I'll Try Anything Once: Baking challenge

Prior Lake American

Move over “Cake Boss” — there’s a new jefe in town.

There’s a plethora of baking-based programming on television nowadays, from “Cupcake Wars” to “Cake Boss” to “Nailed It,” which recently became a hit sensation on Netflix and features home cooks adorably attempting ridiculously difficult challenges in an impossible amount of time.

So, when I was (anonymously) dared to do a challenge from the “Great British Bake-Off” (or the “Great British Baking Show” as it’s known in this tea-hating, bald eagle-loving country) I assumed it would be more like “Nailed It” than anything edible.

I had a church Easter party later in the week, so I picked a delicious-looking chocolate cake from the “Great British Bake-Off” website titled “Paul’s Devils Food Cake.” I only realized the irony of taking a devil's food cake to an Easter party later on. Sorry, Jesus.

Alhough it’s a show from a different country, surely a recipe from America’s posh, older cousin couldn’t be that different? Wrong. (tncms-asset)bc4ac18c-3c39-11e8-bafd-00163ec2aa77[1](/tncms-asset)

Even shopping for the ingredients proved difficult. And because bakers are very fancy people, I ended up saying “close enough” quite a few times throughout the process — especially since the total cost of ingredients and supplies turned out to be what I generally spend on a week of groceries.

Double cream, for instance, is fairly uncommon in the United States, so I replaced that with heavy whipping cream. A Google search of “caster sugar” showed powdered sugar on the side of the page, so that’s what I used. And though the recipe called for vanilla paste, imitation vanilla flavor is what was used.

Using handy-dandy Google once again (what would I do without the internet?) I had to convert all the ingredients from the metric system to a measuring system I could actually find in my kitchen, which left me with a weird amount of ounces of each ingredient.

Luckily, I enjoy a properly made cocktail every now and again, so I am in possession of a scale that connects to an app that measures ounces precisely for different cocktail recipes. So the strange amount of ounces proved no problem.

Though I normally wing it, the precise measuring meant I had to do a good ol’ “mise en place” which is a French term that means I measure everything beforehand and put it in a little bowl to add in when it’s time, just like those “Tasty” videos all over Facebook.

It also means I used a ridiculous number of bowls. Seriously, don’t even try it unless you have like, 30 bowls. And are willing to wash all these bowls later.

Once the ingredients were purchased, measured and prepared, the rest of the challenge was just following the directions nearly exactly as described. Even in this, there were a few changes.

You might be thinking, “With all these changes, is she even doing the challenge anymore?” The answer is yes, and zip it.

I used one 3-inch pan rather than three pans because I didn’t want to buy three pans. However, the height would have been much more impressive had I bought and baked three pans so there was some regret on that part.

I was also doing fine until I reached a direction that asked me to put a sheet of acetate on a “cold marble slab,” like I have slabs of marble laying around just waiting for one obscure recipe direction. Spoiler alert: I do not have a single slab of marble, anywhere. I have zero regrets about replacing this instruction with a cold baking sheet and some plastic wrap (things normal people have).

I baked the cake on Saturday and wrapped it and put it in the fridge, as well as preparing the frosting and the chocolate “shards” and putting those in the freezer to harden. On Sunday, I put everything together before a nerve-wracking car drive to take the devil cake to the Easter party. (tncms-asset)bdb494b8-3c38-11e8-9009-00163ec2aa77[3](/tncms-asset)

Would I do it again?

If I had $60 to spend and people to impress? Absolutely. The end result was definitely not bad and definitely not “Nailed It” worthy. The cake was not too sweet (because Brits like a darker chocolate) and though lacking in height, it looked pretty dang good.

Between the Easter party and a few slices for my coworkers, the cake was demolished. It was entertaining to challenge myself with a more difficult recipe, especially as I’ve been making a foray into cooking and willfully ignoring baking. This cake might just become my new party trick I use until people start asking me “Um, can you make anything else or... ?”