Cake Making & Baking Group

[Blah11]

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups plain flour
1 1/4 cups (285 g) granulated sugar
3/4 cup (170 g) dark brown sugar
1 cup (110 g) cocoa powder
2 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 1/4 cups (18 fl oz or 540 ml) buttermilk
1 cup (230 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
6 oz (168 g) melted semisweet fine quality chocolate (plain choc)


1. Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter and parchment line two 8x2-inch (20x5-cm) baking pans.

2. Measure all ingredients (except the chocolate) into a large mixer bowl.

3. Blend for 30 seconds on LOW speed, scraping bowl constantly.

4. Blend in the melted chocolate and beat 3 minutes on HIGH speed, scraping the bowl.

5. Spoon into the pans and level them well with an offset spatula.

6. Bake layers for 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.




It makes a really tall 8in cake

 

[Whoppy-pop]

Thanks so much Pinksnowball and Blah! I'd have been spending a fortune on ingredients and bake ware if you hadn't helped! I'm really looking forward to giving it a go!

I iced my 1st cake the other day. It really was trial and error, and I had to improvise a fair amount. I didn't buy enough fondant as I had to use 9inch tins (OH had lost the base of one of my 8inch ones underneath the kitchen unit!) and my oven is total pants so I ended up with them rising wonkily (is that a word?). It was fun playing but next time I'll be icing the board, making it more complex and experimenting with decoration! Here's a little pic and hopfully you'll see some drastic improvement in my next attempt!

https://i644.photobucket.com/albums/uu166/LisaGandAmelia/P1030145.jpg

Oh yes I meant to ask, what do you use for sugar glue? Thanks again! x

 

[x-Rainbow-x]

thats really good , your icing looks really smooth

i use this glue

https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SQUIRES-CONF...Crafts_Cake_Decorating_MJ?hash=item414bdd1f15

 

[Glitterfairy]

Really pretty cake Whoopy xxx

 

[taperjeangirl]

wow thats your 1st attempt?! Very well done!

unless I am glueing flowers together or similar, I just use water to stick bits to the cake

 

[Whoppy-pop]

Thanks Pinksnowball! I looked high and low for some but I guess they were sold out as I saw various glazes in the same packaging. I just used a bit of icing sugar and water. Worked OK on my flowers because they were thick but I'll get some propper stuff when I do them properly.

Thanks Glitterfairy. It's a start!

 

[Whoppy-pop]

Thanks Taper. I've never done anything like it before. It was fun though so will keep going at it x

 

[tasha41]

Girls I have a question!

Does icing piped look better if it's done at room temp or chilled? I don't want it to be sloppy and melty, but of course I want it to be able to squeeze out of the tube! lol

 

[pinkmummy]

Thats amazing Whoppy! Well done! Hope mine looks as good as that!! x

 

[Whoppy-pop]

Caitlinsmummy I'm sure yours will look fantabulous! It's so much fun, I honestly could get addicted to doing it I think! I loves the cake!!!

 

[Georgie90]

Ok, im going to have another attempt at some cakes today, hoping it will go better then last time, any advice on icing?

 

[Glitterfairy]

Girls I have a question!

Does icing piped look better if it's done at room temp or chilled? I don't want it to be sloppy and melty, but of course I want it to be able to squeeze out of the tube! lol

I do mine at room temp.If its too cold it will go hard and really hurt your hands and be hard to pipe,also it might set too quickly if you wanted to add decorations.

Georgie let us know how they turn out.Use a smaller setting on your piping bag and maybe use a bit more icing sugar so it's not as runny. xxx

 

[Glitterfairy]

How did it go Georgie?

I made 4 fridge cakes last week and Dad liked them so much he just sent me a text whilst out shopping he's got me all the ingredients to make him a dark chocolate ginger version of it.I'm going to be busy tomorrow!!!!

 

[taperjeangirl]

I made a fridge cake last week I treated myself to a teeny bit it was gorgeous! Then I made OH take the rest to work with him to stop the temptation!

Yesterday myself and Daisy made some stuff! Was VERY messy but she had fun! We made double chocolate cookies, white choc chip cookies and some mini white chocolate Muffins.

How did you get on Georgie? I have been meaning to message you back all week, i dont know where my time goes!

 

[pinkmummy]

When I've been shopping on Monday I am going to get plenty of baking stuff

Does anyone know any good places to get cheap cake tins? I am looking for 6inch and 9inch tins. Also I want to know if anyone knows of any good cake shops in the County Durham Area xx

 

[Georgie90]

crap!

i give up!

 

[Glitterfairy]

Oh no what happened? Don't give up hun,you have to practice lots to get it right.I've had loads of icing disasters!!!

I got some well priced and good quality cake tins in Tesco on monday,might be worth a look in there?

I wish Jack liked baking more,he does it at school but he won't join in at home he just likes eating the ingredients and the cakes!!!

 

[Georgie90]

i cant ice!
it was runny again and just went gloopy and in a huge blob...

https://www.lakeland.co.uk/decorating-set/F/C/cooking-baking-cake-decorating/product/13744

was thinking of getting one of these as i cant seem to get the knack of a bag?

xx

 

[Glitterfairy]

Never used one of those,might be worth having a go.

Are you putting colouring in the icing? If it's too runny it's probably due to the amount of liquid you are using.

 

[Georgie90]

nope, i didnt even put milk in yesterday!

i donno what im doing wrong, ,maybe its too warm or somethin!

i wanna make a cake for my mums birthday in march...ill use roll out iceing, has anyone got any (simple) ideas
xxx