A couple of weeks ago it was my last event as joint organiser for the Harrogate, Knaresborough and Ripon Clandestine Cake Club.  I have a lot on my plate at the moment but I felt that I had to step down as organiser to create more time to deal with everything else going on in life!  I have had a great time organising the events and have met some fantastic people, not to mention sampling some incredible cakes along the way.  I am still going to be a Clandestine Cake Club member and will attend as many events as I can fit in as I have made some lovely friends who I think the world of.

Ironically, the cake club event that was my last as joint organiser was exactly a year to the day after my first event. It was held in exactly the same place, the gorgeous Wellington Inn, in Darley a village in the heart of beautiful Nidderdale. The theme was “Happy First Birthday” so my cake had to be worthy of something you would bake for a birthday cake, yet not something that would be too sickly sweet to eat.

I chose to bake a Coffee Bundt cake based on a recipe I had in the very first Hummingbird Bakery cookbook.  I had not made a coffee Bundt before but I know whenever I’ve made coffee and walnut cakes they always go down well.

The cake was left to bake for about 40 minutes.  Only my cake decided that it didn’t fancy staying inside the pan and it spilled out over the top and onto the bottom of my oven!   I was not a happy bunny and the cake looked a right mess on the top of it.  I wasn’t sure how it had happened, maybe it was just too full.  I had to get the cake scrapings out straightaway before my hubby noticed though.  Once the cake was out, I let it cool in the tin and then it slid out perfectly onto the rack. At least it looked fairly presentable for Cake Club!

To decorate the cake the recipe calls for a vanilla frosting flavoured with coffee essence.  I had made up some strong expresso coffee essence according to the recipe instructions.  Instead of spreading it on the cake I chose to pipe it on using my large star nozzle.  It only just had enough icing to decorate the top.  I then added some chocolate cocoa beans which I had bought in Waitrose.  It only used half the jar so I hope no one in my family nicks the rest or they won’t get used for cupcakes!  Poor lighting in my kitchen made the icing look a lot more yellow than it really was, well it was about 7 o’clock on a dreary November night I suppose!

This Coffee Bundt was a definite winner and one I would love to bake again and again.  My hubby loves Coffee Cake so maybe he might want one for his birthday?

Happy Baking!

Love Sam xx