Week six - Mary Berry's Princess Cake

Oh my, oh my...what a challenge this was.  Anyway before I begin I must apologise for the delay in writing this post.  Since completing the challenge I've been a bit busy with the small matter of childbirth and subsequent recovery of.  I'm writing this one handed whilst feeding our new little bundle of joy.  As you may say, I had my own 'bun in the oven' and what a Showstopper he is.

Back to the matter in hand. Once again this recipe called for all manner of ingredients that once combined could potentially cause a coronary just by looking at them.  Here's the recipe if you'd like to challenge yourself: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/prinsesstrta_17336.

First step was to make the creme pat (custard to you and me!). I've never made this before, but I didn't find it particularly difficult and was pleased with the result.  Next up, the sponge.  I missed out the raspberry jam making stage as we already had some homemade jam from my in-laws to hand.  The sponge, I believe, is of the Genoese type which again I've never attempted, but I was pretty pleased with this too.  The rise was amazing, I thought it was going to come out of the tin!

Whilst the sponge was in the oven, I made the rose decoration out of some spare marzipan I had (not fondant I know).  Then once the sponge was cooled it was assembly time.  First of all to slice the cake into three horizontally then assemble the first layer.

That was pretty straightforward, thin layer of custard, then pipe around the edge and then a layer of jam. I think in hindsight I would have added a bit more jam, just because it was so yummy. Then whip up some cream and mix with the custard and add some on top of the jam. 

Next place the second layer of sponge on top, spread over the remaining custard cream.  Third sponge layer then goes on top of this and the remaining whipped cream got added to the top and shaped into a small dome.  Now somewhere around mixing the whipped cream and the custard, I must have got confused and didn't seem to end up with enough whipped cream, so my dome wasn't as impressive as some from the Show.

Just looking at that photo makes me laugh.  I soldiered on and once chilled it was time to add the green marzipan (bought, not made) and to decorate with the rose, melted chocolate and whipped cream piping...

And there you have it, one Princess Cake.  I don't know what all the fuss was about!  

See you next week for Paul's Kouign Amann.