The Story of A Proposal and A Cake

Strictly not a picture of cake I know. 

But this is the cake version!

Yes, I am to be betrothed!

As previously recounted, last month A swept me away to Sardinia as a surprise for my 30th birthday. 

Wall to wall sunshine? Tick. Long, deserted beaches? Tick. Crystal, clear aquamarine sea? Tick. It had Bounty bar advert written all over it. 

And on my actual birthday, we headed down to the beach, started relaxing in the sun and daydreaming of cakes. Well, I was at any rate. 

Then, A leapt up, deciding he wanted a little swim. He jumped into the sea and began encouraging me to join him. I responded with loving, romantic comments as 'Nooooo, A, it'll be effing freezing' and 'I told you, I got to a well exciting bit in my book, I can't possibly leave it now' and 'LEAVE ME ALONE!!'

After a good fifteen minutes of my protestations, A said: 'Come in, I've a question I want to ask you'

Once I'd decided it was unlikely to be: 'What exactly is the point of Golden Caster Sugar? It always tastes the same as ordinary caster sugar to me?' I ran in.

To find A there, on his knee, asking me to marry me!

Readers, I said yes*.

Yes, of course.

And then almost drowned A in my excitement. Once he'd recovered ('Its okay A, I'm a nurse! I know how to do the Heimlich maneouvre!'), we spent the rest of the day celebrating with much, much Prosecco.

And this is the cake I made to celebrate:

Engagement Ring Blueberry Soured Cream Cake

The recipe is from BBC Good Food and can be found right here. I simply baked it in a 9 inch bundt tin, reserving 1 tbsp of the cake mixture to bake in a silicone muffin case as the diamond, which I baked for approximately 15 minutes alongside the bundt cake.

Baker's notes...

• The original recipe suggests a cream cheese frosting. I served the bundt dusted with icing sugar and with a dollop or two of creme fraiche
• The cake-diamond unfortunately cracked a little. I sincerely hope real life does not mirror cake life.
• I used the brilliant Cake Release Spray, kindly sent to me to Dr Oetker to try out and which I found to be very useful for the more awkward cake tins. I also used the Silver Shimmer Spray for the diamond effect on my collapsing diamond! With many thanks to Dr Oetker for sending these products for me to try out. 

* I've always wanted to say that!!