BAKE

After you get to a certain age buying birthday gifts become a nightmare.  Somehow, over time, you develop an immunity to average products prewrapped in shiny paper, that as a teenager seemed like the perfect present for any occasion.  It’s even more difficult when the birthday person doesn’t even want to celebrate, or treat the day like it was different from any other day.
 
So there’s the conundrum: how to both respect his wishes and do something nice to quietly mark the day.  On one hand I completely get it, one day you turn around and age is just a new yet seemingly abstract number to remember (my Mother when asked has to do some quick mental arithmetic to work it out; I give the stock answer ‘twenty one, and you don’t want to find out the consequences if you question me’), and the stress of hosting a party and trying to keep everyone happy seems like the least birthday-like fun I could have.  On the other hand I love other peoples birthdays and having the chance to surprise them and make a fuss over them.

{sugar biscuits}

I think the best birthday I ever had was while visiting a friend (who is now - lucky for me - my rather wonderful other half) whilst he was studying in California.  We started celebrating it UK time (8 hours ahead) and it went on way into the next day Cali time.  He wanted to spoil me for being 5500 miles away from home, so we crammed in as much as possible, with trips to the beach, mall, cinema, and ending with an amazing house party.  And though, when reminiscing with him about it I always tease him for not letting me win at pool or air hockey (it was my birthday after all), he spent the entire time treating me like a princess, and he has rarely ever stopped since.

For this instance (the tricky birthday present), I wanted to make something modest, that catered to his love of coffee breaks, but wouldn’t draw attention to his birthday.  I had been experimenting with Sweetapolita’s sugar cookies, and after making two dozen biscuits (more on that later) I still had half the dough left.  

{if the shoe fits buy it in every colour}

She mentions in her post that it’s tough to roll out, and she was not joking! I ended up sitting on my coffee table putting as much of my weight into it as possible (I have a new respect for IKEA furniture!).  It was a good work out, and my palms are still slightly bruised today from the experience.

I made three dozen small round biscuits (and still had a third of the dough left, which is now sitting in my freezer waiting for the next time I feel like exercising my arms).  The biscuits are crunchy and buttery, sweet and vanillary.  They reminded me of a harder version of shortbread- which happens to be one of my favourite biscuits, so I was happy.

I can see why it’s a popular recipe as they are plain, and sturdy enough to support icing and decorations. I am already thinking of different spices I could substitute for vanilla.  

{creating a mess}

If I’m being completely honest, I wouldn’t call myself a book person; I am only half way through The Beautiful and the Damned and I started it about five months ago.  My reading pile is so high I have had to ban myself from buying any new ones for fear it would topple.  That doesn’t mean that I am not an avid reader, I spend huge amounts of my free time reading other peoples blogs.

I am beginning to believe that the simple trade of my book pile for an iPad would elevate most of my guilt over not being well read, and remove my fear that the gargantuan pile of books on my nightstand will fall and crush me in the night.

{floristry foam makes an excellent stand whilst the pops dry}

There are two reasons for bringing this up; firstly the soon to be new addition of my ‘favourite blogs’ link in the top bar; and secondly this recipe is from one of my favourite blogs, and has been on my ‘to try’ list for over a year.

I would think that most people who regularly peruse the baking blog scene will have come across cake balls in one form or another.  The basic idea is mixing crumbled left over cake with  buttercream icing, rolling into balls and chilling, before dipping in chocolate to coat.

One incredibly talented lady has made a career out of them. I’ve been following her adventures in baking online for what feels like forever, but it came as a shock to see her beautiful creations staring out at me from my local craft shop’s book section.

{cakes pops}

Living in what feels like the tail end of nowhere, I am more than used to watching the world go by from behind my computer screen while our little county remains unaffected; it is becoming more apparent that a relocation to a bigger pond is much needed.  Anyway it’s always a pleasant surprise when something from the outside world manages to work its way in.  

I used three red wine and chocolate cupcakes as the cake base and a couple of spoonfuls of marscapone cheese (instead of frosting).  The process was simple, and the result was nothing like I imagined it to be; I’m not sure what I was expecting but the chocolate truffle-like result was a pleasant surprise.  

You do need a lot of patience when making these, as it’s a lot of tapping excess chocolate off the cake balls and waiting for each one to set enough not to need to be held over the melted chocolate anymore.

{another excuse to play with my new presentation bags}

I sent this batch in to my boyfriend’s work for a colleague’s birthday, and I gather from the feedback that they were demolished in a tenth of the time it took to make them.

I am already excitedly jotting down flavour combinations, my next batch will be vanilla cake, frosted with a dark chocolate coating; unsurprising as they are my two favourite sweet flavours.  A Christmas chocolate liqueur selection box could be a fun twist on the classic holiday gift, or jam filled vanilla cake in white chocolate as a play on the traditional Victoria sponge.   

{the birthday boy enjoying his cake pops}

Baking a cake for a diabetic is never easy; it’s particularly hard when said diabetic has a sweet tooth and low self control.  Those being two attributes I am overly familiar with, I sympathise greatly.  I am lucky enough not to be diabetic, but with an average metabolism and an interest in fashion, I like many others try to watch my sugar intake; and I can say with absolute certainty I would be a terrible diabetic.
 

{left over cake}

 
I have tried a couple of diabetic cake recipes, but I have yet to find one anyone really liked.  So as a compromise I found a recipe with an icing that didn’t call for any added sugar (it’s a little scary how much icing sugar goes into frosting) and I settled with a chocolate and red wine cake from the fantastic blog Smitten Kitchen.
 
 

{my slice with my cream-hating boyfriend’s topping - easily the best bit of the cake}

 
Never has there been one batch of cake batter that has had so many uses!   It made a layer cake, 15 cupcakes and 10 cake pops; which was quite a feat considering I didn’t like it.  From the reviews I got I was the only one who felt that way.  Either that or I am surrounded by very lovely people who feed me nothing but compliments.  It was rich and moist, chocolately with a hint of cinnamon and alcohol…  Perfect on paper, I just didn’t like the flavour.

{cupcake packing station} 

 
What I loved was the mascarpone and whipped cream topping.  My Victoria Sponge will never be the same again.  Next time I make it I am going to use vanilla beans rather than extract so it has a stronger flavour and that decadent black speckle.
 
The cupcakes gave me the perfect opportunity to play with my new display bags I got in preparation for Christmas.

{cupcakes}