2016-02-19

A Quarter of a Century


It's my 25th Birthday today!!
Yaaay!




After I turned 20 I didn't really want to age anymore. I felt like I didn't really need to get any older to do the things I wanted to (voting), and I felt like the older I would get the less opportunities I would have.




In the last year however I've managed to change my mind. I no longer feel like getting older is bad, and I've learned to embrace my "old soul". So today I couldn't be happier about the fact that it is my birthday. After all it does mean that I get cake. My family has gotten me a princess cake from the best pastry shop in town. A princess cake is a traditional Swedish layer cake filled with pastry cream and topped with delicious marzipan. It is easily the best cake ever!




Because it is my 25th I felt like I needed to go big, so I also made a cake. A chocolate layer cake filled and topped with caramel ganache frosting, and decorated with gorgeous sprinkles. These sprinkles are from Sweetapolita's sprinkle etsy shop (here), and I could not be happier with them. In fact, I bought a whole lot of sprinkles from Sweetapolita, basically emptying my wallet. But it was worth it! These are the prettiest sprinkles I've ever seen. And they did make the cake look amazing!


The cake itself is adapted from the incredible and super talented Manuela Kjeilen's blog Passion for Baking. Her instagram is also one of my favourites to drool over, she's at @passionforbaking. I changed a couple of things about her recipe, I decreased the amount of sugar in the cake, and decreased the amount of butter in the frosting. I also added the cocoa powder with the flour and sifted it, instead of mixing it with the coffee and sour cream. The cake is delicious and wonderfully rich and heavy. It is perfectly chocolatey! You can find Manuela's original recipe here.



Chocolate Caramel Ganache Cake

Recipe adapted from Manuela Kjeilen's blog Passion for Baking

Chocolate sponges

INGREDIENTS

  • 250 ml coffee
  • 140 ml sour cream
  • 335 g flour
  • 85 g cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 285 g butter (salted)
  • 300 g sugar
  • 200 g dark brown sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 3 teaspoons vanilla sugar

DIRECTIONS


Preheat the oven to 160°C.
Line three 20 cm round baking pans with baking parchment.
Make the coffee, let cool and mix it with the sour cream. Set aside.

Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda in a bowl. Set aside.

Beat the butter until pale and fluffy, add the sugar and continue beating, until fluffy.
Gradually add the eggs, one by one, beating until it is all well combined. Add the vanilla.

Gradually add the flour mixture and then the coffee mixture, alternating between the two, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.

Divide the batter into the three pans and bake for 30-35 minutes.


Caramel Ganache Frosting

INGREDIENTS

  • 200 g sugar
  • 65 ml water
  • 250 ml heavy cream (whipping cream)
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla sugar
  • 450 g dark chocolate, chopped
  • 400 g butter, room temperature

DIRECTIONS

Add the sugar and water to a saucepan and place on medium heat until sugar has dissolved. Increase to high heat and bring to a boil, until sugar syrup turns golden brown, do not stir at all at this point. Take the saucepan off the heat and add the heavy cream. Be careful as it will bubble up, and it is very hot. Pour in the vanilla and set back on heat. Let it boil for another minute or two.

Pour the caramel over the chopped dark chocolate. Blend it until smooth. Then gradually add the butter, letting it melt in the hot ganache. Place in fridge for about 30 minutes to 1 hour, when all the butter is added.

Remove from fridge (the frosting will have set at this point) and beat until frosting is smooth and creamy.

Spread some of the frosting onto one of the cakes, place another on top and do the same before adding the last cake. Spread the rest of the frosting on top of and around the cake.
Add some sprinkles and you're done!





This is how happy cake make me!
I just love to bake and eat cake. I find it fun to bake and delicious to eat. I wish I could have shared cake with all of you, but instead I'm going to wish you all the best of days! I hope you guys indulge in something yummy today and celebrate my Birthday with me!





I hope you all have a beautiful day!

Much love,




32 comments:

  1. Happy birthday beautiful! Hope you have the most magical day and all the best for your 25th year! This cake looks absolutely divine, love the sound of choc caramel and the sprinkles are sooo pretty <3

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    1. Thank you so very much gorgeous Andini!
      Thanks! I have a good feeling about this year ;D Hope you have a splendid day too <3
      Thank you, I was quite happy with this cake, and chocolate caramel is delicious...!
      Much love

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  2. Happy Birthday Mona dear! Hope you have a fun-packed and memorable day! The cake and yourself look glorious as per:)

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    1. Thank you so much Sumeyye darling!! Thanks, it is/was!
      Aww, you sweetie, thanks!
      Much love

      Delete
  3. Happy birthday! That cake and that dress look amazing! http://theemeraldruby.com

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    1. Thank you so much lovely!
      Aww, thanks. The dress is from Emmy.
      Much love

      Delete
  4. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MONA!! That cake looks so moist and gooey and decadent! I'll take a virtual slice! ;)

    It's so funny that you didn't want to get older when you turned 20. When I was a teen, all I wanted was to be an adult. Now that I am turning 28 and nearing my 30s I couldn't be happier! I like being an adult and being independent. I do not miss being young at all! I am glad you changed your mind as you turn 25 - being grown up is the best!! ;)

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    1. THANK YOU SARA!! I would send you a slice if I could, it is sooo good.

      No, I felt like I was done ageing. Hahah silly me. Really wow, I hope I have the same attitude when I'm nearing 30. Hahaha, yeah. I suppose it's fine getting older. It's inevitable, so I figured I'd better make my peace with it.

      Much love

      Delete
  5. Okay, wow! First of all, happy birthday, Mona!
    I can't believe you're only 25! Sorry if I offend you, but I thought you were older. With the way you look, think and (most especially) bake, I thought you were 30 at least. Trust me, it's okay to be 25. I feel like you've accomplished so much at such a young age (and you've inspired so many people!), so turning the page to another year is something you've earned.

    I've met so many people in my life who are the same age or even older than you and they do not hold even hold a candle to you—if that makes sense, am I even using this expression right? What I mean is, they're not even half as mature and kind as you. I think it's okay to get older, age is just a number. What matters is that your soul and heart matures with it ;)

    P.S: I apologise if this comment hurts more than heal...

    Alive as Always

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    1. Thank you so much lovely Bivi!!
      Hahaha, not offended at all. A bit surprised as people often guess my age! Really though? I come off that mature. Nice ;D
      Oh thank you darling, you're too sweet <3

      Aww, thanks. That means a lot to me to hear (read) you say that. I agree with you, age is just a number, and I've always had an old soul, so... :D

      Don't worry at all. It was mostly just interesting to be that you've perceived me like that.
      Much love <3 <3 <3

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  6. I'm drooling over here, how nice to have two cakes! Wishing you nothing but the best for this and every other year to come, my fellow Ravenclaw. :) I remember not wanting to grow up after 17. Hahaha
    Oh! And I always forget to tell you >___> I don't know if you knew this, but your name in Spanish means "doll" and is also used as a compliment. Like, "Te miras bien mona" meaning, "You look very beautiful/ dressed up".

    VEGETARIAN COURTESYFACEBOOK

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    1. Hahaha! I'm sorry I made you drool. I would totally share my cakes with you if you were closer ;D
      Thank you my darling fellow Ravenclaw <3
      Really! At 17! That's very early. You just did not want to become a grown up :P hehe

      Oh really. "Doll", no I didn't know that. That's very nice. I knew it's the feminine form of monkey, but didn't know that. That's much more complimentary :D hahaha

      Much love to you darling

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  7. Happy birthday sweet Mona! I hope you had a great day filled with happiness (and cake, but I'm not worrying about that after reading this post! :P)
    The princess cake sounds amazing, and the one you baked seems so so good! The sprinkles are super cute, and also have a sort of princess sprinkles look to them I think :D
    You look so lovely and happy in these photos, it's great to see! :)

    Julia xx

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    1. Thank you so much lovely Julia! It has been a great day, and I did have lots of cake :D
      The princess cake is amazing! I think you should definitely try it if you're ever in Sweden.
      Oh thanks! I really love the sprinkles.
      Haha, cake makes me happy :D <3 <3
      Much love

      Delete
  8. Happy birthday dear Mona! I hope you are having a day as fabulous as you! And oh my goodness....that princess cake looked incredible and so does your chocolate caramel ganache cake! I'm drooling over here. :)

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    1. Thank you so much darling Lindsey!
      Princess cake is fantastic, I think I'm going to make it for the blog sometime! Hahah thanks!
      Much love

      Delete
  9. OH MY GOODNESS THOSE SPRINKLES! THIS CAKE! This cake is a work of art. And it's all chocolatey and edible. Dream cake right here. Those little stars... eeeeeek. And you are too too cute.

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    1. I knooooow right!! I'm in love with these sprinkles!!
      Oh thank you so much!! It was cute a fun cake to make ;)
      Aww, thanks!
      Much love

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  10. Happy 25th birthday, dear Mona!!! You look so lovely in that dress. I'm very curious about the princess cake. It looks so interesting. But your cake though...! So rich and decadent. I love the playful sprinkles. Hope you're having a fantastic celebration. ♥♥♥

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    1. Thank you lovely Zoey! Ah thanks. The princess cake is fantastic! Definitely try it if you're ever near Sweden. Oh thanks, I love the sprinkles too!! Thank you my darling! <3
      Much love

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  11. Happy Birthday Mona!! I hope you had an absolutely fabulous day and enjoyed eating that cake (which looks completely delicious!)

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    1. Thank you lovely Beth!
      I did enjoy eating it... hahha :D Thanks!

      Delete
  12. Happy birthday! Beautiful cake for a beautiful person!

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    1. Aww, you're too sweet, thank you so much <3
      Much love

      Delete
  13. This is such a wonderful cake, it's beautiful!! More Birthday wishes from me to you...I hope all of them will come true always my dear!!! xx

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    1. Thank you, I'm actually (unusually) happy with the cake!
      Aww thanks, you're the best :* <3 <3
      Much love

      Delete
  14. A very happy birthday once more to you, Mona!! I'm so excited to see what the year has in store for you! I've found that after I turned 25, my attitude toward life really changed for the better--a lot of inhibitions were gone, and I felt so much more ambitious. So I'm really glad that you've embraced getting older! It's really a wonderful thing. And speaking of wonderful, that cake looks so so so good. How decadent! How pretty!

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    1. Thank you so much darling Devinne!
      I'm excited too.
      Oh really? That makes me very happy to hear, I hope it will be the same for me. I now think ageing is a privilege, so yes, I agree, it is wonderful!
      Oh thanks, I wish I could've shared it with all my internet friends (that includes you ;D )
      Much love

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  15. Happy (belated) birthday, Mona! Obviously fantastic people are born in February, it's my Mum's birthday today!

    That cake looks insanely good, deliciously indulgent. It reminds me of the massive chocolate cake Bruce Bogtrotter eats in the film Matilda!

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    1. Oh thank you darling Jo! Oh really, a very Happy Birthday to your Mum!! And thanks for that hidden compliment ;D

      Haha, it was quite decadent! Oh goodness, haha! I remember that huuuge cake! I always wanted to try a slice.

      Much love

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  16. Happy Belated Birthday! OMG, that cake!!! I'm not usually a chocolate cake girl, more of a vanilla girl but that cake looks so dang delicious I have to try to make it. The sprinkles though!! Those are amazing. I have to get some of those. Wonderful blog you have....going to go follow it on bloglovin. :)

    Regina
    Margarita Bloom | Modern Vintage Beauty & Fashion
    BLOG: Cherry Lips Blonde Curls
    INSTAGRAM: @margaritabloom
    BLOGLOVIN Margarita Bloom

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    1. Thank you so very much Regina!! <3
      I really love a vanilla cake too, I'd better make one real soon on the blog. Haha, I'm glad you like the look of it.
      I know!!! Aren't the sprinkles just the best ever! I love them!
      Thank you so much! Just followed you on bloglovin too ;D
      Much love

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