I can't believe I have written 100 posts! I must admit I have waited a little longer for this one in order to give you a slightly more special recipe (well, special to me anyway). My daughter's 2nd birthday! I have a 2 year old toddler - how absolutely mad! I still feel a little like a child myself, how can it be possible that I am a mother?! The last two years have gone surprisingly fast - probably due to some lack of sleep and a constant rush to get back in time for whatever needs doing. But an occasional 'I love you, mummy. I missed you.' makes it all well worth it!
Anyway, it was her birthday last week and we had family over to celebrate with some nibbles and most importantly; cake! Not just any cake - a bunny cake! A fluffy, white bunny cake! I found a great and easy template on-line, then decided that desiccated coconut would be a good option for making the bunny look fluffy. I was then trying to work out what would work well with coconut and thought lime would be an interesting option. So we decided to make a Victoria sponge with a lime frosting, sprinkled with desiccated coconut.
Serves a small party
for the sponge
350 unsalted butter, softened
350 caster sugar
350 self raising flour, sifted
6 eggs, beaten
for the icing
300g cream cheese
175g icing sugar
125ml double cream
juice of half a lime
zest of a whole lime
a good sprinkling of desiccated coconut
Preheat a fan oven at 170 and lightly butter 2 tins of 20cm diameter. Cream together the softened butter and the sugar, till you have a light and fluffy mixture. Slowly add the beaten eggs (make sure they are at room temperature and not cold, so that the mixture doesn't split). Fold in the sifted flour and spoon the mixture into the greased cake tins. Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown and a skewer is coming out clean. Allow to cool and then remove from the tins.
Once the sponges are cool, whip the cream cheese, until smooth. Add the sifted icing sugar and beat together. Add the cream, the juice of half a lime and the zest of a whole lime. Taste and add some more lime zest if needed.
Follow the template for cutting the shape of the bunny: Leave one cake whole and cut two ears out of the other (leaving the middle bit for the bow-tie). Place the shaped sponges on a plate and cover with icing. You can use smarties for the eyes. I tinted some desiccated coconut with one drop of red food dye for the inner ear and nose. You can use melted chocolate for the whiskers.
Happy Birthday my little monkey - I love you!
Anyway, it was her birthday last week and we had family over to celebrate with some nibbles and most importantly; cake! Not just any cake - a bunny cake! A fluffy, white bunny cake! I found a great and easy template on-line, then decided that desiccated coconut would be a good option for making the bunny look fluffy. I was then trying to work out what would work well with coconut and thought lime would be an interesting option. So we decided to make a Victoria sponge with a lime frosting, sprinkled with desiccated coconut.
Serves a small party
for the sponge
350 unsalted butter, softened
350 caster sugar
350 self raising flour, sifted
6 eggs, beaten
for the icing
300g cream cheese
175g icing sugar
125ml double cream
juice of half a lime
zest of a whole lime
a good sprinkling of desiccated coconut
Preheat a fan oven at 170 and lightly butter 2 tins of 20cm diameter. Cream together the softened butter and the sugar, till you have a light and fluffy mixture. Slowly add the beaten eggs (make sure they are at room temperature and not cold, so that the mixture doesn't split). Fold in the sifted flour and spoon the mixture into the greased cake tins. Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown and a skewer is coming out clean. Allow to cool and then remove from the tins.
Once the sponges are cool, whip the cream cheese, until smooth. Add the sifted icing sugar and beat together. Add the cream, the juice of half a lime and the zest of a whole lime. Taste and add some more lime zest if needed.
Follow the template for cutting the shape of the bunny: Leave one cake whole and cut two ears out of the other (leaving the middle bit for the bow-tie). Place the shaped sponges on a plate and cover with icing. You can use smarties for the eyes. I tinted some desiccated coconut with one drop of red food dye for the inner ear and nose. You can use melted chocolate for the whiskers.
Happy Birthday my little monkey - I love you!
