My Dolly's Birthday Cake

Every day she amazes me. Every day is new and an adventure.

I look and I wonder the way her mind works...

How caring, thoughtful and easy going she is. How artistic, creative and imaginative she is. How she never stops asking questions, is constantly wondering and knows how to day dream with the best of us. How she can switch from being Momma's favourite girl to the teenager I would sell to the lowest bidder in a matter of seconds. How even though she's changing, growing up and becoming this amazing young adult.. she's still nothing but that little bundle of new baby I held in my arms 14 years ago.

She's still that tiny little Doll I get to call my very own. And every year since the dawn of her verbalisation of the words chocolate and cake... it's been the same request.

Chocolate cake with all the fudge trimmings.

Every year the cakes get more elaborate. Every year this girl pushes my skills.. Every year without fail.

Below is this years offerings... (note; there are no "inside this cake" pictures.. teenage girls are hungry ones!!)

Chocolate Cake

100g of good plain chocolate (TIP: Try at least 70% coco if you can handle that depth) 

225g of caster sugar

100g coco powder

300g self raising flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoons baking powder

2 eggs

50ml hot and strong coffee

125ml of vegetable oil

125ml of buttermilk

1 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat your oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4

Line two 8 inch cake pans with parchment. (I used my Wilton 6 inch pans for this cake- same recipe was used)

Melt the chocolate into the coffee and when melted add the vanilla.

Cream the sugar and the eggs until light and fluffy.

Dry mix all your dry ingredients together and slowly add them to the sugar/egg combination.

Add the buttermilk and mix.

Add the oil and mix.

Finally fold in the coffee/chocolate combination.

Pour between your prepared pans and bake for 35-30 minutes until the top has a spring in it and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clear.

Allow to cool in the pans for about ten minutes, then remove and allow to cool completely on a wire rack. 

I decorated the cake top with some "Tiffany Blue" Macarons, adapted from this recipe and filled it with my chocolate ganache recipe and my basic buttercream, coloured Tiffany blue also.