Birthday Cake Recipe

So I promised here the recipe of my traditional birthday cake. It is quite simple and it can be adapted very easily. I have been making this cake for 10 years now and it was always a big hit. If you do have any questions, just leave a comment. So, let's start with my standard ingredients:

You will need:

• 2 cups of all purpose flour
• 1 cup of sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of backing powder
• 3 tablespoons of jam (I used raspberry, but you can any flavor you like) you can also replace the jam with my fruit you like such as tinned cherries or pineaple
• 150g of butter
• a small pinch of salt
• if you like: a bit of aroma like rum or amaretto or lemon

After collecting all the ingredients, I start to separate the eggs, I add the salt to the egg whites and beat until stiff. In another bowl, I add the sugar to the egg yolk, butter at room temperature and some amaretto. When you beat it until well mixed and creamy.

 When I have sieved the flour into an extra bowl and added the baking powder and mixed it with a spoon. Afterwards I added the flour piece by piece to the egg-sugar-butter mix. Finally I used the hand mixer, so everything comes well together. If you want to add chocolate chips you would have to add it now.

After everything is well mixed, I added the stiff egg white and carefully incorporated into the pastry. Please do this really slow so the pastry becomes very fluffy. ;)

 
So now the pastry is ready and we come to the birthday part. First you need a baking dish which you need to butter very well. I also always add some breadcrumbs so the pastry won't sick to the dish and I like this extra bit of crunch to the outside of the cake. =) When I fill half of the pastry in the dish and I put some chocolate powder on the top. Now it is time for the jam which is screaming for another layer of chocolate powder. ;) On top of this I've added the remaining pastry.

So now most of the work is done! I put the cake into the NOT preheated oven and put it to 180°C and leave it in for about one hour. You can test it with a wooden skewer. You insert into the cake and remove it. If it is free of cake, butter or similar, the cake is ready. Et voliá:

Once the cake is completely cold down, you can add chocolate topping and some colorful pearls.

5000 Clicks!

I don't believe it but my page just cracked the 5000 clicks hurdle.

Thank you guys! 

It feels so nice especially when I has been so lazy with writing in the last weeks... But don't worry soon I will post a recipe which has been requested several times. ;) So stay tuned!

Happy New Year

A little bit late, but better then never :) I wish everybody a happy 2013! I hope you all had a nice new years eve.

This time I decided to not make any New Year's resolutions. I anyway don't understand why people always do that. For me it seems that these planned life changes are the first ones which will be broken and forget. If I really want to change something, why should I wait until new years to do it? Just reflect more than once a year if you do like your life style and if you are happy. If the answer is no, find out what you need to change and do it!

Merry Christmas 2012

I wish you all a peaceful and wonderful time with your family, friends and loved ones. I am with my parents right now and we have lot's of fun with our awesome Christmas hairbands. My mum and I found them last Friday and they were one sale (50 cents each), so we couldn't resist. My father is not so delighted that he has to wear one too, but it is Christmas. :) So,

Merry Christmas!!!

Five Questions Friday!

It is Friday, so again Steffi was publishing five questions, the last one of this year, which I try to answer now. :)
 
1.) Anything unsaid in 2012? Was willst du 2012 noch sagen?

Love is so important for everybody, so stop singing the blues or feeling bad. There is lots of love out there, just start to give some and you will sooner or later receive some.  

2.) How are you? Wie geht's dir?

I feel on top of the world surrounded by lovely people.

3.) Did you already buy yourself as present? Hast du dir schon mal selbst geschenkt?

I am still adicted to books, I can't pass a book store without shoping. ;)

4.) What are you going to eat in the next days? Was isst du die nächsten Tage?

I love fried potatoes, especially with rosemary. Delicious!

5.) And now? Und jetzt?

I have some nice and peaceful days with my family and our dog. :)

12 of 12

Frau Kännchens from Draußen nur Kännchen started a nice game. Every month on the 12 she is taking 12 pictures and posting them on her very nice blog. I liked the idea and yesterday was the 12th of December so here them come:

 Today I had my first physio-lesson after my operation. It was okay but more a massage than exercise.

 While heading to work I saw these pigeons gathering all together.

 By a close up, they were all sleeping, so peaceful.

 Waiting for the train, yes the sun just comes up around 8:30 am.It has been the first blue sky since days.

Enjoying my orchidee at work.

 Claudia was solving the puzzle, I put online some days before. (I must confess I forgot to take a pic yesterday, so I just did it some minutes ago ;) )

 Having some nuts to increase my brain capacity in the afternoon.

 When I came home, I found a nice surprise in my mail box. I got a parcel!!

 I am so happy that my rubber tree is getting finally new leaves after months of nearly dieding.

 Getting ready for the weekly girls night :)

 The remaining after 6 girls ordering 4 pizzas

 The day ended as it started, with a train ride ...

Something Wrong?

The question of today: What is wrong in this picture? Can you find it?

And since he is so cute, a new photo of my favorite visitor =)