Cooking for Oscar » Amines » The Birthday Week – Two Chocolate Cakes

The Birthday Week – Two Chocolate Cakes

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Hubby and I have our birthdays two  days apart.  Before Oscar came along we usually just had one celebration and never bothered with a cake.  Now there is an expectation of a cake and “party” for each of us.  Last weekend was birthday weekend, and it was a chocolate fest.  To reduce the amount of left over cake in the house I made a mini (10cm) cake for hubby’s birthday, decorated with the moon (marshmallow) and stars (white musk stick).  The recipe was based on one from Cake on the Brain and the cream icing from the Carob Cream recipe in the RPAH’s Friendly Food.  I used the tins from pears in syrup (no shortage of those here!) as my cake tins, but hubby must have been impressed as he bought me two 10cm cake tins as an early birthday present the next day!

Hubby made my Banana and cashew chocolate cake based on a Gabriel Gate’s Chocolate Cake Supreme  recipe from “Great Cakes and Desserts”.  That was a full size cake and extremely rich.  Luckily my parents were there to share it with, but we still took half of it to work on Monday.

 

Moon and Stars Mini Birthday Cake

Print recipe
Moon and Stars Mini Birthday Cake
Serves 2-3
Prep time 45 minutes
Cook time 30 minutes
Total time 1 hours, 15 minutes
Allergy / Intolerance Amines, Artificial Addititives, Artificial Colours, Glutamates, Preservatives, Salicylates
Suitable for Amines Challenge, RPAH Elimination Diet - Amines Allowed, RPAH Elimination Diet - Low Chemical / Failsafe, RPAH Elimination Diet – Very High Chemical
Meal type Sweet Things
Misc Child Friendly, Pre-preparable, Serve Cold
Occasion Birthday Party, Special Occasions
A small birthday cake for 2 to 4 people, decorated with the moon and stars.

Ingredients

For the cake:

  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons plain white flour
  • 3 tablespoons buttermilk
  • 1 Large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter / Nuttelex (melted and cooled)
  • 2 tablespoons raw cocoa powder or carob powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • canola oil spray

For the butter cream icing:

  • 85g unsalted butter / Nuttelex (softened)
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 2 tablespoons warm water
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon raw cocoa powder or carob powder

To decorate:

  • 1 packet Pascalls white marshmallow
  • 1 packet Allergy Train white musk sticks
  • Pear jam (refer to Basics page)

Directions

To make the cake:
1.
Preheat the oven to 160 C. Spray and line two large (10cm diameter) tins. Place the tins on a baking tray.
Using tins for making mini cakes
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg and vanilla. Gradually add the butter, whisking until well combined. Set aside.
3. Sift together the flour, cocoa/carob, bicarbonate soda, sugar and salt into a medium sized bowl and mix well. Add the liquid ingredients and stir until just combined.
4.
Pour the cake mixture evenly into the two prepared tins. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. The cake is cooked once a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Chocolate cake batter
5.
Allow to cool in the tins for 15 minutes then remove from the tins and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
mini chocolate cakes
To make the butter cream icing:
6. Beat the butter, sugar and cocoa/carob until light and fluffy.
7. Add the water and beat until well combined. If the butter and water are not combining, heat the mixture in the microwave for 5 to 10 seconds, but don't let it melt completely.
To decorate:
8.
Once the cakes have cooled, smooth the tops of both cakes. They don't need to be completely flat as any gaps around the edges can be filled with the cream icing.
Preparing the cakes for decorating
9.
Spread the pear jam over the top of one cake, then place the second cake upside down on top. The bottom of the second cake is now on top.
10.
Spread the butter cream icing all over the top and sides of the cake, filling in the gaps between the cakes at the sides.
Icing the cakes
11.
Place a marshmallow on top of the cake for the moon (you can cut it in half if it is too high). Cut the musk stick into 1/2 cm pieces and place on top as stars.
Moon and stars decorations on birthday cake
12. If the cake needs to be stored before serving, place it in the fridge and allow to warm up to room temperature before serving.

Note

Low Chemical/Failsafe, Very High Amines

Low Chemical /Failsafe if using carob.

I used two large pears in syrup tins to make the cakes, but any 10cm diameter oven proof dish will do.

Refer to Basics page for pear jam recipe.

The icing in this recipe is from the Carob Cream recipe in Friendly Food.

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Banana and Cashew Chocolate Cake

Print recipe
Banana and Cashew Chocolate Cake
Serves 10
Prep time 1 hour
Cook time 30 minutes
Total time 1 hours, 30 minutes
Allergy / Intolerance Artificial Addititives, Artificial Colours, Glutamates, Preservatives, Salicylates
Suitable for Amines Challenge, RPAH Elimination Diet - Amines Allowed, RPAH Elimination Diet – Very High Chemical
Meal type Dessert, Sweet Things
Misc Child Friendly, Pre-preparable, Serve Cold
Occasion Birthday Party, Casual Party, Special Occasions
Delicious chocolate cake with mascerated dried bananas and cashews.

Ingredients

For the cake:

  • 60g dried bananas (refer to recipe)
  • 1/4 cup whisky
  • 1/4 cup thickened cream
  • 200g dark cooking chocolate (chopped)
  • 3 eggs (separated)
  • 150g caster sugar
  • 80g unsalted butter
  • 60g plain white flour (sifted)
  • 60g white self-raising flour (sifted)
  • 100g raw cashews (chopped)
  • pinch cream of tartar

For the ganache:

  • 1 1/4 cup thickened cream
  • 200g dark cooking chocolate (chopped)
  • 1 teaspoon unsalted butter

Directions

To make the cake:
1. Preheat the oven to 180 C and grease a 20cm cake tin.
2. Mix the bananas in the whisky.
3. Pour the cream into a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to very low and add the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate is melted and well combined.
4. In a separate bowl beat the egg yolks and sugar until white and fluffy.
5. Whisk the butter into the chocolate mixture, then slowly add the egg yolk mixture, flours, cashews and bananas and whisky.
6. Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture with a spatula.
7. Pour the batter into the cake tin and bake for 30 minutes. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool.
To make the ganache:
8. Pour the cream into a saucepan and allow to boil. Reduce the heat to low and add in the chocolate, stirring until it is all melted and well combined.
9. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter.
To decorate the cake:
10. While the cake is cooling, pour the ganache over the cake, letting it spread over the top and down the sides. Use a spatula if needed.
11. Place the cake on a stand or plate and let the icing set.

Note

Very High Amines, Low Salicylates, Low Glutamates

This cake is best the day after it is made.  As an alternative to using ganache icing, just sprinkle the cake with icing sugar or cocoa.  For something a bit fancier, the ganache can be topped with shaved chocolate and icing sugar as in the photo.

Refer here for to make your own dried fruit.

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2 Responses to The Birthday Week – Two Chocolate Cakes

  1. Karen says:
    27/04/2012 at 2:22 PM

    Hi there,

    Regarding your choko muffin recipe – you mention a milk mixture in the directions but there is no milk listed under ingredients.

    What is the quantity of milk to use? I am keen to try these on the kids as I have access to abundant chokos!! Regards

    Karen

    • Oscars Mum says:
      27/04/2012 at 5:44 PM

      Hi Karen, it’s 160ml. Thanks for picking that up, it obviously got dropped off when I reformatted the recipe. All fixed now.