TRIPLE CELEBRATIONS - TYCA, ODEN AND 2012

Tyca's Birthday Cake - Donna Hay Chocolate Mud Cake

My goodness...I just don't know where I got all the energy to bake and decorate two cakes at the same time. May be I love cooking and baking so much that I forgot I'm too old for all these. Anyway today 31st December 2011 is the final day of 2011 and today also happens to be my son the one and only son that I have birthday. My son Oden turns 20 today...my goodness, how time flies so fast. I remembered I have to be in labor for two days and almost exhausted and the doctor suggested that I went for caesarean, there's no way that my son could come out naturally. My god after two days of labor pain I finally delivered my son the one and only son through caesarean. His the jewel of my life and happy and glad he is doing well in his life. He will completing his studies in motorsport in June and insyallah will pursue with his degree in New Zealand. I hope and pray he will be successful in life and always be in the blessing of Allah.

Besides Zainuddin, we also will be celebrating Tyca's my No:3 daughter belated birthday. Tyca's birthday was 30th November, she's 18 and currently pursuing her study in Foundation Science. I hope she can make to medical school though she preferred to be an engineer. my wish at least one doctor in the house. She was away during her birthday and I just made and sent her a simple chocolate peppermint cupcake so today I compensated her with her favourite chocolate cake just to be fair to all. I made Chocolate Mud Cake, by my favourite food stylist Donna Hay. Recipe adapted from chocolate mud cake  The mud cake is dense and rich with a deep-chocolate flavour and truly decadent with the smooth, dark-chocolate ganache.  I'm not good in decorating cake...so I just prepare the chocolate ganache with store bought sweet pink flower..pink sweet for sweet 18. As for Oden I baked him Donna Hay 4 layer's Chocolate Buttermilk Cake also adapted from chocolate-buttermilk-layer-cake - for recipe please see next.  ha..ha...birthday boy has to cut the cake first before I could make the entry.

Oden's Birthday Cake - Donna Hay Chocolate Buttermilk Layer

Hari ini dirumah kita meraikan tiga celebration serentak satu belated birthday Tyca, dua hari lahir anak lelaki saya Oden yang birthdaynya jatuh hari ini dan ketiga pastinya menyambut 2012. Tak ada apa yang istimewa saya cuma buat jamuan kecil..goreng-goreng bihun, sedikit pemanis mulat dan yang penting birthday kek. Entah mana dapat kudratnya dua kek saya buat semalam, kedua-dua kek saya gunakan resipi Donna Hay, untuk Tyca saya buatkan Chocolate Mud Cake dan untuk Oden saya buatkan Chocolate Buttermilk Layer, cake yang Donna Hay tunjukan dalam Australia Master Chef. Kek ini sepatutnya empat tinggat tapi saya buat separuh aje, buat dua tingkat aje..mak aii takut reban pula.

Kedua-dua anak saya ini memang minat sangat chocolate kek jadi saya buat dua supaya esok jangan pula nanti kata umi pilih kasih. Sepatutnya plan asal hendak buat tiga birthday sekali, anak dara saya yang ke empat Myraz birthdaynya jatuh pada 6hb Januari ..tetapi Myraz tidak mahu buat sekarang, dia plan hendak celebrate dengan kawan-kawan dekat sekolah. Nampaknya next week kena buat sebiji lagi la...Kedua-dua kek ini memang sedap..patutlah ramai yang memberi rating tinggi untuk kek-kek Donna Hay. Untuk resipi Chocolate Buttermilk Layer Cake untuk Oden tunggu entry seterusnya, entry saya yang terakhir buat tahun 2011, bukan apa,,kenalah tunggu birthday boy potong kek dahulu. Kek Tyca ni memang tidak dipotong sebab dia hendak bawa balik ke U. kita cuma boleh makan kek oden sahaja.

Nak menghias tu tak pandai, main pakai chocolate dan bunga-bunga kecil aje...jadi yang penting umi sentiasa ingat birthday anak-anak umi.

Chocolate Mud Cake(from Donna Hay Magazine – 50th Issue Birthday)

Serves 6 to 8

• 400 g (14.1 ounces/3 1/2 sticks) butter, chopped
• 400 g (16 ounces) dark chocolate, chopped
• 1/3 cup (15 g) instant coffee powder
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 (60 ml) cup water
• 1 1/2 cups (225 g) self-raising (self-rising) flour, sifted
• 1/2 cup (25 g) cocoa, sifted
• 6 eggs
• 2 cups (440 g) caster (superfine) sugar

1. Preheat oven to 160° C (325° F).  Lightly grease a 24 cm (9 1/2-inch) round cake tin lined with non-stick baking paper.  Set aside.
2. Place the butter, chocolate, coffee, vanilla extract and water in a saucepan over low heat and stir until melted.  Set aside and allow to cool to room temperature.
3. Using a fine-mesh sieve, sift the flour and cocoa into a small bowl.  Repeat an additional 2 times.
4. Place the eggs and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat for 6 minutes or until pale and thick.  Add the chocolate mixture and beat until combined.
5. Using a large spatula, fold through the flour-cocoa mixture.
6. Pour into the lightly greased baking tin.  Bake for 1 hour 30 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer*.  *See recipe notes.
7. Allow to cool in the baking tin for 10 minutes.  Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

*Recipe Notes

Donna Hay’s Cake Baking Tips - How do I tell when my cake is ready?

(Donna Hay Magazine – 50th Issue Birthday)

“To test if a cake is perfectly baked, insert a skewer into the centre.  If the skewer emerges clean, the cake is ready.  This method works for most cakes, but will do more harm than good to a sponge cake, which relies on trapped air for its feather-light texture.  To test a sponge, press down lightly on the top of the cake with your fingertips, if it springs back up, it’s ready.  To test mud cake, insert a skewer into the centre; it will emerge coated in cake. Roll the cake from the skewer on your fingertips, if it balls and feels tacky, it’s time to take the cake out of the oven.”

Dark Chocolate Ganache

(from Donna Hay Magazine – 50th Issue Birthday)

• 1 cup (250 ml) single (pouring) cream
• 300 g (12 ounces) dark chocolate, chopped

1. Place the cream and chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat and stir until melted and smooth. Set aside and allow to cool to room temperature.
2. Spread ganache over the cooled cake to serve.