No Tea After 12 // The Cake That Didn’t Win

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The Cake That Didn’t Win

posted in, Cakes on Monday, August 16, 2010

So you all remember how I wrote about being on TV and being completely and utterly terrified? Well, it's happened. I've seen myself on TV (and yes, it was as bad as I thought it was going to be, and maybe worse). But...it does mean that I can now share with you the whole story, all the gory details...and the infamous cake (which I won't be making anytime soon since I've made it 10 times in the last 3 months).

But, I digress.

This week on Monday, and on Friday I made my (once in a lifetime, will never do that shit again) TV debut on Britain's Best Dish on iTV, which is ironic since I'm American, but hey, who am I to question the producers?

So you wanna know all about it? If you didn't see the show, I was one of the regional finalists in the first round. I made an Apricot and Pistachio Upside-down Cake with Mascarpone Ice Cream. Just imagine trying to say THAT through your nerves on camera in a little tiny sweaty room being interviewed for TV. But I digress again.

I made it through the first round on BBD, despite the fact that my cake was undercooked in the middle and my ice cream was more like soft serve frozen yogurt than any respectable frozen dairy cream. But I won the first round, and then had some very lovely camera people over to my house to film me blogging, and as I went back for the second round I lost out to a man named Guy who made a trio of sorbets with some very English ingredients. I'm convinced his dish made for better TV since he looked a bit like a mad scientist next to me whipping up some strange concoctions and topping his sorbets with things like pre-candied elderflower and other poncey things that I can't pronounce let alone cook. Don't get me wrong Guy was very nice...and I'm not trying to be a sore loser (really!)...but I'm pretty sure I was never going to win anyway despite the fact that on my second appearance everything went perfectly. I secretly think the producers weren't keen on putting me through any further rounds since I was the loose cannon blogger who might spill the beans about all the confidential things going on in the BBD kitchen...as if I would ever do that. PFFFFFFF. We'll never know, will we?

Now, I realize that in talking about losing on a TV cooking show it kinda makes me sound like I'm no good authority on cooking, or baking, or anything to do with the kitchen for that matter...but hey I'm banking on the fact that most of you have read this blog before and you'll trust me when I say that despite the many, many times I have made this cake, and that I don't really ever want to think about it again in my life that YOU should go away and make it. This weekend. Right now. Immediately. It is that good.

Apricot Cake

The first time I made it I ate a still warm from the oven slice with a dollop of mascarpone straight up. I then proceeded to stand over the oven and polish off another one or two slices right then and there. I did use a fork but I probably would've just been better with my hands, but I'm a lady, so obviously I refrained. But there's just something about the nutty pistachio and fluffy cake paired with the sweet sticky apricots that tastes just like teatime should, and I love it.

And for that matter...three very famous cheffy people love it to. Namely, the judges on BBD: John Burton-Race, Ed Bains, and Jilly Goolden. John happens to have a few michelin stars under his belt so it seems to me the man knows what he's talking about when it comes to food. And hey I'll admit it right here, right now, it feels damn good to have a michelin starred chef say he loves your cake and that your ice cream is better than anything you could buy in a shop. POW! How's that for bragging rights? Oh ok, I'll shut up now.

Make the cake people, I'm serious about this one.

Mascarpone ice cream recipe to follow next week...I gotta keep you comin' back for something.

Apricot and Pistachio Upside-Down Cake

This is an amalgamation of several cake recipes plus my own little twists...but namely I adapted Thomas Keller's pan schmear idea for the upside-down part. Hey, if it ain't broke.

For the pan schmear:
1.7oz / 50g unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup / 100g light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

for the cake:
3/4 cup / 115g shelled pistachios
1 cup / 100g all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup / 120ml milk
4oz / 115g unsalted butter
3/4 cup / 145g granulated sugar
3 large eggs
5-6 large apricots, sliced into 1/3 inch, even slices

To make the schmear: In a small bowl combine the butter, sugar, honey, and vanilla. Spread about 1/3 of a cup onto the bottom of a 9-inch / 22cm round silicone cake pan. You will have a little bit leftover but it will keep in the fridge or can be frozen. I think it would be pretty amazing to shove the leftover it into a whole apple with some raisins and bake it, but that's just me.

Starting from the outside edge of the pan, place the sliced apricots in a circle, overlapping each other. The idea is to make sure they are tightly packed over the entire bottom of the pan. Make a second circle of apricots inside the outer ring, again overlapping carefully. And make a third, smaller circle in the middle of the pan.

To make the cake, preheat the oven to 350f / 180c. In a food processor, grind the pistachios until very finely ground. In a medium-sized bowl combine the sifted flour, baking powder, pistachios, nutmeg, and salt.

In a separate measuring jug, combine the milk and the vanilla.

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each egg. While mixing on low speed, add the flour mixture in two or three batches, alternating with the milk.

Spread the batter over the apricots and bake for 45 - 50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. If the cake looks like it is going too brown, cover it with aluminium foil for the last 10 minutes of baking.

Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes and put your serving plate on the top of the cake pan and flip upside-down to serve right-side up. Heh. She bakes, and raps.

Makes 1 cake, 8-10 servings.

Over to you....

I know it’s a little cheesy, but seriously if I were a judge, that cake would have won. I prefer things like your cake (simple with an emphasis on only one or two bold flavors). Plus, yours is stunning!

I love that I saw this little beauty while perusing foodgawker.com! Well done :)

Thanks Indie - I happen to totally agree with you on the cake thing ;) M - so funny! The power of the Internet eh?

Oh bummer. I am sorry that you didn’t win. But I am making your cake anyway—looks fabulous!

You looked great on TV ...but I suppose it must be like hearing your own voice on the answering machine, so I can understand your feelings about it… but from my “normal person at hoome” perspective I thought you were splendid! So much so that I wanted to check out your foodie blog! I can’t wait to try your recipes, especially that no knead bread because Autumn is nearly here and that looks to be exactly what my soups are crying out for! Many thanks for sharing!

An American friend of mine has just shared this story with me and I’d just like to say that I don’t usually do desserts so I didn’t see you on BBD but it does look delicious and the next time I make a cake it will be this one. PS. I was on BBD last year and share your thoughts on it!