Cake Musing

Although I have 4 kiddies Lochie is the first one to have a birthday at the beginning of the year. I have only just realised it's a few weeks away and I've done nothing! {I usually happily muse over birthdays for ages before the day.} But with Christmas and holidays and back to school it kind of slipped my mind. I know shock horror.

Traditionally they don't start having little parties until their older, the first birthday is just a family BBQ. I come from a small family of 37 {19 of them are kids} and they're just the ones who live close by. Exactly. 

So although it's nothing big It's always big, if you get my drift and unbelievably I cant even think of a birthday cake I would like to make him. Hence the late musing.

Lochie is very happy so I want it to be something ... sunny. Like Mias garden party pot plant cake.

Only more boyish.

Like Fyns Australia Zoo crocodile cake.

Only more babyish {and simple!}

Like Paiges chocolate honey beehive cake.

Only bigger, something that can feed a crowd.





 Like Mias strawberry ice-cream and vanilla cake.

Only less meltable because working with ice-cream in summer is tricky!

So something sunny, boyish, babyish, simple, large and of course something absolutely delicious {that wont melt.} Should be a piece of cake. Yep, I really just typed that. 

Baking Weather

First, Happy New Year!

I considered ditching the blog this year, it was last years resolution and this year I want to move on to other things. However as I wrote a total of 15 posts I can't really say it took up a huge amount of my time and everything is always so pretty and clean in blog land. So hear I am again.

Second, what is up with this rain?
If you don't have to work and your not too busy trying to entertain your kiddies who are mad with 'it's raining I'm suddenly whinny' fever then this here is baking weather y'all!

Cubbies: good for 'whiney' fever

Baked Pumpkin Cheesecake
I love pumpkin pie and this has the same flavours so I thought it was gorgeous. After starting I realised I didn't actually have enough cream cheese, in fact I was a whole block and a half short luckily it turned out anyway. Considering that and the fact it has pumpkin in it some would say {me} that this is quite healthy.

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup digestive biscuit crumbs

1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped

1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

60g butter, melted

{I just blitzed 3/4 a packet gingernut biscuits and 60g butter}

750g block PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, cubed and softened

{or almost 500g in my case}

1/2 cup caster sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 eggs

2 tablespoons thickened cream

1 1/2 cups mashed cooked pumpkin

1 tablespoon cornflour

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups sour cream

2 tablespoons caster sugar

Pecan nuts, to garnish

Maple syrup to serve

COMBINE biscuit crumbs, pecans, brown sugar and butter. Press into a greased 24cm (9”) springform pan. Chill.

BEAT the Philly, sugars and vanilla using an electric mixer, until smooth. Beat in the eggs and cream until well combined. Add the pumpkin, sifted cornflour, spices and salt and mix on a low speed until well mixed.

POUR filling into crust and bake at 160°C for 50 minutes until just set. Allow to cool 5 minutes. Whisk together the sour cream and sugar then pour over the top. Bake for a further 10 minutes then allow to cool completely in oven with door ajar. Refrigerate 3-4 hours before serving. Serve garnished with pecan nuts and drizzled with maple syrup.