to think cake should look like cake?

[MooncupandPizza]

The seeming tide of luridly coloured cakes that are demonstrations of crafting ability rather than baking sills and barely look edible upsets me.

I can accept a hedgehog shaped birthday cake with chocolate fingers for spikes or fork-combed icing to make it look spikey, for example, but bright green/blue/red icing just doesn't look tasty and doesn't make me want to eat it.

Cake should look yummy and edible.

And don't get me started on "cupcakes" with immense swirls of pastel buttercream icing (though pastel colours are marginally more edible-looking) - sickly!

Grumble grumble.

Hop - yes, the praying mantis cake sounds perfect! Send some over!

Must look up how to make chocolate ganache....glad I started this now!

its very easy.

put cream in pan or microwave bowl, regular double cream will probably do it... its been a while since I cooked in England. Heat it gently, don't let it burn. Once it is hot pour over chocolate and stir.

More chocolate makes a thicker ganache, less makes thinner. Better chocolate makes better ganache. I like mine made with dark chocolate.
You can let it cool a little and pour it over for a shiny poured look
Or chill it some (not too much or it can get tough to spread) in the fridge to make a fudgey spread like the centre of truffles
Whip it, whip it good once it has chilled to make a fluffy icing.

If you want to flavour it, add the flavourings before pouring on the cream.

You can't go too far wrong with chocolate and cream.

Thanks! I looked on the BBC website to see. It does seem very easy and, as you say, cream and chocolate, how far wrong can you go!

Now I have to find out what they call double cream on this side of Western side of the Atlantic.

I agree OP. I often think novelty cakes look unappetising.

Heavy

dude.

Try telling that to my Wiggles-obsessed, strong willed, stubborn That Child that make all the other mothers feel good about their children DS1 Mooncup. It absolutely categorically HAD to be red.

Can I suggest you take a little lie down until the terrible upset passes ?