vilakins: Vila with stars superimposed (me with cat and wine)
Nico ([personal profile] vilakins) wrote2010-12-12 09:43 pm
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Happy birthday!

A belated happy birthday to [livejournal.com profile] samantha_vimes! I meant to post while it was actually your birthday, but I had to go out this morning and then I got distracted. However I have been knitting your Klein bottle hat this afternoon, and I can tell you that it's looking good and that the variegations have settled into a very nice spiral pattern now I'm onto the fixed circumference bit.

In the meantime, have some virtual chocolate cake. :-)

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[identity profile] samantha-vimes.livejournal.com 2010-12-12 08:47 am (UTC)(link)
Nom, nom, nom... and I don't have to brush my teeth right after, like I did with the realspace cake.

[identity profile] vilakins.livejournal.com 2010-12-12 08:50 am (UTC)(link)
I bet yours tasted better though. :-)

[identity profile] samantha-vimes.livejournal.com 2010-12-12 08:52 am (UTC)(link)
I had princess cake; I so love marzipan.

[identity profile] samantha-vimes.livejournal.com 2010-12-12 08:49 am (UTC)(link)
... and my hat is gonna be beeeeauutiful!

[identity profile] vilakins.livejournal.com 2010-12-12 08:51 am (UTC)(link)
When I started increasing after doing the tube, it looked as if I was knitting a gravity well or a wormhole. :-D

[identity profile] vilakins.livejournal.com 2010-12-12 08:57 am (UTC)(link)
I don't know what princess cake is, but I adore marzipan. YUM.

[identity profile] samantha-vimes.livejournal.com 2010-12-12 09:36 am (UTC)(link)
It is layers of a very light white cake, with whipped cream between and around them, with a marzipan fondant layer as the exterior top and sides.

[identity profile] vilakins.livejournal.com 2010-12-12 09:40 am (UTC)(link)
Sounds a little like Battenburg cake!

[identity profile] samantha-vimes.livejournal.com 2010-12-12 09:44 am (UTC)(link)
This will give you a better idea: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/gale-gand/princess-cake-recipe/index.html

[identity profile] vilakins.livejournal.com 2010-12-12 10:02 am (UTC)(link)
Oh wow. I see what you mean. It's like the skirt of a princess dress.

Battenburg cake is oblong, square in cross-section (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battenberg_cake), and though I don't normally go for sponge, it has lots of marzipan. I'd tell you about simnel and Christmas cakes, but for the American aversion to fruitcake. Ours is rich and moist and yummy and goes very well with marzipan and in fact it's the default wedding cake here. YUM!

And good night! :-)

[identity profile] samantha-vimes.livejournal.com 2010-12-12 10:19 am (UTC)(link)
Actually, we have a traditional family recipe for fruitcake that is very tasty, and I have been thinking if I make it myself instead of just relying on Mom's baking, I would try wrapping it in marzipan.
I think the aversion to fruitcake comes from most people buying mass-produced ones. Whereas homemade ones tend to be either like the citrusy, lighter types (pannetone, for instance), or ultrarich and spicy with loads of alcohol soaked in, like ours. :)

I thought of looking up a recipe for the princess cake after I looked up the Battenburg, which looked pretty and tasty, but very different. At least if the colors represent flavors, which I was inclined to think.

[identity profile] vilakins.livejournal.com 2010-12-12 07:42 pm (UTC)(link)
Your fruit cake sounds like ours! I soak the fruit in brandy for 1-3 days. I make my own marzipan (ground almonds, sugar, essence, egg--I can give you the recipe if you like) and cover the cake's top and sides, then add a royal or butter icing. I made my own wedding cake (fruit of course) including marzipan and had the top professionally done. The guy who did the bar said I should make them for a living.

The Battenburg insides are tasty, more than plain sponge, and of course there's the almond. :-D
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