought some sausage rolls and some party pies, and the ingredients to make a chicken pie for the adults (and any of the girls who are feeling adventurous).
I figured instead of taking the time to handmake sausage rolls and party pies, that the birthday girl might not like as much anyway, I would put the effort into her cakes.
The first is a ruffle cake, which I have been wanting to make for ages. Inside is a ‘rainbow layer cake’ but instead of rainbow colours I’ve used shades of pink. I watched this fab tutorial before piping my ruffles, otherwise I would have had no idea where to start. It could have been a whole lot neater, but I’m so happy with how it turned out.
The next cake is a smashable cake inspired by the smashable treasure cake in the Women’s Weekly updated Kids Birthday Cake book. My niece wanted a chocolate cake, but I needed to make the ruffle cake vanilla to get the shades, so instead I baked three cakes. The layer cake and two smashable cakes. All up there are actually 7 mini cakes because the layer cake has 5 layers. I’ve made this before and it was a great succes, but tonight I couldn’t get my chocolate casing to work, instead I got creative and covered it with chocolate swirls to hide the cracks. Underneath is a moist chocolate cake with strawberries on top.
Let me know if anyone else has ever stayed up far too late for a night time baking sesh. Or is it just me?
I know I’m off to bed now to do some spring cleaning and chicken pie baking tomorrow.
If you’ve never come across ruffle cakes or rainbow cakes you’re either not on Tumblr, or not following the right people. Get over there now, and start by following Pretty Foods.
