Autumnal birthday cake from Nigella's Domestic Goddess - worth doing?

[allhailtheaubergine]

Her recipes are so hit and miss I thought I'd see if anyone had given it a go with any success? I am making a birthday cake for a friend.

Anyone :)

I have made this one - it worked and was yummy but the price of maple syrup at the moment puts me off making it again.

Funnily enough I bought Maple Syrup earlier and was floored by the price. I had assumed it was because I live abroad and it was imported. Hadn't realised it was a worldwide thing atm.

Unless you live in Canada everywhere else must import it!

I thought that as soon as I pressed post.

I suppose I meant that as we live in the arse end of nowhere a lot of normally cheap things are prohibitively expensive and I thought it was just another of those.

Its one cake from HTBADG not made - probably can't justify the expense - have some friends who have now emigrated to Canada.

I have just remembered that last time I made this I ran out of maple syrup and used half maple and half golden in the icing - it worked fine and still tasted of maple.

Bloody Nigella.

A tenner of maple syrup and three eggs and the bloody thing's curdled. I did exactly what she said. Bloody woman. No choice but to push on. This is a birthday cake for masses of people - it had better turn out okay!

Verdict: Not impressed at all.

Very expensive. Very dry, unimpressive cake. Nice enough flavour, but meh - that's because maple syrup tastes nice. Definitely won't be making it again. Very disappointing. Icing was very nice though.

I hereby renounce Nigella. That was one rubbish recipe too far. For Christmas I would like a lovely Mary Berry book please. Or maybe The Hummingbird Bakery book.

FWIW I don't think the Hummingbird receipes work brilliantly, but I keep the book just for the icing recipe ! Mary Berry bound to be good !

Next time, make the Guinness cake - dead easy (essentially stir together wet ingredients then add the dry - none of that "cream butter and sugar" nonsense that leaves me cold) and it is spectacular when complete. The icing is to die for.