Emergency Cake! It's my Blogiversary!

I've just realised that I started this blog one year ago today! Whoo-hoo, Happy Blogiversary to me! With all the recent sponge-tastic posts though, would you believe I've forgotten to bake a celebratory cake? Fanny must've known too, as the final of her sponges in this partwork is a cake for an emergency! She doesn't specify of course what the emergency might be. Perhaps one of the neighbours you are trying so hard to 'keep up with' pops round unexpectedly? Perhaps one of the long suffering assistants has reached a milestone, staying in Fannys employ for a whole year? Or perhaps like me, a special celebration creeps up on you unawares. Fannys answer is an Ice Cream Sponge. Sounds so 70's. And even better for me, it uses the very first recipe Fanny taught me a year ago - the standard Swiss Roll panel. Fanny'd up of course.

For her emergency solution, Fanny uses two big Swiss Roll panel cut into squares, but learning from all she has taught me so far, I make 5 smaller Swiss Rolls. Get me. She notes that you could also use her own invention, the 'Fanny's Egg Yolk Sponge' pressed down just like the Dobostorte. But it's Swiss Roll for me, quick to make and turns out perfect every time, if you follow Fanny's instructions of course!

As it's a special celebration for me, I want to reflect that in the cake. Fanny makes an ordinary square cake, but I cut my panels into a large 1 shape. Above all, garnish and presentation. I'm sure Fanny would want me to make a template, but I just go for it free hand, this is an emergency after all!

All that remains is to assemble the cake, which is filled with ice cream. Fanny, slightly shamefully, recommends that for emergencies it is perfectly acceptable to use 'bought' ice cream from the freezer. She does note that not everyone is as fortunate as she is to have a home freezer though. The bought ice cream of choice is a 'brick', how very 1970's - who knew you could still buy them!

So I carefully slice pieces of the ice cream and layer up the cake, brushing the sponges with apricot glaze to help it all stick together. I have to admit an altogether different kind of emergency is imminent as the ice cream is quick to melt, so I pop the whole cake back in my 'ordinary domestic freezer' while I set about whipping up some cream for the topping. Fanny suggests Crème Chantilly, and who am I to refuse a little apricot brandy in my cream? And a little harmless colouring too, it just wouldn't be a celebration without a splash of colour! So, emergency averted, I have a celebration cake! Thanks to you all for reading my ramblings over the past year, hope you stick with me as the creations get stranger and stranger! Now, quick, grab a slice before it melts everywhere...