Sunday, September 25, 2011

Capsule wardrobe # 47 - balloons and cake

The weekend has been extra special and fun, and was greatly anticipated by DS as it was his 11th birthday. Following a party for his friends on Saturday, there were more celebrations today, as it's the actual day of his anniveraire. Even though we missed the sunshine yesterday, we had a wonderful time. Happy birthday to all Libras!

ready for the candles..


Capsule pieces: white jeans, french-grey tank top and long cardie
Shoes: ballet flats
Accessories: La Femme aux Semmelles de Vent 90 Carré, Chaîne d'Ancre enamel bangle
Scarf tying method: low criss cross knot with a Grande dark MoP scarf ring. Please click here for a how-to

Chocolate birthday cake

2 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 tablespoons boiling water

175gr (6oz) soft light brown sugar
175gr (6oz) unsalted softened butter
3 eggs
175gr (6oz) superfine self-raising flour
50gr (2oz) ground almonds
100gr (4oz) dark chocolate, chopped into little chunks

In a small bowl, blend together the cocoa powder and water to make a smooth paste, and leave to cool.

Place the sugar and butter in a mixing bowl and beat together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, until the mixture is thick and smooth. Beat in the cocoa mixture. Sift in the flour and combine. Add the ground almonds and fold in carefully, then stir in the chocloate chunks.

Pour mixture into a lined round cake tin (26cm/10.25" diameter) and bake for approx. 25 min in preheated oven (180˚celsius/350˚F).

Repeat the process, so you end up with two cake disc. Sandwich them together with chocolate frosting, then cover the entire cake with frosting and decorate. You could also use other shapes of cake tins, ie a loaf tin to make a treasure chest cake, or a muffin tray to make cupcakes

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24 comments:

  1. What a fun cake and I love the decorations on the balcony, my mum's a Libra, it's her birthday in a few weeks - 90!

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  2. Fabulous cake; love the alligators! I will have to give that a try sometime. I feared for your lovely scarf with those blazing candles; glad you were not part of the birthday fire!

    Happy 11th to the young man of the day!

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  3. Starting out with best wishes to MT junior for his next year! Totally admire your fun energy and love, how your bw-outfit brings out the popping colors on the cake and the decoration even more. I'm sure after seeing this the HFT will also demand an extra effort on my part, regarding his b-day. xox, Macs :-)

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  4. What a lovely cake! You are so creative MaiTai! It looks like a wonderful and memorable birthday. I know I remember all the beautiful birthday parties my mother did for me and I'm sure your son will also treasure these memories in the future. You look radiant as always!

    Have a lovely week,

    Melusine x

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  5. I love the cake decorations - that is SO much an 11 year old boy! Give him my warmest best wishes for many happy returns of the day.
    big hug,
    Vivienne

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  6. A very happy birthday to your son, MaiTai.

    What an adorable cake, just perfect for a boy his age. Enjoy the time he is still your "little" boy because before you know it he towers above you, communicates by grunting, sports b*mfluff and has a girlfriend!

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  7. Aren't you brave, MT, wearing white and H to a party full of boys and chocolate!! The cake looks absolutely yummy!

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  8. Oh, my, dear MaiTai! DS is one lucky boy! What a wonderful (and talented) mom you are to have make such a master piece! DS will remember his birthdays for the rest of his life, and how special you made each one for him.

    Love the La Femme aux Semmelles. Wishing I had not passed on that one, too! LOL You look lovely as ever.

    Warm hugs, dear. And belated birthday wishes to DS.
    CS

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  9. Happy B-day to your DS, my dear MaiTai! I hope he had a wonderful day! The cake you made looks, as always, delicious! My best wishes for a great week ahead. Mxx

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  10. Happy birthday to your DS! What a great cake for a boy. It is so creative, but not difficult...I love it.

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  11. Dear Emanuela, Bourbon&Pearls, Reese, hair-mess, Melusine, Vivienne, Bienchen, sushi queen, CS, Manuela and Debbie B. ~ DS says hello and merci for the happy birthday wishes, and wants to add that the cake was ‘excellent’!

    Emanuela, so nice of you, merci!

    Bourbon&Pearls, a very happy and special 90th birthday to your mother!

    Reese, and what’s more, it’s a vegetarian croc cake! Scarf remained unharmed too ;-)

    hair-mess, have fun with HFT’s cake! DS blows you a bisou, and says the effort will definitely be worth it!

    Melusine, I also remember each and every birthday my mother did for me ~ all I know I learned from her. Have a lovely week too!

    Vivienne, it was such fun to select the sweets for the topping. Next year, I suppose it will have to be ‘plus cool’ ;-)

    Bienchen, I know the days of this stage are numbered! Can’t imagine him in a few years time, but in a blink of an eye, I will find out for myself!

    sushi queen, glad to report that jeans are still pristine and scarf survived without burn holes or chocolate stains :-)

    CS, so sorry re the LFASDV! But maybe, with all the surprise reissues last spring, there is a chance for it to come back, fingers crossed! Making the cakes is something I look forward to each year <3

    Manuela, the party was a huge success, DS and his friends had a wonderful time! Enjoy a great week ahead too x

    Debbie, so true, the recipe is so simple that I know it by heart! The true fun starts in the sweet shop ;-)

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  12. What a fantastic cake, did you order or make it? He must have been thrilled! Happy birthday!

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  13. Happy birthday to your son! Your cake looks so yummy!
    It was my Dad's bday yesterday too.....Libra's are great people.

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  14. Happy birthday to your DS! I loved the cake, specially the little green creatures on top! :)

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  15. Very Happy Birthday to your lovely son and the cake looked fabulous, MaiTai you truely are amazing i think you are superwoman you can do anything to perfection,i wish i could be more like you please spread some fairy dust my way

    Best jane

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  16. Belated birthday hugs to your son and congratulations to our superbly talented cake creator! You were so nice declaring us a team (hopefully there will be a place for me on the bench aside the playground, still need to grow up to play with you) and you announced the search for our team flag - La Femme you are wearing on these pics might be a perfect candidate, I think, as it seems to pick up any colour around it, uniting all colours and making them team players. You look gorgeous with it. Spare player's team hugs, Lilian

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  17. Happy Belated Birthday to dear DS the celebration looked especially grand and I am sorry to be late to the party! As I recall, gummy bears and DS seem to appear together alot! I hope he saved a few for the rest of the week
    Although it has been awhile since I have seen the "elevens" (except for the one's that sometimes make an appearance between my brows),I am sure DS has another special occasion for his memory book! Happy Days...mwah,
    T xx
    P. S. Tabitha,Happy Birthday to your mum. I look forward to reading about the celebration!!

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  18. Happy birthday to dear DS, and to you (it's a tradition in my family to honor the birth-giver as well!). That cake is awesome...those 'gators look just like the ones in the bayou down the road! ;)

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  19. Thanks a lot for the kind comments and good wishes for DS, dear Martina, booksnchocolate, Birkinmary, ladyjane963, Lilian, Trudye and Dr.V.O <3

    Martina, DS was very happy, and the cake easy to make. The recipe is at the end of the post :-)

    booksnchocolate, happy belated ‘joyeux anniversaire’ to your dad!

    Birkinmary, if only they could be turned into a pretty little maroquinerie ;-)

    ladyjane, billows of fairydust are on their way!

    Lilian, LFASDV is a perfect flag for our team. It is probably also the scarf that most of us are twins with! And now, back to the pitch, my dear.

    Trudye, lol re the elevens! Happiest days to you too, my dearest <3

    Dr.V.O. what a lovely tradition you have! Very much hoping the gators down the road are well behaved :-)

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  20. oh my gosh, what great photos! There is nothing you can't do with perfect style! ; )

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  21. Many thanks, Black is the New Black, cakes and scarves are my strengths ;-)

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  22. Happy Birthday to E! What a lovely cake you have there for him! He must have been thrilled...

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  23. Many thanks, my dear Stephanie! DS says hello <3

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