March Daring Baker's Challange!!

Omg, I'm finally part of the Daring Bakers!!! My first challenge!!

And this month's challange is The Perfect Party Cake, hosted by Morven of Food, art and random thoughts.

Frankly speaking, this is exactly the kind of recipe I would have flipped past with a snort if I had seen it in a cookbook; and, my impression of it did not change after I had completed the cake. Its just so...plain. I know Morven allows for a change in flavor, but I feel that I should still keep to the general idea of the flavor combination, how boring to only eat what I like right?

Despite all that, I have to say I really did enjoy the challange!! Sorry Morven for all the criticism, its only because I'm a picky bugger =P From this challange, I got to make my first layer cake, [which I never do], finally try out the cooked méringue I've always wanted to try, and, even though I had to wake up at 6am to bake this, I found that baking in the early morning is kinda fun! Also, despite the recipe's warning against refrigeration, I found that it tasted better after some time in the fridge! The buttercream firmed up nicely, and the cake cut much more easily [yes, Sok Yee, you told me so =P]. All in all, I got everything I wanted out of the challange, a chance to try something new =)

And finally, to the cake itself, and I'll let the pictures do the talking. [The recipe's really long, if you want it leave a comment =D] The only changes I made to the recipe is to change the lemon flavourings to orange [I had no lemons but tons of oranges at home], used blueberry jam, and to half the recipe [not only is my family not into cake, but I'm also highly suspicious about how it'll turn out]

The cake didn't rise much at all...I attribute it to too much beating after the flour is added...

I was perplexed by my floppy and runny buttercream, because I thought I had followed every word of the recipe and beat it for what seemed like eternity. But after reviewing the video another daring baker had helpfully supplied about making Swiss Meringue Buttercream, I realised I probably didn't beat it nearly enough. I am so trying this recipe out again. The buttercream tasted a lot better than I expected it to =)

Now, isn't that a sight that reminds you of all those childhood mornings at the breakfast table?

My lopsided layer cake; I think the too-wet/slippery buttercream caused the cake layers to slide around...Also, as you can see, the buttercream was so soft it was barely clinging onto the cake. It did seem to harden up a bit after a good 8 hours of sitting around.

My horrendous pipping skills up on display...

Want to see how others baked the same cake?? Visit the Daring Bakers blogroll!!

P.S. Thank you-s to Sok Yee, Arthur, Wei ying and Cherylyn, for bravely trying out my cake, even though it looked absolutely disgusting after being bumped around in the train!! You guys are the best =)

P.P.S. On a completely random note, if you happen to be baking in a very smoky environment and wonders if the smoky taste and smell will be imparted into the cake, I'm happy to say that it will not!