Blue Velvet Delight

Since Bast is coming up I've decided to make my infamous Red Velvet Cake. She's never had it before and I think it is high time to introduce her to the decadence that it is. I have however decided to make it with a twist. It will be a Blue Velvet Cake (blue being Bast's favourite colour after all).

Miss ADHLAS sent me a link a while back for a Blue Velvet version. Now I don't know where I'll find violet food colouring, but I'll see how it turns out with just the blue food colouring.

For those Americans reading this blog (if any), the Red Velvet Cake has only recently appeared in specialist cake shops in South Africa. And to date I have yet to find one that is as moist and decadent as the one from Joy of Baking. Mostly the ones here are dry (I think they are baked too long), may not have buttermilk in it and do not have a mascarpone, cream cheese, whipped cream icing.

Every single person who has tried my Red Velvet came back for more. A LOT more. I hope the Blue Velvet will meet with the same success.

 

Things I should remember...

When my baking cookbook, given to me by my dear friend Gilamonster, says that the cake serves 12, that they actually mean 12 starving Ethiopian families.

I decided, being the super efficient planner that I am, to bake one of my birthday cakes for Saturday last night . That way I can store it in the fridge and it's one less thing to do on the day. Red velvet cupcakes are also on the menu.

This particular chocolate cake recipe should fill a 24cm spring-form cake tin. Well, that it did, to the brim. And anyone who's done any baking knows that cake rises. Double at least.

So I emptied half of it into another tin. Thank goodness I have two. Now I have two cakes, one which is now sitting next to me at work.

Meet the Chocolate, Orange, Almond Cake, drowned in chocolate ganache:

PS: Yes, I did lick the bowl.

PPS: For the best Red Velvet Cake recipe...IN THE WORLD (to quote good ole' Jeremy Clarkson), go to http://www.joyofbaking.com/RedVelvetCake.html