Frangelico-Infused Genoise Cake

Bundt cake! For 'I Like Big Bundts 3', why ever else?

We all make mistakes sometimes. (Don't worry, I'm not talking about getting married.)

Once, I dusted and polished the entire upstairs of my house with a can of Raid ant poison, thinking it was Mr. Sheen. I consider it a miracle that we didn't die and have actually only recently (as in within the last 6 months) stopped worrying about possible health problems we could end up facing.

I also once accidentally tipped a waiter in Chambéry around €20 for bringing us the hugely difficult to remember order of a citron pressé and coffee (which came to about €6). I am actually appalled that he didn't give me the money back to be honest, but hey: you'll never be able to call me a bad tipper

The mistake I made today was dancing for too long in the kitchen when the good light (for taking photos) was available. I'm sorry readers, I just couldn't help it. I'm powerless to resist the charms of a well timed pop song on the radio. This could all lead to a new career change though: I reckon I could be one of Britney's dancers. I've been told I am all shoulder (in terms of style), so would fit right in to her video anyway. Look. Specifically at 2:03. I could do that. And make genoise cake at the same time.

I just wouldn't be able to photograph it in decent light...

I know that, really, a plain cake like this should have some sort of garnish. But it's for a dinner party and is going to go with some Frangelico whipped cream and raspberries. I'm so not mucksying up my beautiful cake stand with that lot just to get a photo of it now. They're more of an 'on the side when you actually eat it' type thing. The obvious choice - that's flowers from the garden to those who don't know - is not an option in freezing Cardiff today, so, searching around for something else to brighten up my pages with, I decided to snap a quick portrait of my Doraemon hand wash dispenser. Enjoy.

Lovely.

Oh, and thanks for all your lovely comments and well wishes. I feel very happy indeed. Maybe I'll post a few more photos of the day when I get a chance. And the cake!


Frangelico-Infused Genoise Cake
adapted from Rose's Heavenly Cakes

You will need:

50g clarified butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

5 large eggs

125g caster sugar

66g plain flour (cake flour, should such be available)

60g grams cornflour

For the syrup:

65g sugar
160ml water
45ml (3 tbsp) Frangelico, or liqueur of your choice (please not Jägermeister)

1. This recipe is for a regular 10-cup bundt tin, such as those made by Nordic Ware. Please grease the hell out of it before proceeding. If you can get hold of baking spray oil, then please do. Heat the oven to 180­°C.
2. Follow the method given in this post to make the genoise batter. Bake for around 25 minutes, and immediately unmould the cake onto a wire cooling rack and allow to cool completely.
3. Meanwhile, make the syrup: heat the sugar and water in the microwave until dissolved; add the liqueur when cool.
4. Brushing the cake with the syrup (and all of it) is essential. It will take a few minutes, but make sure to apply all of the syrup. Set the cake aside for at least 12 hours, ideally more, to allow the syrup to distribute and flavour the sponge.
5. Serve with cream and berries.

You might well all be thinking, 'Where the hell has Mr. P gone?' (If indeed there are any of you left. I haven't updated for so long that I'd be surprised if anyone ever came around here anymore...)

I have been taking it easy after a busy few months. I didn't mention it before, but one of the reasons that my posting has become so infrequent is that I have been so pre-occupied with other projects and just haven't had the time to maintain my blog as well do everything else.

I say 'other projects'; I think it is pretty obvious from the above photograph that I am talking about getting married. I think it's a rather good reason for letting one's writing schedule slip a little though, don't you?

Normal service will resume. It might just take me a while to get into it.

Photograph courtesy of Dave Fletcher Photography.