This month's Daring Bakers challenge is a choose your own adventure.
In a "celebration" of past Daring Baker and Daring Cook challenges, Lisa challenged all of us to search through the Daring Kitchen archives and pick any one we'd like! The REAL challenge was picking which delicious recipe(s) to try!
For me, the choice was easy. I was inspired to join the Daring Bakers by Peabody's choice from July 2007, the Strawberry Mirror Cake by the California Culinary Academy, so this is the challenge I have chosen to make.
There are lots of eggs and lots of strawberries in this challenge, meaning that I had lots of incentive not to stuff it up, because a mistake would be expensive. In the end, I was very happy with the results:
My mirror finished on top of the cake, was smooth and didn't tear, my Bavarian cream filled in all the spaces it was supposed to, and everything set. The only variations from the recipe for me were that I didn't dye the mirror or the Bavarian cream with food colouring, and I (accidentally) did not strain the strawberry puree for the Bavarian cream. I don't think it mattered a jot.
To see what challenges the other Daring Bakers selected this month, visit the slide show at the Daring Kitchen.
This will be my last Daring Bakers challenge for now. I have been a member since January 2008, when I made lemon meringue pie, and have completed 66 challenges, so I think I have proved my daring. I now want to free up some space in my life for other things. I think that making the cake that inspired me to join the group is a fitting way to bow out. It's hard to pick a favourite challenge, but I particularly enjoyed making the Caramel Cake, the decorated sugar cookies, the Povitica, the Battenberg cake and the recent Princesstarta. Best wishes to the continuing Daring Bakers - be daring!
13 comments:
That looks stunning! I remember Peabody's mirror cake vividly and it was around then that I joined Daring Bakers too. I think after 66 challenges you have most definitely proved you're daring!
This really is a daring choice Cakelaw - it looks and sounds extremely complicated! I doubt my abilities to get something like this compiled so will admire your gorgeous cake instead.
I am sad you are leaving daring bakers because I have always enjoyed seeing what you get up to with the challenges but I think you have done some amazing stuff with the challenge and deserve to hang up your hat. The mirror top of this cake is great and the slices look elegantly decadent
This cake was one of the challenges I had considered trying, but in the end I was intimidated. Your cake looks perfect! It certainly is a lovely way to say goodbye to the Daring Bakers.
Lovely cake, definetly looks like we should wear something fancy to have a slice of this one.
Best of luck in your futur endeavours!
Oh my goodness, I obviously did not dig back far enough. LOVE!
That is so beautiful! Sorry to hear you are leaving the group, but how nice that you got to choose what to make for your last challenge.
Ooh I didn't do it this month as I couldn't recall a challenge that I wanted to do but I clearly forgot about this beauty! :o Sorry to hear that you're leaving but you're leaving on a high :)
Well, I am certain the Daring Bakers will miss you and I know I will miss seeing your entries as they are always exciting and something a little challenging and different. This cake is show-stopping gorgeous!
That is a beautiful looking cake - I actually almost did that one as well. 66 challenges - wow. Sorry to see you leave and good luck with whatever you put your time and talents to now.
I remember making this. It was fun. Looks perfect.
What a stunning cake! Your topping fills the mirror component perfectly, it's so smooth, shiny and reflective!
Well done! this cake looks gorgeous! how can you go wrong with strawberries and cream?- YUM! I will have to give this recipe a go!
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