Sometimes I’m just too good at putting things off…..
….and completely forgetting about them.
Replying texts, facebook messages or emails is the first thing which comes to mind, closely followed by chores which I promise my mum I’d do (sorry mum!). And it’s not just things I don’t particularly like doing- this bear cake is a rather embarrassing example of this, as I’d promised my sister I’d make this cake for birthday…………..2 birthdays ago!
Woops?
I’ve been thinking of the reasons why it’s taken me so long to finally get around to making this cake and I still can’t completely explain why. It’s not because I didn’t want to make this cake, or that I had better things to make………….. it just never ended up happening
I’m thinking that it may have partly been because of the effort I know it would require- though the design is quite simple, it’s still more complex than just baking a cake and eating it as is (hence the lack of iced and decorated cakes on this blog). I’ve been quite lazy this year, and have often found myself ambitiously planning to bake some time consuming things over the weekend, only to give up from lack of motivation when the weekend comes rolling around.
I guess it’s sort of like the reason I don’t blog that often- though I love it, it takes a lot of effort for me to write up a post. I was never any good at writing anything, and it takes a lot of deleting, writing and deleting before I can come up with something I wouldn’t mind sharing with others.
Sometimes I think of how much easier it would be if I just posted pictures and a recipe. I’d certainly have a lot more posts on my blog right now.
But that wouldn’t’ be as fun, would it?
Despite my slow progress, I have finally reached the milestone of 100 posts today. Ok, so maybe I may have cheated a little bit and also included my first ever ‘hello’ post (which consists of 3 sentences) in the count. And, it may come after 2 years and 3 months of blogging (yes, I’m well aware that most people reach this milestone before, or within close proximity of their 1st blogiversary). But hey, I got there 😉
And like my second blogiversary, I’m celebrating with chocolate cake. From the exact same recipe, to be exact. This delicious beetroot chocolate cake has become my go-to recipe for chocolate cake- it’s moist and chocolatey like mudcake, but with the subtle, underlying natural sweetness of beetroot. I know everyone already has their favourite chocolate cake recipe, but if you’re ever looking for a new one to try, I’d strongly recommend this one.
The design for this cake is taken from the ‘naughty bear’ cake at 85 degrees cake shop. It caught my attention, not because I thought it was particularly interesting design (when compared to the other beautiful cakes the bakery produces), but because of its simplicity- I was pretty sure I could pull off something like this at home.And so I showed it to my sister, who liked it as well and promised her I’d make it for her birthday………
The original cake was sponge cake and was covered in chocolate shavings but I thought my sister would like this cake better. I couldn’t be bothered making chocolate shavings to cover this cake, so I covered it with cake crumbs instead- an idea I got from Zoe’s blog (my cake looks quite similar to hers….don’t you think?). I personally think it looks better than the chocolate shavings because it makes the bear look more ‘furry’…..or is that just my imagination?
Well, it’s still months from my sister’s next birthday (I guess I’ll
have to try harder to be on time next time!!), but I think all was
forgiven once this cake was made- my family thought it looked and tasted
great! I immediately received requests to make it again, since the 15cm
cake was quickly devoured, and my sister even wanted me to teach her
how to make it 🙂
And in case you were wondering, we couldn’t bear to cut its face into pieces…..
So we took its facial features off first!! 😉
‘Naughty Bear’ Chocolate Cake Recipe
For the cake
adapted from Veggie Belly
Original Recipe from Ross Burden
makes a 15cm cake
60g dark chocolate
2 medium eggs
200g sugar
100ml sunflower or vegetable oil
60ml milk
200g cooked and pureed beets
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
20g cocoa powder
130g flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1. Pre heat oven to 350 f.
2. Melt the chocolate (for the cake) over a double boiler. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar and oil. Slowly add the cooked milk, beet puree , the melted chocolate and vanilla into the egg mixture. Beat just untill combined.
3. Sift the cocoa, flour, baking soda and salt. Add this to the beet batter. Fold just untill everything is combined. Dont over work or over mix the batter.
4. Spread a teaspoon of butter or oil over the surface of a 15cm cake pan. Sprinkle some flour all over, and tap out the excess. Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake tin. Bake for about 45 minutes, or till a tooth pick or skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Baking time may vary depending on the pan and oven you are using. (mine took around 1.5 hours)
5. When the cake is done, cool it on a wire rack.
For the chocolate ganache
150g dark chocolate, broken into pieces
150ml heavy cream
1. Place the chocolate in a bowl. Heat the cream in a sauce pan, just till
it starts to barely boil. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and
whisk till it forms a smooth sauce. Chill in the fridge until spreadable.
Assembly
1. Slice off the top of the cake using a knife, to create a flat surface
2. Using the cake scraps, process them in a blender to create fine crumbs.
3. Place the base layer on a plate and cover with ganache. Cover with the second layer and spread the remaining ganache over the top and sides of the cake.
4. Sprinkle the cake crumbs of the top and sides of the cake to completely cover the icing
5. Place chocolate decorations (eyes, mouth etc) onto the cake 😛
Note: For the eyes, I used chocolate buttons and spread some (melted) white chocolate onto them.
For the nose/mouth, I used an egg ring to mould a white chocolate disc, a chocolate button for the nose and piped the mouth onto it.
38 Comments
Wow Von! That looks amazing! No wonder you couldn't …bear… to cut it. lol. Happy Blogoversary! Congrats about reaching the 100 posts! How are you doing these days? Tell your sister happy birthday for me. 🙂
November 26, 2011 at 8:32 AMFirst of all, MEGA congrats on 100 posts! That's awesome!
Second of all, this cake is amazing! That is one of the cutest bears I've ever seen!
November 26, 2011 at 12:29 PMCongratulation on your Blogoversary!
November 26, 2011 at 12:54 PMI made some chocolate beet cupcakes a few ago; they were a huge hit. I will have to try this lovable cake; thank you.
Rita
Awesome!! 100 posts – thats a milestone! Its quality that matters, dear 🙂
Beet cake is something I haven't tried…I would love to try this soon 🙂 Your creativity is lovely 🙂
November 26, 2011 at 3:45 PMSo cute!
November 26, 2011 at 5:51 PMThis will be another idea for my kids' future cakes.
What should I say about the cake?? It looks super cute and super moist, I'd have such rich chocolate cake any day :D)!!
November 26, 2011 at 6:09 PMthis is definitely a prime example of better late than never! too cute, von. 🙂
November 26, 2011 at 6:10 PMWoww! The cake looks delicious! You are amazing D: It looks so easy but the recipe is so longgg *.* I admire you! -applause-
It looks good to eaet & cuteee.
November 27, 2011 at 12:08 AMSo cute! I pinned this too so I remember to make it!
November 27, 2011 at 2:18 AMThis is so adorable! And it looks delicious!
November 27, 2011 at 3:10 AMThis cake is adorable, Von! I love the idea of using cake crumbs to decorate the cake and I agree, it does make the bear look furry!
November 27, 2011 at 5:19 AMToo cute!
November 27, 2011 at 9:11 AMnaww that cake is so cute!
November 27, 2011 at 1:29 PMCongratulations on your 100h post!
November 27, 2011 at 2:20 PMYour cake may be the most adorable cake I've ever seen! I don't know how I could bear eating it, but it looks delicious as well.
Congrats on your 100th post 🙂 its such a milestone! Love this bear and its def better late than never!
November 27, 2011 at 10:38 PMDefinitely too cute to cut into the face! And I love the furry look of the breadcrumbs on the surface too.
November 27, 2011 at 11:37 PMYour cake is adorable Von 🙂 Congratulations for making it to your 100th post.
November 27, 2011 at 11:40 PMWhat a delicious looking chocolate cake! I love this unique bear design!
November 27, 2011 at 11:58 PMSuch a cute idea! I will have to make this sometime.
November 28, 2011 at 1:38 AMSo cute! Congrats on the milestone!
November 28, 2011 at 3:52 AMHhaha I was going to say this cake reminded me of the 85 degrees one! Yummo David Lebovitz recently blogged about his beet and choc cake too, must be a good combo. Congrats on your 100th post!
November 28, 2011 at 7:56 AMOh my gosh – it's super cute. My BFs nickname is Grizzly so he'll definitely be needing a bear birthday cake 🙂
November 28, 2011 at 10:08 AMhahah furry bear indeed!!! 🙂 i saw this recipe with the outer crumb on the donna hay magazine too and really wanted to make it (but like you, im a professional when it comes to putting things off!)
you know, so many times as i read your, i find myself thinking…"yeah, me too!" haha. esp the part about a blog with just pictures and recipes 😉
happy 100th btw! yay!
November 28, 2011 at 11:32 AMBlogging does take alot of work and congratulation on your 100th post. I am already passed the age for cutey grizzly bear… but I totally adore that fine crumbed chocolate cake!
November 28, 2011 at 2:32 PMJust gorgeous. Love the combination of beetroot and chocolate (it's also pretty great as a savoury side- just grate really bitter dark chocolate over roast beetroots)
November 28, 2011 at 4:50 PMToo cute!
November 28, 2011 at 10:14 PMI can recognize this cake!
I love the way that you made this cake into a cute bear cake!
Congratulation for 100th post! Hurray!
November 28, 2011 at 10:21 PMcongrats on your 100 post!! I know I would have a ton more post also, the writing is the difficult part for me. Oh my goodness naughty bear, love it!! hubby loves this game…
November 29, 2011 at 5:49 AMCongrats Von!!!!
November 30, 2011 at 12:30 AMReaching 100th post , well done….
This is the cutest bear I have seen….
I can understand how hard it must be to cut it… awwwww
Lols I like your pun 🙂 It looks very yummy ^.^ Enjoy your break! First-year uni was such a btch tbh =.=
December 1, 2011 at 1:42 AMomg omg omg omgggg too cute!!!!!
December 1, 2011 at 6:52 AM100 posts, congratulations that is a milestone!!! Your bear cake is just SO adorable!!! He's so cute and looks like he's up to mischief 😀
December 1, 2011 at 9:18 AMwow..sooooooooo cute..you are amazingly talented dear..:)
December 1, 2011 at 11:25 AMTasty Appetite
what I love is that not only does it look cute it looks like it taste REAL good.
December 1, 2011 at 6:30 PMWooo! Happy Blogaversary! I actually don't have a go-to chocolate cake recipe, I shall definitely get around to trying yours, because it looks great!
December 2, 2011 at 6:38 AMCake associates a bankrupt. Bear unloads the exercise. Bear censors cake into the frank lawn. Cake pencils another shell ruler. Cake prosecutes. Cake persists on top of a youth.
December 3, 2011 at 2:19 AMHow cute! My son would love that!
December 7, 2011 at 1:25 AMgosh i want that cake.
December 13, 2011 at 2:10 PM