It's a weird week at work because an extension is in its final stages, and today (Monday) the builders are connecting the power up so there will be a lot of power cuts. In a lab, much as in any workplace, power cuts are very disruptive so my employer decided to get us all in on Saturday instead. Of course, not everyone could work on Saturday but they got about half of us to agree to it, and here I am with a nice day off while most of the country are slogging away at work.
Yes, I did have to work a six day week last week, but do you know what? For the next three weeks I only have to work four days. That's pretty good if you ask me.
What did I do with my day off, you ask? I did what any normal adult would do and went to look at baby animals at a farm. To be honest I just went because I was invited (and I always think it's always better to go out than mooch about at home), but I actually had quite a good time. I held baby rabbits and baby guinea pigs, bottle fed a lamb and stroked various other farm animals. I also fed some sheep the grass from my side of the fence. They were all crowding around to get a taste of it, so I guess the grass really is greener on the other side. Baby animals are suitable for all ages after all!
I've been planning this cake for a while, but due to several crazy weekends it took me a while to find the energy to make it. The sponge contains copious amounts of Malibu, and is sandwiched with a milk chocolate ganache. The icing is my white chocolate cloud icing, which was adapted from a recipe at Sweetapolita. I brought the cake in on Saturday to help with Saturday Work morale, and everyone gave good feedback. I highly recommend that you make this cake as it tastes excellent.
Ingredients
For the sponge
- 200g Butter
- 200g Caster Sugar
- 3 Eggs
- 200g Plain Flour
- 2 Tsp Baking Powder
- 75mL Malibu
- 50mL Milk
- 175g Milk Chocolate
- 150mL Water
- 190g Icing Sugar
- 230g Butter
- 125g White Chocolate
- Sprinkles (for decoration)
- Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan. Line two 8" cake tins with parchment paper.
- For the cake, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until the batter is smooth.
- Sift the flour and baking powder into the batter, then fold in until well combined.
- Add the Malibu and milk, folding gently into the batter. The batter will be a bit wet, but this ensures both an intense flavor and moist cake.
- Divide the batter between the cake tins, then bake for 22 mins, or until a skewer comes out clean.
- Meanwhile, make the ganache by placing the milk chocolate and water in a saucepan over a low heat.
- Stir gently until the chocolate has almost completely melted, then remove from the heat.
- Stir until completely melted, then leave to cool. Once cooled, place in the fridge for about 30 mins to speed up the setting of the ganache.
- Make the icing by beating the icing sugar and butter together until well combined, then beating with an electric whisk for one minute.
- Melt the white chocolate, allow to cool slightly and then pour onto the buttercream.
- Beat using an electric whisk until combined, then for an extra minute.
- When the cake has cooled, spoon the ganache onto one cake before sandwiching it with the other.
- Use the white chocolate cloud icing to decorate the cake as desired, then go crazy with the sprinkles. I used a cone-shaped piece of parchment paper to get them up the sides. The sprinkles also went all over my kitchen!
This month's Baking With Spirit (run by yours truly) challenges you to bake with chocolate and alcohol, tying Easter nicely into the challenge. This is my entry since it contains Malibu rum and chocolate gananche (and also chocolate icing!) If you'd like to enter, the deadline is the 28th.
