Goodness, I have got my first commission! My cupcake adventure around town during National Chocolate Week created a few waves and this was one of them - to make an enlarged version of one of my cardamom and orange cupcakes for a birthday. This is exciting but also rather scary and not the same as making a cake for a friend at all - it could all go horribly wrong and then what?
This is what I ended up doing:
- Remembered to get butter (200g unsalted) out of fridge early and put it over the heater to warm.
- Ground up seeds from 17 cardamom pods in a pestle and mortar.
- Infused pods in 4 fl oz hot water.
- Creamed softened butter with 200g of soft brown sugar, grated rind from 2 oranges, 1/4 tsp pink Himalayan salt and the ground cardamom until pale and fluffy. Then creamed it some more.
- Beat in 4 large eggs (from customers own smallholding) alternately with some of the flour (which I'm just about to get to).
- Sifted in 250g flour (1/2 wholemeal, 1/2 white spelt), 2 level tsp baking powder, 1 level tsp bicarb of soda and 50g cocoa.
- Stirred in water (with pods sieved out) whilst still warm.
- Mixed in 6 fl oz sour cream.
- Divided mixture between 2 21cm cake thingies and baked at 180C for 25 mins.
- Melted 200g 35% milk chocolate & left to cool slightly.
- Creamed further 100g unsalted butter with 100g icing sugar.
- Mixed in chocolate together with 2 tbsp orange liqueur.
- Used half of the mixture to sandwich the cold cakes together, then spread remainder over the top.
- Used minstrels to decorate.
Sadly, neither myself nor my chief chocolate taster got to taste this one, so I'll just have to assume it was completely delicious!
This looks wonderful - well done on your first commission - well deserved:) Lucie x
ReplyDeleteooh I would pay good money for a cake that looks as good as that. Well done.
ReplyDeleteI know they say don't judge a book by it's cover, but I think we all know that a cake that looks that good must be delicious. Congratulations on your first commission - I'm sure those lucky party goers will be knocking at your door for more. Thanks for popping over to my patch to say hello :o)
ReplyDeleteNic
That is exciting! It looks very delicious, you will be a full time baker before you know it.
ReplyDeleteKath
Congratulations on your first commission - looks great!
ReplyDeleteThank you all so much for your kind and supportive comments - much appreciated.
ReplyDeleteCake looks ever so nice. I'd have been very pleased to get this.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations!
ReplyDeleteWould love a slice!
Elisabeth x
And the Andrew Whitley course at Schumacher college must be coming up soon. He is a master baker - a master. (I interviewed him once for Living Earth...)
ReplyDeleteHi Elisabeth.
ReplyDeleteActually I'd quite have like a slice too! Must have gone down well, because have now been asked to make another.
Yes, I know a couple of folk who have been on Andrew's course in the Lakes and they've both been very impressed. Schumacher course is the week after next and I'm so hoping I'll be OK to go - partner currently laid very low with flu - aghhh!
Well done! I'm not surprised you got an order from Chocolate Week, your recipes sounded scrummy! This cake looks amazing, I'd pay for one myself!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, how exciting for you!
ReplyDeleteThis flavour combination sounds amazing and the big chocolate buttons are so cute - they make the cake.
Looks delicious. Would love a big slice of that with my tea now rather than a few pieces of cookies.
ReplyDeleteThis cake sounds amazing. I love cakes with an orange/chocolate combos!
ReplyDeleteNessa - thank you - I was going through an "I love cardamom" phase at the time.
ReplyDelete