Friday, July 27, 2012

The one about the rainbow cake

When I first saw this cake , I knew that I'd make it some day.

It was several years back, on Martha Stewart's website, that I saw it.  And the waiting began, for the right time.  Well the day came, and my what an epic cake it was. '

It's like ticking off "do a marathon' on your bucket list.

The ingredients (or more so the quantity of ingredients) is a little lets say, shocking. Like 19 egg whites, 5 1/2 cups sugar, and 750g butter. We didn't have an ounce of butter in the house Monday morning.

Then you have the food dye... You gotta let all your nature mamma go if you want to make this cake, just forget it.

I really enjoyed the process of making this cake, and I followed the recipe to the tee, unusually for me.  The texture and softness of the cake is really good, the icing is a swiss meringue, lovely in small doses. The wow factor is really worth it.

Eliza had seen me assemble the cake, as much as she tried to avoid it, so she knew what is was going to look like.  But seeing her face lighting up as that first slice and  came out was just worth every free-range egg white.  And the days of custard that followed, not that the kids (or Aaron) complained.

Although Eliza saw the cake, I will tell you that we like a little secret party crafting round here the night before the party, after she'd gone to bed. Eliza's big sister Beatrix and Aaron and I stayed up way too late crafting pinwheels (that made our fingers bleed and wouldn't spin at night, but somehow did on the day) and ribbon sticks.  Bea had been with me buying the ribbons and embarrassed me in the fabric store, chortling loudly "Mum don't you know the colours of the rainbow?" when I wondered aloud what colours to get. Ahh I love it when she knows more than me.

The party was a big success and so much fun.

My recipe for the perfect rainbow party:

Punch balls in rainbow colours
A string of balloons aranged in the rainbow spectrum
Ribbon sticks in either a bright or pastelly rainbow hue
Pinwheels, just because they are so pretty
Some big sidewalk chalk
(I didn't need games with all this for everyone to play with!)
and of course
Rainbow cake..
rainbow food gels
rainbow batter
makings
assemblage
pinwheel
pinwheel
Ribbon stck making
is that my cake?
worry
Eliza 5
making the cut
cake wait

cake
amazment 2
amazment
Eliza 5
Eliza
a slice of rainbow
Honey joys
I have layers in rainbowA shot of me, no.
Rainbow party
Chalk
pinwheel sucess
ribbon stick
Lemonade
circe
rainbow birthday party

7 comments:

  1. Wow look at that cake...that is an amazing effort! It looks like a lovely party, so pretty!

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  2. That looks amazing and I love the sheer amazment on her face when the cake was cut. Looks like a fab day out. You sure know how to throw a party.

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  3. what a fun birthday. so beautifully coloured. i love the pinwheels and that cake looks amazing. penny loves pink so much, so i have planned one similar but with shades of pink. you certainly know how to keep the kids occupied. your little one looks so pleased. a gorgeous birthday. hope all is well. xo

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  4. man I am totally copying that cake - we have a birthday in October and its gonna take me that long to get the guts up to attempt it. Hey youre not the only ones who went 3 weeks without a heater - I sympathise sxx

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  5. it was perfect, the weather, the balloons, the smiles, the homemade everything and a perfect BIRTHDAY rainbow CAKE that was totally amazing (sis)

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  6. Happy belated birthday to your big 5 year old:) What a beautiful rainbow party you created for you special little girl. She looks very happy cutting into her cake, you did a wonderful job creating it. We are thinking of attempting a layer cake here too for my big girl probably in purple, will have to check with her a little daunted by it actually but I will give it a go:) x

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  7. OHHHHH MYYYY!! What an amazing party! The cake is to 'dye' for. And I'm loving those pinwheels. I'm sure it's a celebration she'll never forget!!

    Oh...and I tried to email you about camera settings, but then I realized your email addy is not connected to your name. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me. Not sure I'll know the answers, but I'm willing to share anything I do know. :)

    Kim
    kimgrowsup@yahoo.com

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