Before Melbourne Cup.

This month has two birthday's celebrations in our family.  Thomas's birthday is going to be on the same day with the Melbourne Cup this year, and He is turning ten years old.  An early birthday party he had with his friends, and he had a fantastic time.  Did he cut the birthday cake?  A question with an answer eventually.    

A moist chocolate cake, I baked for my granddaughter Mary Rose on her twelfth birthday.  It was a big call, really as I had to bake it in the Airbnb during our stay in Brisbane.  I know she asked for the birthday cake and she did not demand a particular cake, but any cake from Nana would do as she knows that I love baking. It's all good, after all the visit to Brisbane was to celebrate her birthday and to see the new place in Ipswich.

Using someone kitchen is not easy though, it is the unfamiliarity which troubles me. To bake a cake and using the different mixer, and how to set up the oven and so forth.  However, I was brave enough to do.  I decided to bake an easy chocolate cake, a made it up - no recipe to follow, only I believed that it is going to work.  Indeed it did, a quick mix and easy method I used.  The chocolate cake was born so its recipe. The recipe will stay in the family, I make sure.  I baked the cake in the medium-hot oven, instead of in a low setting that made the cake cracked after halve through the baking time, from then on the stove has to be reduced to a lower setting and continue baking until the cake was cooked through and baked correctly. I knew what to do next time.  I learn from mistakes always.

This week I will relive the experience, I must remember all the ingredients for the cake, and I have to do the right thing.  From the preparation, baking the cake and cooling it.  I already noted what was in it, in fact, the recipe was created.

Recipe by Susy

Mary Rose Moist Chocolate Cake

Ingredients
250g good quality dark chocolate
200 g unsalted butter
4 large free-range eggs
300 g self-raising flour
250g castor sugar.
50 mils milk
1 tablespoon creamy Greek Style yoghurt
Method
Line a 20cm round tin with baking paper
Preheat oven to 155 C (a fan-forced)
Melt the butter and the chocolate, with spatula transfer this mixture to a large bowl, let it cool.
Place the flour and sugar in another bowl.
Crack the four egg in a bowl and beat lightly

Cooling the cake in the tin
cover with double baking papers

Add the flour and sugar into the cooled chocolate and butter mixture, mix lightly and add the lightly beaten egg and mix together.  Stir in the milk and mix together. Add the yoghurt, stir, mix and fold together to make a smooth batter.
Pour the cake into the prepared tin
Bake the cake in the preheated oven for 55-60 minutes or until it cooked through.
Take the cake tin out from the oven and let it stay on the tin, cover with baking paper until it's cool.
Take the cooled cake out from the tin, wrap it in paper and foil until it is ready to dress.
Now you have it.
Dress the cake with chocolate ganache and filled with cream patisserie or simply whipped cream, and garnished with berries.


Please do try the recipe, I am pleased and proud to share it with you. I have a plan to bake the chocolate cake again soon, and I shall show you the picture, and hopefully, the recipe works perfectly.

Two good times before the Melbourne Cup.  Good to know that Thomas had a fun birthday party and we had a lovely morning tea with friends. Savoury and Sweet we had.
The savoury - slices of cheese herbs loaves and the sweet-pumpkin and sultana rolls.

Preparation
To Dress The Savoury

 To Dress The Sweet

It was a good start of the new month, to be spending time with good people and good friends.

The seventh of November, Nana and Pop won't be able to come along to Thomas' birthday celebration, we wish Thomas the very best,  Happy Birthday to You, have a great day and God Bless. 

We will revisit you, Thomas, maybe in the more cooling season.

Tomorrow, a lot of people will have the celebration, it is the Melbourne Cup Day.
I am sure beautiful dresses, hats are to be organised and excellent food and drinks are on the menu.
Enjoy the preparation for The Big Day, The Melbourne Cup Day, the race which stops the nation.  Have Fun!




Until Next Post
Susy