7 May 2015 / 28 Comments
Eton Mess Cake for Bea’s cookbook 2nd birthday!
It feels totally crazy and makes my head spin around.After 24 months of blogging I think I’m not a new girl in town any more.I’ve been here for a little while now but with every passing day I discover more passion and joy for this space and for what I do.It just feels right.It feels like home.
Time flies.No doubt.I’m not discovering anything new here,I know.It will never stop amazing me though,how the things change,and how the way we look at things changes too.
I look at my reflection and see things I’ve never noticed before.I’ve got my dad’s wise eyes,my nan’s freckles,I walk like one of my brothers and laugh like the other one,I sound like my mum with every word I say.I’m a combination of everything around me.I change every day.I get to know myself every day.I choose what kind of person I want to become by looking around and absorbing what surrounds me.I steal from people and things,situations and places and let them make me a better version of myself.I learn.Every single day.
This blog is like me.It changes.Evolves.It reflects the things I am influenced by.The things I want to influence me.It echoes all the long conversations with people close to my heart,a place where I grew up,where I live now and places I can’t wait to see.It mirrors the joyful time spend behind the camera,long days of cooking,days of dancing around the kitchen and singing to the wooden spatula between flipping the pancakes,hours of hard work,frustration and failures,tons of experiments and learning to be patient.
It is an amazing journey.And THANK YOU for being it’s part.I often wonder if anyone visits thisΒ world of mine(except for my husband of course π Hello darling!)…..If anyone reads the words I put together…….If anyone comes here to have a look at the pictures…..If anyone wants to “steal” a little something from me……
So if you are here,I’m smiling and waving to you.
Grab a piece of cake and relax,I hope you’ll stay with me for a longer while.
This cake!!!It is as GOOD as it looks.I wanted to make it for a very long time,I was just waiting for a perfect moment.And this is a perfect moment π
For the cake:
300g self raising extra fine flour /or plain flour with 3 teaspoons of baking powder
200g caster sugar
300g unsalted butter
4 eggs
For the cream:
600ml double cream
100g caster sugar
50g natural Greek style yogurt
Additionally:
900g strawberries
1-2 tablespoons caster sugar or honey or maple syrup
30g meringues,broken into pieces
I used flowers only for decoration π
PREPARATION:
1.Heat the oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Butter a 20cm cake tin.In a large bowl, cream the butter with sugar until pale and fluffy.Add the eggs,one at a time,and beat until you get light and fluffy mixture. Beat well to get lots of air into the mixture.Add the flour and mix it in with a spoon until combine but don’t over-mix it.
2.Place the mixture in a tin and bake for around 50 minutes,even to one hour.Check it with a wooden skewer.If it comes out clean,it’s ready!
3.Leave it to cool completely and cut the cake into three layers.Draw the line around the cake with a smaller knife and then use a bigger one to slice it.Hold the top of the cake with your one hand and slice with the other.
4.To make the filling, beat the cream with sugar until smooth and creamy.Fold in the yogurt.
5.Place 500g strawberries into a blender and pulse it until you get a nice thick strawberry mixture with some visible strawberry pieces.Add sugar,honey or maple syrup if necessary.Some strawberries are sweet enough and don’t need a sweetener.
6.FUN TIME:Place the first layer of the cake on a plate or tray,spread 1/3 of the cream on top,cover it with 1/3 of blended strawberries,repeat two more times.
7.Before serving:sprinkle broken meringues on the top and decorate with the whole or halved strawberries.
Note:You could also use more broken meringues and place then between the layers but to do that it’s best to assemble the cake just before the serving because the meringue will dissolve in cream if left for longer.
Enjoy xxx
Wow what a beautiful cake x
Thank you Aimee!
Congratulations on two years. This cake looks wonderful a perfect celebration cake.
Thank you so much!
Congratulations Bea!!! I just started my blog 2 months ago and I can totally understand when you say “it feels like home”. Beautifully written post and photos! π
Thank you so much!All the best for you Lili
This cake is just stunning! What a clever idea to make Eaton Mess into a cake!!
Thank you so much!!!I just make Eton Mess version of everything
This looks and I’m sure tastes like heaven!
Thank you Lili! And yes it does
This cake looks absolutely stunning and I’m sure it tastes just as good!
Thank you Danielle!It’s pure heaven!
What a great idea to make Eton Mess into a cake – I must try this very soon – off to pin π
Thanks a lot!
Beautifully written and photographed. I love your philosophy on life β€οΈ
Thank you so much Cheryl It means a lot!
I love your blog and the pictures you take. I’ll be back! π
Thank you so much!
Just discovered your blog via tastespotting. And I’m so happy to be here. Your photographs are just gorgeous. I could stare at them all day long. And I probably will too! Off to browse your site. Happy to have found you here!
Hi Liz!I’m even happier that you’ve found me!Thank you so much for your lovely words and hope you’ll stay for longer π
I’m so glad I came across your blog! It is so beautiful. I’m pinning everything!
Aimee! Thank you so much!
Such a beautiful mess! I love messy cakes like this, they’re so in style and they’re gorgeous! My birthday is coming up, and this is exactly what I want my cake to look like!
Thank you so much!It’s a perfect cake to celebrate with!
Hi Bea,
Just wondering, if I baked the sponges tonight would they be OK for layering tomorrow? I have a busy day before the party and want to get what I can done in advance. This looks so good, the birthday woman will love it!
Thanks,
Shannon
Hi Shan, I am so sorry for not getting back to you on time!!!!! I hope you decided to make it anyway. Sending warm hugs xxx
I baked this for a family event a while ago and seriously impressed everyone. It was gone within minutes.
Iβm baking it again today for a charity event. This time Iβve found some little edible purple flower decorations which I will scatter over the top, so I can make it look almost as pretty as yours!
Thank you so much Brigid!This makes me sooooo happy! It’s my favourite cake and to hear that you enjoy it too – made my day! It will look amazing with purple flowers!