Iron Chef Shellie: Cooking

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Week 20 - The Cookbook Challenge: Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake

Comments (24) | Friday, April 2, 2010

Week 20

Theme: Tangy

Cookbook Used: Faking It

Author: Valli Little

So for tangy week, I thought I'd try something that I thought sounded gross the first time I read it; chocolate mayonnaise cake. The picture in the cookbook is a chocolate cake with white icing and decorated with nuts. My first thoughts were, "Oh my gawd, this is a chocolate cake with mayonnaise icing!!".... but this was not the case. The mayonnaise is used inside the cake instead of using eggs.

My mother, aunty and I sat down to have a taste test. Because we all knew there was mayonnaise inside the cake, we could taste it. I fed a slice to my dad without telling him anything. After he finished it I asked him how the cake was. He said it was alright, and seemed pleased with what he had just eaten. I then followed up with the question: "Could you taste the mayonnaise?"..... surprised he said "MAYONNAISE?!?!.....*pause*.... nup..."

I don't think I'd make this one again unless I REALLY wanted chocolate cake and didn't have any eggs. Once you get over the mayonnaise taste within the first bite, it's really just like a chocolate cake. But let me tell you, the only substitute for eggs.... is eggs.

*NB. I did use whole egg mayonnaise, not cheap or tangy mayo you'd put in your salad roll.

Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake

Valli Little

Get your hands on:

1 2/3 cups (250g) self-raising flour

60g cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

200g caster sugar

3/4 cup (225g) whole-egg mayonnaise

3 teaspoons vanilla extract

100g unsalted butter, softened

100g cream cheese

1 2/3 cups (250g) pure icing sugar, sifted

1 shot (30ml) Kahlua (or other coffee liqueur)

Hazelnuts half-dipped in melted chocolate, to decorate

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease and line the base of a 23cm springform cake pan.

2. Place the flour, cocoa, baking powder, caster sugar, mayonnaise and 2 teaspoon of the vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer with 200ml warm water and beat for 2-3 minutes until smooth. Spread into the prepared pan and bake for40 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool completely.

3. Meanwhile, make the icing. Process the butter, cream cheese, icing sugar, remaining 1 teaspoon of vanilla and Kahlua in a food processor until smooth. Spread over the cooled cake and decorate with nuts.

Serves 6-8.

Reindeer Cupcakes

Comments (3) | Saturday, December 20, 2008

I have just finished making the cutest Christmas cupcakes and wanted to share them immediately with you. You will have to excuse the not so creative photography as they are all packed up in my cupcake courier ready for transportation for a Christmas party.

They are taken from Donna Hay's latest magazine: Issue number 42. The recipe is on page 198. The cupcakes are vanilla with raspberries, topped with a chocolate butter frosting.
The nose is done using a Jaffa, and eyes are made from mini-m&m's. Whilst the antlers are made from halved preztels. I'm sure these are going to be a big hit, I'll be making another batch for my family on Christmas eve.

Enjoy!

naked cupcakes before getting dressed as reindeers

reindeer cupcakes... too cute to eat!

Cocoa-Cola Cake & Baby Bundts

Comments (0) | Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Sorry about the low quality photo, and the fact that is was taken on my car seat! I forgot to photograph my latest creations when they were in the kitchen!

These were from the Nigella Lawson book "How to Be a Domestic Goddess".
Mum and I were a bit puzzled at why the cocoa-cola cake came out so flat, and she suggested I double the mixture the next time I make it. Although once you actually taste it you realize why it is so flat! It is more of a fudge than a cake. You get a bit of fizz from your first mouthful, but I think it is more of a gimic than a regular item I would bake! None the less, it was delicious!
The icing cracked a little when I transfered it from the wire rack to the serving plate.

The baby bundts have a real sour icing but that's what helps them taste sooooooooo good! Made 2 batches on the weekend and they got gobbled up very quicky... mostly by myself!

First Post!

Comments (1) | Thursday, January 24, 2008

Hi there to anyone out there actually reading this!
I thought I'd start a food blog since I have recently found a new passion in life, cooking. It seems to be a lot cheaper than my other passion, shopping! Although I love buying new cook books with the pretty pictures which isn't so cheap!

My favourite celebrity chefs at the moment are Nigella Lawson and Donna Hay. I wish Ainsley Harriott was back on TV, he used to be so much fun to watch! Lucky I got a book of his cheap on eBay and it arrived in the post today! =D

Well I hope to do a post every time I make something new or spectacular, I will just need to remember to take photos instead of eating it straight away!

Right now I'll leave you with my funky ginger bread characters my mum and I did over Christmas!