Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
This is why I love baking.
I love that you can create the most unique sweet treats at home.
Maybe, like me, you have a little idea of what you want a cake to look like.
Maybe something you saw in a baking book or online?
The picture/idea is there in your head.
But the beauty of baking it yourself is that halfway through, you can completely change your mind and fill the middle of said cake with your favourite spread and a crispy surprise instead of the chocolate buttercream you had originally planned.
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
This is why I love baking.
I love that you can create the most unique sweet treats at home.
Maybe, like me, you have a little idea of what you want a cake to look like.
Maybe something you saw in a baking book or online?
The picture/idea is there in your head.
But the beauty of baking it yourself is that halfway through, you can completely change your mind and fill the middle of said cake with your favourite spread and a crispy surprise instead of the chocolate buttercream you had originally planned.
Then, you remember you have a big thing for these guys so they become the crown around your whipped cream covered vanilla sponge and finally, in ode of the last cake recipe you posted on your blog, sprinkles!
A Simple List of Ingredients:
A Simple List of Ingredients:
1. Eggs
2. Vanilla Essence
3. Sugar
4. Self-Raising Flour
5. Baking Powder
6. Margarine
7. Milk
2. Vanilla Essence
3. Sugar
4. Self-Raising Flour
5. Baking Powder
6. Margarine
7. Milk
8. Butter
9. Shredded Wheat
10. Milk Chocolate
11. Dark Chocolate
12. Double Cream
13. Caramelised Biscuit Spread
14. Chocolate Fingers
15. Icing Sugar
16. Sprinkles
Bismillah, let's begin!
First, let's bake the cakes. Pre-heat the oven to 180C or Gas Mark 4.
Grease and line two 20cm (8 inch) sandwich cake tins.
Take 4 large Eggs.
Add them to mixing bowl.
Then, my favourite, vanilla!
To the eggs, add 2 teaspoons Vanilla Essence.
Now, for the sugar.
In goes 4 ounces (113 grams) Granulated Sugar.
With an electric mixer, beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla together for at least 5 minutes on a medium-high speed until lighter in colour.
Meanwhile, take self-raising flour.
And, baking powder.
Measure out 6 ounces (170 grams) Self-Raising Flour and 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder.
Mix them together.
Then, take margarine. I know that I usually use butter but this is my Mother's recipe and she always uses margarine for cakes so that's what we'll do too.
Measure out 4 ounces (113 grams) Margarine.
And, melt it in the microwave.
By now the egg mixture should be done - it should be lighter in colour.
Gradually, alternately and with the machine running on low, add the flour mixture and the melted margarine to the bowl.
Keep going until all the flour and margarine has been added.
Finally, a little milk.
Pour in a small splash of Milk.
Mix until just combined and we're ready to bake.
Divide the batter between the two cake tins and bake in the pre-heated oven for 20 minutes until golden.
Once baked, let them cool slightly and then remove onto a wire rack.
Cool completely before filling.
While the cakes cool, let me show you the original recipe inspiration/plan/idea for this cake.
It came from this very old baking book that we have at home. We got it from a Betterware catalogue that used to come through our letterbox back in the day.
And, now back to the cake. It's time to make another favourite (vanilla cake was the first) of mine - those crispy chocolate nests. Inspired by this recipe, we are going to fill our cake with crispy goodness.
So, first up, milk chocolate.
Into a heatproof bowl, place 75 grams Milk Chocolate.
Then, dark chocolate. I like to use an equal amount of both milk and dark chocolate to stop the cake getting too sweet.
Add 75 grams Dark Chocolate to the bowl. Both chocolate chips or squares are fine.
Next, a small splash of Milk.
And, a knob of Butter.
Then, place the bowl over a pan of simmering water.
Let the chocolate melt gently.
Once melted, remove from the heat and let the mixture cool for 5 minutes.
Whilst we shred up our shredded wheat - I must admit that the name of this cereal confuses me. I mean, it's shredded but yet it's not.
Take 2 pieces Shredded Wheat.
And, break/shred them.
Mix the shredded wheat and glossy chocolate together until well combined.
Ps. You could also do this exact same thing with cornflakes, rice krispies, even coco pops for an extra chocolatey effect!
Finally, let's make vanilla whipped cream and decorate this cake!
For the cream, take 300ml Double Cream.
And, 2 teaspoons Vanilla Essence.
Pour them into a mixing bowl.
And then, to sweeten, a little icing sugar.
Add about 2 tablespoons Icing Sugar to the cream.
Then, stick on the whisk attachment and whisk the cream until soft but stiff peaks form.
Like this!
Now, this next step is completely optional but this is where another favourite of mine came into play. Into a small bowl, place 2 tablespoons of the Whipped Cream we just made.
Then, grab some of this stuff. This is caramelised biscuit spread. I've finally got my hands on some and I can officially say that I am obsessed.
I mean, just look at it. It is smooth, sweet and very, very moreish.
To the whipped cream, add 1 tablespoon Caramelised Biscuit Spread.
Ps. you could totally leave the spread out or even replace it with Nutella or peanut butter.
Anyway, mix together until smooth and creamy.
And now, we assemble! Onto a cake stand or plate, place one of the cakes.
And spread it with that delicious biscuit spread cream thing.
Then, pile on the crispy chocolate stuff we made earlier.
Next, I just blobbed on some of the whipped cream to make sure the second cake stuck.
And, then on goes the second cake. If it's a little bent, nobody cares, my friend. This is a homemade cake - it's not supposed to be perfect!
Then, take the vanilla whipped cream and spread it all over the top and sides of the cake. Again, it doesn't have to be perfect - we're going to cover the whole thing with the best chocolate biscuits ever.
Speaking of ..
Take 3 boxes Chocolate Fingers and begin to press them into the sides of the cake.
I ended up needing only 2 and 1/2 but I'm sure you can find something to do with the extra half!
Finally, because I have a thing for sprinkles, on went Sprinkles, in the middle.
And, we're done! It's time to cut yourself a slice and enjoy. This cake was heaven for me - a vanilla sponge filled with a crunchy chocolate layer not to mention the biscuit whipped cream. Then, more whipped cream around the sides and sweet chocolate fingers to finish - yum!
Full Written Recipe:
Finally, a little milk.
Then, place the bowl over a pan of simmering water.
Once melted, remove from the heat and let the mixture cool for 5 minutes.
Whilst we shred up our shredded wheat - I must admit that the name of this cereal confuses me. I mean, it's shredded but yet it's not.
Take 2 pieces Shredded Wheat.
And, break/shred them.
Mix the shredded wheat and glossy chocolate together until well combined.
Ps. You could also do this exact same thing with cornflakes, rice krispies, even coco pops for an extra chocolatey effect!
Finally, let's make vanilla whipped cream and decorate this cake!
For the cream, take 300ml Double Cream.
And, 2 teaspoons Vanilla Essence.
And then, to sweeten, a little icing sugar.
Then, grab some of this stuff. This is caramelised biscuit spread. I've finally got my hands on some and I can officially say that I am obsessed.
Ps. you could totally leave the spread out or even replace it with Nutella or peanut butter.
Full Written Recipe:
A
Cake with All My Favourites.
Prep
Time: About 20 minutes
Bake
Time: 20 minutes
Serves:
8-10 people
Ingredients
For
the Vanilla Sponge
4 large Eggs
2 teaspoons Vanilla Essence
4 ounces (113 grams) Granulated Sugar
6 ounces (170 grams) Self-Raising Flour
½ teaspoon Baking Powder
4 ounces (113 grams) Margarine, melted
Small splash Milk
For
the Crispy Chocolate Filling
75 grams Milk Chocolate
75 grams Dark Chocolate
Small splash Milk
Small knob Butter
2 pieces Shredded Wheat, shredded
For
the Whipped Vanilla Cream
300ml Double Cream
2 teaspoons Vanilla Essence
2 tablespoons Icing Sugar
For
the Caramelised Biscuit Spread Cream
2 tablespoons Whipped Cream
1 tablespoon Caramelised Biscuit Spread
To
Decorate
3 boxes Chocolate Fingers
Sprinkles
Method
First, bake the vanilla cakes. Pre-heat
the oven to 180C or Gas Mark 4. Grease and line two 20cm (8 inch) sandwich
cakes.
Place the eggs, vanilla essence and sugar
into a bowl. Beat with an electric mixer for at least 5 minutes on a
medium-high speed until lighter in colour.
In a small bowl, mix the self-raising
flour and baking powder together.
When the eggs are lighter in colour,
gradually mix in the flour mixture and the melted margarine, alternating
between both until they have all been added in.
Finally, add the milk and mix.
Divide the batter between both cake tins
and bake for 20 minutes until golden. A clean skewer inserted into the centre
should come out clean once baked. Let the cakes cool completely.
Next, make the crispy chocolate filling.
Take a heat-proof bowl, and put in the milk chocolate, dark chocolate, milk and
butter.
Place the bowl over a pan of simmering
water and let everything melt together. Once melted, remove from the heat and
let the chocolate cool for 5 minutes.
Mix in the shredded wheat and set aside.
To make the whipped cream, place the
double cream, vanilla essence and icing sugar into a bowl. Beat with an
electric mixer until soft peaks form.
To make the caramelised biscuit spread
cream, mix together 2 tablespoons of the whipped cream with the biscuit spread.
To assemble the cake, take one layer.
Spread on the biscuit cream and top with the crispy chocolate mixture. Place
the second cake on top.
Then, cover the entire cake with the
whipped cream. Place the chocolate fingers around the edges and decorate the
top with sprinkles. Slice and enjoy!
This Time One Year Ago:
This Time Two Years Ago:
Keep me in your duas, please, and enjoy your cake,
Wasalaam!
