A Brother's Chocolate Cake

A brother's birthday is a very important event. I have 3 brothers, and they are all special to me in different ways. My youngest brother recently turned 13 and to celebrate we held a family dinner ending with a slice (or two) of birthday cake after blowing out the candles.

I made devil's food cake filled and frosted with a chocolate Italian meringue buttercream. The light and not too sweet buttercream pairs well with the rich chocolate cake and I was very happy with the look on the birthday boys face when he saw his cake.

The cake itself was easy to make and although the frosting is a little more involved than a regular buttercream, the taste is worth it. The decorations on the cake were easy but very effective, and I would love to make more cakes just like this one again and again.

23rd Madhatter Creation

Cocktails, Canapés and Cake. Sounds good...doesn't it? I celebrated my birthday recently and while the nibblies might not have been quite sophisticated enough to be called canapés, they certainly hit the spot.

While some might think it strange to make your own birthday cake, I on the other hand, find it a fantastic opportunity to do something that I wouldn't attempt if it were for someone else. This cake goes by many names - madhatter, topsy-turvy, wonky and whimsical. And it is by no means something you can whip up in an afternoon.

The bottom tier is chocolate mud cake with homemade raspberry filling and the middle and top tier are caramel mud cake with caramel ganache.

Blue Ice Cake

Cake decorating is a hobby in which I am constantly learning new things. I enjoy trying new techniques for the first time, and even if it doesn't work out perfect, I know I'll get better at it with practice. I made this cake for my Mum's birthday late last year and it involved lots of firsts as it was my first tiered cake and my first time making wired and beaded decorations. The cake design is from the book Cakes to Inspire and Desire by Lindy Smith which I am able to borrow from my local library (very handy!). It gives great detail on how to make the decorations and even a beginner like me was able to pull it off.