Moisture attracts ducks...DB Challenge March

Daring Baker's Challenge March. And off we go, loads of butter and eggs. Our hostess this time is Morven and the recipe is called Perfect Party Cake, from the book that almost every US baking citizen owns; "Baking, from my home to yours" by Dorie Greenspan.

I was nervous. Perfect and cake in one sentence is not something I feel comfortable with. There was a mention of buttercream as well. Shudder. I've made quite a couple of buttercreams and I think I can say I mastered the technique, it never curdles, goes on nice and shiny... but we don't like the butter taste!

Obviously I had my ducks in a row this time, but this isn't going to be my cake. Not sure if it's is a cultural thing, or just my inability to bake a proper cake but girls and boys, if I want to have a moist cake, I'll just hold it under the tap, drench it in some adult drink or leave it out in the rain.

It's a 2-layer cake. Not that I planned it that way, no. Used cake flour, whipped till it spun but still my cake batter was liquid. Cakes should have been high, high and fluffy so each layer could be sliced in half, my layers? Approx. 1 inch high. Dense. Moist. Clinging. Oh ánd buttercream, so after eating a piece of this you aren't able to open your mouth for a while.
Hmm, might be useful for some people. Me.
Haven't tasted it yet, just the cut off tops.

I think the ducks were attracted to the little pink puddle in the -almost- center of the cake. (I made some luscious blood orange curd to fight the buttercream, recipe will follow!)

My inner child got the best of my decorating skills I'm afraid.






Breaking news! We cut the cake this morning, served it to our guests cautioning them that it was ok not to eat it.
They ate anyway. Even my kids ate it. Hell, even Wessel ate his piece. All of it. Unbelievable!
I ate it.
It was not as bad as I thought. Mission completed. Again!

My apologies for the haphazard post, wrote this on and off inbetween preparing and waiting for our guests, and now they have just left the building...
Just wanted to add that I procrastinated big time, baked it yesterday morning with my Baking Burka Buddies: Tanna and Ilva! Thanks for the giggles girls!

Don't forget to check out the Daring Baker's Blogroll on the right hand side of the screen! I know there are some marvellous decorated cakes out there!