eek- birthday cake!

I really am going dippy, it only just occured to me that birthday means I
ought to produce some sort of birthday cake. Having bought cupcakes for
preschool on Friday (we're not allowed to provide homemade food) and having
a general dislike of store bought fancy cakes, I'd like to make one, but
I've never done that before. Somehow my mum has done the previous 3 and
produced works of art, including a pink cake that was suitable for a boy!
I'd ask her for her recipes, but she went away today and doesn't get back
'til the birthday is over and done with, silly me! Does anyone have a
foolproof recipe, preferably with store cupboard ingredients!

Cheers

Anne

Mineral Water Cake (just use sprite and reduce the sugar if you can't
get bubbly water)


-4 Eggs
-3 cups flour
-2 cups sugar (really, you need less than that. I think I used about 1
measuring cup)
-1 cup Oil (that has no strong smell/taste!)
-1 cup sparkling/bubbly water. Use Sprite if you can't find this and
reduce the sugar
-1 packet of baking powder (15g, about 1 level normal, not measuring(!)
tablespoon)

The woman I have this recipe from didn't use measuring cups! She used
coffee cups like the ones you get in dining sets, not mugs. I'm thinking
about a 3/4 measuring cup would be about the right size. I have
measuring cups now, but I have no measuring spoons, that's why all my
teaspoon/tablespoon ingredients should be measured with your regulyr
cutlery.


Flavouring: vanilla is nice, cocoa works well, any kind of flavouring
you have around the house will probably work.
you can mix in canned, drained fruit, chocolate chips, ground nuts,
raisins, whatever you'd like to have in your cake. If you're planning on
adding "heavier" ingredients add them 5-10 minutes after you put the
cake in the oven as they'll sink to the bottom otherwise.
If you want you can add food coloring.

How to:

- Mix eggs and sugar with an electric whisk until they're pale and
frothy (5 minutes)
- add the liquids, mix them in quickly (one vroom around the bowl should
do it, do not over mix!) If you want to add vanilla or any other kind of
flavouring, now is the time!
- In a separate bowl mix the flour and baking powder. If you're using
cocoa mix that in, too.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients, your whisk should be set to the lowest
or the medium setting for this as otherwise you'll be covered in flour
in about 3 seconds. If you want you can use a sieve to add the dry
ingredients, but you really don't have to except if there are big lumps.
- Add food coloring if you want to use it. Make the cake a lot brighter
than you think you want it to be because it will mute some.

Bake in a greased pan for about 1h at 180-200°C (370°F). I start testing
at about 45 minutes by inserting a wooden pick. If it comes out clean
the cake is done. If the top of the cake is already turning dark, but
the pick doesn't yet come out clean, cover the cake with some aluminium
foil.
Let it cool on a wire rack, remove from pan while still slightly warm
(at least I do, if you're worried about breaking it do whatever you feel
will be right.)
Decorate whichever way you want to.

Pregnancy brain... I'd like to add that the bater should be about the
concsistency of pancake batter you get from a mix, maybe a bit less
runny. It will be fairly runny but not overly so. If you feel it's too
runny add some more flour, if you feel it's too stiff add some more
sprite/water.


cu
nicole

In article ,
"Anne Rogers" wrote:

I really am going dippy, it only just occured to me that birthday means I
ought to produce some sort of birthday cake.

Basic Plain Cake & Variations ( Serves: 4 )

125g (1Ž2 cup) butter
3Ž4 cup castor sugar
4 drops vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups SR flour
1Ž2 cup milk

Method

* Heat the oven to 180°C or 165°C for Fan Forced.
* In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar.
* Beat the eggs and add them gradually to the creamed mixture, beating
well after each addition.
* Add the sifted flour alternatively with the milk, beginning and ending
with flour, then beat for about a minute till a smooth batter forms. (You can
get away without sifting if you use an electric mixer)
* Pour batter into a greased, floured cake tin

2 x shallow cake tins (round or square)
Loaf tin
Slab tin
Ring tin
Patty cake tin

* Bake for 30-40 minutes at 180°C or until a skewer inserted into the
centre comes out clean (time depends on depth of mixture). Allow cake to rest
5 mins before turning out onto a rack.

Variations

* Chocolate - Add 4 level Tbsp of cocoa powder to the flour. Increase the
milk by 1 Tbsp.
* Chocolate Chip - Add 1Ž2 cup choc bits to the dry mixture before adding
the milk.
* Citrus & Poppy Seed - Add 2 level tsp of grated orange or lemon rind and
1 tsp poppy seeds to the sifted flour - replace the milk with fresh orange or
lemon juice.
* Coconut - Add 1Ž2 cup of desiccated coconut and a few drops of coconut
essence/flavouring before the flour and the milk.
* Spice - Add 1 tsp of ginger, 1Ž2 tsp of cinnamon and 1Ž2 tsp of nutmeg
to the flour.
* Almond/Hazelnut - Add 1Ž2 tsp baking powder to the flour before sifting
and substitute 1 cup of the flour with almond or hazelnut meal and add a few
drops of almond/hazelnut extract.
* Ginger - Add 2 tsp ground ginger to the flour.
* Marble - divide the batter into three bowls, add cochineal (red food
colouring) to one, and 2 Tbsp cocoa, a pinch bicarbonate of soda and 1 Tbsp
extra of milk to the other, and leave one plain. Drop all three mixtures into
the prepared cake tin and draw a thick skewer or knife through all the batters
to streak the colours.
* Patty Cakes - spoon into 24 greased patty tins or patty cake papers on a
standard cookie slide. Cooking time is 10-15 minutes.

--
Chookie -- Sydney, Australia
(Replace "foulspambegone" with "optushome" to reply)

"Parenthood is like the modern stone washing process for denim jeans. You may
start out crisp, neat and tough, but you end up pale, limp and wrinkled."
Kerry Cue

"Anne Rogers" wrote:

I really am going dippy, it only just occured to me that birthday means I
ought to produce some sort of birthday cake. Having bought cupcakes for
preschool on Friday (we're not allowed to provide homemade food) and having
a general dislike of store bought fancy cakes, I'd like to make one, but
I've never done that before. Somehow my mum has done the previous 3 and
produced works of art, including a pink cake that was suitable for a boy!
I'd ask her for her recipes, but she went away today and doesn't get back
'til the birthday is over and done with, silly me! Does anyone have a
foolproof recipe, preferably with store cupboard ingredients!

Cheers

Anne

Wacky Cake

1 1/2 cups Flour
1 cup Sugar
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
3 Tablespoons Cocoa
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 teaspoon Vinegar
5 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
1 cup Water

Mix the dry ingredients together. Make three wells in mixture. Put vanilla
in one, vinegar in another, and oil in the third. Pour water over all and
mix well. Pour into pan and bake at 350 for approx. 30 minutes or until an
inserted toothpick comes out clean.

-

I usually double this because I like the cake fluffier. I just add
store-bought frosting to the top or I will make it without doubling it and
then sprinkle powdered sugar on top for a more snack-like cake.


--
Rebecca Jo
Mama to Alexander 6/6/05
EDD 7/03/2007

I just use the boxed cake mixes and make my own frosting and it is really
easy and tasty. I also put a package of pudding to match the cake in the
batter to make it moist. Making your own frosting though is what makes the
cake, imo. Look up buttercream frosting and you are good to go.
--
Sue

"Anne Rogers" wrote in message
. ..
I really am going dippy, it only just occured to me that birthday means I
ought to produce some sort of birthday cake. Having bought cupcakes for
preschool on Friday (we're not allowed to provide homemade food) and having
a general dislike of store bought fancy cakes, I'd like to make one, but
I've never done that before. Somehow my mum has done the previous 3 and
produced works of art, including a pink cake that was suitable for a boy!
I'd ask her for her recipes, but she went away today and doesn't get back
'til the birthday is over and done with, silly me! Does anyone have a
foolproof recipe, preferably with store cupboard ingredients!

Cheers

Anne

On May 26, 10:21 pm, "Anne Rogers"
wrote:
I really am going dippy, it only just occured to me that birthday means I
ought to produce some sort of birthday cake. Having bought cupcakes for
preschool on Friday (we're not allowed to provide homemade food) and having
a general dislike of store bought fancy cakes, I'd like to make one, but
I've never done that before. Somehow my mum has done the previous 3 and
produced works of art, including a pink cake that was suitable for a boy!
I'd ask her for her recipes, but she went away today and doesn't get back
'til the birthday is over and done with, silly me! Does anyone have a
foolproof recipe, preferably with store cupboard ingredients!

I am a huge fan of the Joy of Cooking for just about anything. We've
used three of their recipes to make birthday cakes and all three have
turned out delicious (oatmeal, carrot, and chocolate). For months now
the Bug has describing her birthday cake from last year (chocolate
cake and chocolate frosting with raspberries on it) and insisting that
she have the same cake this year. This is the only cookbook that I'll
allow us to use to make an untested recipe for company because over
many years of use for all sorts of different things we've only once
had a recipe turn out less than fine (and they usually turn out
great). If you have the time to make their chocolate cake and
chocolate frosting from scratch they're really, really good. The
carrot cake and cream cheese frosting are also both good and pretty
easy.

Kate, ignorant foot soldier of the medical cartel
and the Bug, who will eat her 4 year old birthday cake in two weeks

"Anne Rogers" wrote:

I really am going dippy, it only just occured to me that birthday means I
ought to produce some sort of birthday cake. Having bought cupcakes for
preschool on Friday (we're not allowed to provide homemade food) and having
a general dislike of store bought fancy cakes, I'd like to make one, but
I've never done that before. Somehow my mum has done the previous 3 and
produced works of art, including a pink cake that was suitable for a boy!
I'd ask her for her recipes, but she went away today and doesn't get back
'til the birthday is over and done with, silly me! Does anyone have a
foolproof recipe, preferably with store cupboard ingredients!

Can you go to the ice cream store and get an ice cream cake? They
will decorate it for you.

Or go to Chuckie Cheese (where we took my mom for her 90th bday)

Thanks all, I've definitely got something to work with now, I realised I'm
low on flour, so I'm off to prod the packet and work out how much there is,
then I might have to go shopping anyway! I'm pretty sure I don't have
vanilla either :-(.

Anne

Can you go to the ice cream store and get an ice cream cake? They
will decorate it for you.

I'm pretty sure you have to order them 48hrs in advance.

Or go to Chuckie Cheese (where we took my mom for her 90th bday)

we're going bowling as a birthday treat, so we're not going somewhere else
as well.

Anne