Odds and Ends

Catalonian Cat Cake

catalonian cat cake written in cat-shaped lettering

or

cato gateau written in cat-shaped lettering
cato gateau written in cat-shaped lettering

Foreign language students Cinta and Sara from Barcelona like cake and chocolate so I made them a chocolate sponge cake complete with a chocolate cat, (it IS a cat, not a dog!). As they are from Catalonia it HAD to be a Catalonian Cat Cake or a Gato Gateau! (The joke doesn't work quite as well in Catalan as pastís de gat català, but nobody is perfect).

Sponge Cake

  • 4oz. (100g) granulated sugar
  • 4 oz. (100g) soft margarine
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 oz. (75g) self-raising flour
  • 1 oz. (25g) cocoa

I used a Robot-Chef food processor for this cake. Essentially it is a Victoria sponge cake with the method modified to suit the use of the food processor. I think this is easier than using a hand mixer which can throws the ingredients out of the mixing bowl.

  1. Heat oven to 180°C, 350°F, Gas Mark 4
  2. Grease two 7" (18 cm) diameter tins
  3. Put sugar in Robot-Chef and mix until well powdered
  4. Add margarine and mix until smooth
  5. Add eggs one by one and mix until smooth. The eggs may 'curdle' but continue mixing until the mixture is homogenous, (don't worry it WILL happen!)
  6. Tip mixture into a mixing bowl and add the flour and cocoa. Use a spoon to fold into the liquid until the mixture is evenly coloured
  7. Spread half the mixture in each tin then bake in the oven for 20 minutes
  8. Allow to cool in the tins so that cakes shrink from the edges and the sponge 'firms up' before knocking out onto a cooling rack.

The two cakes are sandwiched together with flavoured butter icing.

Cocoa Butter Icing

  • 2 oz. (50g) soft margarine
  • 4 oz. (100g) icing sugar
  • 2 tsp. (10ml) cocoa
  • 1 tsp. (5ml) vanilla essence

  1. Cream the margarine with a mixer
  2. Gradually add the icing sugar and continue mixing
  3. Add the cocoa and vanilla essence and mix until smooth

The Robot-Chef is good for this too as it is easier to contain the fine icing sugar which can easily be blown about by a conventional mixer.

To assemble the cake it is best to place one of the 'halves' upside-down on a dished plate. That way you have a flat surface to work with. (Save the best 'half' for the top, or the thinnest if they are equally good). Spread the icing evenly and carefully place the other half on top. Dust with icing sugar if desired.