The Anti-Snob

I am not afraid to admit to liking and using store brought cake mixes. The convenience of them can't be argued. I also like them for the fact that they are great confidence boosters for beginning bakers as they are virtually fool proof.

Along with the required fat, liquid and eggs I always add a few other goodies to packet mix cakes. A very liberal dash of vanilla, buttermilk instead of milk, grated chocolate or chocolate bits.

A friend swears by adding raspberry lollies to store brought white cake mix.

Store brought cake mixes are terrific time savers too. Last weekend was hectic what with catching up with work friends, wedding dress shopping, a cousin's 30th and 'helping' the fiance write job applications. Sunday evening rolled around and I still needed to bake a cake for a colleague's birthday.

Thank goodness for packet cake mixes and store brought icing.

I love vanilla essence. Of course a second drop was added just before I poured the cake batter into the baking pan.

A Ring Deserves a Great Cake

It was The Fiance's birthday last week.

He loves chocolate orange mud cakes.

Loves a slice of chocolate orange mud cake to bits.

I'm pretty sure he loves that flavour of cake more than he does me.

I like home-made birthday cakes.

I know it's not to everyone's liking (or baking skills) but that was how I was raised.

So I went here and found a great recipe.

Please excuse the lack of appropriate cake stand as I decorated the cake at the Out-Laws and forgot to bring one of mine with me.

The recipe incorporates the orange flavour through boiling and pulping two whole oranges.

While the process may be a little time consuming it gives a better 'orange' flavour than a dash or orange essence.

I was a little stressed over how to decorate the cake.

Do I try a butter cream?

Is the cake rich enough to be left un-iced?

In the end I went with a chocolate ganache which was my first attempt and one I will repeat time and time again.

From such a simple process and using only two ingredients you get an amazing result.

As a finishing touch I dipped some mandarin segments into melted chocolate and placed them upon the ganache'd cake.

The Out-Laws were impressed and there was a hint at making the cake again for The Sister Out-Laws upcoming 21st birthday.

Again please excuse the air bubbles, I'll get there on perfecting my ganache!

A Farewell to my Birthday Month

Seeing as today is the last day of my birthday month it seems appropriate to send it off with a look at the treats my wonderful Auntie made for me.

My Auntie grew up in country Victoria on a cattle farm and knows a thing or two about good baking. In my little world my mother is the best baker but my Aunty is an extremely close second.

These are the delightful madeleines that my Auntie baked for me the morning of my birthday. They had a slight hint of alcohol and were sprinkled with the sweetest icing sugar. Perfect with a cup of birthday tea.

It wouldn’t be my birthday without a plate of my Auntie’s hedgehog. I've never been able to make a batch that tastes as good as hers, not even by copying her recipe. Nor have I purchased a piece of hedgehog that even begins to taste as yummy as hers.

11 months til I get to do it all again!

25 and Counting

Tomorrow is The Sister's birthday.


I've brought her this card





.....and giving her this dvd






.....and this make up brush which will hopefully be perfect for eyeshadow eyeliner applications





Here is a sneak peek at her birthday cake from this scrumptious bakery in Stepney