Yet Another Cycling Forum

Off Topic => The Pub => Food & Drink => Topic started by: Ham on 05 December, 2010, 11:26:21 pm

Title: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread?
Post by: Ham on 05 December, 2010, 11:26:21 pm
No way am I going to search this forum for "cake".

Anyway, made Nigel Slater's (yes, yes, I can't stand him either) Beetroot Seed Cake and it was truly nom^nom

His seed mix  sounded a bit boring so I included hemp seed for crunch (and sesame and etc)

Linky: BBC - Food - Recipes : Beetroot seed cake (http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/beetroot_seed_cake_50355)

Pasty:
Ingredients


225g/8oz self-raising flour
half a teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
a level teaspoon baking powder
half a teaspoon ground cinnamon
180ml/6¼fl oz sunflower oil
225g/8oz light muscovado sugar
3 free-range eggs, separated
150g/5oz raw beetroot, peeled
juice of half a lemon
75g/3oz sultanas or raisins
75g/3oz mixed seeds (such as sunflower, pumpkin and linseed)

For the icing
8 tablespoons icing sugar
a little lemon juice or orange blossom water
poppy seeds, to garnish

Preparation method

Preheat the oven at 180C/350F/Gas 4. Lightly grease a rectangular loaf tin (20cm x 9cm x 7cm/8in x 4in x 3in), then line the base with baking parchment.

Sift together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and cinnamon.

Beat the oil and sugar in a food mixer until well combined, then introduce the egg yolks one by one, mixing after you add each egg yolk. Grate the beetroot coarsely and fold it into the egg mixture, then add the lemon juice, sultanas (or raisins) and the assorted seeds. Pulse until combined.

Fold the flour and raising agents into the egg mixture whilst the machine is on a slow setting.

Beat the egg whites until light and almost stiff. Fold gently but thoroughly into the cake mixture, using a large metal spoon (a wooden one will knock the air out). Pour the mixture into the cake tin and bake for 50-55 minutes, covering the top with a piece of foil after thirty minutes. Test with a skewer for doneness. The cake should be moist inside but not sticky. Leave the cake to settle for a good twenty minutes before turning out of its tin onto a wire cooling rack.

To make the icing, sift the icing sugar into a bowl and stir in enough lemon juice or orange blossom water to achieve a consistency where the icing will run over the top of the cake and drizzle slowly down the sides (about three teaspoonfuls), stirring to remove any lumps. Drizzle it over the cake and scatter with the poppy seeds. Leave to set before eating.
Title: Re: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread?
Post by: Ham on 05 December, 2010, 11:57:45 pm
Yeah I know there are recipes, but there is food, and there is CAKE.
Title: Re: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread?
Post by: Eccentrica Gallumbits on 11 December, 2010, 02:36:57 pm
Tomorrow I will be making the Nigella Clementine Cake out of my Green & Black's book. I haven't made it before. It needs ground almonds instead of flour, and the shops are sold out, so I've bought blanched almonds and will be attempting to food processor them to my requirements.
Title: Re: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread?
Post by: TimO on 21 January, 2017, 08:53:22 pm
I think we need a proper cake thread for recipes, and pictures !  This one looks as good as any. :)

I'm just about to try and make some Prajitura cu Miere de Albine (https://www.retetecalamama.ro/retete-culinare/prajituri-torturi/prajitura-cu-miere-de-albine-reteta-pas-cu-pas.html), which broadly translates as Honey Cake.

(http://balius.sp.ph.ic.ac.uk/~timo/food/small.php?size=400&file=prajitura-cu-miere-de-albine-albinita-reteta-de-prajitura-cu-foi-cu-miere-aranjare-pe-platou-final.jpg)

I doubt my version will look quite as elegant as that!
Title: Re: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread?
Post by: Ham on 21 January, 2017, 08:57:58 pm
Thanks for that, not only a v interesting looking recipe, but you've reminded me of the beetroot one,and now I haz my home grown beetroots.
Title: Re: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread?
Post by: TimO on 23 January, 2017, 05:50:15 pm
It took me a lot longer to cook than the recipe suggested, and they're a bit larger than the original ones, but the recipe worked quite well. :)

(http://balius.sp.ph.ic.ac.uk/~timo/food/small.php?size=300&file=P1232756_adj_opt.jpg) (http://balius.sp.ph.ic.ac.uk/~timo/food/small.php?size=1500&file=P1232756_adj_opt.jpg)   (http://balius.sp.ph.ic.ac.uk/~timo/food/small.php?size=300&file=P1232748_adj_crop_opt.jpg) (http://balius.sp.ph.ic.ac.uk/~timo/food/small.php?size=1500&file=P1232748_adj_crop_opt.jpg)

The only problem I really had, was rolling the dough out.  Because there's quite a bit of honey in it, it's inevitably quite sticky, so you have to use a lot of flour.  It's also quite a challenge to roll out the right area, and the right thickness.  Even though I used a smaller cake tin (actually a roasting tin!) than the website, I should have been able to make 5 layers instead of 4.  I actually had difficulty handling the slightly thicker layers.  Using the rolling pin to transfer them from the worktop to the baking tray is more difficult than it appears, and if you tear it in the process, you basically have to roll it out again.

When it does work, the results are good.  My colleagues have made fairly short work of eating the cakes that I brought in!  Surprisingly, it tastes a bit like Ginger Cake, even though there are no spices in it, the only flavour is from the honey.
Title: Re: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread?
Post by: citoyen on 15 February, 2017, 05:39:01 pm
I made this cake yesterday and it was truly scrummy - did not last very long:

Flour-free Chocolate & Beetroot Cake
http://www.houseandgarden.co.uk/recipes/desserts-cakes/flour-free-chocolate-beetroot-cake

I used a packet of pre-cooked beetroot (which handily comes in 300g size, so perfect for the recipe) and the chocolate was 85% rather than 70%.

There's always a worry with recipes that substitute wheat flour for almond flour that it will be heavy and stodgy but I made a point of whisking up the eggs well and it came out very light and moist. The beetroot flavour is quite subtle - you probably wouldn't be able to taste it if you didn't know it was there. What I really liked about it was that it's not too sweet, but in any case you could adjust that to taste by altering the quantity of honey.
Title: Re: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread?
Post by: TimO on 09 April, 2017, 03:25:39 pm
(http://balius.sp.ph.ic.ac.uk/~timo/food/small.php?size=500&file=IMG_20170409_135708_opt.jpg) (http://balius.sp.ph.ic.ac.uk/~timo/food/IMG_20170409_135708_opt.jpg)

Yesterday evening, I cooked Paska (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paska_(bread)) / Pască.  The Wikipedia entry says bread, but this Romanian version (https://translate.google.co.uk/translate?sl=ro&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=https%3A%2F%2Fsavoriurbane.com%2Fpasca-simpla-reteta-traditionala%2F&edit-text=) is far more cake-like.

I should have brushed the 'dough' with egg, to make it shinier after cooking, but it still tastes very good.  Mostly the recipe is under the category of "chuck everything into a bowl and mix", which is my sort of cookery. :D
Title: Re: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread?
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 10 April, 2017, 01:34:11 pm
Weren't you a week early?  :D
Title: Re: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread?
Post by: TimO on 10 April, 2017, 02:16:12 pm
Quote from: Cudzoziemiec on 10 April, 2017, 01:34:11 pm
Weren't you a week early?  :D

I'm eating roast chicken and stuffing too, and based on that principle I'm either several months late, or even more months early!

... and I'm not Bulgarian, Russia, Slovakian, Ukrainian, Romanian or even Assyrian Iranian, so I think I can do whatever I like for Easter. :D
Title: Re: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread?
Post by: TimO on 14 April, 2017, 01:00:11 pm
(http://balius.sp.ph.ic.ac.uk/~timo/food/small.php?size=500&file=IMG_20170414_114008_crop_adj_opt.jpg) (http://balius.sp.ph.ic.ac.uk/~timo/food/IMG_20170414_114008_crop_adj_opt.jpg)

Basically a sort of Brownie Cheesecake.  I didn't have any berries, so used a mix of glace cherries, sultanas and raisins instead.  The Sainsburys Basics cream cheese also seemed to make the "cheesecake icing" a bit too runny, so I mixed in some Basics greek cheese (aka Feta) to thicken it up, and that seemed to work.

The recipe, via Google Translation (https://translate.google.co.uk/translate?sl=ro&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=https%3A%2F%2Fsavoriurbane.com%2Fnegresa-cu-fructe-de-padure-si-crema-de-branza%2F%23)
Title: Re: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread?
Post by: TimO on 01 May, 2017, 12:59:28 pm
Yesterday I made a carrot cake, because I was curious to see how easy it was, and how well it would work.

(http://balius.sp.ph.ic.ac.uk/~timo/food/small.php?size=310&file=P5013746_crop_adj.jpg) (http://balius.sp.ph.ic.ac.uk/~timo/food/P5013746_crop_adj.jpg)  (http://balius.sp.ph.ic.ac.uk/~timo/food/small.php?size=400&file=IMG_20170501_112222_rot_crop_adj.jpg) (http://balius.sp.ph.ic.ac.uk/~timo/food/IMG_20170501_112222_rot_crop_adj.jpg)

I used this recipe (http://www.inspiredtaste.net/25753/carrot-cake-recipe/) from Inspired Taste, and it is easily one of the best cakes I've ever made !

I made a cake about 75% of the size of the one described, because my cake tins were smaller than the ones used in the original recipe, and I had to use an integral number of eggs.  If I had adjusted it exactly to my tin size, I would have needed one third of an egg. :)  It's a really easy recipe to cook, and works very well.  Definitely recommended.

I made few changes to the described recipe.  I didn't include the raisins, I assumed that Baking Soda was the same as Baking Powder, I just used bog standard Sainsburys vegetable oil, and used Double Cream for Heavy Whipping Cream (translating USA cream into more normal creams is a bit challenging, because they process their creams rather differently to us).
Title: Re: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread?
Post by: Jakob W on 01 May, 2017, 04:00:19 pm
Impressive - that looks delicious! Baking soda is bicarbonate of soda rather than baking powder, but depending on the recipe they can be more-or-less substituted; bicarb requires some acidity in the mix to work, whereas baking powder generally contains bicarb and something acidic that will dissolve in a mix (as well as usually some other stuff that produces gas when heated; anything sold as 'double-acting' baking powder will definitely have it.) As a rule of thumb it's safer to substitute baking powder for baking soda than the other way round.
Title: Re: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 01 May, 2017, 07:03:57 pm
Looks similar to our carrot cake recipe (it contains a huge slick of oil), except the icing is just cream cheese, icing sugar and a little vanilla essence.
Word to the unwise - never try making cream cheese icing with low fat or 'light' cream cheese, it just doesnae work.
Title: Re: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread?
Post by: jsabine on 25 May, 2017, 06:01:37 pm
Quote from: Mrs Pingu on 01 May, 2017, 07:03:57 pm
Word to the unwise - never try making cream cheese icing with low fat or 'light' cream cheese, it just doesnae work.

In related advice, if you require full fat cream cheese, don't send your husband and numpty brother in law out with a  shoppinglist inscribed thusly: FF Cream Cheese. It's a racing certainty that said brother in law will opine wisely that FF means Fat Free.

In my defence, I didn't know it was for icing.
Title: Re: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread?
Post by: hellymedic on 28 May, 2017, 10:05:36 pm
The OP might be directed to the OT Gallery, in which he has himself posted...https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=57170.0 (https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=57170.0)
Title: Re: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread?
Post by: Ham on 29 May, 2017, 06:36:40 am
I'm sorry, this a little difficult to understand. Are you suggesting you can have too much cake?
Title: Re: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread?
Post by: TimO on 29 May, 2017, 11:30:45 am
You can make that carrot cake as muffins, too.

(http://balius.sp.ph.ic.ac.uk/~timo/food/small.php?size=500&file=IMG_20170528_030937.jpg) (http://balius.sp.ph.ic.ac.uk/~timo/food/IMG_20170528_030937.jpg)

The icing still works, but for maximum robustness, I think I need to replace it with something more closely related to butter cream.
Title: Re: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread?
Post by: Ham on 22 June, 2017, 02:38:47 pm
I'm on the hook for baking a cake for resale at a quilting exhibition, might well go for the beetroot cake I started the thread with but open to suggestions, although I'm tempted to battenburg for the sake of the patchwork.
Title: Re: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread?
Post by: Jakob W on 20 July, 2017, 01:41:26 pm
Using up the overripe banana mountain made banananana bread - this recipe is lovely and moist, and keeps well.

115g butter
115g sugar (I use a mix of light and dark soft brown)
500g (4-5) overripe bananas
2 eggs
250g plain flour
1 tsp bicarb
Pinch salt
Dark chocolate chunks (optional)

Cream butter/sugar; add mashed bananas and beaten eggs. Fold in dry ingredients and chocolate if using. Pour into lined loaf tin and bake for an hour or so at 180°/160°C fan. Let cool for 10 minutes in tin before turning out onto a rack.
Title: Re: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread?
Post by: Ham on 20 July, 2017, 01:52:38 pm
Quote from: hellymedic on 28 May, 2017, 10:05:36 pm
The OP might be directed to the OT Gallery, in which he has himself posted...https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=57170.0 (https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=57170.0)

...and in the grand tradition of delayed responses, you may notice this thread predated the linked one by over a year ;)

(and I did a beetroot & seed one and a carrot cake)
Title: Re: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread?
Post by: Ham on 30 July, 2017, 02:40:32 pm
A friend of Miss Ham made this for me for the BBQ party yesterday (actual day is not for a couple of weeks)

(https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xUbwnJEiItI/WX3cyLIIGhI/AAAAAAABByM/dZdgCrWKNl4lv7yabTKz3I4HFud8Vs7UwCKgBGAs/s1200/IMG_20170729_200220.jpg)

Title: Re: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread?
Post by: TimO on 10 September, 2017, 01:01:19 pm
Today, amandine (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amandine_(dessert)) (aka Romanian chocolate cake).

(http://balius.sp.ph.ic.ac.uk/~timo/food/small.php?size=500&file=IMG_20170910_030537_half.jpg) (http://balius.sp.ph.ic.ac.uk/~timo/food/IMG_20170910_030537_half.jpg)

I cooked it, according to this (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIkFtpQZjjg) recipe, but it may take a little effort to translate the details from that video!

I only made half the mixture, and only really had problems with the ganache.  That needed to be a little thinner, and maybe more was necessary.  You can see mine didn't really spread over the slices as other photos (https://www.google.co.uk/search?tbm=isch&q=Amandine+cake) tend to show.  That aside, it worked fairly well.
Title: Re: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread?
Post by: hellymedic on 10 September, 2017, 02:25:36 pm
Wouldn't it be easier to find the ingredients from the linked page http://www.gatesteusor.ro/amandine/ (http://www.gatesteusor.ro/amandine/)
I understand the written word rather more easily!

Looks delicious!
Title: Re: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread?
Post by: TimO on 10 September, 2017, 06:52:55 pm
Quote from: hellymedic on 10 September, 2017, 02:25:36 pm
Wouldn't it be easier to find the ingredients from the linked page http://www.gatesteusor.ro/amandine/ (http://www.gatesteusor.ro/amandine/)
I understand the written word rather more easily! ...

Damn, I missed that, and I looked for it ! <doh>
Title: Re: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread?
Post by: hellymedic on 10 September, 2017, 07:04:21 pm
It's a veritable gold mine! There's a HUGE database of recipes in the left margin and lots of still pictures to instruct for individual recipes.
Anyway, using Google translate made short work of the few ingredients I didn't recognise immediately from being a compulsive label reader!
Title: Re: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread?
Post by: TimO on 22 October, 2017, 01:38:37 pm
I attempted to cook a soft apple cake, with a gel like texture to the filling, similar to the cake a friend had bought.

(http://balius.sp.ph.ic.ac.uk/~timo/food/small.php?size=275&file=PA222048_adj_crop_half.jpg) (http://balius.sp.ph.ic.ac.uk/~timo/food/PA222048_adj_crop_half.jpg)(http://balius.sp.ph.ic.ac.uk/~timo/food/small.php?size=275&file=PA222046_adj_half.jpg) (http://balius.sp.ph.ic.ac.uk/~timo/food/PA222046_adj_half.jpg)

It wasn't a great success.  I didn't use enough gelatin (or used too much liquid) with the filling, and the pastry was harder than I intended.  The entire cake 'slumped' when I removed it from the cake tin.  Having said that, it tastes OK, so the failure will still be eaten. :D
Title: Re: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread?
Post by: hellymedic on 22 October, 2017, 01:54:32 pm
Looks tasty!

I use raisins as 'osmotic sponges' to mop up excess moisture in fruit cakes.
Title: Re: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread?
Post by: TimO on 22 October, 2017, 05:51:22 pm
Quote from: hellymedic on 22 October, 2017, 01:54:32 pm
I use raisins as 'osmotic sponges' to mop up excess moisture in fruit cakes.

That's useful information, although there were obviously not enough to soak up the moisture in my mix !

Next time ...
Title: Re: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread?
Post by: TimO on 30 October, 2017, 11:01:21 am
(http://balius.sp.ph.ic.ac.uk/~timo/food/small.php?size=250&file=PA302083_crop_adj_half.jpg) (http://balius.sp.ph.ic.ac.uk/~timo/food/PA302083_crop_adj_half.jpg)(http://balius.sp.ph.ic.ac.uk/~timo/food/small.php?size=235&file=PA302079_adj_half.jpg) (http://balius.sp.ph.ic.ac.uk/~timo/food/PA302079_adj_half.jpg)

Lemon Meringue Pie according to the recipe on the Jamie Oliver (https://www.jamieoliver.com/news-and-features/features/how-to-make-lemon-meringue-pie/) site, together with the sweet pastry (https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/eggs-recipes/sweet-pastry/) recipe on the same site, rather than using bought pastry, as the lemon meringue recipe suggests.

It's very good, and recommended. The only thing you seem to have to be really careful with, is the lemon curd mix, where things like the amount of cornflour and gently cooking it, are important.  Similarly with making sure that you've just got egg whites in a clean bowl, when making the meringue, but that's a general beating egg whites issue.  The texture seems to be just right, solid enough to stay in place, but soft enough to easily eat and enjoy it.
Title: Re: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread?
Post by: pcolbeck on 30 October, 2017, 02:20:26 pm
I made my first cake yesterday a Mary Berry Victoria Sponge. Nom nom nom it turned out rather well.
I do cook just never made a cake before for some unknown reason.
Title: Re: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 02 November, 2017, 10:55:00 pm
Courgette & lime cake. Amazeballs. Why yes, I *do* say so myself.

(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4485/38022792296_fe65574538.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/ZVWKsq)2017-10-31_11-14-22 (https://flic.kr/p/ZVWKsq) by The Pingus (https://www.flickr.com/photos/the_pingus/), on Flickr
Title: Re: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread?
Post by: pcolbeck on 03 November, 2017, 08:02:28 am
Courgette cake ? Thats one of those things that sounds horrible but probably tastes wonderful. Much like carrot cake. What's the recipe Mrs Pingu I might have to try this one?
Title: Re: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 03 November, 2017, 06:01:05 pm
Yes, a bit like carrot cake, very moist.
I think this is the original recipe http://blogs.warwick.ac.uk/hcha/entry/the_baking_of/
FYI, 250g is only about 2 courgettes,  so you don't need hundreds. The quantities for the lime curd and the icing are also way too much, probably 1/2 to 2/3rds would be nore than enough.
Title: Re: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread?
Post by: TimO on 05 November, 2017, 10:43:56 am
A sort of brownie with a mascarpone based cream.  It looks good, but I've yet to let it cool enough to slice it up and try.

(http://balius.sp.ph.ic.ac.uk/~timo/food/small.php?size=400&file=PB052118_adj_half.jpg) (http://balius.sp.ph.ic.ac.uk/~timo/food/PB052118_adj_half.jpg)

It was made according to this (https://translate.google.co.uk/translate?sl=ro&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.enjoy-dessert.com%2F2016%2F01%2Fnegresa-cu-mascarpone.html&edit-text=) recipe.

(For some reason, the pictures don't render in the translated version, so this (http://www.enjoy-dessert.com/2016/01/negresa-cu-mascarpone.html) is the untranslated link).
Title: Re: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread?
Post by: TimO on 01 April, 2018, 02:10:38 pm
Since it's Easter, I cooked some Pască (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paska_(bread)#Pasc%C4%83).  It collapsed a little in the middle, but tastes OK, so that's not a big problem. :)

I actually made half the recipe quantity, so it only used a single egg, but I now have spare feta, cream cheese and sour cream to do something with!

(http://balius.sp.ph.ic.ac.uk/~timo/food/small.php?size=400&file=IMG_20180401_134933_crop_adj.jpg) (http://balius.sp.ph.ic.ac.uk/~timo/food/IMG_20180401_134933_crop_adj.jpg)

Made using this (https://translate.google.co.uk/translate?hl=en&sl=ro&tl=en&u=https%3A%2F%2Fsavoriurbane.com%2Fpasca-simpla-reteta-traditionala%2F) recipe.
Title: Re: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread?
Post by: TimO on 17 February, 2019, 12:34:23 pm
I made Lemon Meringue Pie again, using this recipe (http://"https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/3482/ultimate-lemon-meringue-pie), which is more straightforward to follow since it doesn't send you off elsewhere for pastry and curd recipes, but it is very similar, to the Jamie Oliver one.

I do like making Lemon Meringue Pie, it's far better than anything you can buy in the shops. :thumbsup: :)

(http://balius.sp.ph.ic.ac.uk/~timo/food/vsmall.php?size=300&file=IMG_20190217_011822_crop_adj_thirty.jpg) (http://balius.sp.ph.ic.ac.uk/~timo/food/IMG_20190217_011822_crop_adj_thirty.jpg)  (http://balius.sp.ph.ic.ac.uk/~timo/food/vsmall.php?size=300&file=IMG_20190217_112348_adj_crop_thirty.jpg) (http://balius.sp.ph.ic.ac.uk/~timo/food/IMG_20190217_112348_adj_crop_thirty.jpg)
Title: Re: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread?
Post by: Ham on 17 February, 2019, 06:35:49 pm
A couple of weeks ago I made one and, as I often do,  I look for the Felicity Cloake meta-recipe (https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2014/jun/11/how-to-make-perfect-lemon-meringue-pie-recipe). Even if I don't cook her "ultimate" choice, the recipe discussion often has some interesting options and touches. In this case, the lemony-ness achieves close to perfection IMO - 3 zest and 6 juice.
Title: Re: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread?
Post by: L CC on 17 February, 2019, 10:57:09 pm
I do tarte au citron meringuee which is nearly, but not quite, the same.

 (https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190217/ae61cf5b432ed11f7eecc9ca3880252c.jpg)
Title: Re: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread?
Post by: Ham on 25 September, 2021, 10:10:23 pm
Choo choo!

or is that chew chew?

(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b1EBNYHRBq8/YU-P-kxshBI/AAAAAAADhbA/xhzUwjHOzO4Lk9xkAjyMSauE4NcwOuDJQCPcBGAsYHg/s1024/PXL_20210925_155436919.jpg)
Title: Re: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread?
Post by: citoyen on 27 September, 2021, 10:28:42 am
Very nice! I'm looking forward to becoming a grandparent just for the excuse to do stuff like that. Not going to happen any time soon though.

Thanks for reviving this thread too - I have cause to make a cake this week but was lacking inspiration. Several great ideas here...
Title: Re: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread?
Post by: Snakehips on 12 March, 2022, 12:15:24 pm
I am delighted to say that there is a growing trend in my family to send 'Artisan' cake by post to mark special events. It's too early yet to call it a tradition , but I hope it will become so. A particular favourite of mine is the Meg Rivers Ginger Cake. If anybody is interested they offer a discount on your first order, code NEWBIEFORTY

https://megrivers.co.uk/ (https://megrivers.co.uk/)
Title: Re: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread?
Post by: Ham on 26 August, 2022, 06:57:37 am
One year on (or almost, because (a) he's leaving his nursery and (b) in one month he'll have a new sister)

(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTDw6l3FrR2u6ur-F6t947J2SO7C_6g_hM98Rpl6r1UPLC-N70_xM6QxUkzt7CBjqYv9OF4Z8F40UXVU5exbA7ss4WophHhaTt5BABwO-gBkvGjsPD4Q_ig_3h1bl2hC4mxvU0bgIiHDBjf7XfTV-fgOsIaALG0WFeXxUNOSgWiN_wF8_ywe9eFJfU/s1024/PXL_20220825_222520088.jpg)
Title: Re: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread?
Post by: Ham on 24 September, 2023, 01:13:35 pm
Now he is 5i think I have to put a little more effort in, this is what recent baking was about

(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0nUf5wRb78MZR6Ix-A1fOj3qCaPSsGSbk5XfkuOwtVp6pvq_jras4LAUseLeZlwari59zXBb5jhxjaspFQ3geytaHpovd7RVqpfw1unwujGG8kxJ5Aa6Ojzt30w6K0892xWXqcRMRb89eCv3f9tyvQ3D2z_EBdlK1CVVAKpM0INrtAof4K6YREnVNSGo/s1024/PXL_20230924_105956989.jpg)
Title: Re: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread?
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 19 November, 2023, 05:22:27 pm
I made Earl Grey & dark chocolate torte
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/chocolate-earl-grey-torte
I'm not really one for 'chocolate cake' but this is very good. And moist.
It does make quite a lot though.
Title: Re: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread?
Post by: Ham on 02 March, 2024, 06:32:37 pm
Quite pleased with how this has turned out

(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLHY9o4IZHLImRsBPACA_NNVvbEoFBEf4kmSnXKCwms4MOuO6DkTdo1CmQKYSaNhgHnpKniHNVFEGrJ8DfVyPlaXYqRJtZo3FrAh8SsTWrLKvBVIRtzrS5RrZWJXAZaRhjQsEDqlsNZwD-L47IbOc8cHU9Cc3lOU03qbDpFxQk2JiGwS63KFifj7FvheY/s1020/PXL_20240302_125601833.jpg)
Title: Re: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread?
Post by: barakta on 03 March, 2024, 11:48:36 pm
I must have forgotten this thread. Loving the photos from Ham of various cakes from recent to less recent. Works of art all of them, top grandparenting!
Title: Re: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread?
Post by: Ham on 04 March, 2024, 08:44:04 am
Funny ol' thing, I was only thinking to myself how Cake Expectations have changed over the years, most likely along with the coming of Teh Age of Teh Internets.

My online archive only goes back to mid-2000's, I think one of m favourite was the one I did for my daughter's 21st, unfortunately in a damn poor show, I don't seem to have any pictures of the rear (caricature  carry on around the cake)

In the advanced stages of making

(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEhJR98gCXN0XLNz_JaDs6_GFn3csBPdPV84wksb0kTeNP4jIWBY8PAaTqaEEF_VioKXOMXG5f4E1dSMCHvwarHYlRRWo_LrdTFAZNUMJ2oNSnixWNX0WypdykHFamkOBkPloFQLPq4K4EYN6D0jElp0AR2Fs4DLF1yhDf_T5d53Otss_XiY5l0Tz-Y1A/s4032/S0268269-EDIT.jpg)

As finished

(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS4uh3tf9yfPu_iF216RarX2ExKvMZWYoLG305NvYx18wbGKvrTN_3XsD-kNa8pNBUrVFqRK1XWGRB43JF1N1nOaRbsPHCwQxmZBucg3LuRgI6xGUrviKLKJigynb3VeA0DtbbcnRi_iDOPgCyL7B4A3ausCp6SimHaykDjQ-WF1P2kB4I_vL7fFwAH2o/s4032/S0278272.JPG)

Other gleanings of varying quality include Annie's 1st birthday

(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf7z9jS2O3O1c8LRcnbEOR3BFRab2ZdYS6m0MxKosJnBtjug2AHJuFlQkYAXmm0DmUCYoqiEQhICq8oc35yCEirpMXltWWhiAaxmGwHnsJUMUA7RWJjbUxj133F8QRldd4tNsHoV9K-3qzIi9kuHzkHvYEiyTStuvmJMmvi4mckG840ETO67yLbHjt1_Q/s1720/IMG-20230915-WA0000.jpeg)

Thomas'  1st

(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFFPAGU3paIIx0AHmp3SH3Ib52HnpQcKTHc3rPFIr-d5ZEg-08SbPWW8C9p1amXn8xsVplQeORlTKXc7gRYlAL6PF-70bxfgF5P2fXSAK0ej6ciyYLBqbifYCUX8k3Dvgbv6J24Hn_qv-JjoOb-zOiW5EZOKVoeGktRUSXH-MP2t2MW7IpShlQzEAvzeo/s1599/IMG-20190925-WA0000.jpg)

Mrs Ham's mum's 90th

(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNy4BEaysJNuRBbTATMdIIYBwfFxjfxvFFVXvYS10KYoYRLHsZbtYuUkE5ksuX7o1IEQPhJPt1jbUpDduP_0_ncz9XMQyhHmzHbdbhMmx6ZffWaIzNt4NuJ7_CPlWhH_UW73lWQFJAUdWYLTHhWZfTN0r9Vx_1lHfYMp9yzZfHZ6UcCtuYYzHmRFtwj6g/s1008/IMG_20200308_124940.jpg)

Showing various incarnations of, what must be considered, my favourite tin.

If I get a moment I may go back to the film prints, to do a bit of archakeology
Title: Re: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread?
Post by: rogerzilla on 04 March, 2024, 08:55:18 am
I remember the Great Cupcake Craze of 2013-2015, when all anyone wanted for Christmas was a recipe book and a set of silicone cupcake moulds.  Like loom bands and fidget spinners, now consigned to the dumpster of "what were we thinking?" cultural history.
Title: Re: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread?
Post by: L CC on 04 March, 2024, 11:12:30 am
Colleague's birthday.


(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20240304/38a18c8e728b4e13349924baa75c1f08.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20240304/eee62d3ba494c3a16e99af2553b1d04e.jpg)
Title: Re: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread?
Post by: Ham on 04 March, 2024, 11:56:53 am
There's a cake you can take pride in making
Title: Re: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread?
Post by: barakta on 04 March, 2024, 01:05:40 pm
I think with some of these cakes, it's not even so much about how perfect or not they are, but the clear love and time that has gone into them and the personalisation, character and humour they can bring.

My mum used to do a good line in fun cakes, her execution was often pretty bad, but at the time I didn't notice cos it was the thought that counted and meant so much.

Not my skillset, but I have watched videos from sensible YouTubers (how to cook that for example) that tries to help people learn how to make GOOD cakes and which tools or specialist ingredients are really worth it and indeed how they go wrong +/- being fixable. It does take real skill and a lot of time.
Title: Re: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread?
Post by: rogerzilla on 04 March, 2024, 01:22:31 pm
Quote from: Ham on 04 March, 2024, 11:56:53 am
There's a cake you can take pride in making
It vaguely reminds me of Lumbergh's birthday cake in Office Space. I thonk it's the blue.
Title: Re: Where's the Ultimate Cake Thread?
Post by: citoyen on 04 March, 2024, 03:24:02 pm
Quote from: barakta on 04 March, 2024, 01:05:40 pm
I think with some of these cakes, it's not even so much about how perfect or not they are, but the clear love and time that has gone into them and the personalisation, character and humour they can bring.

Absoutely. Splendid work, Ham and LCC.