candy-cane striped red velvet cake

Yet another Christmas party with a fancy festive theme.

“The third one in three weeks!” exclaimed Koji, half bemused and half annoyed (Grinch that he is).

“Yes, but you know everyone at this one, or just about know them, and we only have to make one thing each” replied I, contemplating the theme. ”Also, we agreed to go way back in October. Or November. Or something.”

“Well in that case, I’m making jelly.”

“Green, Red & White” read the fairly festive email invitation. “One dish each, let us know what you’re bringing so we don’t double up.”

We discussed potential dishes over fro-yo.

“It’d be good to have lobster.” said one.

“Yes. It’s red enough, isn’t it?”

“But who’s going to bring it?”

A silence.

“I guess we’ll be eating curry and ham then.”

“Oh, and cake.” I interjected, having been momentarily distracted by the awfully stale mochi bits in my pomegranate flavoured cup “I’m making a cake.”

“Red velvet?” asked Brian, eyes brightening.

“Sort of.”

I had grand plans, you see, that involved a forest of green-tinted white chocolate trees perched atop a mound of cream cheese icing. And in the centre, a red velvety surprise.

Only different.

Striped with white vanilla cake.

Like a candy cane, only… swirlier.

“Ooh!” came the chorus (accompanied by a flurry of camera flashes) when the cake came out of the fridge and was laid on the table.

“Aaaaahhhh!” came the cries of intrigue as I pulled out the first slice.

“I think I ate too much of Lex’s rib eye…” came the moan from cake-aversion-filled Koji.

(He ate a slice later, topped with jelly and ice-cream, and was never the worse for it.)

We ate just one half of it between 18 (though the rest was polished off soon after).

I piled all of the left over, slightly broken (they are very fragile) and otherwise misshapen trees in a heap in the centre of the cake when serving it. Partially to hide the marks from when I cut it open for these photographs (though extra cream cheese icing did a semi-decent job of patching the gaps) and partially because I hate to see good green (white) chocolate go to waste.

They went down a treat, with pleas of “One slice with extra green stuff for me please!” being not quite uncommon.

And with that, the room fell into contented chatter, broken up by the occasional silence that comes with munching.

This will be the last post I stick up here before Christmas Day, and we’ll possibly be just a little quiet around these parts for the next week or so whilst I spend time with loved ones (and eat far too much ham. Is there such a thing as far too much ham? I’m not sure so, but I’ll push the limits of my abilities to find out.)

(There may be a sneaky New Year’s Eve themed post, but we’ll have to see if it can be squeezed in amongst the beaching that needs to be done.)

So, for now, thank you for your visits, for your kind words and for your support throughout this year. I’ve treasured all of your comments (even the crotchety ones, which I fret over before bed until Koji tells me to stop being such a goose) and have loved creating all of this here food for you to look at and vicariously eat.

Best to you and yours during the holidays! Be safe, and I’ll see you soon!

Shez xx