Today is my 3 month blogiversary – or blirthday if you will! I started this blog on February 1st 2018 and it seems like just yesterday and at the same time, much longer since I started this debacle!
I’m in awe of my followers and really appreciate all of you. I am STUNNED that I’ve had over 10,000 views, 3,500 visitors and 400 followers! I don’t usually pay too much attention to the numbers because as long as I’m having fun they aren’t really relevant.
What I enjoy so much is the connections with you, the comments and silliness. I’ve had a lot of happy hours with you all and I thank you very sincerely and humbly.
Anway, on to important stuff! You know what happens on Birthdays? CAKE!!! Cake happens on birthdays!
Much as I would love to, I can’t share cake with all over you but since I’ve slaved over a hot blog for this, I AM going to share a recipe I’ve inventerated all by myself! I’m very proud of this because it turned out fantastic. I’m not a chocolate lover but even I kinda wanted a second slice.
My Ferrero Rocher Cake.
This takes (at least) two days to make. You need to make the Nutella the day before you want to assemble the cake. I made this cake on a Wednesday then transported it 753 miles on the Thursday to be eaten on the Saturday. It held together perfectly on the journey and I think it tasted even better for a couple of days with the flavours getting the chance to really meld. I’ve written it as three recipes because I will use aspects of it in different creations going forwards.
Alcoholic Nutella
You really can’t do this without a food processor. The nuts take a long time to pulverise and I can’t imagine attempting it any other way. Don’t think this will be better if you change the oil to coconut or olive oil etc – bland is best so as not to influence the flavour. I did try it with coconut oil and it was nasty.
Ingredients
1 cup hazelnuts
14 ounces milk chocolate
1/2 cup vegetable oil or canola
3 tbsps confectioners’ sugar
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Hershey’s Dark because I didn’t have enough Bournville)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 – 1 tsp salt to taste
1/4 cup Frangelico (or more to taste.)
1-2 tablespoons Amaretto
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Spread the hazelnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven for about 5-10 minutes until they’re browned but not burned. You really do need to keep a close eye on this as they burn in nanoseconds.
Wrap them in a tea towel about half at a time and rub vigorously to remove as much loose skin as possible. If only this worked in tummies eh?!
You will not get all of the skin off. You’re aiming for 75%-ish – not the nutlympics.Let the nuts cool completely.
Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Don’t let the water touch the bottom of the bowl. You can also heat it in the microwave but that’s always a fail for me.
Stir the brown gloop until it’s smooth. Let it cool to lukewarm or room temp.
Get your trusty food processor, and grind the hazelnuts until they form a paste. This takes ForEVVVVER!! I found that pulverising them until they looked like coarse sugar granules and then adding the sugar, cocoa powder and salt and continuing processing really helped. Keep going until the mixture is as smooth as possible – or as smooth as you like. I like it to be slightly grainy. The nuts soften the longer they are in this spread so by the time we ate it there was no graininess.
Add the oil, vanilla and frangelico, amaretto and blitz until it’s all mixed. Taste and add more alcohol if you think it’s needed.
Add the melted chocolate, blend well, and then sieve the slop to remove any big chunks of hazelnut that remain. You can skip that if you don’t mind the odd bit of nut. I honestly liked the texture so left it as it was.
Pour into jars or containers before it cools completely and sets. That will help prevent air bubbles in the containers. It will thicken considerably as it cools.
I would suggest doubling the recipe so you have some for a secret stash. Labeling it ‘homemade marmite’ will protect it from most Americans!
Whatever you do, don’t keep it in the fridge. It’ll set harder than rock. Keep it in a cupboard out of direct light and it should last for up to two weeks (yeah right!!)
Hazelnut Cake
For the cakes – you need to bake six cakes, so divide the ingredients according to how many cakes you can bake at once. The breakdown per cake is below. I actually created this recipe based on 9” cake tins and then decided to use bigger tins. The breakdown for bigger tins is below the recipe.
Total ingredients for 9” cakes are as follows:
Ingredients
12 egg whites from large eggs
12 tablespoons fine sugar
12 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups ground hazelnuts
To make the cake:
You will also need a cake board for whatever size cake you’re making.
Preheat the oven to 340 degrees Fahrenheit.
Lightly grease the bottom of a 9” springform (or however many you can make at once) and line it with baking paper. You only need to line the bottom. I cut all the six liners at the same time as it just seemed easier.
Double or treble the ingredients below if you have more than one 9” pan.
For each cake you will need 2 egg whites, 2 tablespoons sugar, 2 tbsps flour and 1/3 cup ground hazelnuts.
Whisk the egg whites until stiff. Slowly add the sugar and continue beating until you cannot feel your lips from the rattling anymore… or until the meringue peaks – whichever happens first.
Mix the flour and ground hazelnuts together and scatter on top of the meringue. Fold in carefully using a rubber spatula. (This is like a rubber hammer but less effective for bopping people on the head.)
Spread the meringue mix evenly in the cake tin and bake for about 15 to 20 minutes or until golden.
While they’re cooking, Release the Kraken. Not really, just seeing who’s reading!! Get the next batch ready because as we all know, a woman’s work is never done. Carry on until all six cakes are made or you resemble Quasimodo because your bloody back hurts.
Remove the paper from each cake and leave all six cakes to cool on wire racks.
If you want to make 10” cakes multiply the recipe by 1.5
If you want to make 11” cakes double the recipe for each cake.
Crusting Chocolate Fudge Buttercream Icing
Ingredients
1 cup salted butter, softened (2 sticks)
1 cup Crisco All Vegetable Shortening (you can use any other hard baking fat if you can’t get this. I tried with all butter but it didn’t “crust” and was much less workable)
3 tsps pure Vanilla extract
2 lbs. (8 cups) sifted powdered sugar, divided
1 cup sifted good quality Cocoa powder
1 tbsp Meringue Powder
15 tbsp heavy whipping cream
Cream butter and fake fat, add the vanilla and cream until smooth.
Sift together powdered sugar, Hershey’s Cocoa and Meringue Powder.
Add 1/3 of the powdered sugar to the butter mix and beat in until it’s blended. You’ll need to scrape down the sides and bottom well.
Add 1/3 of the heavy cream, mixing until blended.
Add 1/3 more of the powdered sugar mixture until blended and then another third of the cream.
Add remaining powdered sugar mixture and cream and beat for a few minutes until light and fluffy.
Cover the bowl with damp cloth until ready to use. When icing a cake, allow the crumb crust at least 15 minutes in the fridge before decorating further.
To Assemble The Cake
Add a splodge, about a tablespoon to the cake board and spread it about a bit. This is to help stop the cake sliding off the board.
Add the first layer of cake and spread a thin layer of Nutella on it.
Because the buttercream is a different consistency, I decided not to layer that on top of the Nutella so I added the buttercream to the smoother side of the cake and positioned it in top of the first. I then added the Nutella (as it spreads easily) to the “up” side.
I repeated this with all cakes but did NOT add Nutella to the top cake.
I then added a thin layer of buttercream all over the cake. This was by no means perfect, it was only to provide a base for a thicker layer to adhere to. I shoved the cake in the fridge for fifteen minutes to set it quicker.
When it came out I decorated it and added Ferraro Rocher to the top. You don’t have to do that, it was just quick and easy!
You can refrigerate the cake but I would absolutely leave it out of the fridge for at least an hour to come to room temp before serving to maximise the flavours.
That cake looks AMAZING, I love Fererro Rocher! And happy Blogiversary, I hope to achieve your kind of stats one day 🙂 Your blog is one of my absolute faves to read!
Livvy xx
http://www.seabreezecorner.com
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Thank you! This is the bit I enjoy most, interacting with each other and helping each other out. The value comes in having a lot of READERS not followers. 😊
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This is very true! x
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Happy blirthday!!! That cake looks divine and I am now starving…but I have no chocolate and all the shop is shut for the bank holiday 😦
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Oh I hate that! When I lived in Cyprus it seemed like they had a holiday a week and always when the fridge was empty!
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Yes! There are four French bank holidays this month 😦 😦 😦
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Merde!!!
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I’m beyond impressed! The cake looks like a chocoholic diabetic sweet tooth dream death! I’m not surprised by your soaring popularity for your infant blog. Seems like you’ve been doing this for ages…..because honestly you have. You do you and we love YOU!!! Congrats and here’s to more more and more!!!
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Your cake is absolutely amazing, wowza…..I fancy a slice right now (maybe two!!). Congrats on your 3 month blogiversary!! Well done…:-) ….I’m not surprised your blog is so popular, as it’s brilliant xx
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Thank you!! I’ve been bursting to post this recipe just because I was so proud of it! 😊
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Awww thank you! I will admit, it feels like I’ve known you all much longer 😊
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Congrats!
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Thank you 😊
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Congratulations. I thought you had been blogging for ages, you have the confidence of a seasoned pro 😉 Your stats are amazing, I am way behind that!
That recipe looks absolutely delicious. But I am way too lazy for that. I’ll stick to my rock cakes. Anything that takes longer than an hour of labour is beyonde me.
All the best x
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Thank you! I love rock cakes, I love Eccles cakes and ‘fly cemeteries’ too! All are perfect with a nice cup of tea 😊
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That’s what I like, a nice cup of tea and a cake that only takes a few minutes to make. Or I suppose I could buy a cake.
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I enjoy baking a lot but will happily admit – I love cakes made by someone else! Mr Kipling is the man of my dreams lol
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Holy shit! That cake!!! 😍😍😍 Happy blirthday!!
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It’s the shit isn’t it?!😂
Thank you!!
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wow… you are the God at making cakes I’ll tell u 😍👍👍 and congrats!!
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Heart attack of a cake! Looks lush! Congrats 🙂
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Thank you 😊
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Happy birthday! That was one of the more fun recipes I’ve read…and that cake is nothing short of spectacular. I can’t believe you transported it that far and it was in tip-top shape. Impressive!
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I was so sure I’d end up with chocolate trifle! I chilled it for a good sixteen hours and I think that helped a lot.
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Happy blogiversary!!! 🎉🌸 Your blog is well worth all those stats and I believe once your one year comes round it’ll be even more unbelievable. All the same, you should believe it ‘cuz you deserve it! 😁 ~Kelsey
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Thank you 😊
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Omg! That looks sooo yummy!!😋 congrats!!
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Thank you 😊
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OMG I need some of that cake in my life! 🙂 happy blirthday and congrats!
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Merci beaucoup!!
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Happy blogiversary! If that cake can travel so well for eating on Saturday, will it travel well in the mail to Canada? Because I want it all lol
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Sadly I don’t think USPS would take the care of it I did 😂
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haha dang it!
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I am so impressed by your stats…..and envious….and hungry for the cake!
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I’m blown away! I had to log out and back in because I was convinced they must be a quirk!
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Congratulations! That cake looks insanely good!
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I’m not a fan of chocolate at all. I tried it just to see how it turned out and ended up eating a whole slice! I don’t think I’ve ever eaten a whole slice of chocolate cake other than Black Forest gateau before lol
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That’s how it starts.. chocolate addiction..
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I haven’t like chocolate since having severe morning sickness 24 years ago! The smell can still make me sick to this day lol
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Oh wow…don’t envy that one bit. But glad it sounds it’s finally letting go at least xx
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This is everything I need in life. Thank you so much for writing up the recipes. Now, excuse me while I imagine getting my car keys driving down to the supermarket to get the ingredients (imagine because I’m far too lazy to leave my house right now).
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It’s a lot of work but it’s really easy! I was lucky as I have three tins of the same size so I only had to bake two lots of cakes. I think that’s the potentially most dreary part!
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I don’t think I’ve wanted baked goods this much in my entire life. And congratulations on your anniversary
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Thank you 😊
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Wow this cake looks amazing! Congrats, I can’t wait to try making this.
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Thank you! It’s a lot easier than it sounds 😊
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Happy birthday! You’re an inspiration to this fellow blogger who started to walk this path one month after you. And you’ve been, and continue to be, a beacon to me from day one.
Thank you thank you thank you!
And awesome-looking recipe. Beyond my baking-patience level. But gorgeous!
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Thank you, I do love following you too 😊
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*drools* scrolls through pictures again *more drool*
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I wonder how many calories drooling burns off – enough for a second slice surely?!
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Congratulations chum!! Your stats don’t surprise me at all 😁May you continue amusing the rest of us for a long time yet! Them cakes are something else nom nom!!
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I’ll make one when you visit!
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Happy Bloggerversary! You’ve done incredibly well with Bitchin In The Kitchen & should be very proud with yourself. As for that cake… wow… very impressive, and so very, very tempting!! 🙂
Caz xx
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Thank you so much 😊
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As I was reading this the primary thought I had was “YOU CAN MAKE NUTELLA!?!?”. Call me spoiled, because well I pretty much am, but it genuinely never occurred to me that there was such a thing as homemade Nutella. I’m stashing this recipe as one to try for my actual birthday! I’ll probably end up just eating Nutella because I can’t bake cake to save my life but hey, still a win-win because I get Nutella!
That looks freaking beautiful and I wish food could be shared via internet. I’d be so happy in life ha! Happy Blogiversary!!!
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You can seriously make Nutella! It doesn’t even need to be alcoholic! I just wanted to make it unique and special for my sons birthday
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I’ve just reached 1 year (since creation of blog) the other day. (Anniversary of first post coming in a few days/ weeks. I actually took some time to figure things out before actually writing.)
CongratZ on your milestone. It seems like yesterday and forever ago at the same time.
The cake looks super complicated to make, but it looks delicious. What kind of host are you that you make us bake our own cake for YOUR party? Do you at least provide chips and guac?
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I’m a sneaky one that’s for sure!! The cakes actually really easy, it just looks harder by virtue of the three recipes. I’m going to use the cake one with almonds instead of hazelnuts, a home made raspberry jam and almond buttercream so it’s very versatile!
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Definitely great alternatives.
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Ok, you made my favourite cake, Hazelnut. I can’t even handle it 🙂 such chocoloatety and hazelnut goodness.
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Yeah stuff milkshakecand bringing boys to the yard – cake and a cackle with the girls is way more fun!!
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Ohhhh ya😊
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Wow this cake looks like it takes a lot of work! If only I could just have one slice😩
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It really wasn’t that bad! Writing the recipe out was worse!
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Congratulations your blirthday! The cake looks amazing, can I just have some?
It looks wonderful and it seems like it would take forever for someone who doesn’t own a food processor.
Was it for an actual birthday? Did you make the move?
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It was for my sons birthday and I haven’t moved yet 😊
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Just an update. I really really wanted to make (scratch that) – eat – I wanted to eat this delicious looking cake..So..I went to the store and bought two different chocolate cakes. It was no one’s birthday! Celebrating self! 😛
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There is nothing better to celebrate! That’s a life well lived right there and you know what?! That calls for ANOTHER CAKE!!
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Yep, on it! It’s a cake-eat-cake world!😀🎂
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You’re right! Eat more cake!
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You started only three months ago?WOW…… because those amazing stats!!!!!!
And then I was checking for the alcoholic recipe because… Click bait but I don’t see the alcohol on ingredients list is that because you will be drunking it as you get baked????
~B
PS give this recipe for a vodka cake a look 😂 thank me later wp.me/p3NqTj-1K
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Mmmmmm I don’t bake but I do eat baked goods! And amazingly well done on your stats! So happy for you. Love reading your posts. Anna (one half of the Cinnamon Buns and Roses blog)
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Thank you so much 😊
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I have no idea if it’s kosher to post a link in someone’s comments or if it will even work…..sorry if it’s bad form but I just read this this morning, my significant other sent this to me and then I read your post not an hour later!! It was fate LOL!!
https://www.apost.com/en/blog/research-shows-eating-chocolate-cake-for-breakfast-is-good-for-your-brain-and-waistline/6312/?un_id=1525244585103&utm_source=fb&utm_medium=fb_1503815046562182_apost_en&utm_term=USA_en&utm_campaign=blog_6312&utm_content=528
So…nutritionist approved!!! Feel free to delete if this was inappropriate. And Congrats!!! You’re doing an awesome job!!!
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Congratulations!!!
Also, your cake looks SUPER TASTY!!!😍
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Thank you 😊
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Congrats! I thought you have been blogging for much longer 😁
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No it just feels like that because I never shut up lol
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Hot damn girl!! 400 followers in 3 months, that is quite an achievment, I have been at it almost 2 years and only have 250….The cake looks incredible!
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Thank you so much. Even I liked the cake!
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