Bimby Chocolate Cake

[Cuilidh]

Maddy, let us know when you are opening your shop and I'll be on the road heading your way from Melbourne.....

[Frozzie]

made this mix tonight but instead of cacao i put in three bananas, some mixed spice and a little vanilla....made a loaf cake and a bunch of cupcakes.....yum....will ice tomorrow 

oh forgot to add put 250g brown sugar and the rest in raw..

[berpsie]

With the apple sauce how much do you put in and how much sugar/fat do you miss out?  Keen to make it 

[judydawn]

Berpsie, here is an explanation of quantities to substitute.

[Wonder]

I make this cKe most weeks for lunches but find no matter what I do it has a huge dome in the centre and doesn't rise that much around the sides. I've tried everything including lowering/increasing the temp, wrapping the tin in heat strips, a rose nail and I still get the dome,  I made some as cupcakes today and even the have big peaks in the centre. It's still tastes great but I really can't figure out what the problem is. My oven cooks very unevenly (i will never buy Smeg again). Does anyone else have the same problem. I also use an oven thermometer already so tried that

[Lellyj]

Wonder, I don't have this problem--I use a large rectangular tin.  My oven's thermostat is off so I have a thermometer, it's generally much hotter than it says, but if you've already tried this, I am at a loss as to what's wrong.  I hope some one can help you.

[Frozzie]

DS party went off perfectly...14 kids from lunch to 6pm...lots of fun and games and he liked his cake anyway after my disaster....made the bimby choc cake in a round cake that I had planned to ice blue and put a spîderman icing image (with frozen buttercream on) but disaster the black writing icing stick i had didnt freeze after spending ages putting in all the detail..was devastated.  ....am ordering black dye to use in buttercream to still do what i had planned in a couple of weeks as a surprise for DS...ended up at 2am just drawing with the icing stick a very quick spiderman head outline on the cake..threw sprinkles all over the cupcakes and edges of cake and that had to do..crappiest decorated cake i have made but I was too exhausted to do anything else and DS was happy enough which is all that counts.....lol.... hello kitty cake next week but might do lemon version DD bday on wednesday!

[Cornish Cream]

Your cake looks great Frozzie.You must be exhausted after a late night cake decorating and entertaining 14 children all afternoon

[Frozzie]

Thanks CC and yes was quite tired as soon as everyone went home..zzzzzzzzzzz...now going through all the photos to put on facebook for my family and friends who dont get to see the kids on their birthdays or at their parties!

[maddy]

Kim, Happy Birthday to your son! 
Your cake looks great, and I'm sure your boy  loved it!
I feel your pain though, nothing worse when decorating doesn't go to plan, and your still up in the wee hours......have visited that place before 

[johnro]

Frozzie I am sure that many on here have been to that place to which you refer with very early morn/late nights being the norm the day before kids birthdays as well as Xmas pressie construction.  Cakes look great Frozzie!!! Happy birthday to your DS.   

[judydawn]

Great cake Frozzie, disaster averted. 

[Frozzie]

thanks guys and yes it could have been worse JD but Im kind of a perfectionist so even though it turned out OK I was still not happy as it wasnt what I had planned to do but we all make mistakes to learn from them so lesson learnt !!

Robyn sure your right...think most mums have beeen there.....and I didnt die until after all the kids went home and was struggling to stay awake but wanted to get photos up for friends and family etc...early to bed tonight as first day back at school in the morning (beginning of school year here tomorrow)!

THanks maddy...i should have taken a photo of the spiderman drawing outline I was so pleasd with it but after it wouldnt freeze and i couldnt transfer it onto the cake as it was gel like I scrunched it up and threw it out lol

maddy question do you use a basic buttercream or in the miette book I received the other day they had a european buttercream that I had never heard of to be honest (not overly a cake person) that has egg whites and a hot syrup that is mixed until cool??? Would be interested to know if you have tried it or not and what you use for buttercream recipe? 

[achookwoman]

Frozzie,  I was reading yesterday  and it was either Rodney Dunn or Dan Lepard,  and he said to cover the tin with foil for the first 1/2 hour,  to stop it peeking in the center.   Haven't tried it, so don't know if it works,  but both are excellent cooks.

Love your cake and feel for you trying to get it just right.   

[maddy]

maddy question do you use a basic buttercream or in the miette book I received the other day they had a european buttercream that I had never heard of to be honest (not overly a cake person) that has egg whites and a hot syrup that is mixed until cool??? Would be interested to know if you have tried it or not and what you use for buttercream recipe? 

Well to be honest, all I have been using lately is the TM vanilla frosting recipe.....love it!  I really don't like that strong butter taste in traditional buttercream.
I have yet to try the Miette version, looks interesting.....will make that my mission shortly  ......and how gorgeous is that book!