Jerome's Birthday Cake

I did this cake for a friend of mine and I must admit that the techniques are so simple to follow yet the result is so impressive.

I did the cake two days in advance and it kept well in an airy room. Preferably not in the kitchen while in use as the moisture may soften the chocolate paste.

For the Chocolate Cake

250g unsalted butter
6 eggs
2 2/3 cup castor sugar
3 1/2 cups self raising flour
2/3 cup cocoa
1 tsp bicarbonate soda
1 1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup espresso coffee
4 tbsp Tia Maria

For the Filling
1 cup apricot jam
1/2 cup martini.

For decoration
Chocolate ganache
Marzipan
Chocolate modeling paste
Silver wire
Sugar pastry
Chocolate melts

Grease a large laming ton tin approx 30cmx45cm. Heat oven 180c. Cut butter in small cubes,and combine with sifted flour cocoa and bicarbonate and the rest of the ingredients in a mixing bowl. Mix on low speed for 1 min or until mixture is well mixed. Turn speed to maximum and mix for 3 minutes. Transfer mixture to baking tin and bake for approx 45 min or until skewer comes out clean when tested. Turn to wire rack and leave to cool.

Prepare the chocolate ganache by using 1 cup cream and 400g dark chocolate. Boil cream and remove from heat. Stir in chopped chocolate. Continue to stir until smooth. Leave to cool covered with cling film.
Prepare chocolate modeling paste by using 600g dark chocolate and 2/3 cup corn syrup(you will find this in Chinese food stores). melt the chocolate either bain Marie or in microwave add corn syrup and stir until mixture becomes thick and slightly grainy. Cover with cling film an leave to cool and set for approx 3 hours.

For this cake I bought 600g ready made marzipan

Slice the cake in two. Heat the apricot jam with martini until slightly runny and spread on half of the cake. Reserve about two tablespoons. Cover with the other half cake.

Cut cake to your desired shape, in this case the number four. Place on board.

Brush cake with remaining jam mixture and cover with marzipan. Cover marzipan with the chocolate ganache and even out the edges.
Knead thinly the chocolate fondant paste between two sheets of baking paper and cover on top of e ganache.
On icing sugar dusted surface knead sugar pastry and cut circles. Stick by brushing a little water.
Cut the silver wire in different lengts and stick some balloon shaped sugar pastry.

Happy birthday Jerome !!!!