BakeBakeBake

Before we carry on, another view:





This idea makes a really effective birthday cake. I used this idea for my son's first birthday cake.



As you see, you can be really colourful and creative with it. You're not limited to names, after all- pink swirly hearts, fish shapes on blue icing, whatever! An additional idea is to stick smaller heart cookies or whatever around the edge of the cake.


Just in case you don't feel like writing out "bakebakebake" in full ;)




If you're going to do cookies as big as I did, you need quite a dense cake. This one is one of my mother's recipes, and is a little unusual in that it uses baking soda and vinegar as the rising agents, rather than baking powder.


Chocolate Layer Cake

250g flour
1 1/2 Tbsp cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
125g sugar
1 tsp vinegar
125g melted butter
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup warm water

Sift, flour, cocoa and baking soda. Add sugar. Add butter, vinegar, egg, water and vanilla. Beat till smooth. Two sandwich tins. 180°C for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in tins for 5 minutes. When cold, split through centre* and sandwich laters with chocolate frosting. Spread remaining frosting on top and sides.

* I cut around the edges then use thread to split them

Chocolate frosting:

400g icing sugar
2 Tbsp cocoa
125g butter
1 tsp vanilla
boiling water

Sift icing sugar and cocoa. Add butter, vanilla and a few drops boiling water. Beat with a wooden spoon until smooth, gradually adding water.


They don't rise much, but it makes a lovely layer cake.







I then make a batch of gingerbread cookies using this recipe, but I like to bump up the ginger a bit. I just use ordinary popsicle sticks, and insert them before baking. It pays to do fairly thick cookies to help the sticks stay in. Break the stick before baking if you want some shorter ones.



I hope you enjoyed that; if you're interested in more of my recipes, our family cookbook is online here.