Cake Decorating: Chocolate Genoise & Buttercream

A little note: I plan to bake Sonia's RECIPE, but I decided to make a larger cake - 9", I'm afraid to modify the recipe. Furthermore, I'm not confident in beating the eggs white till stiff peak. Ended I found a simple 9" sponge cake base recipe from A Touch of Classic Baking book by Kevin Chai. Sonia, I shall and certainly will try your basic sponge cake next time. *_^

Chocolate Genoise (Sponge), pg108

Ingredients

• 7 eggs
• 150 castor sugar
• 120g plain flour (I used self raising flour)
• 30g cocoa powder
• 20g cornstarch
• 80g butter (melted)

Method

1. Whisk eggs and sugar until light and fluffy in high speed. Gradually, fold in sifted flour, cocoa powder and cornstarch. Add in melted butter and mix well.
2. I melted the butter by using double boiling method. So, the butter won't easily get burnt. In this way of doing, the butter is nicely melted.
3. Pour batter into a line 9" cake tin. Bake in preheated oven at 180'C for 25-30mins.

This is how my Chocolate Genoise looks like. The side and cake top part are slightly hard, because I bake a bit longer 10-15mins when I insert the cake tester, the middle part still not done yet. So far, the cake taste ok and it is rich in chocolate flavour.

Although this Genoise doesn't look that tall and fluffy. But the cake still look moist and soft inside. I still able to divide it into 3 layers. I slice the cake without any cake leveller. Before I sliced the cake, I get ready with the butter cream.

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Simple Butter cream recipe, pg105

(Adapted from the same book as above by Chef Kevin Chai)

Ingredients

• 250g butter (at room temperature)
• 120g castor sugar
• 1/2tsp vanilla essence
• 75ml hot water (Do not have to be boiling)

Method

1. Beat butter until creamy. 
2. I leave the butter at room temperature and cut into cubes. So the butter is soft and able to beat it well.
3. Add sugar and vanilla essence, continue to beat until light and fluffy.
4. Gradually add in hot water, beating until sugar is melted.
5. Scrap the side of the mixer if necessary.
6. Whisk until pale and creamy.

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I didn't leave the cake plan. I decided to spread blueberry jam as the cake filling for every layered. To remain the cake moist enough till the next day. I prepared a simple sugar syrup (2tbsp of sugar dissolved in 50ml hot water) to brush over the 3 slices of cake before thinned with butter cream and blueberry filling. 

Once I settle and spread the overall surface of the cake, I let the cake set inside the fridge just for a while. Do you noticed something sat inside the fridge as well beside my cake? Anyone can tell me? Yeah, it's jelly mooncakes. My MIL making jelly mooncakes for us. I told my FIL there's two line production in the house. One is jelly mooncakes and another one making birthday cake. He smiled and shook his head...*Pengsan* I guess. LoL.

I think it is much easier to do the decorating part when the cake is set inside the fridge for 1-2 hours. So the surface with butter cream is slightly smooth and harden, really no mess at all.

As I said earlier, no matter how the cake turns up, I'll still marked down and jot down in my blog, in order to get valuable advices and opinions from many superb mummy bakers out there. Frankly, I still need more practice, there are many skills I need to brush up. Ganbatte!

Will be continue to post step by step in the making of Spiderman cake. Stay tune!!!

Happy Mooncake Festival to Everyone!