Procrastination, holiday and a cake

So I finally got around to baking my cake which I said I would do over a week ago....... ended up adding sugar to the recipe.... it tasted pretty alright; did not taste like my wedding cake. But I do think I had the wedding cake on a pedastal in my mind lol.

I have been procrastinating for a week about getting back into uni work for the remainder of the term. I do have an assignment due on friday and in true form I have not started it - to give myself credit I did however go to the university on friday and take out some uni books to help with said assignment..... but really need to get my butt into gear and do it.

I didnt end up buying my nephew a train set, but did get him a cool car one. Birthday is friday so hopefully he likes it. Still need to wrap it up in paper though.

I have booked and paid for my trip to Hawaii......... it cause many a headaches and cost a lot more than I was hoping to pay..... but is something I am sooo looking forward to. The worst thing on saturday the accomodation I originally wanted from the travel agent was 'on request' so we were waiting back to hear from them.... still hadn't heard from them on saturday, and I really wanted to book and have it over and done with.... so I went with another hotel off the internet...... I got an email this morning saying that the accom I originally wanted was available and confirmed..... grrrr now to decide to keep the one I have already booked or go back to the original one............. hmmmmmmmm I think I over think things and worry to much.

Lazy Saturday

Today has been an exceptionally lazy day, and I didnt even make my cake yesterday..... maybe I should do it tomorrow.

Just for some reason woke up today and cannot be bothered to do anything at all... oh well.... lazy day it is....

Acrylic Nails, Train Sets, Randomness and Cake

Well I didn't win the train set I was bidding on.... there was a bidding war at the end, and I missed out by 45 cents.... so still rather depressed about that. :( So off to the shops today for a search for a different one, and for a shop for ingredients for my cake.

I have been thinking lately that I should try and save money and maybe try DIY Acrylic Nails. Now when I am home it really doesnt cost that much to have them done, but I think I could be creative and useful enough that I could do it myself...... so that is the next mission for me.... is to buy a kit and learn to DIY..... this could get interesting

mmmmmmmmm Cake

Since it is my first wedding anniversary coming up end of the month and I seem to be really hungry right now, I have been thinking about my wedding cake.

We got married in Thailand and my wedding cake was a Sacher Chocolate Cake. It was the most delicious chocolate cake I think I have ever had. So my mission for tomorrow afternoon is going to be to make one. The only thing is from my other research I think it is normally apricot jam used in the cake.... so will just have an internal debate tomorrow as to which I think will taste better.

I have found a recipe on line for the cake


1 C plain flour
1/4 C cocoa powder
100g unsalted butter
2 T strawberry jam
4 eggs, seperated
2 T strawberry jam, extra, melted

Ganache Topping
150g dark chocolate, chopped
1/4 C cream

PREHEAT OVEN to moderate 180 degreesC. Brush a deep 20cm round cake tin with melted butter or oil, lint the base with paper; grease the paper.

Sift the flour and cocoa into a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre. Combine sugar, butter and jam in a small pan. Stir over low heat until the butter has melted and sugar has dissolved; remove from heat.
Add butter mixture to dry ingredients. Using a whisk, stir until just combined; add egg yolks, mix well.

Place egg whites in small, clean, dry mixing bowl. Using electric beaters beat until soft peaks form. Using a metal spoon, fold egg whites into cake mixture.
Pour mixture into prepared tin; smooth surface. Bake 50 mins or until skewer comes out clean when inserted in the centre of the cake. Leave cake in tin15 mins before turning onto wire rack to cool.

To make Ganache Topping:

Combine chocolate and cream in small pan. Stir over low heat until chocolate has melted and micture is smooth. Remove from heat. Cool.
Cut the dome off the top of the cake horizontally. Turn the cake so that the base side is up. Brush cake with extra jam. Place on a wire rack set over a baking tray.
Pour Ganache Topping completely over cake. Smooth top and sides using a flat-bladed knife.

The Search for the perfect present for a 3 year old

So it is my nephew's 3rd birthday at the end of this month, the day after my first wedding anniversary. I am on a mission to find the perfect present for him. Not having children myself this leaves me completely in the dark as to what constitutes a perfect present.

After discussion with nephew's dad I am now on the hunt to find a train set for him. Now personally I like the old school wooden train sets for kids, because they still get to be truly involved in making the train move, but my brother reckons an electric one would be more fun....... so I have found a Thomas the Tank Engine one which is electric but I think it only has bells and whistles and doesn't actually electrically make the train move..... being one for online shopping this will be an online task..... with maybe one trip to Toys r Us........ Let the mission begin. . . .

Am bidding on a train set on ebay at the moment which finishes tonight... fingers crossed that I win it and for the right price.