Coral snake chocolate birthday cake with chocolate fudge icing (recipe see http://www.addisonembroideryatthevicarage.co.uk/2014/06/22/milk-chocolate-cake-chocolate-fudge-icing/
A birthday party for the small person – now 4 years old – occupied most adults in the family for nearly the whole weekend, even though the burdens of party giving were shared with the families of 2 other 4 year olds. And goodness knows how we’d have managed on our own, though. of course, there wouldn’t have been 60 children and 90 adults if we had gone solo!
Coral snake chocolate birthday cake with chocolate fudge icing (for recipe see http://www.addisonembroideryatthevicarage.co.uk/2014/06/22/milk-chocolate-cake-chocolate-fudge-icing/)
Now our small person is very enamoured of reptiles and in particular snakes. His heroes are animal people, ranging from David Attenborough to the flamboyant Steve Irwin, zookeeper, crocodile and snake hunter extraordinaire, who was killed by an injudicious encounter with a stingray in 2006 while he was filming sequences for his daughter’s TV series (it could happen to any of us, couldn’t it?). For some, it’s Spider Man, Batman, Superman or Wonder Woman, but for our little one, an intrepid Australian zookeeper with fine line in explosive diction is the best of the lot. Experience suggests this passion won’t last for ever, so we’re happy to go along with it for the time being.
Coral snake birthday cake with chocolate fudge icing (for receipe http://www.addisonembroideryatthevicarage.co.uk/2014/06/22/milk-chocolate-cake-chocolate-fudge-icing/)
Having been surprised by a cake in the shape of a snake for his birthday proper, the young person wanted the same for his party – but bigger. Fortunately his friends liked this suggestion, so armed with my recipe for ‘Milk chocolate cake with chocolate fudge icing: possibly the best chocolate cake ever’ blogged about here and a bund tin 5 times over, his mother produced the bare bones for the snake. On Friday evening. three of us set to arranging the cake in coils, manufacturing and applying industrial amounts of chocolate fudge icing and studding the sinuous result with red and brown M & Ms and milk and white chocolate buttons. Mirabile dictu – the children loved it. (It is such an excellent cake what with the ground almonds and the really fudgy icing, that the parents loved it too.)
Not a good photo technically but great atmosphere ! Coral snake chocolate cake with chocolate fudge icing (for recipe http://www.addisonembroideryatthevicarage.co.uk/2014/06/22/milk-chocolate-cake-chocolate-fudge-icing/)
Sharkey and George provided perfect well judged entertainment with lots of organised running about and they were brilliant at spotting little ones not sure or too shy to join in. However, the best bit was a tug of war at the end which brought competitive dads from out of nowhere – but on to just one side of the rope! The small person’s competitive mother was having none of this and, collaring a suitably sturdy father standing nearby and the sympathy – well, yes and physical help – of Sharkey and George (who were three people) secured a stunning victory for her side.
Sunday we were all exhausted – but happy. Uncle of the small person had been unable to come to the party and we had lost the piece of cake saved for him – so we just baked another cake. It’s just such a great recipe so easy and quick and doesn’t need an electric mixer or anything more complicated than a wooden spoon.
8 Comments
I will have to try your recipe. Chocolate cakes have been notoriously tricky for me. Always a little dry no matter the recipe. Thanks for sharing!
Do try it and let me know. We love it and it’s so easy – no equipment needed just a wooden spoon.
I think the evaporated milk and the ground almonds stop it being dry – and the almonds and wholemeal flour give it a really nice texture.
The fudge icing is brilliant but there is lots of icing sugar, so we only roll it out for special occasions.
Think I might try it with butternut squash one day as you’d need less butter and probably less sugar. Harry Eastwood’s book “Red Velvet and Chocolate Heartache’ is mad but brilliant with brownies made from beetroot and chocolate cakes from aubergine or butternut squashes and these are definitely not dry.(Amusing review from one of our daily newspapers here https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2009/jul/22/zoe-williams-vegetable-cakes.) I also blogged about them here http://www.addisonembroideryatthevicarage.co.uk/2014/09/24/vegetable-cakes/ and here http://www.addisonembroideryatthevicarage.co.uk/2015/09/01/the-church-biscuit-62-aubergine-and-blueberry-brownie/. You’ll never bake a dry choocolate cake again, Amara. Sorry to bombard you with recipes!
Well, if the passion continues, you now know how to make Snake Cakes!
Yes, his mother’s thinking the bund tin would yield a passable dinosaur and also a good Nessie – so that’s birthdays 5 and 6 sewn up!
Looks like a wonderful party! (Is the small person wearing one of your knitted garments? )The cake is a masterpiece. I often make a chocolate cake using a Mary Berry recipe for Milk Chocolate cake from her “Fast Cakes” book. This too uses evaporated milk both in the cake and the icing. Will certainly try your recipe soon.
It was a jolly party of controlled boistrousness.
Small person is actually 3 from left in the first photo and is in khaki, his Steve Irwin outfit, with accompanying croc in the lapel, black mamba accessory and pocket turtle – though I seem to remember being in charge of the animals for some of the time, so I can’t guarantee he’s in possession of all three creatures in the photo.
Think I have the Mary Berry book so will have a look at it.
I loved this post! Your pictures are wonderful; I love the expressions on the faces of the children–they tell such an important part of the story. I’ve shown your post to several of my friends who enjoy making interesting cakes and local enthusiasm is running high. Thanks for the lovely glimpse into your life.
Thank you for your lovely kind comment Katie.