Order Number 2

Things have been pretty hectic around here lately.  Chocolate Teapot is doing OK sales wise in its second week of operation, and I have an order to fill everyday this week!  This order came in on Saturday morning and being a little bit of a rush job it probably isn't finished to my highest standards .... in my defence though I was asked to cover the cake in buttercream a tricky medium to get a professional finish with!

The cake is made up of two rich chocolate cake, sandwiched with raspberry jam and vanilla buttercream, then iced with chocolate buttercream.  "What are the little silver things?" I hear you ask ... beer kegs!  The original request had been for a cake shaped as a keg but owing to the fact that my third term of class has been removed by the college, I've never been shown how to shape a cake and respectfully offered that they contact a professional.  The clients insisted they wanted a cake made by little ol' me though (which was lovely!) but left me a little short on how to incorporate the beer theme with a chocolate cake. 

In the end I made these little guys out of white sugar paste and then covered them with a silver luster dust.

Rich Chocolate Cake
200g SR flour
50g cocoa powder
125g butter, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
275g caster sugar
2 eggs
160ml water

Preheat oven to moderate (175C).  Grease and line pan.

Sift flour and cocoa into a medium bowl, add remaining ingredients; beat on low speed with electric mixer until ingredients are combined.  Increase speed to medium, beat about 3 mins or until mixture is smooth and changed to a lighter colour.  Spread into prepared pan.  Bake in a moderate oven until cake is cooked (this is not a very helpful instruction!!!!  I started checking the cake from the 20 min mark!).  Stand cake in pan for 5-10 mins; turn onto a wire rack to cool.

Makes 1 thin 23cm cake
Taken from the Australian Women's Weekly 'Kid's Party Cakes'