Boat Cake - Almond and chocolate chips cake

Boat cake with almond and chocolate chips ! (For 10-12 persons)

For the cake

400g of cream cheese (I use 'Philadelphia' brand - 2 boxes)

600g pastry flour

510g unsalted butter

5g salt

15g baking powder

550g castor sugar

9 eggs

8ml of pure almond extract

450g of whole almonds

200g of Chocolate chips

Note 1: You will need two rectangular aluminium foil baking pan to bake this cake (refer photo step 6) - I purchased disposable ones type at Tangs Way Beau-Bassin at about Rs35 each.

Note 2: The template I designed for the boat cake is below. Just Right-Click, Save-As, Print and use !

For the decoration

500g of sugar paste or fondant

500g of gumpaste

1 cake smoother

5 tablespoons of jam (Flavour as per your preference)

Gel food coloring (black, red, blue, brown, yellow and green) Purchased on Ebay)

Fondant extruder tool - Refer photo steps 15 and 17 (great variety available on Ebay)

Procedure

Step 1 : In your standing mixer bowl, mix butter, sugar and cream cheese on a low to medium speed.

Note: You may also use your hand mixer. I actually prefer to use a standing mixer when I am using more than 500g of flour.

Step 2: Scrape your bowl from time to time (stop your mixer first ) to ensure uniform mixing ! As soon as your mixture (butter/ sugar/ cream cheese) is smooth and fluffy (indicated by a paler yellow color), stop your mixer.

Step 3 : Use your grinder to turn your whole almonds into a nice and uniform powder mixture. In a bowl add your flour, salt, baking powder (all sifted together if possible) as well as your almond powder and mix all together to obtain your dry ingredients mixture .

Almond powder ready !

Step 4: To your butter mixture from step 2, add 1/3 of your dry ingredients mixture (step 3) and 3 eggs. Turn on your mixer on a low to medium speed and allow the dry ingredients mixture (1/3) and eggs (3) to combine well with your butter mixture. Repeat same step until all dry ingredients and eggs have been added. As usual do not forget to scrape the mixing bowl when necessary .

Step 5: When your batter has become smooth and sexy, add in your chocolate chips and pure almond extract ! Perform a final mix (low-medium speed) and voila, your cake batter is ready !

Step 6: Get your aluminium baking pans (your boat template should normally fit in the pan).

Step 7: Transfer your cake batter equally into your two baking pans. Flatten the surface using your favorite spatula then bake your cakes in a preheated oven at 160 degrees Celsius for 1 hour or until a wooden skewer comes out clean when inserted in the center.

Out of the oven - Hot hot hot !

Step 8: Allow your cakes to cool completely, then turn them upside down on a tray and remove them from their pans. Using a serrated knife, cut the top dome (if any) to create a flat surface . Place both cakes on top of each other.

Step 9: Hmmmmmmmm ! Now position your template on your cakes (ensure that they are well aligned) and using a sharp knife, cut around the perimeter as shown below.

Step 10: Use the remaining pieces of cakes to add more length and height to your cake !

Step 11: When you have added more length and height to your cake as shown below with the remaining pieces of cake, coat/stick them altogether using a thin coat of your favourite jam .

Step 12: Get your fondant and gumpaste ready ! Using your rolling pin, flatten your fondant to a thickness of about 5mm.

Step 13: Position your rolled fondant on your cake. Cut the excess part at the base using a knife and smooth the surface using your cake smoother !

Step 14: Color the remaining fondant in blue and place it all around the boat on your cake tray. This will represent the sea !

Step 15: Use your fondant extruder tool to decorate your cake accordingly. Color some gumpate in red, black, yellow, green and brown and start having fun !

Step 16: Use your favourite sweets or chocolate candies to add accents or specific details to your cake . For instance here I am using the Galaxy Minstrels chocolate candies as main control boards for my boat !

Step 17: Again use your fondant extruder tool to create a rope as well as lifebuoys for your boat.

Voila !

THANK YOU FOR WATCHING !...