Most of the food is prepared by the centre and I am planning to make a Dinosaur "inspired" cake and cupcakes. For the cake, I am planning to make a Volcano cake. I found this Volcano cake from Cupcakes Addiction and I thought it looks easy enough for me to make it.(Just some information about myself, I am pretty clueless in baking) Cupcakes Addiction used mud cakes for the Volcano and I found this Mudcake recipe from thrumykitchenwindow. The mud cake looks amazing and I am going to try this out. Finger-crossed, this cake is going to be amazing. (If everything works out!)
The Very Best Chocolate Mud Cake (adapted from Family Circle)
250gm butter
250gm dark cooking chocolate
2tbsp instant espresso coffee powder or granules
150gm self-raising flour
150gm plain flour
60gm cocoa powder
1/2tsp bicarb soda
550gm caster sugar
4 eggs
2tbsp vegetable oil or light olive oil
125ml milk
Chocolate Ganache
150gm dark cooking chocolate
60gm melted unsalted butter
Grease a deep 23cm round cake tin. Line the base and sides with baking paper, making sure the paper extends well above the top of the tin.
Dissolve the coffee in 185mls hot water. Put the butter, sugar, chocolate and dissolved coffee and water in a pan. Stir over a low heat until smooth, completely melted and well incorporated. Set aside.
Sift the flours, cocoa and bicarb of soda into a large bowl. Sift a couple of times. Make a well in the centre.
Add the combined eggs, oil and milk; using a large spoon or spatula mix well into the dry ingredients. Add half the cooled melted chocolate mixture; stir well till there are no lumps. Add the remaining half; make sure the mixture is well combined. It should be of a pourable consistency.
Pour the mixture into the carefully lined cake tin. Place into a preheated oven set at 130 - 150degrees celcius. No higher. I feel the mud cake requires baking a bit like a christmas cake; long, slow and low heat. Bake for approx 1 3/4 hours. It is not unusual for the top of the cake to develop a crust or for the centre to be slightly sunken. Place the cake on a rack; leave in tin until completely cold. Once cold; cover securely with a tea towel. Leave overnight.
Turn cake out, remove all of the lining. Examine the cake. You want a level cake when it comes to decorating; therefore if it is not even it may be necessary to slice off some of the crusty bits until it is level with the centre of the cake. Sometimes the cake may have a slight rise. In this instance simply cut off the risen bit in the centre. Sometimes you won't have to do a thing.
Once you have achieved a flat, top surface, turn the cake upside down. It is wise to do this on the serving plate with some cutouts of baking paper around the edges and under the cake. This alleviates any messiness and once the icing becomes firm, the baking paper can be removed leaving your cake looking immaculately decorated.
In a small glass bowl over a pan of simmering water, melt the chocolate. Do not overheat. In another bowl, melt the butter in the microwave. Once again, do not overheat or 'sizzle' the butter; just till almost melted. Pour this into the melted chocolate and slowly incorporate the two together. Stir until well combined and you have achieved a nice glossy, pouring chocolate.
Pour ganache onto the centre of the cake. Using a spatula or a knife, spread the ganache all over the cake. If the weather is hot or humid you can take a little more time to get it right. If the weather is cold you may have to work more quickly as the chocolate ganache may begin to harden.
Allow the topping to set at room temperature. If at any time you place it in the fridge you will lose the glossy shine. It won't affect the taste, it just won't look as silky smooth.
This cake keeps moist easily for about two weeks.
Chocolate Ganache by Cupcakes Addiction
Dark Chocolate Ganache:
- 600g / 21oz Dark chocolate
- 300ml/g / 10.5oz whipping cream (35% milk fat)
- 650g / 23oz Milk Chocolate
- 300ml/g / 10.5oz whipping cream (35% milk fat)
- 700g / 25oz White Chocolate
- 300ml/g / 10.5oz whipping cream (35% milk fat)
I prefer the microwave method because I'm impatient and have a habit of walking away from stovetops and letting the chocolate burn or the cream boil over... Thats just me, but here are your two methods for making ganache:
#1: Microwave
- Combine chocolate and cream in a heatproof bowl
- Microwave on high for 1 minute interval, stirring for 2 minutes in between
- This should take 2-3 minutes max
- Stir until there are no lumps
- Bring your cream to a rolling boil (this just means a boil with bubble all over the surface, to just around the outside edges.
- Turn off the heat and add the chocolate to the saucepan
- Stir until there are no lumps
- Cover your ganache with plastic wrap and make sure the wrap touches the surface of the chocolate
- Watch the video to see how to achieve the perfect pouring, whipped and spreadable consistencies for your ganache
- Try to at least frost your cake before you commence eating the ganache straight from the bowl
- Don't be afraid to dip marshmallows and strawberries into freshly warmed ganache - its delicious
- 1 heaped tablespoon of room temp ganache folded into 1 cup of whipped cream makes and amazing chocolate mousse
DIY Sebastian's invitation card
I love making my own invitation card. There are a lot of free invitation card templates available online.
