I can see why you fancied giving it a go, it looks delightful.

I'm always dubious though with caramel and cake. I think it works better with pastry to rein in the sweetness.

I'd shovel that cake down and have it gobbled before you could turn around and ask if it was good!

Me too. It looks abso.deeeeelish.

So, about me saying I would only make it again on bended knee...?
Mum is considering having me make it next time she goes round to see "the girls". Which would be next Tuesday evening.

I'll do it for her of course.
I can tweak it after all, learn from the mistakes of this version.
I'd bake on Saturday and freeze the layers and then assemble/ decorate Tuesday afternoon and refrigerate. That way she gets a cake that will keep nicely.

There was less then a 1/4 left when I left school, but there is a staff meeting tonight, so it might not survive. Of course it turns out there was another batch of homemade cakes AND a batch of shop-bought cakes on the same day! Still, I got a heartfelt compliment and a hug. Damnit I want MOAR! Which is why I wouldn't turn Mum down. Apart from the fact she is my Mum and I live in her house and all the rest of it.

Not as tidy as the professional version. And the vanilla should go at the top as they get more robust from light to dark imho. But for the record, here is my cake.

ETA - in my defense part of the reason it looks messy is because it has been hacked into with a completely blunt staffroom knife.

That looks really good!

Your cake absolutely fine.

Not this one darling, sorry.
I will try to sort you out with something soon, though.

[sighs, patiently]


Sent by thought transference

Yep, and I'd gobble yours up too Sundae. ;)

I read that on a bathroom wall somewhere...



----

Looks great Sundae -definitely a fayre cake if budget allows -with a photo of a cut version. Make yourself some business cards.

Tempting, tempting...
I've made a rod for my own back here. More compliments today - effusive ones - and it does turn my head. I'll cost it out when I make the one for Mum.

One of the other TAs wants me to make something for a friend of hers in hospital with cancer. She has offered to pay, but I think I might just make some carrot cupcakes for the staffroom (I have all the ingredients anyway) and bung her a few. I'll check and make sure what she would prefer, but I get the impression she's just like a little something as opposed to having a whole cake or a batch for her family. Might be wrong there! She says "Can't bake, won't bake; I hate it!"

Oh and the lovely TA who I lied to last time asked me details about the cake, I felt so proud to really have baked from scratch and answer honestly.

That is a lovely cake!

:thumb2:

Have already decided not to work tomorrow.
Coughing too much and not enough of a voice to be useful in a classroom.

Anyway.
This means I'll make the spesh choc-caramel cake for Mum on Monday.
I think she is relieved about that - less coughing over it, we both hope.

Today I made carrot mini-cakes for Mrs K at school (see above - has friend with cancer).
I found a recipe which made nine - I'd already offered one to Mum and as it turns out, eight fit perfectly into our little cake tin.

They're larger than fairy cakes (UK) but not as large as US muffins, and certainly not muffin texture. Hence mini-cakes.

Apart from a little grating they were super easy to make. As I said before, all I needed was three carrots, I had everything else, including the decorations on top (shop bought, chocolate, on sale).

Again, I have this issue with the cases peeling off.
When I've seen cakes in photos the cases have already been removed. But when so many decorative cases are sold, surely they are designed to be left on?
Am I overcooking them? Mum said the cake was gorgeous. And I gave her the most baggy one of course.

Hmmm.

Took them round to a school employee who lives nearby.
I was at school with her as it happens.
And volunteered in class with her elder daughter, and her younger daughter is in Tiger's class. So it's not like we don't have a connection! She'll take them in for Mrs K tomorrow.