Saturday, July 5, 2014

Rubik's Cube Cake

I'm back after nearly a month hiatus. After returning home from traveling through 3 Europe countries for 3 weeks, I am 3 shades darker and it had put a hole in my pocket !!, it indeed and the only thing was, I did not shop.... I bought a few books, homemade jams and cake moulds.
 
One thing when traveling through Europe, I just can't resist their local hand-made ice-cream, taste-wise very different from the commercial-made ice-cream, though my friends said otherwise .....

There's one place I really wanted to visit, The Cadbury World, Bournville Birmingham, that need one whole day, we had planned to go by train, but due to last minute change in mode of transport, everything seems to "turn sour".......  To vent my "intense" frustration I just slept nearly 4 hours throughout the day.....knowing that this would be my last visit to UK.

Back to my cake ... This Rubik's Cube cake took me sometime to do the calculations. The client wanted a cake that can feed 150 people and it will be celebrated at an orphanage. First thought of doing a small cake plus a sheet cake but it need more time and more boxes.

The client requested a rainbow cake with lemon cheese fillings. Size of the cake 8.5 inch cube.

What is Rubik's Cube? Rubik's Cube is a 3-D combination puzzle invented in 1974 and it is the world's top selling puzzle game.

I had one in the late 70's, I was 16 years old,... Yes, down memory lane....since only my brother and I interested in this toy, we had done a surveyed during the school holidays and asked the toy shopkeeper how much does it cost. I remembered vividly what he said to us, "Lu mahu original ke? atau lu mahu made in China?" (Do you want the original or that made from China?). The original cost triple than the one "made from China". The shopkeeper advised us to buy the original.

At that point of time any toys purchase must come from our own weekly pocket money ... my brother savings and I could not cover the cost, just a little bit more, it cross my mind of breaking my piggy bank that nearly full to the brim. I told my mother of our predicament, however she doesn't allowed me to do so.

Another option was to asked the difference from the highest authority, our father. Yes, asking for extra money from him was an agony .. so many questions asked ... and sometimes I had a feeling he enjoyed torturing us mentally.

We met our father the next day,

Father : Why is this toy so important to you? (with a stern look)

Me:       It important to us but it may not be important to you.

Father:  How much does it cost?

Me:      It cost so and so ( can't recalled), we just want to request for the difference only, only a few more ringgit, please, please..... (tried to sound as polite and tried my best to make a piteous look, hoping he would "melt")

Father: Since you need a few more ringgit, you two just wait another 2 weeks and by then your pocket money savings can cover the difference, right? (so the answer was NO)

Me:     2 weeks!!, we don't have two weeks, by then school holidays ended. How about giving us a "loan", by 2 weeks we will pay you the loan. (sometimes my brain can works wonders, within spur of the moment, out of desperation.. what we call negotiation skills, developed through time by observing my two other older siblings negotiated with him ... and as I grew older, I discovered his weaknesses...)

Father: Oh, I will think about it.

Me:      No, you must think now, you are not loosing anything, it is a "loan"!!. (emphasizing the word "LOAN")

Father: Ok, I agree, it will be a loan.

Me:      Can we have the money now? (with a softer and polite tone)

Father: Nope!!, I will give you tomorrow. (with a cynical smile)

Me:      Promise..

Father: Promise.

The next day we waited for him ... why he was late?... he should be back by 5.30pm ... he came back by 6.30pm with a box... inside was "the original Rubik's Cube".... I gave him the money and promise in 2 weeks time we will pay back the "loan".

He said, "Never mind the money and the loan, this is a present for both of you, for giving good result on your last year's exam"....... we were so happy beyond words...... and the extra money we had? we bought other new toys/books ...


After putting the lemon cheese fillings

 
After frosting
 
Side Top View
Another view of the Cake