Lychee Martini Cake

Lychees soaked in vodka.. i thought this can be used to decorate the cake.. in the end, i didn't use them at all.. probably use it as a drink or as a garnish when serving the cake by the slice..

i used a sponge cake recipe for this.. substituted the vanilla essence with lychee essence and added a couple of tsp of the vodka that the lychees were soaked in..

i always dread removing the cake out from the tube pan.. but yay! managed to get it out of the pan quite nicely :)

this is just whipped cream with sugar and a little lychee essence and vodka.. this will be used to coat the cake..

the reason why i made the lychee martini cake was so i could frost it with the rose swirl.. i happen to see this online.. went to youtube and saw a few videos on how to get this done and i'm so glad to be able to use this technique today! i was also inspired by my sis' friend who recently converted into a home baker.. his photos and spirit spurred me on to try this recipe :) something a little more sophisticated than what i usually bake..

i messed up a few times while frosting the cake but this rose swirl pattern is really forgiving!

i'm pretty happy with how it turned out! i just hope it passes the taste test! and then i'll have another recipe to add to my repertoire.. :D

this cake kinda reminds me of the ugly duckling story.. a plain yellowy sponge cake.. turning into something not v pleasing when frosting was applied halfway and then transforming into a sophisticated cake when everything's complete.. love the colour though would prefer it to be of a darker purple tone.. :) hope to be able to try this out again..

i'm feeling accomplished!