Birthdays always mean cake. No matter what shape and form, colour and flavour, frosted, dusted or plain. Birthday cakes are a representation of the occasion. A symbol of the celebration. It doesn’t always need to be elaborate and three tiered. It can be a bunch of donuts piled up high poked with sparkling candles, or a neat stack of brownies arranged like wooden A-B-C blocks with colourful candles. Birthdays and cakes. Always a great combo. Like fish to water.
This recipe is adapted from Flo Braker’s recipe book, The Simple Art of Perfect Baking. Hand holding instructions, simple base recipes that are for keeps. When I made these for hubby’s birthday last month, it was truly as Zoe Bakes wrote in her blog, “Flo Braker writes as though she is teaching a class, everything is well thought out and explained so that the recipes are nearly fool proof.” Couldn’t have said it better myself. It is absolutely true.
Ingredients for the cake:
250g sifted cake flour
1 and 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda (bi carbonate of soda)
1/4 tsp salt
3 large eggs, room temperature
250ml buttermilk, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
170g unsalted butter, room temperature
300g caster sugar
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 180* C.
Grease the bottom and sides of two 20cm cake pans. Dust generously with flour, shake off excess then line the bottom with round baking paper.
Sift the flour, baking powder, bi carbonate of soda and salt onto a sheet of baking paper, 3 times.
In a small bowl, break the eggs and whisk until yolks and whites are just combined.
In a measuring cup, combine the vanilla with the buttermilk and stir together.
In a big bowl using a hand-held beater, or in the bowl of stand mixer, cream the butter on medium speed until lighter in colour.
Add the sugar to the creamed butter while the mixer is on, in a slow and steady stream. Scraping down the sides every now and then, continue to cream sugar and butter light in colour and fluffy. Takes 4-5 minutes.
With the mixer still on, add the eggs, a tablespoon at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl when needed. Increase speed and continue to mix the batter until smooth, looks fluffy, white and increased in volume (Flo mentioned in her book that is almost resembles whipped cream cheese).
Add the dry ingredients and fold gently using a rubber spatula, alternating with a third of buttermilk mixture. Continue adding the dry and liquid ingredients, folding gently after each addition, ending with the dry ingredients.
Spoon the batter into the pan/s and smooth out with the spatula.
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the baked surface springs back slightly when touched in the centre
Place the cake/s pans on a rack and let them cool for 5-10 minutes.
Chocolate-butter glaze
168g semi sweet chocolate
84g unsalted butter
If using chocolate blocks, chop these into match-stick size pieces with a knife.
Half fill a medium sized sauce pan with water and let this simmer.
In a large bowl (that can snugly on top of the sauce pan) place the butter, then the chocolate and melt over simmering water. Do not let the water boil.
Stir occasionally until the mixture is smooth and shiny.
Let this cool for at least an hour before using to glaze the cake.
Chocolate-butter glaze
168g semi sweet chocolate
84g unsalted butter
If using chocolate blocks, chop these into match-stick size pieces with a knife.
Half fill a medium sized sauce pan with water and let this simmer.
In a large bowl (that can snugly on top of the sauce pan) place the butter, then the chocolate and melt over simmering water. Do not let the water boil.
Stir occasionally until the mixture is smooth and shiny.
Let this cool for at least an hour before using to glaze the cake.
This was the cake for hubby's birthday last month. Alongside the traditional request of blueberry cheesecake. A simple moist cake that's as delicious by itself, and with the chocolate frosting! Its a keeper! Promise!
How about you? Do cakes adorn your dining table for birthdays and celebrations in your home?
