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Cakes and Tea

Kathleen's Blog

January 2020 - A Year of Birthday Cakes

1/1/2020

1 Comment

 
Picture
Picture
Cakes celebrate many milestones and celebrations throughout the year. A big sheet cake for graduation, a beautiful Bundt pound cake for Mother’s Day, a heart-shaped chocolate stunner for Valentine’s day all are cakes worthy to plan and execute. But the cake that makes us turn on the oven most frequently is the birthday cake. I love making birthday cakes for those who really love a good cake. The people who are happy with a cake from Safeway are welcome to it.

Throughout the years, I’ve figured out who’s who and have happily settled into the habit of turning out birthday cakes that will either surprise those who like to be surprised or making old favorites for those who have decided on one kind.
​
With that in mind, I’m embarking on a year of birthday cakes for those cake fans out there.
​
January, A Marmalade Cake for Mrs. Polly Malan and a Cheesecake for Isaac

For world-traveling Polly, a cake or torte in the European tradition is called for.  Arguably, it is multi component, a more sophisticated cake, perhaps lower in height than our American layer cakes. I created this cake as a composite of my idea of several European cakes. I wanted a dense chocolate cake, with ground almonds in the batter, accented with orange liqueur and orange peel. The chocolate should be very good quality and bittersweet: 70% cocoa solids.
​
I was gifted with an exquisite jar of marmalade, so I decided on a marmalade buttercream, the sides frosted with chocolate ganache. I used the back of a teaspoon to create rustic swirls along the top edge, framing the translucent layer of marmalade. A layer of marzipan or almond paste rolled over the top of the buttercream gave the marmalade a light background on which to sparkle. The marzipan also added to the old-world vibe of the cake and adds to the complexity. You can read my notes in the illustration below. I’m so glad I wrote it down since it was a cake with many parts. It was a hit at the birthday gathering, but who knows what I’ll do for the intrepid Polly next year.

Picture
The other birthday cake I make in January is a cheesecake for Mr. Vazquez. It is his longtime favorite. There are no photos, though, because cheesecake is not exactly photogenic. A good cheesecake will look pretty similar to an average cheesecake. I used to make the standard 9” cake for him but realized he just ate a few slices and was pretty much done with it. I have learned to scale down the recipe to fit a small sized pan. The ratio is one 8-ounce block of cream cheese to 1/3 cup of sugar to 1 or 2 eggs to 2 tablespoons cream which would fit into a 5 or 6-inch pan. Scaling up, my usual 9-inch cheesecake is 4 blocks cream cheese, 1 1/3 cup sugar, 4 or 6 eggs, and 1/2 cup cream. I add some salt, some vanilla, and some grated lemon zest as well. It is more forgiving than one might think, though there are a couple tips and tricks. For an extra silky- smooth cheesecake without the risk of cracking, bake the cake in a water bath, wrapping in a double layer of foil, if it is in a springform pan. I don’t worry about the top cracking because I like to top the cake with sweetened sour cream the last 10 minutes of baking. Topping a cooled cheesecake with lemon curd or fruit is also a good crack covering strategy. Cheesecake gets a bad rap for being finicky, but bakers should just relax; ​your cake will be delicious, and everyone will appreciate your home baked creation. Happy Birthday!
1 Comment
Marny
1/2/2020 08:26:09 pm

Go ahead and make the 9" cheesecake for Isaac. When he is finished, I will happily eat the remains! Yum! Cheesecake!

Reply



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Copyright © 2015 by Epilogics
  • Home
  • About/Blog
    • Who We Are
    • Our Credentials
    • Tea Travels - Rose's Blog
    • Cakes and Tea - Kathleen's Blog
    • Contact Us
  • The Tea Book
    • The Road Back to Civilization
    • A Brief History of Tea
    • Philosophy of Tea >
      • Harmony
      • Humility
      • Respect
      • Creativity
    • Guidelines for the Host/Hostess >
      • Gathering and Greeting
      • Sharing Stories
      • Sharing Food
      • Sending the Guests Home
    • Guidelines for the Guest >
      • Respect Your Hostess/Host
      • Bring a Gift if You Wish
      • Practice Humility
      • Monitor Your Conversation
      • Arrive with a Grateful Attitude
      • Help if Help is Needed
      • Do Not Criticize
      • Leave Gracefully
      • Send a Thank You Note
    • A Checklist for Planning a Tea Party
    • Teas of the World and How to Make Tea >
      • A Sampling of Teas
      • Herbal Teas and Tisanes
      • How to Make Tea
      • Making Iced Tea
      • Tea Concentrate
      • Brewing Tea for a Crowd
    • Tea Utensils and Accessories >
      • Tea Kettle
      • Tea Pot
      • Tea Cozy
      • Teacups
      • Plates
      • Silverware
      • Teacart
      • Tea Strainer
      • Tea Infuser
      • Three-Tiered Server
      • Cream Pitcher and Sugar Bowl
      • Cake Pedestal
      • Trifle Bowl
      • Jam Pots
      • Serving Dishes, Platters, and Trays
      • Silver Tea Set or Silver Tray
      • Linens
      • Kitchen Equipment for Food Preparation
    • Tea Menu Basics >
      • Sandwiches and Savories
      • Savory Spreads and Dips
      • Scones and Tea Breads >
        • About Lemons
    • Afternoon Tea and the Four Seasons >
      • A Spring Tea
      • An Outdoor Summer Tea
      • An Autumn Afternoon Tea
      • A Winter Afternoon Tea
    • A Calendar of Tea Parties >
      • January: A Japanese New Year’s Tea
      • February: A Valentine’s Day Tea
      • March: A St. Patrick’s Day Irish Tea
      • April: An Easter Tea
      • May: A Mother’s Day Tea
      • June: A Wedding Reception Tea >
        • Lemon Yogurt Wedding Cake
      • July: A Picnic Tea
      • August: A Family Reunion Tea >
        • A North American Family Reunion Tea
        • An Eastern Mediterranean Family Reunion Tea
        • A Kosher Family Reunion Tea
        • A Scandinavian Family Reunion Tea
      • September: An Ozark Farm Harvest Tea
      • October: A Tea to Honor Our Ancestors (Dia de los Muertos)
      • November: A Post Thanksgiving Tea
      • December: A Christmas Tea >
        • In Defense of Fruitcake: Fruitcakes and Candied Fruit
    • A World of Tea Parties >
      • A Chinese Dim Sum Tea
      • A Portuguese Tea
      • A Classic British Afternoon Tea
      • An Indian Chai Party
      • A California Tea
      • A Hawaiian Tea
      • An Italian Tea
      • An American Southern Tea
      • A Russian Tea
      • A French Afternoon Tea
      • A Kosher Tea with Tradional Jewish Foods
    • Afternoon Tea for Special Occasions >
      • An Afternoon Tea for Children
      • A Tea for Our Elders
      • A Honey Bee Tea in the Garden
      • An Urban Tea on the Go
      • Tea for One
      • Afternoon Tea for a Large Group
      • A Vegan Tea
      • A Rose Tea
  • Purchase Recipes
  • Resources
    • Bibliography and Resources
    • Menu and Recipe Index
    • Commercial Food Products
    • Glossary