Dreamy Chocolate Ganache Cake

With my birthday just around the corner, I thought I'd make a chocolate cake as it's one of my colleagues birthdays on the same day!

But don't feel like you need an excuse for this gorgeous dreamy chocolate ganache cake. Just make it because it's ..Thursday!

All you need is..

• 200g dark chocolate
• 200g butter
• 1 tbsp instant coffee granules
• 85g self-raising flour
• 85g plain flour
• ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 400g golden caster sugar
• 25g cocoa powder
• 3 medium eggs
• 75ml milk (5 tbsp)
• grated chocolate or curls, to decorate

For the ganache

• 200g good quality dark chocolate, as above
• 284ml carton double cream (pouring type)
• 2 tbsp golden caster sugar

(I already had the basics, so I only had to buy the fresh bits.. It only cost £4!)

1. Butter a 20cm round cake tin (7.5cm deep) and line the base, or line two smaller trays so you don't have the fiddly cutting when it's cooled. Preheat the oven to fan 140C/conventional 160C/ gas 3. Break 200g good quality dark chocolate in pieces into a medium, heavy-based pan. Cut 200g butter into pieces and tip in with the chocolate, then mix 1 tbsp instant coffee granules into 125ml cold water and pour into the pan. Warm through over a low heat just until everything is melted – don’t overheat. Or melt in the microwave on Medium for about 5 minutes, stirring half way through.
2. While the chocolate is melting, mix 85g self-raising flour, 85g plain flour, ¼ bicarbonate of soda, 400g golden caster sugar and 25g cocoa powder in a big bowl, mixing with your hands to get rid of any lumps. Beat 3 medium eggs in a bowl and stir in 75ml (5 tbsp) milk.
3. Now pour the melted chocolate mixture and the egg mixture into the flour mixture, stirring just until everything is well blended and you have a smooth, quite runny consistency. Pour this into the tin and bake for 1 hour 25- 1 hour 30 minutes – if you push a skewer in the centre it should come out clean and the top should feel firm (don’t worry if it cracks a bit). Leave to cool in the tin (don’t worry if it dips slightly), then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
4. When the cake is cold, cut it horizontally into three, or if you make 2 seperate trays, don't worry. Make the ganache: chop 200g good quality dark chocolate into small pieces and tip into a bowl. Pour a 284ml carton of double cream into a pan, add 2 tbsp golden caster sugar, and heat until it is about to boil. Take off the heat and pour it over the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.
5. Sandwich the layers together with just a little of the ganache. Pour the rest over the cake letting it fall down the sides and smoothing to cover with a palette knife. Decorate with grated chocolate or a pile of chocolate curls. Grated chocolate brings out all those delicious flavours. The cake keeps moist and gooey for 3-4 days.
6. EAT EAT EAT!

Apple Cake Squares!

Sounds very simple but turned out very delicious, this apple cake was inspired by last nights madness on the Great British Bake Off.. watching it always gets me baking again!

I only had the basics in the house so this recipe was a good one for me to make. Just the usual baking supplies and some apples is all you need some this spongey fruity deliciousness, made in just 1 hour. 

Ingredients: 

• 125g plain flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 60g butter, melted
• 100g dark brown soft sugar
• 75g caster sugar

• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 75g chopped apple
• 75g finely chopped walnuts
• 2 tablespoons caster sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1. First of all pre heat your oven to 180c/Gas Mark 4 and grease your best baking tin (9" is ideal for this mix).

2. Next grab your sieve and sift together flour, baking powder, salt and some cinnamon. I didn't have any cinnamon, so I added a drop of almond extract to give it a nice kick. 

3. In a separate bowl (more washing up, I know) mix together melted butter, brown sugar and caster sugar with a wooden spoon until smooth. I actually did this in the pan, so the heat of melting the butter made it a smooth mix.

4. Stir in the egg and vanilla, make sure you get a nice smooth airey mix. 

5. Next add the flour mixture, this can get a little stiff to stir so make sure you add it in bit by bit. 

6. Stir in the apples and walnuts (I didn't have walnuts either, this is completely optional.)

7. Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared pan and leave it in the oven for 30 minutes, or until it's nice a springy to the touch like a cake. 

8. Leave to cool for around 15 minutes before taking it out of the pan. It'll be hot and you want to make sure it's a lovely shape so you can cut it into fingers or squares to share. 

Bon appétit! 

Fun with Washi Tape

Bank holiday weekend is here and I am off and thought I would get some crafting in! Last week I bought some Trimcraft Christmas Washi Tape from 'The Range' to experiment with as I have never used it before!

Turns out as long as you have something to decorate it's not difficult to make some truly lovely and very homemade looking.

I decorated a candle first and luckily the tape is very forgiving and peels off easily for you to have a few attempts. It has a masking tape feel to it but a nice adhesive that will stick to almost anything I think, I haven't found anything it won't stick to yet!

I moved into a kraft card box which had come with some jewellery I got a while ago. What a transformation! I can't wait to give this box to a lucky loved one this Christmas.

I can't express how easy this is and what a great professional touch it gives to any item. Go wild with some Washi!

Congrats!

Lots of girls and boys will be celebrating passing their GCSEs tomorrow including a work experience girl we have working with us at the moment, so I made her a little something to say Congrats!

This was made from the cake shop kit from Craftwork Cards. To see a tutorial on pop up cards see my precious bog here: http://mamamakesandbakes.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/pop-up-box-cards.html?m=1 

Good luck to everyone expecting results this year!

Snowman and the Snowdog Christmas cards!

I've been very busy preparing for Christmas! Here's a Selection of Christmas Cards with my Hunkydory the Snowman and Snowdog kit! Enjoy!

Mama's Reviews - Trinity Book Review

Sometimes, especially as a mother who works 12 hour shifts, I need some time away from the crazy world of television and baby food. My normal escape would be to craft but last week I was struck down with the flu, so I decided to kick back in bed and read a book, hoping for a speedy recovery. 

The book I read was 'Trinity' by Nigel May and wow, what a book. I'm not normally a big reader but this was something special, I couldn't put it down so it only took me 30 hours to read!

Trinity is a book about 3 girls who are living in their parents shadow and on their parents money. The story is set in rich parts of London and moves on to the life of luxury in the likes of Hollywood and Venice. The story follows the 3 girls in various relationships and their careers, sex scandals, murder, celebrity life, you name it, it's got it!

I think what got me so hooked about the book is that it's so REAL. You often wonder what happens to the daughters and sons of the rich and famous and this is exactly what I would imagine. Every page has a plot twist and I just couldn't wait to see which character was going to betray who next.

When the book was introduced to me, it was because I had mentioned the excitement behind the 50 Shades film, so I expected the book to be some what raunchy, which it is, but in it's own very mature, very believable way. Gay sex, straight sex, the odd scandal here and there, it had it all, but just as a film or TV show would, they would start or finish the sex and it would move on.. Not a mummy porn/mills and boon book at all, just some good old fashioned horny sexiness.

The characters in the book are very well written, the dialogue is witty and fun and the plot is intense. I honestly can't express enough how hard this book is to put down! I love the likes of Ugly Betty, Gossip Girl and Secret Diary of a Call Girl and if you did too, this is definitely a book for you. Nigel May is a very talented author and I can't wait to read his next novel, 'Addicted'.

Don't buy your morning coffee tomorrow, buy this book with your quid instead! 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00CNW8Z00?pc_redir=1408087807&robot_redir=1

Tonic Gold!

Have you signed up to Tonic Gold yet?!

Tonic are a company that specialise in all things that cut, scissors and dies are their speciality.

They have recently opened a new website for their special fans and if you sign up (for free!) you become a member.

When you're a member you can access a special members gallery for inspiration, downloads from Tonic, competitions and special offers.

Don't forget to put your address in your profile, because when you do you recieve a special gift! (I got mine in 2 days!)

It's a gorgeous 'made with love by' die, which I just love using, it's so lovely!

I can't wait to use it on all of my creations. :)

See you on www.tonic-gold.co.uk!