Australia Day Festivities Begin

Coming up on the 26th of January is Australia Day!!! National holiday for all us Aussies, we whip out barbecues, beach umbrellas and cricket bats from dawn and celebrate with friends and family alike!

It is where people party and do whatever their heart desires to show both their Australian pride and enjoy themselves and that is what makes this so great! Everyone comes together under a big gold sun, shuffling their feet through soft green grass and wearing the green and gold so right for the occasion (really, no way!) 😉

Now I know there are some misconceptions out there about what Australians and Australia are really like. I guess every country has its stereotypical image, but I need to make a couple of things clear because seriously, this is our day of partying and I don’t want you to imagine bushwalkers waltzing with koalas around a billycan, beer bottles in hand 😀

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  • Kangaroos do not hop around at random – a celebrity (though I cannot for the life of me remember who!) came off the plane to Australia for the first time and asked “Where are the kangaroos?” – ahem… 😛
  • We do not all say “g’day mate” – I get that the tourist people say that to travellers and make them laugh and experience Crocodile Dundee Australia but although we say ‘mate’ often, the phrase together is actually quite uncommon (but pretty awesome :D)
  • We are not all vegemite fiends – It is popular, absolutely, and tastes a whole mile better than marmite, but a ton of people hate the taste (I don’t mind it on crackers…)
  • Everyone knows how to surf – uh, confuse us with California???

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  • Slightly drawled, laid back accents – ok that one is true 🙂
  • Laid-back, chilled and absolutely awesome people – at least today, that is true blue true!

So how have I started to celebrate? By spreading the green and gold joy to places beyond my kitchen – I was going to create the most beautiful green and gold cake to ever set foot in my kitchen for a barbecue my brother was going to – what better way for someone like me to get into the spirit!!! 😀

Note: No gold bars or gold flakes were used in the making of this cake. It is safe to want to make the recipe.

The theme for this cake was obviously green and gold. But I didn’t want to just make a yellow cake. BORING!!! So I made it like the northern parts of lush Australia – totally tropical 😀

105It is amazing what some desiccated coconut can achieve when combined with pineapple juice and canned pineapple pieces!

I started off this cake with my staple yellow cake recipe from Joy Of Baking. And then I changed the ingredients completely 🙂

  • I didn’t find cake flour so I used plain instead – it just makes really for a denser cake
  • I made the plain flour 2 1/2 cups and subbed in 1/2 cup desiccated coconut
  • Since I was using less flour, I decreased the baking powder by 1 tsp
  • I mixed in 2-3 tbs of reserved pineapple juice in the egg yolk mixture
  • When baking the cake, I made it in a Bundt pan altogether but the baking time remained the same (even though there was more depth)
  • 95I spooned in and spread approximately 2/5 of the batter before making a tunnel of canned pineapple – I used a little less than a 570g can 🙂
  • You can’t paper line a Bundt tin (believe me I tried) – I greased and sugared it really well and the cake slid out super easily and with the most beautiful crunchy sugary crust

Can you say exotic??? And when this cake was baking and came out of the oven, the smell was intoxicating – I am warning you, it is in my fridge right now and all I want to do is sit and spoon… and I can’t even have a piece 😉

514Next up, once cooled, my golden baby was ready to meet its green soul mate. I whipped up this delicious sour cream white chocolate ganache from Exclusively Food. Yes, I did say sour cream. And it beat thickened cream ganache like Australia beat India in cricket this year. Like hell. Just trust me ok? 😀

119I made mine in the microwave so here are some tips

  • The chocolate took 1 minute total to melt – I did it in 20 second intervals and then stirred vigorously – white chocolate burns very easily so be careful!
  • After the chocolate was completely melted, I stirred in my sour cream but the consistency seemed a little thick – I microwaved for another 10 seconds and it was perfect drizzling consistency – thick but manageable
  • The best way to drizzle the way I have is to spoon it on the cake and gently nudge the ganache to drip where you wish 🙂
  • Eat any leftover ganache – oops, I mean, save it for another cake in the fridge, covered
  • Put in the amount of colouring which suits you – there is no strict measure and I will be using this coloured ganache again 😀

216And then I let the cake set for 10 minutes in the fridge before topping it with some cut up yellow and green candies (though cutting up gave me the arm muscles of a boxer!) – Next time, just use M&Ms (they are easier to keep eating too!)

415One last thing: Order now and get a free Australia flag with it! (jokes, jokes but how cool would it be to make and sell this cake for Australia Day???) 😀

Happy Australia  Day to come my friends – Let loose your green and gold and Aussie Pride!

78.pngUPDATE: My brother told me the cake was a huge hit! Everyone adored the presentation and delighted in the surprise pineapple tunnel, which had turned all gooey after baking – no one could tell the flavour of the cake except that is tasted wonderul 😀

I’ve been to cities that never close down,
From New York to Rio and old London town,
But no matter how far or how wide I roam,
I still call Australia home.

I’m always trav’lin’,
And I love being free,
And so I keep leaving the sun and the sea,
But my heart lies waiting — over the foam.
I still call Australia home.

All the sons and daughters spinning ’round the world,
Away from their families and friends,
But as the world gets older and colder and colder,
It’s good to know where your journey ends.

But someday we’ll all be together once more,
When all of the ships come back to the shore,
I realize something I’ve always known,
I still call Australia home.

But no matter how far or how wide I roam,
I still call Australia, I still call Australia,
I still call Australia home.

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38 Comments

  1. Pingback: I’m Back Bringing Spring | Go Bake Yourself

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  5. Paula says:

    Your green and gold cake looks amazing. Love that there are pineapples in it too. Hope you enjoy a wonderful celebration on your country’s special day later this week.

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    • Choc Chip Uru says:

      Thank you so much – I am glad you enjoyed the recipe and post 🙂
      The pineapples, post baking became all gooey and a surprise inside so I am glad you love that fact!
      Thanks for visiting 🙂

      Cheers
      Choc Chip Uru

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  6. Peas says:

    Way to represent! I’m making mini Pav’s for Australia day, but this cake is really awesome. Plus I don’t know where you’re from in Aus, but my whole family says g’day mate all the time (and we’re not bogans)! I like your mythbusting post though, hilarious! I always tell people here in North America that ugg boots are for indoors! Thanks for your recipes.
    Happy Australia day!!

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    • Choc Chip Uru says:

      Wow, I looove pavlova – got to check that out! And wow, thats awsum you guys say ‘gday mate’ – I have honestly never heard it from my neighbours or around!
      Thanks for the compliments (and nice on the uggs :P) and for dropping by!

      Cheers
      Choc Chip Uru

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  8. Kim Bee says:

    I have the same misconception issues being a Canuck. People think we all live in igloos and there’s snow year round and we hang out with moose and drink beer and say eh a lot. Totally not true. *grabs a beer, hops on her moose, rides through the snow yelling eh, where’s the kangaroos”. I love everything but sour cream. I can work around it.xx

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    • Choc Chip Uru says:

      Wow those are some very strong stereotypes too – I love the moose riding – we should have a kangaroo to moose competition 😛
      And as for the sour cream, it is your choice but it went wonderfully in the ganache 🙂

      Cheers
      Choc Chip Uru

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  10. Ann says:

    The cake looks delicious and Happy Australia Day! I’m sure you’ll have a terrific day! Thanks for the clarification on some misconceptions! Have FUN!

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  12. adamjholland says:

    Even in 2012, I have to explain to people that we Texans aren’t all millionaires (thank you very much “Dallas” and Supertramp); and that we all don’t ride horses (pick any of thousands of movies, books, etc.). But, I feel like such a berk finding out that you all don’t talk like Paul Hogan or Steve Erwin with the “g’day mate” and the “crikey!”

    Please tell me that you are all ABBA fans, like ‘Muriel’ in “Muriel’s Wedding.”

    Oh.. I don’t celebrate Australia Day, but the cake looks like a good reason to start. Excellent!

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    • Choc Chip Uru says:

      Haha, I am sure if you visit Australia you will find your Paul Hogan’s and Steve Erwins somewhere – just not every person you meet 😉
      And as for ABBA I can safely say a majority of us like it – but then again how could you not want to tap your feet to those beats?

      And you are most welcome to start celebrating with this cake – glad you like it!

      Cheers for stopping by!
      Choc Chip Uru

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    • Choc Chip Uru says:

      Haha ok fine, ‘noice’ to have yoiu visit my blog and enjoy this post 😉
      Happy Australia Day to you my friend and I am sure there is some vegemite cake out there calling your name!
      Thanks for popping by!

      Cheers
      Choc Chip Uru

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  15. Leanne@Around the Table says:

    I just went to Australia in September for my honeymoon. We LOVED it. My husband wanted to move there. Hell I would too if it wasn’t so incredibly far from the East Coast of the U.S. Holy 20 hours worth of flights. Anyway- this cake looks amazing and it would be a perfect cake to serve in the summer too! Yum. This cake makes me wish i was Australian.
    ps.. did you see that I posted the dough recipe from pizza making? Want to make sure you saw it!!

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    • Choc Chip Uru says:

      Haha well I am glad you have at least visited Aus and endured that 20 hr flight – I know how you feel!
      Thanks for the kind words on the cake though 🙂 – I promise you can make this cake or even a red, blue and white version by studding the cake with blueberries, and making the frosting red! Oh and use vegetable shortening to keep the cake ‘whiter’ 🙂
      Also thanks for posting dough – ill come see it now!

      Cheers
      Choc Chip Uru

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  17. Heather says:

    Fun – I love that you celebrate your country with cake!

    The cake really does look like a big ol’ sun just before frosting and I love the addition of pineapple in just about everything 🙂

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  18. Kathleen Richardson says:

    CCU, I have all kinds of comments today, but first want to tell you that I’m listening, right now, to the song you quoted. Lovely.

    Your cake and your ideas for slight changes are imaginative and appeal to me. I especially like the photo where you are stirring in the green food coloring and wonder what it would have looked like (although it looks wonderful as is) if you had not stirred it all the way in and left it kind of streaky. Just a thought.

    You still impress me with your ideas, your wit, and now–your spelling–always on target.

    Happy Australia Day!

    Kathleen (writing from snowy New York State which I love, but still thinking it would be fun to be there enjoying Australia day/week)

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    • Choc Chip Uru says:

      Thank you so much for so many kind words – it always makes my day (which has just begun!)

      I am so glad you liked this song – it is a national favourite here
      And I agree with your idea of a streaky icing – maybe ice it on as white and then drop food colouring in dots on top before gently swirling – thanks! I would also add kiwifruit into the cake next time then 🙂

      I am actually jealous of you in beautiful new York – as much as I love it here, I am yet to fulfil a dream of having a white Christmas!

      Cheers
      Choc Chip Uru

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  19. Nava Krishnan says:

    I have plenty of Australian friends and they are wonderful friends whom I still keep in touch and meet up when come over to my place. Thats a truly reflecting the colors of Australia and I like the changes you made from the original recipe because I do that most of the time. Lovely and nice deco on top.

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  20. Tina@flourtrader says:

    Happy Austrailia day my friend! I will have to confess, I thought that kangaroos over there would be found lounging around the neighborhood, but I know better now.
    Pineapple chunks inside a cake-yum! That does get a big thumbs up from me, tropical flavors are a favorite of mine., especially in cakes. The presentation is creative as well as stunning. Enjoy the day and eat one of those slices for me!

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    • Choc Chip Uru says:

      Thank you so much 🙂
      I promise that should you visit Aus, I am going to have a kangaroo lounging around the airport just for you 😛
      Glad you enjoyed the tropical cake!

      Cheers
      Choc Chip Uru

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