This was the other cake I served on my birthday party last Saturday: this month’s Daring Bakers challenge. The recipe was labour intensive but straightforward and everything worked out great. I used the ingredients of the buttercream recipe but I adjusted the procedure to produce a buttercream that didn’t have a potential of being a health hazards because of raw eggwhites. I mixed the sugar and eggwhites and heated them over hot water until they reached a temperature of 71°C (160°F). Then whipped them.
The most delicious part of this cake is most definitely the praline buttercream, in my opinion too good to be true 🙂 It tasted very much like my favourite cake in the Netherlands, hazelnut meringue. I’m not even sure how it is made exactly but is contains meringue and buttercream and hazelnuts….YUM!
I nearly didn’t taste the complete cake because I was too busy being hostess but in the end realized I didn’t even taste the cake. I liked it but I liked the plain buttercream better 😉 I still have a little bit left so if I have time I will be making some meringue to pair it with….
I kind of didn’t make the cake according to the rules made by this month’s host Chris of Mele Cotte. It should have had decoration of buttercream. Didn’t like that much, I’m not that good at piping and I don’t really like the look of it. I figured it would be ok since it was my birthday cake 😉 To compensate I used a cake ring so that some buttercream was at least showing he he!
I wanted to decorate the top with a little bit of gold leaf but the ganache was still to soft so I ruined the surface of the cake. Moments before my birthday guests arrived I had to come up with an alternative and used white chocolate petals that I made for my other cake. I think they made the cake look better than the gold leaf would have.
btw like my other cake, I didn’t make the pictures but my brother did (and he did a better job than I could have done!)
Check out the recipe at this month’s host Chris at Mele Cotte, you’ll find the recipe there too.
And for a list of all the other Daring Bakers check out this link.
lindakovacevic 
wow this looks wonderful. i actually think it looks better with just the chocolate on the top. I 100% agree that the praline buttercream was AWESOME!!
Absolutely gorgeous, and your ganache is so smooth!
Exquisite!! This is a piece of art..I am always so glad to see the challenges, some how this is the first challenge I have seen of yours! 🙂
Beautiful site, I’ll be looking forward to seeing more.
Wow, your way ahead in time.. I’m so glad I still have 14 hours to post.. I need it!
I love yours. Personally I find all that buttercream piping in the original overkill. This is simple , classic, and the flavors shine through.I love the use of the cake ring and those chcolate leaves. Im going to still that trick!
Lovely presentation, it’s so elegant and refined. 🙂
Lovely cake – the white chocolate petals look very serene. And happy belated birthday!
A very pretty cake! I love the sober decoration and gorgeous presentation! Great job, as usual!
Cheers,
Rosa
Amazing cake, Linda! Love that super shiny glaze and those white choc petals.
this cake is really a work of art. its so need and perfect. I m always amazed by your creations. Thanks for the useful tips and for visiting my blog :-)I ll try the chocolate petals . Great idea .
But ?? Do you have two blogs or what ? I have already left you a comment…somewhere else. Well, OK, I do it again : your cake is number one for me among all other filbert cakes !
This looks absolutely stunning! I love the glossy surface, and the white chocolate petals 🙂
Your white chocolate petals look so elegant!
:O:O Woa!! Yours is so elegant and perfect!! It looks amazinggg!!
omg, this is gorgeous!!! no wonder foodgawker chose you 🙂
Beautiful rendition of the daring baker’s challenge. Just lovely!
oh wow this is so beautiful!!!
WOW, that is so pretty! It’s just very very high end looking. You could serve that to royalty!
FAncy, fancy. lovely.
What a dreamy cake – I love the bare sides – makes the cake so much more elegant!
Wow. That really was my first word.
So elegant. Well done.
I don’t care if you broke the rules! As someone else said, your cake is incredibly elegant!
Wow, both cakes are so impressive! Simply beautiful!
So lovely. I love the shine on the ganache. Great job!
Linda, what a beautiful, stylish cake! Wonderful!!
I’ve been doing my rounds on all the Daring Baker entrants, and I’m feeling a bit small and sad 😦 All the cakes look stunning, but I really love that yours is so elegant and understated (in a Grace Kelly way). How did you get your ganache so shiny?
Absolutely stunning cake, well done 🙂
Your cake looks fantastic – I like the design you chose. Very nice.
The cake is lovely! I love the touch of chocolate petals; they make the cake look so delicate. Your ganache is so glossy and smooth! I bet it can double as a mirror =)
I love the white chocolate petals on that gorgeous ganache glaze, I LOVE this cake
Your cakes allways look so elegant! I love how you decorated it so simple but it looks gorgeous. And yes, the buttercream is showing so that’s not breaking the rules I think, lol!
You make the most gorgeous cakes!!
I like the petals on top. It has a very elegant quality! Beautiful job.
the reflection of the ever so delicate petals on the sheer waxy chocolate ganache is absolutely beautiful. An extremely delicious looking cake.
The ganache surface is absolutely amazing, like a chocolate mirror.
What a professional looking job! Congrats on this challenge!
That’s such a beautiful cake!! Gorgeous finish!! I love how you left the sides uncovered to show all the layers…and I love the chocolate petals too!! So interesting!!
Ooo, your cake is breath taking! I love the chocolate petals, they are wonderful!
Hi Linda! I have been away for a week so that’s why I haven’t had a chance to visit your blog in a while. Your challenge cake turned out stunning!!!