Not for cowards

This cake is certainly for the brave, especially when you read the ingredients. It is my first attempt at the base layer for Dan and Fran’s wedding cake, basically triple the quantity of this cake I made for Dan’s birthday last year. It’s not quite right yet, you can visually see the difference – a bit dense in the middle, stodgy even. Baking such a huge cake (30cm tin) which is very liquidy when you put it in the oven, takes some tweaking. I covered the cake with foil for the first two hours and then removed the foil and baked for another  hour and a half. I think I could have left it in for another half hour and considering advice from Dan and people on Dan Lepard’s forum, perhaps increase the temperature at the beginning then lower it.

Well, I’ll just have to make another and somehow the huge beast will be consumed. I need a birthday in May – any takers?!

Here’s the ingredients – hold on to your hats:

750g butter
450g white chocolate
1,320g caster sugar
750ml milk
675g plain flour
225g self-raising flour
6 eggs (lightly beaten)
3 tsp vanilla essence

Combine the butter (chopped), chocolate, sugar and milk in a large saucepan and heat gently until smooth – stir with a wooden spoon. Transfer to a large bowl and leave to cool for 15 minutes.

Whisk in the flour, essence and egg, pour into a lined 30cm cake tin and then experiment with the baking time! I had the oven at 180 and covered it as I said but will try a warmer oven next time and then reduce the heat half way through.

It seems to have got the thumbs up from those who’ve tried it so far but i think it needs to be less sticky in the middle. Mainly because it actually sunk a little which would be no good for the base. Well hopefully the next lorry load of ingredients will produce a successful cake, wish me luck!