I never managed to upload the rest of Easter treats I baked. But there is one I wanted to share with you.
These mini-cheesecakes:
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Australian Animal Truffle Pops
So you guys have seen me do this before…
… but what other iconic Australian animal has a big nose like a koala?
Dragon’s Lair Cake
The second I heard about the Zoology Master Baker Bake off at Uni, I was so excited at the prospect. To fill in some blanks, I’m studying a Master of Zoology at The University of Melbourne. The associated social club throws events just for post graduate students. Last year, in my gap year, I’d seen the signs for the bake off up around Uni and was so sad I couldn’t partake. So this year I was so excited. In fact, my friends told me they wouldn’t stop pestering me until I signed up.
The only dilemma: what to bake?
I figured a sleepy dragon couldn’t go far astray.
White Chocolate Cream Gateaux
Once upon a time, I used to bake every week for my Uni friends. These days, I’m lucky if I get the chance to bake once a month. The funny thing is, you’d think the less you bake the more ideas you would have, no?
Well. When the final presentation for my Communicating Science and Technology session came around, I thought I should bring along some cake to out end-of-class pizza party.
Aaand that’s about where the thought ended. I have been completely uninspired lately.
Hence, this last-minute rush job:
Easter Basket Cake
I love Easter. It’s a time where my love for chocolate in baking can be justified. This Easter I decided to host a party at my place. It was a lovely time to get together. But more than that, it was also an excuse to make lots of my favourite things: finger food. I love making all those small and fiddly things, finding new ways to miniaturise classics. Everything from mini tandoori pizzas to tiny burgers, lamb korma on mini papadums and gow gees… the list went on. But my favourite is and always will be the desserts. I shall do a follow up post later of all the mini desserts, but for now I will turn to the sole item that was not mini: the cake.
This is one I had been wanting to do for a while. I was just waiting for the right time of year to do it. A cake that looks like a basket. Hopefully. In fact, I would be wrapped if you looked at it and thought it was just a basket.
Chocolate Cake Box Tier
I’ve been much to busy to bake, let alone post about it lately. Though, when my 23rd birthday approached I just had to make time to. My problem? My muse had totally abandoned me. I had no idea what to do. Then I randomly saw a picture of a round brown box with green trimming around the lid. I dislike green as a colour generally. There are precious few shades of it I like. Something stuck me about this colour scheme that I absolutely fell in love with. The whole theme for the party ended up following suit.
With the billion assignments I have, as well as working, my research project, general house duties and all the finger food I had to make for the party, I needed something simple, classy and not fiddly. This is an idea I had been sitting on for a while. Though I imagined it in white, as a wedding cake tier. I never imagined how ridiculously long it would take to make the boxes.
Gateau Tiramisu
Another birthday, another new adventure. This time I thought I’d try my hand at something different. I never do boozy cakes: I dislike the taste of alcohol. But hey, it’s only the birthday girl who has to like it!
Peach and Orange Mousse Cake
Another cake for my boyfriend, this one for his 28th birthday. Again I wanted to stay away from fondant, and again I decided to tackle my arch nemesis: gelatine.
So many firsts in this cake. So the fact that it a) set, and b) was edible, was a HUGE relief. Especially since I was taking it to his place to be demolished by a bunch of people who, unlike my family, love cheesecake!
Sunken Ship Cake
This is the first cake I’ve done that someone has actually asked me to do for someone else, from them.
I mean, lots of people have gone all, “Oh wow. Could make such-and-such for me?” But when it comes to the crunch, most people don’t really want to pay for it. Most people don’t understand the days of work behind a cake. But this for friend-turned-housemate, I was happy to make one for free of charge, despite the offer of money being there. This one was gonna be lots of fun.
This one was for her dad. She told me he has somewhat of a Peter Pan complex. So we thought this sunken pirate ship cake would be lots of fun as far as reliving ones childhood goes.
You are without a doubt the worst pirate I’ve ever heard of…
Australia Day Koala Truffle Pops
For those of you playing at home, this Wednesday just gone was Australia Day. Now, I’m not particularly patriotic. I have a love for the land, for the wildlife, but I wouldn’t consider myself to be in love with my country. Not to the point I really celebrate Australia day, anyway. Though, do any of us really celebrate it? When we celebrate, it tends to be out of the love for a celebration, more than for some inherent patriotism.
Nevertheless, an excuse to bake is an excuse to bake. And since my heart lies with the wildlife, it was typical of me to do a dessert so themed. Hence, the koala truffles were born.
Cakecrumbs 