The Mad Hatter's Tea Party

Yo PJ-ers...



As promised I thought I'd type up the recipe for the AMAZINGLY gorgeous choccie cake I made for my friend's 21st.



Ingredients:
Serves 8, preperation time:30 mins, Cooking time: 25 mins.


Cake:

• 125g butter


• 175g light muscovado sugar


• 175g golden caster sugar


• 2 eggs


• 225g wholemeal self-raising flour


• 50g cocoa powder


• 1/4tsp bicarb of soda


• 250ml sourcream or butter milk.
  

Icing:

• 300g golden icing sugar, sieved


• 2tsp cocoa powder, sieved


• 15g butter, melted


• 50g plain chocolate, coarsely grated

1. Grease and line the base of a 7in x 11in rectangular tin. Preheat the oven to 180'c/fan 160'c/ gas mark 6.


2. Put the butter, light muscovado sugar and golden caster sugar into a bowl and beat together with an electric whisk until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition.


3. Sieve the flour, cocoa powder and bicarbonate of soda into the mixture, then pour in the sour cream/ butter milk.


4. Stir everything together to create a smooth mixture, then spoon into the prepared cake tin.


5. Bake for 20-25 mins until just firm and shrinking away from the inside of the tin. (Push a cocktail stick into the centre, if it comes out clean the cake is ready.)


6. Leave in tin for 5 mins then turn onto a wire rack to cool completely.


7. Sieve the icing sugar and cocoa powder into a bowl, then pour in the butter and 2tbsp of boiling water. Stir together to make a smooth spreading consistency. If it's too stiff, carefully add some boiling water, drop by drop.


8. Put the cake on to your serving plate or board. Spread the icing over the top of the cake, using a palette knife dipped in hot water, which will keep it smooth. Sprinkle on grated chocolate to decorate. The cake will keep in an airtight container for up to a week, if you can be that controlled!

When I had my dinner party I was cooking in between courses and speanding a while dishing up because of my disability. I knew this and planned ahead. If you're planning to break between meals and leave your guests to entertain themselves between courses I have a very simple means of occupying them.

For my dinner party:

I made Two menus and a wine list all in the colours that the meal would be set out in. I listed what we'd be eating and drinking .

I also did name places for everyone. I got coloured card and cut it into wide strips. I folded each strip in half and on the front I got a funny photo of the person's face ie. from a halloween party, or drunken night out, something that would make everyone laugh. Make sure that thay are all equally as embarassing as they may feel that you are victimising them. I did their name on the front and a little decoration that went with the table setting.

On the inside I printed of some information on their starsigns and a riddle.

I then made a metal wire frame by making coils ar each end and flattening the top on so that the card slipped in and was hled in place, much like a paper clip works. I then sprinkled little decorations that I had like metal butterflys, buttons, sequins etc in the middle of the bottom coils on the table. Around the table on the table cloth I sprinkled more beads and sequins. The riddles kept the guests guessing for ages whilst I was cooking and as only I had the answers it made sure they took their time as they drank the wine and enjoyed the short wait until the next course.