Halfway pregnancy celebrations in Dorset with Malt Chocolate cake :)

Dudle Door 

Lulworth Cove

We were celebrating with my husband halfway through my pregnancy last week. Hurray!!!! We are so blessed with our little one and we just can't wait for him to be with us but we decided we should enjoy a bit of time just for the two of us before our life changes for ever. I have prepared for us a very delicious cake (you can find the recipe below) and then we went away for a weekend in a gorgeous Lulworth Cove on the coast of Dorset. We were not the luckiest with the weather but it was still amazing to go for walks (in clouds ;) on cliffs (not that we saw anything but I could imagine the dramatic scenery surrounding us). I have included a few pictures from the area. It was my first time on the coast of Dorset and I can't wait to go back there. We stayed in Lulworth Mill House which is located almost by the cove and serves one of the best food I had in a long time. I recommend this place 100%.


Below are pictures of the cake I've prepared for our small celebration. It is Chocolate Malt Cake from "Home sweet home" by The Hummingbird Bakery. It was a bit time consuming as I had only one baking tin but it was worth the effort and time. So here is what you will need for it:

For chocolate fudge sauce:
30g of dark chocolate
20g Cocoa powder
1/4 tsp Salt
100g Golden Syrup
25g Caster sugar
60ml double cream
 For the sponge:
120g unsalted butter, softened
300g Caster sugar (the cake is definitely on the sweeter side so you could try to cut it down, I followed the recipe)
3 Large eggs
115ml buttermilk
40ml sunflower oil
1tsp vanilla extract
160g plain flour
70g cocoa powder
1.5 tsp baking powder
1tsp salt
For the frosting:
900g icing sugar
150g unsalted butter
300g full fat cream cheese
240ml double cream
120g malt powder (I've used Ovaltine)

For the chocolate fudge mixed chopped dark chocolate, cocoa powder and salt in a bowl. In a pan, bring golden syrup, sugar and double cream to the boil. Pour the hot liquid over the chocolate and cocoa powder and quickly mix until all combined and the fudge get a nice shine to it.

Preheat the over to 170C (gas mark 3) and line the three 20cm cake tins (as I said I had only one so I had to bake each layer on its own). In a mixer whisk butter and sugar together until light. Add one egg at a time. In a separate jug mix all the wet ingredients (buttermilk, oil and vanilla extract). Start purring slowly the wet ingredients with eggs, butter and sugar. Scrape the sides of the bowl occasionally. If the mixture split at this point, as mine did, don't worry; It will combine again once flour is added. Add 3 tablespoons of the fudge to the mix.
Sift the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl and add to the batter slowly mixing on the medium speed. Mix until well combined.
Divide butter evenly between the cake tins and bake for approximately 30-35 minutes on the middle shelve.
 Allow the sponge to cool slightly in the tins and then pour the fudge sauce over the top of each cake while they are still warm. (If the fudge got too stiff warm it up over a pan of simmering water). Allow the cakes to cool completely before removing them from the tins.
For the frosting gradually mix the icing sugar and butter together on a low speed until combined. Add slowly the cream cheese and beat until it gets fluffy.
In a separate bowl whisk cream with malt powder (now it will take you only a second, it goes stiff instantly so you can do it by hand) and add the mixture to the cheese frosting and combine. Put the frosting for some time into the fridge as it at this stage it can be too liquid and it will be easier to apply when colder.
Now you can start assembling the cake. Place the first layer on a plate and top it with the frosting. Even it up and add now some crushed malt chocolate (I've used Maltesers). Put the next layers on top and repeat the steps. Put the remaining frosting around the cake and decorate with the remaining malt chocolate.
I suggest you cool it before serving. We loved it although next time I will use less sugar.

Steamed chocolate cherry pudding with chocolate sauce

Pudding

200g Self raising flour
75g vegetarian suet
1 tin of cherries
3 tbsp cocoa powder
5 tbsp brown sugar
1 free range egg
100ml whole milk


Chocolate sauce
150ml water
4 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tbsp butter
3 tsp brown sugar
Dash of double cream

For pudding mix flour, suet, cocoa, sugar and cherries. Beat the egg lightly and add milk and 100ml of cherry juice from the tin. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix together. Put the mixture in a well greased pudding form (remember to put a piece of baking paper on the bottom, it helps pudding to get of the pudding of the tin once it is ready). Cover tin with a baking paper sheet (create a fold in the middle so it can accommodate the rising pudding) and put tightly string around it to prevent water from entering your pudding during steaming.
Prepare a big pot (or use a slow cooker on a medium setting) and put on the bottom a plate on which our pudding will sit (if you have a Teflon pot use wooden chopsticks). Put the tin on the plate and fill the pot up to half hight of the tin with boiling water (I boil it in the kettle earlier). Cover the pot and start steaming for around 2h to 2.5h.

For chocolate sauce put the water in a small pot, add cocoa, butter and sugar and boil until sugar had dissolved. At the end add the dash of double cream for a pure indulgence ;)

Once the pudding is ready take it out of the water bath and let it cool for 5 min. Put on a plate and cover with chocolate sauce. Tastes the best when served warm. Enjoy it :)