PINATA CAKE

As kids’ bdays neared in November  , I asked them what cake would they want me to bake this time…and both of them had the same reply.. They need a cake with lots of M n M s .. like the Kit Kat cake I had baked last year for their birthdays .

That’s when I remembered about the Pinata Cake picture Azna had sent me a a few months back. Hiding M n Ms inside a cake – the boys were surely going to love it !!! 🙂 The  Ultra Moist Chocolate Cake I had posted  before would be the cake in which the M n Ms would hide.

Now a days my  kids want to handle all the cake mixing part.  So I handed the measured ingredients to the birthday boy and he did all the mixing and stirring. But after baking the cake, when the icing part came, I didn’t allow the kids to enter the kitchen ..  couldn’t spoil the surprise element 🙂

I was eager to see  the surprise  on the boys ‘ faces  when the Mn M s fell out, but they were more busy .. Were the birthday boys and friends surprised when the cake was cut ? Well, not exactly.. the friends were more busy smearing the cream over the birthday boys  🙂 But on the plus side, the boys did enjoy the cake.. Yummy and awesome was the verdict from them !!! 🙂

Here’s the method to hide the M n Ms inside the cake… 

Divide the cake into 3 equal parts. Keep one layer aside

Make a hole in the middle of the first layer using any cookie cutter .  Pour sugar syrup over the layer . Spread whipped cream over the layer.

Now make a hole over the second layer.  Place the second layer over the first layer. Pour sugar syrup over this and spread whipped cream.

Place the M nMs into the hole made by the 2 layers. Now place the layer that was kept aside over the 2 layers.  This 3rd layer will hide the M n Ms .

• Servings: 12
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INGREDIENTS

FOR THE CAKE

• Powdered sugar – 2 cups
• All-purpose flour – 1 3/4 cups
• Cocoa powder – 3/4 cup
• Baking powder – 1 1/2 teaspoon
•  Baking soda – 1 1/2 teaspoons
• Salt – 1 teaspoon
•  Eggs – 2
• Milk – 1 cup
• Vegetable oil – 1/2 cup
• Vanilla extract – 2 teaspoons
• Boiling water – 1 cup
• Whipping cream , for frosting

FOR THE SUGAR SYRUP

• Sugar – 1/4 cup
• Water – 1 cup

FOR THE WHIPPING CREAM 

• Dreamwhip – 3 sachet
• Cold Milk – 1 1/2 cup
• Vanilla Essence – 1tsp

METHOD

TO MAKE THE CAKE:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3.  Add the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla, mix for 2 minutes on medium speed of mixer. Stir in the boiling water last.
4. Batter will be thin. Pour evenly into the prepared pan.
5. Bake 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until the cake tests done with a toothpick.
6. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

TO MAKE THE SUGAR SYRUP:

Stir the sugar, water and essence in a small saucepan and bring to boil. Simmer till the sugar has dissolved, and cool completely.

TO MAKE THE WHIPPING CREAM:

Mix the contents in 3 small sachets of Dreamwhip with 1  1/2 cup cold mix and a teaspoon of vanilla essence. Beat on high speed for 5-7 minutes till you get light fluffy peaks. This will give about 5 cups whipped cream.

TO ASSEMBLE

1. Divide the cake into 3 equal horizontal layers. Keep one layer aside
2. Make a hole in the middle of the first layer using any cookie cutter .  Pour sugar syrup over the layer . Spread whipped cream over the layer.
3. Now make a hole over the second layer.  Place the second layer over the first layer. Pour sugar syrup over this and spread whipped cream.
4. Place the M nMs into the hole made by the 2 layers. Now place the layer that was kept aside over the 2 layers.  This 3rd layer will hide the M n Ms .
5. Apply a thin layer of frosting over the cake (crumb coat) . Refrigerate for 1-2 hours
6. Apply a thicker coating of the frosting to get a final smooth finish.

Chocolate Orange Cloud Gateau

My brother called me to say that we’ll have a get together with friends at his home during the weekend. After my success in making the Espresso Coffee Cream Cake ,I couldn’t wait to try another of Deeba’s wonderful recipes. So I eagerly proposed that I will bring the dessert for the party.  My friend had earlier tried Deeba’s  Chocolate Orange Cloud Gateau and said that it was “the best tasting sponge ever”.  Naturally I finalized on the same recipe..

As expected the sponge came out quite well. I kept it in the fridge overnight, and the next day cut the cake into two and sandwiched the pieces with the filling. The frosting part was the one where I always stumbled upon. I wanted to make the beautiful scrolls as in Deeba’s, but somehow the scrolls wouldn’t stick to the cake… Deeba has patiently replied to my mail that maybe I tried to stick the scrolls after the frosting on the cake was too set to catch the spirals.. hopefully , next time I will have a better result  🙂  . .  Needless to say the cake was a hit at the party!!!

Recipe Source

Passionate About Baking

Ingredients

• Plain flour – 150gms (1 1/4 cups)
• Cornflour – 25gms (1/8 cup)
• Baking powder – 2 tsps
• Pinch of salt
• Icing Sugar – 150gms (1 1/4 cup)
• Oil – 5 tbsps (I used sunflower oil)
• Water – 5 tbsps
• Eggs – 3 / separated
• Zest of 1 orange
• Orange juice – 1 tbsp

Sugar Syrup

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/8 cup water
• 1/2 tsp orange extract

Method:
Simmer till the sugar has dissolved, and cool completely.

Filling:

• Whipping Cream – 200ml
• Almonds – 3 tbsp (ground)
• Castor sugar – 2-3 tbsps

Ganache:

• Cream – 150 ml (15% fat)
• Dark chocolate – 150gms / broken into pieces

• Some extra chocolate for garnishing (grated, scrolls etc)

• Silver dragees, orange slices, powdered sugar etc for garnishing.

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 190 degrees C. Line an 8″ springform tin.
2. Sift the cornflour + flour + baking powder + salt + icing sugar into a mixing bowl.
3. Beat the egg whites till they stand in soft peaks & keep aside.
4. Lightly beat the oil + water + yolks together & stir into the dry ingredients.
5. Beat until smooth, & stir in the juice & zest.
6. Fold the whites gently into the yolk mixture.
7. Turn into lined tin & bake for about 45 minutes till well risen & golden brown. Check if it is done with a wooden pick.( Slide a sheet of foil lightly over the top if it begins to brown too fast).
8. Leave in tin for 10 minutes, & then cool completely on rack.
9. Once cool, cut into 2 or 3 layers.
10. Soak with the sugar syrup

Filling:

1. Whip the cream + sugar till firm. Whisk in the ground almonds.
2. Reserve a little cream for the topping, & sandwich the layers with the rest.

Ganache:
Put the cream & dark chocolate into a pan heat over low heat till all the chocolate has melted, stirring constantly. Stir well, & leave to cool.

Frost the sides & top of the cake with the ganache. Decorate the top with grated chocolate curls & pipe a design with the reserved almond cream. Top with a few slices of orange, chocolate shavings & silver dragees etc. Dust with some powdered sugar.

Chill well & serve right out of the fridge!

P.S :Sending this as an entry to Delicious Desserts event hosted by What’s Cooking today!!

Sending this to the Tried and Tested Event by Lakshmi guest hosted by Jayasri of Samayal Arai