#GBBO Showstopper Challenge...

Are you like me and most of the Country it seems, a fan of the Great British Bake Off? Have you been baking along with this years show? Usually when watching it, I crave cake. Not tonight as I have made this yummy cake. Perfect for a Bake Off Final!!

To celebrate the final episode, I have teamed up with A O at ao.com to take part in their Show Stopper Challenge. The theme for the final GBBO is a Royal Bake Off. So my cake has a Royal theme. Think Victoria sponge cake with a coco twist.

I got sent this amazing Kenwood Pattissier Food Mixer in cream to help me, get my bake on.

What you need:

• 375g Margarine
• 375g Caster sugar
• 6 eggs, beaten 
• 1 Teaspoon of vanilla extracts
• 1Teaspoon baking powder
• 3 Teaspoons of coco powder
• 375g Self raising flour 
• 5 Tablespoons of milk

Topping:

• 300 ml Double cream
• 250g Fresh strawberries, washed
• 4-5 Tablespoons of strawberry jam
• Dusting of icing sugar

What to do:

1. Pre heat oven to 180 degrees C or gas mark 4.
2. Grease and line 2 x 15 cm round tins and 2 x 20 cm round tins.
3. Mix together butter and sugar in an electric mixer until pale.
4. Gradually add the beaten eggs.
5. Sift in the flour, baking powder, coco powder and slowly mix well. 
6. Add the vanilla extracts and milk and give another mix.
7. Spoon evenly into prepared trays.
8. Arrange 2 oven shelves as near into the centre of the oven and add 1 large and one small cake tin onto the 2 shelves.
9. Cook in the pre heated over for around 30 minutes, until springy to touch.
10. Remove from the oven, leave in tins for around 10 minutes. Take out from trays and leave to cool. Whip cream and wash strawberries. Place in fridge until needed.
11. Lay a big bottom cake on a plate, spread with jam and cream. Add the other big cake on top. Spread jam and cream on top of a small cake then place upside down onto big cake, then add top layer of jam and cream and add top. Save some cream for a piping bag.
12. Pipe cream around top of cake, fill with strawberries and when ready to serve, sift icing sugar on top.

Here is my showstopper cake. Now I am off to watch the final; with a cup of tea in one hand and a slice of cake in the other :)

A big thanks to ao.com who supplied me with this amazing mixer. I have always wanted one!! I must mention I was very impressed with their next day delivery. They sent me a few emails after placing my order. Text updates every step of the order process. Plus a friendly call when they were an hour from my house. Delivery as it should be. As usual with A O, their prices are ultra competitive.

P.s  I'm #TeamCandice what about you?

About this post:

I was sent a mixer to take part in a Showstopper challenge. I was not paid for this post and all thoughts are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands I work with.