Birdhouse Cake

Happy Birthday Mum!!

Actually my Mum's birthday was at the start of August so I'm a little late in posting this, ah well I'm doing it now.

Mum really likes birdhouses (and so do I) so I though it would make a fun theme for a mini dessert table. I wasn't able to spend the amount time I really would have liked to on this but I think it still turned out cute.

Mum requested her favorite kind of cake, orange and poppy seed so I used the same recipe as her Cake-Slice Cake last birthday. The recipe makes a beautiful moist cake with a good hit of orange flavour. Double the recipe made two round 8 inch cakes and six cupcakes.

The birdhouse on the top of the cake was made from a 50/50 mix of fondant and gum paste. I glued the fondant pieces together with royal icing, much like a gingrbread house.

I iced the cake with a pale yellow orange buttercream (which melted a bit in the car on the way there) and covered it with a sprinkle of pink fondant flowers.

Blue Heart Cake

I've been so lucky to make so many cakes over the last month, this was the first. I was asked to do an engagement cake based on my valentines day heart inside cake. The couples invitations featured a big blue heart and they wanted to continue the theme in the cake. It took me some time to work out how to make a cake for 40, with each slice having a blue heart inside but I think it worked out great.

I ended up making three round cakes which were iced and stacked on top of each other using dowels and boards. The entire cake was then given a final coat of yummy white chocolate buttercream to hide the separate layers and topped with a big blue fondant heart. The outside of the cake looked pretty and simple and I was told everyone loved the hidden hearts inside.

Here is a little update with a peak at the inside of the cake. (Thanks Steph for the photos)

Passionfruit Cheesecake Slice

I seem to have a never ending supply of passionfruit, for at least a few months the fruit bowl on my bench has not been without them. This last weekend I picked the last few off the vine outside my door and decided to make something yummy while there were still some left.

I really wanted to make passionfruit meringue tarts but had used up all the eggs making cakes so that didn't work out, but luckily for me I had everything needed for a chilled cheesecake. Yum!

I really loved how simple this recipe was, the only thing I'd change about it next time is the amount of gelatine. The cheesecake didn't set quite as firm as I would have liked, so I'd probably add another half or tablespoon of gelatine. It really is tasty though, the slightly tart swirls of passionfriut pulp were perfect with the sweet cheese filling.

Passionfruit Cheesecake Slice (from Good Taste Magazine)

• For the Base
• 250 grams Butternut Snap Cookies
• 100 grams butter, melted
• 
  
• For the filling
• 2 tablespoons hot water
• 1 tablespoon gelatine powder
• 9 passionfruit (1/3 cup of passionfruit juice plus seeds)
• 500 grams cream cheese, at room temperature
• 250mls (1 cup) thickened cream
• 155 grams (3/4 cup) caster sugar

To make the base-Line a 16 x 26cm slab pan with non-stick baking paper.

Place the cookies in a clip lock bag and crush with a rolling pin (or use a food processor if you have one). In a small bowl mix the crushed cookies and until well combined.

Using a spatula spread and press the biscuit mixture firmly over the base of the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

To make the filling- Sprinkle the gelatine over the hot water in a small heatproof bowl. Stand the bowl in a larger heatproof bowl or pan, fill the bowl/pan with boiling water until it reaches halfway up the side of the bowl. Stir until the gelatine dissolves, set the bowl aside to cool slightly.

Cut and scoop out the passionfriut, using a fine seive seperate the juice from the passionfruit pulp with the back of a spoon. Set the separated juice and seeds aside.

Add the soft cream cheese, cream and sugar in a large bowl, beat with an electric beater until smooth.

Beat in the passionfruit juice and the gelatine mixture.

Spread the cheese filling over the prepared cookie base, smooth with a spatula.

Spoon the reserved pulp over the cheesecake mixture (I dont love passionfruit seeds so only used a few tablespoons).

Swirl the passionfruit throught the top of the cheesecake using a flat blade knife.

Tap the slice tin on the benchtop a few times to smooth the mixture. Place the cheesecake in the fridge overnight to set. Cut into squares to serve.

Enjoy!

Jet Ski Cake

Just a quick post to share some pictures of the second cake I made last week. I was asked to make this cake as a gift, inspired by the giftee's love of his stand-up jet ski and heading out to the beach. I don't know anything about jet skis, it was news to me there are stand up and sit down models so you can imagine I found this cake challenging.

Despite some troubles modelling the ski and man, I am really happy with how the whole cake turned out. The inside was a super yummy chocolate mud cake (I had enough off cuts to snack on for a few days), I'll share the recipe soon.