When Jesse and I married on this day 3 years ago, we decided to bake our own wedding cake. Having worked in catering for years, I had seen my fair share of bad wedding cakes. I know a lot of people opt for fruit cake, which stumps me. I always figured, if the day is meant to be so special, shouldn’t the cake be the total champion, ie, your absolute favourite cake ie, not fruit cake with marzipan? (Of course, I’m aware great Aunt so-and-so’s desires for fruit cake are oft accounted for.) I was also well aware that large cakes aren’t ideal, as the edges will be dry as a stone before the centre is cooked. And as a guest, you certainly want that square of cake to be well worth the indulgence.
Indeed this is our absolute favourite cake, or brownie. We knew that every piece would be moist and wonderful, each one containing the highest quality white chocolate (Whittakers, no choice), lightly caramelised within the dark, cocoa-y goodness. My best friend and I have been baking this brownie since childhood, escorting it to concert band performances and school events. I could pretend the recipe is passed down through the generations. It’s not. It’s from the back of the Champion Standard White Flour bag.
Tradition is to store a slice of cake for the first anniversary. But, despite freezing well, this is so easy to whip up each anniversary. Our first year, we celebrated while camping on NZ’s west coast in the middle of summer, enjoying our brownie outside our teepee. Second year we mixed it up a little, instead baking Double Chocolate Chili Brownie Cookies which we enjoyed with cold milk in our little, sunny backyard. This year, our first winter anniversary, it snows outside, and we favour the idea of the same old chocolate brownie, warmed slightly and enjoyed with a hot cup of tea.
january 24 2010
january 24 2011
january 24 2012
january 24 2013
Chocolate Brownie
Recipe from Champion Flour
200g butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar (I often reduce to 1 cup when using white chocolate)
1 cup cocoa
3 eggs
1/2 cup standard white flour
150g roughly chopped white chocolate or 3/4 cup roughly chopped walnuts
Icing sugar to dust
Using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar and cocoa for 4-5 minutes until creamy.
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Sift in flour and mix. Stir through chocolate (or chopped walnuts).
Transfer mixture to a greased 20cm square baking tin.
Bake at 150˚C (300˚F) for 1 hour or until the surface of the brownie appears cracked. The centre should appear almost uncooked.
Cool in the tin. Cut into squares. Just before serving, dust with icing sugar.
Happy Anniversary Christina and Jesse! I love the idea of eating brownies every year on your special day, and what a great idea for a wedding cake. 🙂
LOVE that you made your own wedding cake!!! The tower of brownie dripping with chocolate and raspberries looks every bit beautiful and indulgent. Such an awesome idea!! Happy 3rd Anniversary, you two! xx
Cheers Mel! We had a family friend make the ganache and arrange it into the tower with the fresh summer berries – we were rather preoccupied with other things that morning!
Happy Anniversary! I love the picture of you two cutting the gorgeous wedding cake (your dress looks lovely). And brownie… love it!
Thanks Darya! Its one of our favourite pictures, being so keen on our homemade food and all 🙂 Taken by my sister which is extra special.
Happy anniversary, you two! That brownie looks amazing! I never got the whole fruit cake as a wedding cake thing. I love the idea of brownie as your wedding cake. It looked beautiful too, with the raspberry and the chocolate cascading down. And now I want some brownie!
Fruit cake gets the thumbs down from me. What better and refreshing surprise than a brownie wedding cake. Delicious. Happy Anniversary to you both, Tracey
Oh, boy, I love fruit cake and I’m not even old.. yet:) Maybe it’s a sign of things to come? But I can say.. I am passionate about brownies!! What a great idea to have brownies as a decadent cake of love!! Happy Anniversary! xx
Thanks! Haha, you know, I don’t actually mind fruit cake myself – but I think the most part of a wedding reception these days would far prefer something non fruit-cakey!
Happy 3rd anniversary Christina and Jesse!! Great tradition you have – and wonderful you have taken it from New Zealand to the western Arctic 🙂
Thanks Alasdair!
Such a lovely story/photos to share. And the brownie looks delicious too.
wow! Absolutely scrummy brownies!
Happy Anniversary. This is an absolute adorable post. I love the picture from your wedding day and the history!
happy anniversary (I know i’m a little late). great story! and now i just wish to see more pictures of that wedding!!
Ooh so sweet 🙂 Thanks Cam! I’d love to share our little coffee-table album with you over a cuppa tea 🙂
Hi! I’m an editor for BuzzFeed, and would love to use a photo from this post in a roundup I’m working on. Please shoot me an email if you’d like to be included! Thanks! 🙂
made these for my wedding as well, they went down a treat. Thanks for sharing……
Looks beautiful. We did this too back in 2006, we’ll be celebrating ten years this year and we will be trying them again. They caused a stir back in the day as a non traditional cake for sure but it was so easy to serve :). We make a batch to give friends who get married as a gift now for luck. Congratulations on your aniversary.
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