Baked a Cake

Last month my little blog and I celebrated our birthdays – me 27 (did I just say that out loud?) and she, a whole ONE year old! It still feels surreal that Baked a Cake exists and that maybe, somewhere out there, people are actually reading my random thoughts and sharing this often panic inducing, stressful but oh so enjoyable ride of my cake decorating journey.

This year has been fun of 10 cakes inspired from 10 different countries around the world, nine birthdays, a baby shower, two farewell cakes, a naming day cake, 47 thousand deep breathes,  and a few nervous breakdowns thrown in for good measure – but it is one that I have absolutely loved.

I had a fantastic day being spoilt by my lovely Cactii at work and enjoying a delicious salted caramel mousse cake with the most amazing chocolate base (with sticky caramel and peanuts!!) and of course the boy did his job (he is excellent with presents) and gifted me a brand new watermelon KitchenAid and airbrush kit. The jury is still out on a name for my KitchenAid so any suggestions are welcome. So far I have thought of Winnie (going back to my love of the Wonder Years and my first crush on Fred Savage’s character Kevin) or Wanda, although I am not completely sold and like all inanimate objects, she needs a name.

By far the biggest question on everyone’s mind when wishing me a happy birthday was ‘Who makes you a cake on your birthday?’. The boy and I have a little competition each year to try and outdo each other in the cake department and I think it is safe to say that this year, the trophy certainly goes to him. I wasn’t allowed in the kitchen for three days before my birthday and could only go to certain rooms of the rest of the house with permission. He was like a mad scientist – tinkering and measuring and muttering to the cake to please stand up. After going to our favourite, Talulah, for dinner we went home for cake. I was instructed to sit on the lounge in the dark while I nervously listened to crashes and bashes and finally, through closed eyes I saw a massive ball of flames! He had constructed a giant candle with 6 vodka soaked candles in the top that I seriously thought were going to burn the house down – all I could do was laugh. I then cut into the cake to reveal 12, yes 12, layers of perfectly pink ombre cake – 6 cake flavours with complimentary fillings. The cake stood 30cm and needed a whole shelf removed from the shelf just to accommodate it. The flavours you ask?:

-       Bubblegum cake with pop-rock ganache

-       Cherry cake with white chocolate and coconut ganache

-       Rose water cake with musk stick ganache

-       Strawberries and cream

-       Raspberry cake and raspberry jam

-       Rhubarb and cream cheese

And they were all delicious!

And to think, it al started with a bitly link on a piece of paper. Here’s cheers to another year xx