Thursday 18 July 2013

Dolly's birthday cake

It was Dolly's birthday this week.  Again.  A cake was requested.  We had baking leftover from the weekend.  Yet the idea of a doll's birthday party appeals to the child in me.  I searched for a quick small cake.  Something easy.  Not too rich.  Chocolate Covered Katie had a single serve chocolate cake in the microwave.  With healthy chocolate frosting.  Perfect!

The cake was so easy that Sylvia could have made it herself.  But she would have got the ingredients all over her dress and eaten half of them.  That is the world of four-year-olds that I don't understand.  My flaw is impatience.  The cake wasn't quite cooled when I tipped it onto a plate.  It didn't quite come out cleanly.

Sylvia was determined that to make it a special party.  She wore her party frock with a big black bow.  When the cake was cooked, she helped to mix and spread the frosting.  Then she topped it with coloured stars, five candles and a pink fairy cake topper.  I sewed a dress for dolly out of scraps of material.  For a birthday present.  I think Dolly even had some face painting.  (Stern face.)

We put her little red table in the middle of the loungeroom and spread it with scraps of coloured material.  I was most surprised when Sylvia insisted on some healthy food first.  She actually asked for more vegetables than I had to put on the table.  And she ate them!

After 'everyone' had eaten their hummus and vegies, we brought out the cake.  I lit the candles, we sang happy birthday and Dolly blew them out.  Then we cut the cake.  It was lovely.  Soft and fudgy with the creamy cashew frosting.

I have made a chocolate cake in a mug before.  It was delicious.  I recently made it again and found it quite rich with 1 egg to two portions.  A vegan cake is much more my sort of thing.  (I even found a GF version I might try some time.)

I really loved the frosting with cashew butter and maple syrup rather than icing sugar and butter.  We had a bit over and just ate it straight from the bowl.  It tasted so good.  Best of all, the cake was fun without having oodles of cake leftover.  I suspect this might become Dolly's regular birthday cake.  After all, Dolly's birthdays come around rather often.

Previously on Green Gourmet Giraffe:
One year ago: WW Tofu nut balls and princesses
Two years ago: CC Vegetarian Moussaka
Three years ago: Fish and chips – reflections of a vegetarian
Four years ago: From Disaster to Parfait
Five years ago: Stouty Oatmeal Beer Bread
Six years ago: Sesame and Lemon Bread

Single serve microwave chocolate cake
From Chocolate Covered Katie
Serves 1-2
  • 3 tbsp flour (I used 2 white and 1 wholemeal)
  • 1 tbsp and 2 tsp cocoa
  • 1 tbsp and 2 tsp raw sugar
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • pinch salt
  • 2-3 tsp rice bran oil
  • 3 tablespoons milk (I used soy milk)
  • 1 tsp vanilla essence
  • Chocolate cashew butter frosting (see below recipe)
Place the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder and salt into a small mixing bowl.  Stir in oil milk and vanilla. 

Spoon into a greased ramekin or mug.  Smooth down the top with the back of a spoon (I didn't do this and mine kept the blobby shape when it cooked.) 

Microwave for 30-40 seconds, depending on the your microwave.  I cooked mine for 40 seconds because my microwave isn't that powerful. 

Cool to room temperature and tip out onto a plate.  Frost and eat.

Chocolate cashew butter frosting
From Chocolate Covered Katie
  • 2 tbsp cashew butter
  • 3 tsp maple syrup, or to taste
  • 1 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 3 tsp milk (I used soy), or to desired thickness
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla essence
Mix everything together until you get a consistency that is spreadable. We used 3 tsp of milk but you can use less or more depending on the thickness you are after.  Check taste and adjust maple syrup if required.  Makes enough for about 2 of the single serve chocolate cakes.

NOTE: As the quantities are quite small, you should note that I use a 15ml tablespoon.

On the Stereo:
Absent Friends: Divine Comedy

33 comments:

  1. Those single serve microwave concoctions just may be the best thing since sliced bread, Johanna! I can't think of a better way to serve up Dolly's birthday!

    Impatience a flaw? I don't think so. Both you and Sylvia are making lasting memories:)

    Thank you so much for sharing...

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    1. Thanks Louise - I agree heartily about the single serve microwave concoctions - and they are brilliant in summer when you don't want to turn on the oven - and great for creating fun memories indeed

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  2. Ooh, didn't realise the original Dolly had found her way home!

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    1. Hi Paper and Stone - no sadly she is now know as "My Own Dolly" and still fondly remembered. She was replaced by Rosie who is loved but too big to snuggle. Then my sister in law gave us another dolly who was smaller and looked more like My Own Dolly. She fitted in Sylvia's arms perfectly and she has a little bell in her. She is now known as Dolly and is the favourite (her long name is Amelia Bowtie Rose)

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    2. Oh I see, thanks for clearing that one up! Glad Sylvia's happy anyway!

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  3. I only just discovered mug cakes and Choc Covered Katie in general. This particular mug cake is my favourite. It even taste amazing with Applesauce instead of oil!

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    1. Thanks Lyf - mug cakes are fantastic - I will have to try this one with applesauce - thanks for the tip

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  4. How adorable! I'd have loved to hold a tea party for my favourite toys when I was younger. Dolly must be very special :) I've been reluctant to try those micro cakes, but that one does look very good, especially with the fudgy frosting.

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    1. Thanks coconut and berries - Dolly is very special and has many little friends who love a party - highly recommend this cake - it was really easy and really yummy

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  5. thats so cute!
    what a little sweetie...Sylvie reminds me of my big girl when she was little. Those quirky little ways with an eye for detail. It stays with them even when they become big girls. :)

    Ive never tried nut butters before Im on the look out for new ways of adding flavour without animal fat,eggs and sugar. Ive had a health scare recently and there is heart disease and stroke in my family so now Im using my creativity in a culinary sense and really enjoying discovering new flavours and inventing new dishes to enjoy.

    Your blog is very inspiring in this way.

    Helen :)

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    1. Thanks Helen - What a lovely way you describe Sylvia - hope your big girl still enjoys a party.

      Sorry to hear about your health scare but it is so much easier to find good ideas for healthy eating online these days - glad my blog is an inspiration - good luck with eating your way to good health

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  6. Dolly is a lucky dolly! I am delighted you made her this cake because I had seen it on CCK but am never certain how her recipes will turn out (that sounds rude but I don't mean it to!). I'm glad it worked so well and now I think I'll give it a try myself, birthday or no birthday :-)

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    1. Thanks Kari - I think this is the second recipe I have tried from CCK - I am impressed with them and recommend this cake - and I definitely think you shouldn't wait for your birthday - just find a night you want chocolate cake but not too much :-)

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  7. I bet Dolly's birthday is very important! And I love seeing how Sylvia is growing up-you can tell from the glimpses that we get! :D

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    1. Thanks Lorraine - Dolly's birthday is always very important and very exciting for Sylvia - and yes she is a big girl now (as she likes to tell me)

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  8. oooh yes, the birthdays for toys! In our house, my daughter tried to establish a birthday for each one of her toys so we could have a birthday party every day. And when she ran out of toys to suggest, she tried to convince me that each of her hair elastics needed a birthday.

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    1. Thanks Veganopoulous - hilarious! I am sure Sylvia would try that if she thought she would get away with it - toy birthday are fun but one every now and again is enough for me

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  9. I love ir! What a magnificent cake for Dolly.

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    1. Thanks Cakelaw - yes, Dolly was most impressed :-)

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  10. Oh bless. What a sweetie, thinking about her dolly's best interests and eating her vegetables? That's a small child win right there! Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Thanks Jas - I was amazed at the vegetable part of the lunch - and impressed (maybe I am getting through to her) if only she felt the same way about her meals :-)

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  11. Replies
    1. Thanks Hannah - yep I wouldn't mind it either! why do kids want to be grown up so much?

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  12. Oh that is just the cutest little thing! Look at her little party dress.! Eeee.

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    1. Thanks Cass - Sylvia does love to wear a party dress for any reason :-)

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  13. Happy belated birthday to Dolly! Such a cute cake you made for her! With little stars! :) I had no idea you can make cake in the microwave!

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    1. Thanks Kath - cake in the microwave is something I am a bit wary about because it can be dry but this one worked rather well and was quite fudgy

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  14. What a perfect little cake for Dolly's birthday! Microwave mug cakes are such a cinch to make - I must remember this when I get a late night request to bake something sweet. The nicest mug cake I've made was an upside down almond blueberry cake.

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    1. Thanks Mel - had a look at the recipe on your blog - that blueberry almond cake sounds great - would be great in summer when blueberries are plentiful and I hate to turn on the oven.

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