"Just Do It!" chocolaty cake for the sports lovers

I think the thing I like most about making cakes, is the reactions of the people receiving them!

The girl who ordered this, wanted to give the cake as a gift to two of her friends who had their nameday on Monday. One friend was heavily into basketball, the other was a lover of all things NIKE. You can't see it in this picture, but the side of the cake had a football (soccerball for you Americans) pattern on it!

Eleni, the girl who ordered it loved it so much, she ran up to me & hugged me!

That's the kind of reaction that always makes me endlessly happy.

Any way, there's a rich chocolaty cake in the middle of all that decoration, & a mascarpone filling to it..... It's a little sweeter than my usual cake, but that's also because I was making it for teenagers... and you can never have enough sugar when you're a teenager!

Ingredients, cake: - 200g unsalted butter, room temp - 300g sugar - 4 eggs - 2 tsp baking powder - 325g gluten-free all purpose white flour - 75g cocoa - 1/2 tsp xanthan gum - 120ml milk

Directions, cake: 1. pre heat the oven to 175C. Grease & line two 20cm spring-form cake tins with parchment & set aside. 2. place the butter & sugar in a bowl & beat until light & creamy. Add in the eggs one at a time & beat between each addition until the mixture is once again light. 3. add in the dry ingredients & beat until combined. Add in half of the milk & beat untl combined, plus an additional minute. Add in the rest of the milk & beat until combined, plus an additional two minutes to aerate the mixture. 4. divide the mix between the two tins & bake for 30-40 minutes. Cake is done when a toothpick can be inserted into the cake & comes out clean. 5. allow the cake to cool completely before adding the filling.

Ingredients, filling: - 100g mascarpone - 200g heavy cream - 1/2 tsp vanilla - 60g icing sugar

Directions, filling: 1. place all ingredients into a bowl & beat until the cream has stiffened & stiff peaks can be formed. 2. spread the mixture in an even layer on top of one of the cake, & place the second cake on top. 3. the cake can be left like this & served. If planning to decorate, then proceed to the buttercream.

Ingredients, buttercream: - 800g icing sugar - 500g unsalted butter, room temp

Directions, buttercream: 1. place both ingredients in a bowl & beat until light & fluffy, this should take several minutes. 2. apply a thin layer all over the cake & place in the fridge. It doesn't need to be pretty, & it's ok if crumbs are stuck in it. This layer will harden whilst in the fridge & act like a glue. 3. once the first layer of icing is cold & hard, remove from the fridge & apply the rest of the icing to the cake in a nice, smooth, even layer. Place the cake back in the fridge to allow this to also harden. Once hard, the cake is ready to be decorated with fondant if you so choose.

By the way...

If you're interested in the type of stuff I keep stocked in my kitchen or the equipment that I use regularly... here's a pretty comprehensive list.

Tools/ Equipment/ Machinery/ Ingredients:

Machinery:

Electric Scale - Etekcity - http://amzn.to/2xkKpQk

Hand Mixer - Kenwood - http://amzn.to/2xkjowh

Stand Mixer - Kenwood - http://amzn.to/2yqXPiH

Candy Thermometer - Etekcity - http://amzn.to/2xklw7k

Food Processor - Cuisinart - http://amzn.to/2xkkZqK

Blender - Kenwood - http://amzn.to/2xXQgwU

Tools:

Silicone Spatula - Zyliss - http://amzn.to/2y3Srkw

Chef's Knife 8" - Miyabi - http://amzn.to/2fUtyRK

Pots & Pans:

Cast Iron Skillet 12" - Lodge - http://amzn.to/2fMHb1x Cast Iron Pot 5.5 Quart - La Cocotte Staub - http://amzn.to/2fUqxAG

Cast Iron Grill Skillet 10.5" - Lodge - http://amzn.to/2z2GPwi

Cake tins & Pie Plates:

Bunt Pan - Nordic Ware - http://amzn.to/2xjGB1N

Square Cake Tin - Patisse - http://amzn.to/2xkn5Ce

Springform cake tin 22cm (9”) - Farberware - http://amzn.to/2xkdQ4T

Ceramic Pie Plate- Emile Henry - http://amzn.to/2gex5qR

Cupcake Tin - Wilton - http://amzn.to/2xkp4GG

Tart Tin Loose Bottom 9.5” - Patisse - http://amzn.to/2xje3u2

Decorating Equipment:

Non-Slip Pipping Bags - Pastry Gear - http://amzn.to/2fLxAZ0

Pipping Tips - Wilton - http://amzn.to/2yJVPy1

Food Gels - Wilton - http://amzn.to/2kpOCky

Fondant Smoother - Wilton - http://amzn.to/2xkyZRl

Fondant Modelling Tools - Happisland - http://amzn.to/2xjOWSV Fondant Rolling Pin - Wilton - http://amzn.to/2xkbLe5

Fondant Rolling Mat - The Mat - http://amzn.to/2y2bg76

Ingredients:

Active Dry Yeast - Bob's Red Mill - http://amzn.to/2gcC2R4

Almond Flour - Bob's Red Mill - http://amzn.to/2xkP3xI

Arrow root - Bob’s Red Mill - http://amzn.to/2ycT0WF

Baking Powder - Bob's Red Mill - http://amzn.to/2xkJz5U

Bicarbonate of Soda - Bob's Red Mill - http://amzn.to/2yL7Lj4

Brown Rice Flour - Bob's Red Mill - http://amzn.to/2z1MUt1

Buckwheat Flour - Anthony’s Organic - http://amzn.to/2xjRS6T

Cocoa Powder - Valrhona - https://amzn.to/2ouIwlr Coconut Flour - Bob's Red Mill - http://amzn.to/2xkAHNX

Flaxseed Meel - Bob's Red Mill - http://amzn.to/2ybK0Rm

Millet flour - Bob’s Red Mill - http://amzn.to/2iBZqYw

Oat Flour - Bob's Red Mill - http://amzn.to/2fNUuyZ

Potato Starch - Bob's Red Mill - http://amzn.to/2yKpYgH

Quinoa Flour - Amisa Organic - https://amzn.to/2oyWVg9 Sorghum Flour - Bob's Red Mill - http://amzn.to/2yClSf5 Sweet White Rice Flour - Bob's Red Mill - http://amzn.to/2y2xmXK

Tapioca Starch - Bob's Red Mill - http://amzn.to/2xjv879

Vanilla Extract Organic - Simply Organic - http://amzn.to/2xXdt2e

Vanilla Beans - Vanilla Products - http://amzn.to/2yLMqWQ

White Flour GF - Dove's Farm - http://amzn.to/2z1b5I1​

Xanthan Gum - Bob's Red Mill - http://amzn.to/2zoYxuC

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#tools #equipment #machinery #baking #cooking #fondant #modelingtools