Thursday 20 May 2010

'Box of Chocolate' Cake - My 100th Post

Finally !! Finally I have reached my 100th post :D I took soo long to reach this milestone. But I am so happy that I am writing my 100th post because I never knew I would come this far. A blog, which I started just to store the recipes that I learned from family and friends, to show my mom that her daughter is learning to cook and to show her the pics of the food I am cooking, now has become my passion. Yes !! Blogging has become my passion and I am addicted to this world of blogging. Blogging has helped me to make new friends, to learn new cuisines and to love cooking.
And for coming this far, all the credit goes to my husband first, for introducing me to this wonderful world of blogging and for patiently waiting for the food( like any other food blogger's husband) till I click and click all the photos :-). And for appreciating and encouraging me to learn new recipe.And to my parents for encouraging me through my learning process. (YES, My husband is lucky, because I had already gone through the experimenting and learning process before getting married) It was my parents, who went through it and encouraged me. I still remember how, I used to make different maps of the world with the chapathi/roti dough and my father used to eat the roti very happily. And when I was making raita for the first time, I had added lots of water with the yogurt and instead of raita for biryani, I had turned it into spicy lassi :-) but still... my family supported me and encouraged me to cook. And also my mother-in law, who introduced me to so many new recipes and for teaching me to cook with confidence.
And the most important people to make this blog successful are my blog friends and readers. I wouldn't have come this far without the encouraging comments they leave on my blog. And those appreciating and encouraging words from my blog friends urges me to do better and better every time. Thank you soooo sooo much for the lovely comments you all write on my blog.
Now, coming to today's recipe, I wanted to celebrate this milestone with something sweet. So, here is the recipe for 'Box of Chocolate Cake'. Though I didn't bake this cake exclusively for my 100th post, I had decided to post this recipe as my 100th post. I baked this cake for our 5th wedding anniversary few weeks back :-)Now coming to this cake...this is a perfect cake for wedding anniversaries, for Mother's Day and for those celebrating Valentine's day. This cake is covered with sugar paste icing. One can make the sugar paste icing on their own or the store bought ready rolled icing can be used. I first tried making the icing at home, but went wrong somewhere and I also didn't like the raw smell of the eggs in it. So, I have used the store bought Icing here, known as ready rolled icing. This cake is adapted from the book 'Cakes and cake decorating step by step' by Sarah Maxwell, Janice Murfitt and Angela Nilsen .
'BOX OF CHOCOLATE' CAKE
Ingredients:
For the chocolate cake:
175g /6oz butter, at room temperature,
175g /6oz self-raising flour,
50g /2oz unsweetened cocoa powder,
3 eggs, at room temperature,200 /6oz caster sugar,
1 tsp baking powder,1/8 tsp of salt and
1 tsp vanilla extract.

Other ingredients:
6 tbsp of apricot jam-warmed and sieved,
275 grams/ 10 oz of yellow marzipan,
900 grams/ 2 lb of sugarpaste icing,
red food colouring,
store bought hand made chocolates.

Materials and equipments:Heart shaped cake tin,
9 inch square piece of stiff card,
9 inch square / round cake board,
small heart shaped cutter.
Method:
For the cake:
Pre-heat the oven to 180 C or 350 F. Grease the tin and line the base with greaseproof paper and grease the paper. Sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt together three times and set aside.
Place the sugar and butter in a large bowl and beat until light pale. Add he eggs and beat with an electric beater , until the mixture doubles in volume and is thick enough to leave a ribbon trial when the beater is lifted, about 10 minutes.Add the vanilla.Sift over the dry ingredients in 3 batches, folding in carefully after each addition.Spoon the cake mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the surface.bake in the centre of the oven for 30-40 minutes, or until skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
leave the cake in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire wrack, peel off the lining paper and leave to cool completely.

Place the cake on the square piece of card and draw around it with a sharp pencil. Cut the heart shape out of the card and set aside This is for using as a support for the lid.
Using a sharp knife. cut the cake horizontally just below where the cake starts to dome. carefully lift the top section and place it on the heart shaped card and place the bottom section on the cake board.On a work surface lightly dusted with icing sugar, roll out the yellow marzipan into a long sausage shape to place it on the bottom section of the cake.place the marzipan sausage on the cake around the outside edge . Brush both sections of the cake evenly with apricot jam.

Colour the sugarpaste icing with red food colour and divide it into 3 portions - 1 for the bottom, 1 for the lid and a small portion to cut hearts for the lid. Now on a work surface lightly dusted with icing sugar, roll the icing to a 14 inch square ans use it to cover the bottom section of the cake.
Stand the lid on a raised surface like a bowl or a glass. roll out the reserves 1/3rd sugarpaste and cover the lid section of the cake. With the remaining portion of the sugarpaste, cut small heart shapes with the cookie cutter and stick them around the cake lid. carefully lift the top section on the the heart shaped card and place the bottom section on the cake board.Arrange the chocolates in the bottom section of the cake and position the lid, placing it slightly off centre, to reveal the chocolates inside. And serve with lots of love :-)


This is off to Meeta's Monthly Mingle and the theme for this month is Special Sweet Treats hosted this month by Erin of The Apartment Kitchen .

61 comments:

Indian Khana said...

Such a wonderful post..Congrats dear...Wish you n blog many more posts to come..and box looks just yum....so perfect...

Sailaja Damodaran said...

Congrats.......all the very best to you.

Deepti said...

Congrats on ur 100th post dear...very creative.

Prema said...

congrats on ur 100th post...

Suji said...

Congrats Faiza on your milestone..

Cake box looks absolutely gorgeous..Wish you many many more success ahead..

Love
Kairali sisters

Rachana said...

Congrats on your 100th post, Faiza :)

The cake looks gorgeous and irresistible. I love it :)

Life is beautiful !!! said...

Congratulations Faiza !!! Thats a gr8 mile stone. I bet I can never prepare such a cute cake even if I try 100 times :) That is very, very cute and gud luck for a long blogging journey ahead!!

Pari Vasisht said...

Hi. Congrats for hitting the century. Beautiful cake, perfect for your anniversary as well as for 100th post.

Nithya said...

Congratsssssssssssss on your milestone and the cake is so so so good for celebrating any occasion. :) So cutely done.

And a truly touching post. Its pretty much the same here too. My parents are the sweetest scape goats that I have got. They simply love whatever I make. :)

Keep it going buddy. wanting to see more and more celebrations from you :)

PranisKitchen said...

congrats on ur 100th post.and happy anniversary too..What a delicious cake ..nice color..i can't believe how nicely u did it..good treat for the wonderful occasions..good one faiza

Unknown said...

Congrats dear !! All the best !!cake looks fantastic & cute..

Fathima said...

Congrats Faiza! That box looks fabulous!

Panchpakwan said...

Congarts on milestone..Keep on rocking!!

Lovely treat with cake..looks so yummy.

Unknown said...

very cute cake...Congrats on your acheivements..

Swathi said...

Congrats on your mile stone. Chocolate cake looks really nice.

Suhaina said...

Congrads Fiza on ur 100th post. Wish u can easily post a 1000 recipe. All the very best. Cake looks very very yummy, never ever will I be able to do it. Its sooo good, children will just love it. Great job.

Az said...

Congratulations!!! What a great post and lovely recipe... your cake came out perfect!!! keep it up

VineelaSiva said...

Congrats on ur 100th post.What a wonderful cake Love the presentation.Does th book shows step by step details.

Holly said...

Congrats!!! The box is so cool and creative!!

My Kitchen Antics said...

Congratulations on hitting a hundred and may you accomplish many many more...
The heart box is darn cute...

Sanyukta Gour(Bayes) said...

congrats and alll the best to u..hope u do more 100000000000000000 posts..teh box of choclates...wow...delcious

Arthi said...

Congrats on your 100th post. Good luck!!!

Meeta K. Wolff said...

oh my how simply gorgeous! thanks for sending this to the Monthly Mingle!

R said...

this is fantastic! so creative! congratulations on ur 100th post and belated happy anniv too :))

Priya Suresh said...

Woww wat a beautiful cake Faiza, hats off dear..looks super professional and i cant take my eyes from the click...

Malar Gandhi said...

Congrats on ur 100th post. Oh boy that looks fabulous, awesome...terrific job, buddy.

Namitha said...

Oh my !! that looks so wonderful ! Perfect way to celebrate your 100th post. Congratulations Faiza :-)

Suja Manoj said...

Congrats for your achievement..Box is cool.

Unknown said...

WOW!! Gorgeous cake!! Congrats on your 100th post, Faiza..

Rajee Mani said...

Congrats on the 100th post Faiza. Gorgeous cake.

Hayley said...

Congrats on your 100th post..Awesome cake! feel like having it right now...

Krishnaveni said...

congrats on your 100th post cake looks awesome....superb

Hamaree Rasoi said...

Congrats on your 100th post dear. Heart shaped box looks fabulous!! Keep rocking dear

Deepa
Hamaree Rasoi

AdukalaVishesham said...

congrats on your milestone.. We also recently celebrated the 100th post so we know how excited you are... And what a beautiful cake to celebrate this.. looks professional..

Kanchan said...

First Congrats on 5th Wedding Anniversary ... and once again Big Congrats on 100th Post !

Your cake looks too delicious n just truly feel like having it from here ...

Rekha shoban said...

congrats on ur 100th post dear...keep rocking! box looks cute and lovely colour.

Nandinis food said...

It's a lovely box of lovely goodies! I'm very tempted! Congrats on the century!

Rach said...

Thanks for stopping by :) This looks lovely. Congrats on your 100th post. Wishing u success in way to come :)

Sushma Mallya said...

Beautiful box of chocolate cake,have not seen something like this before but worth making on spl occasions as this one...congrats on your 100th post faiza,

Nitha said...

Congrats on your 100th post... The cake looks awesome..

Sarah Naveen said...

Great idea...looks gorgeous..
Congrats and happy 100th post

San said...

Hey faiza that's a delicious cake to celebrate this milestone.It feels so good to achieve something.Iam so happy for u,senti blurb .Pass me the cake :) would love to have it.

Enjoy the weekend dear.

Vikis Kitchen said...

Congrats dear. Your cake is very artistic. Very beautiful one . The anecdote on your culinary journey reminded me of mine...LOL. Happy blogging dear.

Umm Mymoonah said...

Congrats Faiza on your 100th post,the chocolate box cake looks very elegant with all naughty naughty chocolate.
You have done a great job.

Lorraine said...

Congratulations on your 100th post and your fifth anniversary. Two great milestones. I know how you feel; I am obsessed with blogging also and loving every minute. Your cake is amazing and beautful. Thanks for the great instruction.

Unknown said...

We have an award waiting for you at our space. Please do stop by to collect it. Have a happy weekend!

Unknown said...

We have an award waiting for you at our space. Please do stop by to collect it. Have a happy weekend!

BeenaShylesh said...

Congrats Faiza on your 100th post,u r realy a grt cook....

Anu Nandu said...

Congratulations on your 100th post - indeed a great accomplishment! And what other better way to celebrate than eat chocolate cake with chocolates! Love the cake and the chocolates!

Dori said...

Congratulations! Now let me have some of those cakes ;)

Subhie Arun said...

congrats dear....lovely cakes ..too..awesome click

Subhie Arun said...

congrats dear...lovely cakes...awesome clcik too

priya said...

hi dear,

There is an award waiting for u in my blog!!..please collect it!

Aparna said...

congragultionsss dear, Keep Rocking!! the choc cake is really awesome!!!

Adventures in Domestic Cooking said...

I'd say, all that hard work payed off!!
Well done=)

Nimi SunilKumar said...

That's a wonderful 100th post.Gr8 wrk dear!

Valarmathi Sanjeev said...

Congrats dear.... Chocolate cake looks awesome and yummy. Lovely presentation.

3 hungry tummies said...

Congratulations on your 100th post!

Arlette said...

Congratulation on your 100th...
best of wished for more yummy delicious recipes.

Parita said...

Cake looks WOW! What a way to celebrate 100th post! Congratulations!

Erin said...

Beautiful!!! What a great cake for a celebration!!!

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