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This week I made some Coconut Cubes and a Chocolate Sensation. I've made something similar to the Coconut Cubes before although not out of this book. They came out well and taste real good. I have to admit mine are more coconut slices than cubes - if I cut them that small 'im outdoors would just eat 2 of them anyway.
The Chocolate Sensation started off very similar to the bonfire cake, but without the red colouring and with a different filling and topping. 'im outdoors said it was the least chocolate chocolate cakes he's ever had, but apparently it's still ok (I haven't had a chance to try it yet).
Next week I'll be starting the section 'Festive Baking' although it is skipping ahead a bit.
Verdict:
Coconut Cubes: These get a big thumbs up and a 'Please make again' from 'im outdoors. Tasty and light and lasted the week very well.
Chocolate Sensation: I think this grew on him. Its not his favorite chocolate cake but he said it was quite nice. I think the outside icing was pretty strong flavor wise. Better when eaten at room temperature (rather than straight out of the fridge)
This week I made a Layered Espresso Walnut Loaf and Angel Mint Cakes. 'im outdoors doesn't really like nuts so the espresso loaf is without walnuts, but I have to say it is still very nice. I am less sure about the mint cakes. I can deal with mint chocolates but other types of mint 'things' are just a bit weird.
I'm also not sure how the mint cakes will hold out. They already feel a little soft!
But I was very impressed with how well the loaf rose. So much so the top caught a little! Nothing a little icing can't hide.
Verdict:
Layered Espresso Walnut Loaf: This was pretty good. 'im outdoors said it was in his top three. Lasted the week well.
Angel Mint Cakes: Dreadful. Mint cake is weird anyway but by day 2 it was gone slimy.
This week I created 3 different cakes. Iced Lemon Loaf, Mini Chocolate Mousse Cakes and White Chocolate Butterfly Cakes.
The lemon loaf was supposed to have crystallised rose petals to decorate it but I really don't have time for that, and I don't know where I'd get rose petals in the first place - it's not really the right time of year. However the cake seems fine without them so I'm not too worried.
The Mini Chocolate Mousse Cakes were created for pudding as my parents came over for dinner. I might have cooked them for a little bit too long so instead of being mousse they were more like brownies, but still tasted great. (served with creme fraiche)
And lastly I created White Chocolate Butterfly Cakes. For someone who'd really not into decorating cakes these were way more involved than I would normally bother with. Not all of them came out this well! I think there is a little too much going on with these cakes - orange in the sponge, vanilla cream filling and then the white chocolate on top.
Have to see what 'im outdoors things.
Verdict:
Iced Lemon Loaf: Pretty good. A little dry but I can just add a bit more liquid next time. Lasted the week well.
Mini Chocolate Mousse Cakes: Tasty but cook less next time. 'im outdoors microwaved a spare one and had it with ice cream and was very happy.
White Chocolate Butterfly Cakes: Dreadful. Difficult to make and didn't last well. Very wet after only a couple of days. Too many flavors too.
This week I made some Cappuccino Cupcakes and, as its Guy Fawkes Night on Monday, a Red Velvet Bonfire Cake. The cupcakes were pretty simple to create and came out well. However as the 'icing' is whipped cream I decided to only 'ice' them as needed so the topping can be kept in the fridge and the cupcakes in a tin.
I've not made a red velvet cake before and it was pretty straight forward, but wow it tastes amazing! Think this is my favorite so far. As you want a cone shaped cake you have to cut a bit off to get the right shape. She suggests saving the trimmings for trifle but they didn't last that long. It's then covered in a cream cheese icing and matchmakers. I'm interested to know how it lasts the week.
Verdict:
Cappuccino Cupcakes: These were ok, but the sponges got a little dense towards the end of the week. The cream topping lasted well in the fridge.
Red Velvet Bonfire Cake: This was really tasty but I didn't want too much. Seemed to last well in the fridge although it dried a little.
At the beginning of the year I had a go at making the Split Back Snowflake Hat. However I had real problems getting it to work and after two attempts gave up and went on to something else.
Also this year I knitted a jumper. This was knitted in the round, like the hat, and although I still think it's a little tight, it came out really well.
As I was knitting the jumper it suddenly occurred to me what the problem might be with the hat. You see the first part of the hat, the cable, is knitted flat and then joined to make the split at the back. When I joined it I had the cables on the outside but when I was knitting my jumper it was inside out!
So I gave it a go and it worked! The rest of the hat took me a matter of weeks to finish but from start to finish its taken nearly a year!
The best bit was trying out knitting with two colours. My friend Katie had suggested I try knitting with one colour in each hand as this gives a better tension, so after a bit of YouTubing I had a go. And it came out really well and I want to do some more! It was so satisfying to do and looks grand! I love it.
Once again something that looks like it might be super complicated it not exactly easy but really not that hard once you have a go. If I think about where my knitting was a couple of years ago, or even at the beginning of this year, I've come so far!
There are so many patterns I want to work on right now, but I just don't have the time. Once again I will have to list all the things I want to do out and prioritise them to make sure the really important things get done and I don't get distracted by something shiny!
