Daring Bakers: Let Them Eat Cake!


It took quite awhile, but someone from the Daring Bakers finally chose a recipe from Dorie for their choice of challenge. Morven, you made a great choice!

Her choice was so good, I'd actually made it already: Dorie's Perfect Party Cake.

Its a good cake, even though it involves the dreaded buttercream icing that so threw me for the Yule Log challenge. The buttercream that I made successfully the first time I made this cake, and was able to turn to when having so many problems with the Yule log, restoring my confidence.

I had no worries making this recipe. I'd done it before, I knew I could do it again. Only this time, I was taking the challenge on the road. That's not my kitchen counter in the picture.


Yes, Bob went on a road trip. Along with a few other items, like my cake flour and cake pans. Should have brought a few other things with me though, like good spatula, my homemade vanilla, some parchment paper..... The list could go on.

You see, I decided to make the cake for Easter weekend, where I would be making dinner for my family, some of which I only see once or twice a year. This dinner was going to be at my mother's house, though, and even though my mother used to cook, she doesn't anymore. And her kitchen is lacking in a few things that I find essential. Like a good sharp knife. And a spatula. And baking powder.

I managed to work around the lack of stuff, though, and turned out a reasonable looking cake. Morven had given us a bit of leeway with the filling, written as raspberry preserves, so at the last minute I substituted huge, beautiful and fragrant strawberries instead.

At the end of a huge meal for my family (I had bbq'd a very large roast beef, and roasted a turkey), everyone made room for at least a slice of this lovely looking cake. At least three people went back for seconds.


Every months' recipe provides a different challenge: When will I find time to make it? OMG, I need to do what with the sugar?!? Yeast? But I'm afraid of yeast! Sometimes the challenges are easy to over come, other times require a bit more courage and just diving into the recipe, hoping for the best. It is ironic that with this recipe the biggest challenge for me was working in someone else's kitchen. (Okay, and having to remake the buttercream after I put it in the fridge to go do something else and could not get it to soften up again without breaking, that was a challenge as well.)

Many thanks to Morven for giving me a bit of a break this month, a recipe I could dive into with my eyes wide open, and enjoy. I'm sure I'm not the only Daring Baker who enjoyed this challenge, but just in case there is any doubt, check out as many of them as you can, over here on the Daring Baker's Blogroll. Get cozy though, there are well over 600 of us now!

Now, must run off to the DB site and see who is up next! My cupboards are a bit bare, in need of a new recipe.

45 comments:

Meeta K. Wolff said...

Jenny that looks utterly delicious. I was waiting to see yours. Perfect!

jasmine said...

Ah! That's what you were doing down here...taking DB on the road...

Brava for completing this in a strange-to-you kitchen. Those berries look very good.

j

Peabody said...

I used to give one on one cooking lessons in people's homes. It was so hard to get used to someone elses kitchen!
THe strawberries look really good....excellent choice.

Miss Ifi said...

I totally understand the pressure of working in someone else's kitchen.. I've tried it and I get all melancholic for my kitchen. You did an excellent job though!! Congratulations.. your cake looks amazing with those strawberries!!!

L Vanel said...

Wow, your cake turned out beautifully! Just gorgeous!

Engineer Baker said...

I love the strawberry idea, especially with the fanned strawberries on top! It looks amazing!

Shaheen said...

Such a beautiful cake!

Andrea said...

If they go back for seconds, that a sure sign that the cake is delicious! Congrats, it looks beautiful.

Tiffany @ Lattes And Life said...

You're so right, that baking in a strange kitchen is challenge enough in itself!!! Looks good though. Love the strawberries against the white frosting.

BC said...

The strawberries are gorgeous! The cake was amazing, wasn't it?

~Amber~ said...

Beautiful cake, great job.

Cheryl said...

Just beautiful contrast in the stark white cake and luscious strawberries. That must be hard try to make stuff in someone else's kitchen.

Sheltie Girl said...

Congratulations on baking on in your Mother's kitchen! You did an awesome job without all the tools you'd normally use. You did a wonderful job on your cake.

Natalie @ Gluten a Go Go

Deborah said...

Wonderful job - especially doing it in a kitchen that's not your own! Beautiful!

Lis said...

Such a pretty cake, Jenny! Sounds like ya'll had fun. :)

xoxo

breadchick said...

Well there you go! Nice cake, even in a different kitchen! So, did you tack up your recipe on the cabinets in the host kitchen?

Helene said...

Wow!Wow!Wow! What a beauty! I love what you did with it! It's hard to be in someone else's kitchen for sure. I find it even harder to bake with someone else sometimes!!

Unknown said...

Looks delicious with those gorgeous strawberries!

Canadian Baker said...

Your cake looks luscious! I love the strawberries!

Anonymous said...

Mmmm. Yours looks like strawberry short cake - so summery! Simple and pretty. Me likey1

Because I am an early July birthday I grew up with Strawberry short cake as my birthday cake every year. Now I can't see a cake like yours without thinking of summer and childhood. Nice memories.

myriam said...

woohoo, this looks wonderful!

Megan said...

Your cake came out wonderful. It is hard to work in some one elses kitchen.
I applaude you!

Brilynn said...

Those are gorgeous berries on a gorgeous cake!

Big Boys Oven said...

lovely n so desirable!

creampuff said...

Very well put, Jenny! It's just gorgeous and those strawberries ... swoon!

Unknown said...

Beautiful!!!! Im so glad your family got to enjoy as well.

Deeba PAB said...

Absolutely beautiful...& finding a challenge in a challenge is fantastic! Those strawberries look luscious sitting on top & withtin! O boy...I love the contrasting colours & the layers. YUM!!

Chez Us said...

Jenny this is great!

Elle said...

Jenny, your family is sooo lucky! Perfect cake with fresh strawberries! Considering the things the kitchen was lacking, your cake is excellent looking. Great job!!

Morven said...

Oh My! Those strawberries look deeeelicious. Great cake.

Kelly-Jane said...

Strawberries would be delicious with the cake, looks lovely :)

Anonymous said...

This was a very enjoyable challenge indeed. This was my first time and I'm already looking forward to the next one!

Those strawberries look delicious! I will definitely be making this cake again with strawberries this time.

Cookie baker Lynn said...

Your cake looks perfect, and perfectly delicious. That strawberries on top set if off....perfectly.

Anonymous said...

Oh, all those strawberries look fantastic.

Nemmie said...

You're a brave lady, making that in someone else's kitchen. If I stray away from mine, the results are usually a disaster.

Your cake is lovely! Great minds think alike, love the strawberries :)

Michelle said...

Your cake looks amazing and Yummy with the fresh berries!

Ally said...

Your cake looks beautiful! I love the color of the berries!

Lunch Buckets said...

Beautiful! I'd take seconds. Oh right, I did already! :)

Angel said...

Woot DB on a road trip!!! Your cake turned out gorgeous even with the lack of spatula. You woman are a super baker! Great Job!

Gretchen Noelle said...

How great that you were challenged with simply cooking elsewhere. I hate doing it because it is never the same. Great job doing your DB challenge elsewhere!! Looks delicious!

Lore said...

Great looking cake! You've done a mavelous job.

Gabi said...

Perfect looking party cake! Your layers are nice and even!
xoxo
Gabi

Wendy said...

Your cake looks wonderful. Those strawberries are luscious. I can see why some went back for seconds. Lovely cake. Wendy

steph- whisk/spoon said...

that is more than a "reasonable looking" cake! it looks awesome--your cake layers are so high and fluffy! i agree that working in someone else's kitchen is a challenge in itself!

Jaime said...

beautiful cake - i love the strawberries. great job making it in another kitchen too :)