Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Alice's Teapot Cake

This post is a double whammy...not only is it my entry for this month's Random Recipes hosted by Dom over at Belleau Kitchen, but the cake was also my contribution to the inaugral Wandsworth Clandestine Cake Club.
To choose a random recipe for the month of March, we were instructed to count along our bookshelf to cookbook number 17, then flick through with our eyes closed and whichever recipe you land on you should make. Well, it seems Random Recipes is here to challenge me, as after making a flaky pastry fruit slice in January, this month I randomly selected 'The Birthday Cake Book' by Fiona Cairns, who made the Royal wedding cake no less.

Having flicked to the page with Alice's Teapot Cake, I hummed and harred over whether to join in. Then a couple of days later I saw a new Clandestine Cake Club advertised in Wandsworth...and the theme...Mad as a March Hare, cakes inspired by Alice in Wonderland. Obviously, Alice's Teapot would be perfect for this. A very fortunate coincidence...and I promise there was no cheating involved in choosing my Random Recipe!

As the cake is round in shape, I used an Alan Silverwood spherical pudding mould. However, I did have to make the cakes twice...the first time they stuck to the mould, despite the instructions saying that a liberal covering of butter would result in them turning out perfectly...it didn't! It did however, taste lovely and light. The second time I didn't take any chances, I used Wilton Cake release and lined the tins a little.
The cake itself is a lemon madeira which was really tasty. There was lemon juice and zest in the sponge and then the cake was brushed with lemon sugar syrup, and finally there was also zest and juice in the buttercream...it was certainly zingy! To decorate the cake it was covered in sugarpaste which was decorated with blossoms and then finished off with piped royal icing. The spout and handle were made in advance out of Mexican modelling paste as they needed sufficient time to harden. The final product is a lovely little teapot, perfect for Alice!
So, now to the Clandestine Cake Club. If you haven't heard of it before then check out their website. Every month in locations around the UK, CCC groups meet up. There's always a theme for your baking and the idea is you take your offering along and sample all of the other delights on offer. Since, appearing on the One Show last month, more and more CCCs have sprung up, including a number in London.
The theme for the first Wandsworth meeting, as already mentioned was cakes inspired by Alice in Wonderland...and I have to say there was an amazing array...the Queen of Hearts, a drink me bottle, a clock face, the white rabbit, roses painted red, a catepillar and many more. You can check some of them out below.I thoroughly enjoyed my first cake club experience, everyone who attended was lovely and the cakes were divine as there was also an array of flavours. I'm looking forward to next month already!


* I've just found a new decorating challenge too, the theme is 'Anything Goes' so my teapot has been entered into the Decorating Challenge 

34 comments:

  1. Wow, wow and triple wow. You are so clever Laura. And what a coincidence too that the two events coincided. I bet everyone was impressed with your teapot - I know I am.

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  2. well... I only reserve this for a few people but ... (and ears closed if you're young or Catholic) FUCKING HELL this is amazing!... you did THIS for ME!!!! this is AMAZING... I would have turned the page at the first glance... scrap that I would have thrown the book aside!... it is AMAZING... did I say that? AND you made it twice... are you MAD?!?!?!... I love you... thanks so much for taking part... AMAZING!!

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  3. Brilliant cake, I absolutely love it!

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  4. Thanks Choclette and Janice!

    Dom...I like a challenge...I did consider throwing the book out the window...or cheating but I remained true to the random recipes cause! :-)

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  5. P.S I'm not that young or catholic!! x

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  6. What a beauty! I love the delicate decoration.

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  7. WOW, this cake is truly amazing and a work of art, Laura! So inspired and your blog is lovely :)

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  8. Wow wow wow!!! This is amazing!!!!

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  9. No words to describe this. It is just a masterpiece!

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  10. WOW! These cake is so GORGEOUS!!! Well done ,Laura! :)

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  11. So beautiful-you are incredibly talented

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  12. What a clever clogs you are! This cake is beautiful. I like the look of the birthday cake book as well. With 3 children all wanting a birthday cake each year that is bigger and better than the last one, I'm always looking for inspiration. Glad you enjoyed your first CCC. X

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  13. by the way, did you get any pictures of the cake cut open? i'd love to see it!

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  14. Wow it's stunning Laura! What an amazing coincidence and it turned out so perfectly - well done! X

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  15. Wow that is such an amazing cake - it looks prefect! I don't know how you were able to cut it up and eat it. Looks like it should be framed or put in a glass cabinet or something!!

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  16. This cake is beautiful perfection - how do you do it? I look forward to a lot more from your wonderful blog :D

    Cheers
    Choc Chip Uru
    Latest: Layered Double Nutella Cheesecake Brownies

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  17. Et voila...a picture of the inside added...not the best but does the job! :-)

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  18. that is amazing! What a fantastic idea you are just so clever!

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  19. Wow you never fail to impress me!! This cake looks so professional and beautiful - it's probably better looking than the one i the book!! I have the same book and if I chose it for random recipe I would cheat or not participate!! Also exciting to know there's another cake club in London - maybe I'll see you there next month! Are you still going to the cakes4fun cake club?

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  20. I didn't realise this terrific tasty teapot was yours! I was so so so impressed- I too have this lovely lovely book but don't think I'd have the confidence to try making this. After quizzing you on Tuesday as to how you made this, it's great to read more detail here and see all the pictures. Really lovely to meet you at CCC, Sorry you can't make the next one but really looking forward to May's Eurovision extravaganza and catching up again!

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  21. Such a beautiful cake! Great idea, very nice presentation!!

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  22. Wow Laura - this is fantastic! I'm so impressed! I haven't been very organised and got the dates in for the London CCC - I'm hoping to get to the next one.

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  23. That is brilliant, I really need to see if there's a CCC set up in Sheffield. xx

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  24. You have a great blog...Lღ√є ♥ Yღur ♥ Teapღt!!

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  25. Thanks again for all your lovely comments...they're very much appreciated!!

    Kate...I'm already excited about the Eurovision Cake Club!!! I just hope I don't get Azerbaijan...although that could be a challenge! :-)

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  26. Do you mean you've given up eating chocolate for good? I am sad for you that you've missed out on Malteser bunnies! This cake is completely amazing! what a clever idea and the decorating is so intricate! and I love the theme for the first meet up...if I still lived in London I would have definitely ventured to Wandsworth for this!

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  27. wow!!!I am speechless!!really atracted to this cake.Look so beautiful & love this colour combination.you are so talented....
    Thanks a lot for sharing this with 'Decorating Challenge'...

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  28. What a fabulous cake, I never cease to be amazed by the talent some people have for decorating cakes, brilliant.

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  29. Wow! This is very impressive! I love this cake!

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  30. Eeeeek - this is STUNNING!!!!
    You are amazing.
    I am so in awe.
    That cake would be perfect for my Mum but I just wouldn't dare try to do that! I am seriously impressed.

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  31. That cake looks amazing! I found your blog via Dom's at Belleau Kitchen.
    I just bought that book recently and it's just stunning. I cannot wait to start baking from that book. Perhaps, something simpler though... :)

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  32. Thanks again!! :-)

    Gem...I've given up for the last 5 years...going for 10 now but I'm sure I'll go back to it at some point!!

    Please do not feed the animals...you should definitely give it a go...not as difficult as it looks!! :-)

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