New Year Cake

2008 New Year Cake

This year I thought I’d turn my hand to baking a New Year Cake. Of course Mr R. & I had to try a slice each just to test it *giggle* before posting it on my blog! I went for a chocolate sponge with raspberry conserve and crème de Cassis. After sampling a slice of cake, I can report back that the sponge is very light and the flavours of chocolate and raspberry are stunning.

The decoration can be altered to suit in keeping with any theme. I had some sugar stars and sugar balls (dagrees) left over, which I thought would be a great way of using them up. I also spotted at my local garden centre some florist wire and this idea of pluming stars came to me that instant for my cake. As you gather food is never far from my mind even when shopping for something totally non-foodie!

Wishing you all a Very Happy New Year from Rosie x

Showing the chocolate sponge and seam of raspberry conserve

New Year Cake

Ingredients
For The Chocolate Sponge
150g (5 oz) self-raising flour
25g (1 oz) cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
175g (6oz) soft butter
175g (6oz) caster sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp chocolate extract (optional)
2-3 tbsp milk
For The Filling
Raspberry conserve
Crème de cassis
For Sticking The Icing to The Cake
1 tsp raspberry conserve
2 tbsp cold water
For The icing
450g (1 lb) fondant icing
A little cornflour
For Decoration
Edible sugar balls (dagrees) of colour choice
5 florist wires
Sugar stars
Fondant star (for the middle of the cake)
Fondant hearts (for around the cake)
Sugar snowflake sprinkles
Edible glitter
Writing tube of icing for the numbers
Round cake board at least 20cm (8 in) wide

Method

Make the stars on wires by taking a florist wire at a time, a sugar star and with a dot sized piece of fondant icing, attach the wire to the back of the star with fondant icing. (You may need a dab of water on one side of the fondant to stick it down over the wire and star). Leave on one side to dry.

Preheat oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/400°F/gas mark 6. Grease and base line 2 x 20cm (8 in) sandwich tins.

In a large bowl add the butter and sugar and beat until pale and fluffy. In a jug beat the eggs and chocolate extract together. Add the egg mixture a little at a time beating each addition in well until fully combined. Sift into the mixture the cocoa powder, flour and baking powder. Fold in gently with a large metal spoon until fully combined. Add the milk a little at a time until a good dropping consistency is achieved. (I test mine by taking a spoonful and if the mixture drops back into the bowl by the count of 12 it’s fine.) Divide the mixture between the prepared tins and place in the oven to bake for 20 –25 minutes or until firm to the touch and a skewer inserted onto the middle comes out clean.

Leave to cool in their tins for 10 minutes before turning out on to a wire rack to completely cool.

In a saucepan add the raspberry conserve and water and heat on the stove on a very gentle heat stirring to combine them together. Leave to cool a little before using.

Taking the bottom layer of sponge, sprinkle a little Crème de cassis over. Taking a palette knife spread a layer of raspberry conserve then place the other sponge on top firmly.

Place the cake onto the cake board in readiness for the icing. With a brush spread the warmed conserve out of the saucepan all over the top and sides of the sponge cake.

With a little sprinkle of cornflour roll out the fondant icing large enough to fit fully over the cake top and sides. Carefully place the fondant over the cake easing out the fondant until smooth and in-place. Trim off the overhang with a sharp knife.

Decorate the cake by placing the sugar balls (dagrees) around the bottom edge of the cake and a few around the middle edge too with a few white snowflakes, dab a little water onto the fondant to make them stick and also the hearts if using. Around the top edge of the cake, dab a little water onto the fondant and stick down the stars in a circle. In the centre stick down the star and hearts with a dab of water, adding a few coloured sugar balls (dagrees) at each point and in the middle of the hearts.

Take the stars on wires and stick them into the middle of the fondant star at various heights, then sprinkle over a little edible glitter over the cake.

To finish off, using the writing tube of icing add the appropriate message or numbers.