Thomas the Tank Engine Cake

Today is my niece turns three and since she loves trains, I figured I'd make her Thomas the Tank Engine cake. This is the first time I've ever attempted something like this, but thanks to the worldwide web and several bloggers around the world, I was able to pull it off.

Here's how I made my Thomas cake:

I baked one recipe of the best ever chocolate cake in a square tin with a remaining cake batter in a thin layer in another tin (the shape of this second tin doesn't matter much).

Once baked and cooled, I trimmed of the slight dome of the cake and cut the square cake in half to make two rectangular pieces. I then cut a 1/4 piece off one of the rectangles.

From the thin layer cake, I cut two circles using a cookie cutter and a couple of small squares. The circles will be used for Thomas's face, while the squares will be layered to make the chimney.

Using butter cream icing, I layered the cake, largest rectangle at the bottom, followed by the smaller one sticking to one end of the larger piece.

The circles in the gap were placed where the quarter that was cut off would have been and the quarter placed near the circles, but above the smaller rectangle and finally the squares for the chimney on top on this. (If you look at the image above, it'll give you an idea of the placement).

I crumb coated the entire cake and left it to dry.

Thomas's face is the most crucial part of the cake. Here's a video that show's you how to do it. I did change it around a bit by adding the white fondant for the mouth.

I left the cake and the face to dry overnight.

The next day I mixed the butter cream in the colours required and piped the icing across the cake. I also used some of the icing to stick Thomas's face on to the cake and voila! I had a Thomas cake that would serve about 8 people (large slices). :)

Here's a shout out to some of the blogs that helped make this cake a reality:
http://www.howtocookthat.net/public_html/thomas-the-tank-engine-birthday-cake/

http://thomasthetankenginecake.blogspot.co.nz/

Delicious lamb leg steaks

3-4 cloves garlic
salt
pepper
3 anchovy fillets
1 tbsp chopped rosemary - chop as fine as possible
2 tbsp olive oil plus more when cooking
4 lamb leg steaks
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 cup beef stock
2 tbsp sour cream/cream
1 sprig thyme

Grind the garlic, salt, pepper, oil and anchovies into a paste using a mortar and pestle. Add the chopped rosemary and mix.

Massage the mixture onto the steaks. Cover and let it marinate for a couple of hours.

Heat a pan to high. Add a dash of oil and put the steaks in searing each side off for two minutes.

Then reduce heat and cover and cook each side for a few minutes (to the required level of done-ness). I cooked the steaks for about 4 mins on each side till there was a slight spring when you touched the meat. This was a nice medium rare.

Take the steaks out and keep aside covered to rest.

Toss the mushrooms into the pan with the thyme and sauté for a minute. Add the mustard and the stock and bring to a boil with the pan juices.

Add a dollop of cream and mix. take is off the heat and serve over the steak.

Enjoy!

Super easy microwave chocolate coconut cake

Got this recipe off a colleague who got it from a friend whose kids have the worst egg allergies. So yes this is a great egg free recipe and its all ready in about 15mins! Thanks Geoff!

125gm butter

1cup milk

1cup sugar

1 tbsp golden syrup

Microwave above ingredients for 2 minutes

Add to the following and mix

2 cups self raising flour

1 cup coconut

2 tablespoons cocoa (heaped if you want it chocolatey

1 cup cold tea with 1 teaspoon baking soda dissolved in (I used earl grey)

1/4 teaspoon salt

Microwave 8 minutes at 800 watts in large microwavable cake pan (I used a silicone pan)

Stand 5 minutes then turn out

Decorate with your choice of frosting once cooled.

Strawberry Cupcake

We went strawberry picking a while back and I had so many strawbs, i knew i couldn't use them all at once. so i set about hulling them and popped them in ziplock bags and in the freezer. I'm slowly getting back into baking and so used these frozen strawbs today to make the most delicious strawberry cupcake - a recipe i found on marthastewart.com.

INGREDIENTS

Makes 1 dozen.

• 2/3 cup whole fresh or frozen strawberries, thawed
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/4 cup whole milk, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 2 large egg whites, room temperature
• Strawberry frosting

• DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners; set aside.
2. Place strawberries in a small food processor; process until pureed. You should have about 1/3 cup of puree, add a few more strawberries if necessary or save any extra puree for frosting; set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a small bowl, mix together milk, vanilla, and strawberry puree; set aside.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until well combined and fluffy. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and slowly add egg and egg whites until just blended.
5. With the mixer on low, slowly add half the flour mixture; mix until just blended. Add the milk mixture; mix until just blended. Slowly add remaining flour mixture, scraping down sides of the bowl with a spatula, as necessary, until just blended.
6. Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. Transfer muffin tin to oven and bake until tops are just dry to the touch, 22 to 25 minutes. Transfer muffin tin to a wire rack and let cupcakes cool completely in tin before icing.

Strawberry Frosting

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup whole frozen strawberries, thawed

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, firm and slightly cold

Pinch of coarse salt

3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

Place strawberries in the bowl of a small food processor; process until pureed. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce mixer speed and slowly add confectioners' sugar; beat until well combined. Add vanilla and 3 tablespoons strawberry puree (save any remaining strawberry puree for another use); mix until just blended. Do not overmix or frosting will incorporate too much air. Frosting consistency should be dense and creamy, like ice cream.