July Birthday Cake
& a little backstory
Two layers of a soft almond sponge cake, filled with a vanilla yogurt cream, set with gelatin and folded with a blackberry red currant jam/compote. Recipe is out now!
The Backstory
It’s no big secret that this cake took a bit longer than expected and to be honest it had very little to do with this actual cake. This was my first time making this cake with these elements and putting them together. It is based on the Sahnetorte recipe in my book, Süss, which I think is arguably one of the most underrated German cakes out there. And to be even more honest if I made it again I would do 1.5 x the filling to make it a bit taller (or make it a 7” cake but with the same amount of filling). But enough about what I would do because I do love this cake and I could eat it every day.
I rarely talk about all the failed recipes that never see the light of day and late June and early July were full of them. I feel like I’ve been in a bit of a rut, a sort of “writer’s block” but for recipes. And sometimes the only way past is through. I had a million half baked ideas but none of them really made sense from start to finish. There’s so many things that go into a recipe making sense to me. Does it make sense for the season? Both with the ingredients and the temperature. Do the textures work? Visually does it fit the setting it’s meant for? Have I just created something similar? Do I feel like I could eat a whole piece?
Lately creativity feels like it comes and goes in such waves. Some days it feels like it’s back and I’ve got it and then the next I feel like I have nothing creative left to give. I’ve started sewing again because I think maybe, part of what’s missing, is the other creative ways I like to express myself. Maybe this week I’ll start painting again… To be honest I’m not sure, and I don’t think there is ONE solution or even a solution at all. Now that I’ve written all of this I’m not really sure why I did but I feel like writing let’s me share a bit more with all of you and maybe helps you understand a bit more of me. Ok anyways that was a lot and if you read all of this I love you a lot and if your birthday is in July - happy birthday!
with love,
Audrey
This looks delish!! I appreciate your candor in this post and wish you luck in your “writers block”. You got this!
The cake looks delicious, and just in time for my fiance’s birthday! I appreciate you being so vulnerable about the mistakes made in the creative process— I think it’s hard to work past the expectations we hold ourselves to. I hope you make sometime for your other creative ventures this week :) thanks for sharing your creations so generously with us!