Barbapapa Cake

Pin It

March is the birth month of my hubby. After listing the cake themes I wanna try out, I ended up with Barbapapa. Why? Because the characters are so adorable. Besides, the free-form look of their shapes seem attainable for a first-timer fondant "cakerator" like me. Brilliant. I'd go for it.

Barbapapa Family

Barbapapa cake by Sami Taipale

However, only the Papa alone would appear too lonely. His wife should be added to accompany him. She'd represent me also.. Whoo-hoo ;) Here's my template:

The template : Barbapapa & Barbamama

For the cake base, I chose to bake carrot cake for a reason: health, due tothe recent shocking medical check-up result. After browsing several recipe sharing websites, I came across this one from Kittencalskitchen via Food.com. The recipe called for crushed pineapple instead of butter. Interesting.

Anyhow, I adapted the recipe a bit to match what I have in kitchen, and to my taste. For example, changing from raisins to sultana for more subtle tangy flavour to balance the sweetness of brown sugar. Also some walnuts were added to make it more enjoyable to eat. Researching on fat substitution in baking, I found applesauce can do the same as crushed pineapple too. Imaging myself peeling pineapples would sure be a big mess, I chose applesauce. Health-conscious to the max, I even ignored the fact that this was muffins, not cake -- well, just think of them as less-sugar cake then :P Also, all the plain flour was replaced by whole wheat flour. Hmmm... healthy. (At that time I had no idea how messy it can be.)

As a part-time baker, here's the timeline of my cake making :

• Night 1 : making applesauce (yeah, from scratch -_-")

        

• Night 2 : making carrot cake

   

• Night 3 : making fondant (again, partly from scratch) from marshmallow and let it set overnight

    

• Night 4 : making white chocolate ganache for cake assembling & making some small fondant parts e.g. eyes and flowers and let them dry overnight

        

• Night 5 : carving the cake, cover with ganache, and let it set in the fridge overnight
• Night 6 : (supposed to cover the cake with fondant but..) have to spend {a lot} more time tinting the black fondant... Argggh!
• Night 7 : covering the cake with fondant and all that... Phhhewww.

And... Voila !!

Unbelievable! 7 nights to make this cake!

The day the cake was finished had even past my husband's birthday already. Somehow he totally understood (after seeing me standing in the pantry 'til late night for a week).

So we decided not to eat the cake. Regret that the finest ingredients (e.g. Lindt Chocolate Bar, Canola Oil, and organic stuffs) would be discarded :( But this cake took too long to make it shouldn't be eaten anyway. Pity <sob sob>. 

However, I was too curious to bin it without sneaking the inside. So I cut it up and here's how it looked: 

Inside the cake

Gotta improve time management next time.

~ Sources of the pictures : {1} {2} {3} ~

------------- Recipe -------------

Healthy Carrot Cake Muffin

(Adapted from “Low-Fat Carrot Cake Muffins” by Kittencalskitchen posted on Food.com on Aug 11, 2006)

Ingredients 

Dry Ingredients:

• 1 ½  cups         whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon       baking soda
• 1 teaspoon       baking powder
• 1 teaspoon       cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon    all spice
• ½ - ¾  cup       brown sugar

Other Ingredients:

• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 3 tablespoons   canola oil
• 2 teaspoons      vanilla
• ½  cup              low-fat milk
• 1 cup               applesauce
• 1 ½  cups         grated carrots (squeeze out some of the moisture with hands)
• 1  cup              sultanas
• 1 ½ cup           walnuts

Directions

1. Set oven to 180 C / 350 F degree.
2. Line parchment paper in cake pan.
3. In a large bowl mix together all the dry ingredients.
4. In a small bowl whisk together egg, oil, milk and vanilla.
5. In a medium bowl mix the shredded carrots with the applesauce.
6. Add in the oil/egg mixture into the carrot/applesauce mixture; mix well to combine, then add to the dry ingredients; mix JUST until combined.
7. Add in the sultanas and chopped walnuts.
8. Pour the mixture into the cake pan.
9. Bake for about 20-30 minutes, or until cake test done.