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Restaurant charges diners $95 to slice up birthday cake

<p>A restaurant in Italy has been slammed online after charging a group of diners a hefty cost to simply cut a birthday cake into slices. </p> <p>A family attended the high-end restaurant in the southern area of ​​Arezzo to celebrate their mother's birthday, after they had asked the restaurant in advance if they could bring in an outside cake.</p> <p>After enjoying their meal, which came to a whopping €659 or $1,083 AUD, they were slapped with another fee of €58 or $95 to cut the cake and bring it to the table.</p> <p>Local news outlet <em><a href="https://corrierefiorentino.corriere.it/notizie/24_agosto_26/arezzo-ristorante-chiede-58-euro-solo-per-tagliare-la-torta-lo-scontrino-diventa-virale-e-il-gestore-quasi-si-scusa-267975fd-2227-4beb-9621-3bffb3aa4xlk.shtml" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Corriere Fiorentino</a></em> reported that the cost of slicing the cake was more than the cake itself.</p> <p>Two of the dinner guests shared the story of the expensive fee on a local Facebook page, claiming the restaurant said it is the rule of their establishment and they were required to pay it. </p> <p>The owner of the restaurant told the Italian media site, "We do not charge a cover charge and we mainly serve dishes of our own production, so we try to discourage those who bring things from outside." </p> <p>"If we consider that in Arezzo the average cover charge is 2.5 euros per person, there is not such a big difference," they said as they explained the group of diners was 13 people. </p> <p>"My restaurant has to pay for the waiter who serves at the table, the dishwasher and other related services. We have to recover them somehow."</p> <p>However, the owner did admit, "I wasn't there that evening and my employees were perhaps too fussy in managing the situation that had arisen, perhaps cutting the usual price a little or even not charging anything for the cake." </p> <p>"Better 50 euros less and people going home happy than this misunderstanding in which we are all damaged."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Corriere Fiorentino / Shutterstock </em></p>

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"Hemsworthy": The Woolies cake that has Chris Hemsworth's seal of approval

<p>Chris Hemsworth celebrated his 40th birthday like a true Aussie, with an iconic cake from Woolworths. </p> <p>The <em>Thor</em> actor took to Instagram to share photos of his birthday celebrations with the caption: "Thank you for all the birthday wishes! Another lap around sun and still goin strong!</p> <p>"I can safely say not a single piece of cake made it through the night." </p> <p>The star celebrated his birthday with his wife Elsa Pataky. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cv0aWixhgnI/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cv0aWixhgnI/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Chris Hemsworth (@chrishemsworth)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>In a TikTok video the supermarket giant revealed that Hemsworth had kicked off his birthday celebrations with The Woolworths Chocolate Drip Cake. </p> <p>The clip showed a Woolies employee looking at the Instagram pictures the Aussie actor had posted before zooming in on the dessert with the caption:  "I have seen that cake before."</p> <p>They then confirmed that the cake was in fact their delectable $29 sponge cake with chocolate buttercream and a Belgian dark chocolate drip. </p> <p>Fans were delighted to see the actor celebrate his birthday in true Aussie style. </p> <p>"It brings me so much comfort that Thor had a Woolies cake for his birthday," one person commented. </p> <p>"If it's good enough for Thor it's good enough for me,"  another wrote. </p> <p>"Even celebrities can't resist a Woolies cake,"  commented a third. </p> <p>A Woolworths spokesperson also released a statement sharing how happy they were that the Hollywood star loved their cake. </p> <p>"We have an amazing selection of quality cakes that are ready and available for everyone to celebrate, and we mean everyone!" they said. </p> <p>"So glad to see there wasn't a single piece of our iconic Chocolate Drip Cake left - we are glad it was Hemsworthy and we hope that he enjoyed his birthday celebrations." </p> <p><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

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Tropical banana cake with salted peanut caramel sauce

<p>If you’re really looking to go all out, this tropical banana cake with salted peanut caramel sauce is a striking dessert that tastes as good as it looks. If there are any leftovers of, they will keep for a few days in the fridge.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Serves:</span></strong> Six to eight</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients: </span></strong></p> <p><em>Banana cake</em></p> <ul> <li>125g butter, softened</li> <li>1 cup brown sugar</li> <li>1 teaspoon vanilla extract</li> <li>2 tablespoons rum</li> <li>2 eggs</li> <li>3 ripe bananas, mashed</li> <li>1/4 cup coconut milk</li> <li>1/2 cup desiccated coconut</li> <li>1/2 cup chopped tropical dried fruits, plus extra for garnish</li> <li>2 cups self-raising flour</li> </ul> <p><em>Salted peanut caramel sauce</em></p> <ul> <li>200g caster sugar</li> <li>60ml (4 tablespoons) water</li> <li>60g butter, cut into small cubes</li> <li>1/2 cup cream</li> <li>1 teaspoon soy sauce</li> <li>80g salted roasted peanuts, roughly chopped</li> </ul> <p><em>Filling</em></p> <ul> <li>300ml cream</li> <li>1 tablespoon icing sugar</li> <li>250g sour cream, whisked</li> <li>2 bananas, sliced, tossed in a little lemon or lime juice to prevent browning</li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method:</span></strong></p> <ol> <li>Heat oven to 180°C. Grease and line the base of a 22cm spring-form tin.</li> <li>Cream butter and brown sugar together. Add vanilla and rum, beating to combine. Beat in eggs, mashed bananas and coconut milk. Add desiccated coconut and dried fruits, sift the flour over and gently fold to combine. </li> <li>Spoon into prepared tin and bake 45-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow to cool. The cake can be made the day before it is needed.</li> <li>For the sauce, place caster sugar and water in a small saucepan and swirl the pan over a medium-high heat until sugar dissolves.</li> <li>Bring to the boil and cook, swirling the pan occasionally, until a rich caramel colour. Add butter carefully (mixture may spit) and whisk to combine.</li> <li>Add cream and soy sauce, whisking to combine.</li> <li>Add half the chopped peanuts. Serve immediately or leave covered on the bench (the sauce will become solid if refrigerated). </li> <li>For the filling, whip cream with icing sugar then mix into whisked sour cream.</li> <li>Keep chilled until needed. </li> <li>To assemble, split the cold cake and cover the bottom piece with a layer of sliced banana. Top with half the cream mixture then add the other layer of cake.</li> <li>Cover the top with remaining cream and garnish with remaining peanuts and extra dried tropical fruits. Pour over the caramel sauce and serve.</li> </ol> <p><em>Written by Bernadette Hogg. First appeared on <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz</span></strong></a>. </em></p> <p><em>Images: Shutterstock</em></p>

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Super simple cake decorating ideas

<p>Whether you’re making a cake for a special occasion or simply want to create something extra fancy for a family dinner, you’d be surprised how easy it can be to decorate a cake into something fit for a cooking show. Whether it’s using a few store-bought meringues, slicing up some strawberries or using your favourite biscuits to make a balloon feature, you’ll never make a plain old cake again after reading our super simple cake decorating ideas.</p> <p><strong>Meringue on the mind</strong><br />For an effective alternative to piped-frosting rosettes or expensive store-bought edible roses, opt for some mini meringues from the supermarket. Use them around the edge of the cake for a simple yet stylish finish that packs a crunchy punch.</p> <p><strong>Up, up and away with cookies</strong><br />Whether you want to make biscuits of your own or buy your favourite biccies from the shop, once you’ve iced your cake arrange a cluster of biscuits nearer to one end of the cake and use liquorice shoestrings (or another thin long lolly of your choosing) to form the balloon strings coming from the biscuits. You may want to knot the strings for extra detail. Another tip you may want to use is, if your biscuits are on the plan side, cover them in different colour frostings and then decorate them with colours sprinkles.</p> <p><strong>Strawberry fields</strong><br />Sometimes things in your very own fridge make the perfect cake decorations. Strawberries not only taste delicious and fresh, their vibrant colour makes them an eye-catching decoration. Thinly slice one punnet of fresh strawberries. Starting from the outside perimeter, place a ring of strawberries around the cake, pointed facing out. Continue layering rings around the cake until you reach the centre.</p> <p><strong>Shaved Chocolate</strong><br />For all the chocoholics out there, this one’s for you. A decadent way to decorate a cake is with shavings of chocolate. If you’re worried you won’t be so good at making your own shavings, some stores do sell them. You can mix and match milk, white and dark chocolate and even throw in a few different flavours – think orange, mint or chilli chocolate. While there are many ways you can arrange the shavings, the circular, ring-type layering described above in strawberry fields works well.</p> <p><strong>Spotty dotty</strong><br />Polka dots are all the rage and white frosting dots on a cake that has been iced in a pale colour, will look extremely lovely. For neatly piped dots, you’ll want to use a pastry bag. Hold the pastry bag in both hands; keep the tip just above the cake's surface, at a slight angle. Gently squeeze out icing, release, and pull back. Frosting dots will also help to hide smudged edges or spotty icing. You can either use different size dots or big and small ones. But whatever you do, start with the large ones.</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

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“Grandma meant Elmo”: Cake-maker reveals hilarious baking blunder

<p>An American baker has left the internet in stitches after misreading her customer’s custom cake request, instead delivering a baking blunder for the Sesame Street history books.</p> <p>In a video posted to her TikTok account, Brianna Romero - who is known professionally as Brinni Cakes - confessed her mistake to the world, recounting the story of how a recent order from a grandmother had led her to the creation of her new friend ‘Emo Elmo’.</p> <p>“So my worst nightmare happened,” she said, with audio playing over a timelapse of Brianne constructing another cake. “Last week a lady DMed me and asked me if I could make her an emo cake, and I was thinking ‘yes, of course, I love emo and I love goth, and I know I’ve been perfecting my black frosting so I’m ready for this’.” </p> <p>Brianna went on to explain that she’d gotten all of her customer’s information, and set to work. However, an hour before she was set to deliver the cake, she decided to offer the woman a number candle - an offer that was soon accepted. </p> <p>“She said ‘yes, the cake is for my granddaughter and she’s turning four’”, Brianna explained in the clip. “And I thought that that was a little bit weird, ‘cause I don’t know an emo four year old.”</p> <p>After trying to understand the weird request, Brianna figured that the little girl must just be a fan of something like Netflix’s Wednesday series. Unfortunately, this was not the case. </p> <p>“Something felt wrong,” she noted, before describing how she’d reach out again to ask what the theme of the party was, only to find out it was Sesame Street. </p> <p>“So my heart sinks a little bit because this is now making sense to me,” she said. It was then that Brianna returned to the original exchange between herself and her customer, and had her worst fears confirmed. </p> <p>“I misread emo,” Brianna admitted, “and it said an Elmo cake.”</p> <p>Luckily, Brianna was a quick thinker in her time of stress and rushed out to find an Elmo topper for her cake, before offering the cake for free.</p> <div class="embed" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important;"><iframe class="embedly-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: initial; vertical-align: baseline; width: 610.266px; max-width: 100%; outline: none !important;" title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7212109376436391210&amp;display_name=tiktok&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40brinnicakes%2Fvideo%2F7212109376436391210&amp;image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign.tiktokcdn-us.com%2Ftos-useast5-p-0068-tx%2Fe19d4562cc04495c8778154678f1d382_1679200086%7Etplv-dmt-logom%3Atos-useast5-i-0068-tx%2F1ad8d307d5f74948880bf2e0f91228f3.image%3Fx-expires%3D1683669600%26x-signature%3DCxdjPe36YRrx4SrRRwvAPwRsevY%253D&amp;key=5b465a7e134d4f09b4e6901220de11f0&amp;type=text%2Fhtml&amp;schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> <p> </p> <p>Brianna’s audience were obsessed with her tale, and the video shot to viral heights, with over 11.7 million views to its name. </p> <p>“As soon as you revealed it was for a 4yr old I was like ‘oh no, grandma meant Elmo’,” one follower wrote. </p> <p>“Praying it’s Elmo with a side bang,” said another. </p> <p>Her misfortune drew in over a thousand comments, but there was a recurring thought that stood out among the chorus, and that was a request to see the baked blunder. </p> <p>And while Brianna admitted in an update that she hadn’t had the time to snap pictures on the day of delivery, she did her best with her follow-up video, sharing photos of cakes that looked “almost exactly” like her own, to the delight of her worldwide audience. </p> <p>“This is so funny,” someone said. “Elmo with a side bang has me in tears.”</p> <p>Meanwhile, another commenter wanted to know what the recipients had thought about their unique goods. </p> <p>“She tried to pay still but I told her everything that happened and we just laughed it off,” Brianna said. “It was just for a small family party anyway.”</p> <p><em>Images: TikTok</em></p>

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Lemon curd and cream sponge cake

<p>Not only is this cake beautiful, but homemade lemon curd and cream sandwiched between lovely sponge cakes, it will exceed all expectations.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Serves:</span> </strong>12</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients:</span></strong></p> <ul> <li>350g butter, softened, plus extra for greasing <ul> <li>350g caster sugar</li> <li>4 lemons, zest only, plus juice of 2 lemons</li> <li>3 large pieces candied lemon peel, finely chopped</li> <li>6 free-range eggs</li> <li>3 teaspoon baking powder</li> <li>300g self-raising flour</li> <li>50g cornflour</li> </ul> </li> </ul> <p><em>Lemon curd</em></p> <ul> <li>60g butter</li> <li>225g caster sugar</li> <li>3 lemons, juice and zest</li> <li>2 free-range eggs</li> </ul> <p><em>Cream</em></p> <ul> <li>300ml double cream</li> <li>200g icing sugar, sifted, plus extra for dusting</li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method:</span></strong></p> <p>1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease and line two cake tins.</p> <p>2. In a bowl, cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the lemon zest and juice and candied peel.</p> <p>3. Slowly beat in the eggs, one at a time, until the mixture is well combined.</p> <p>4. Sift the baking powder, self-raising flour and corn flour together in a bowl and fold into the cake mixture.</p> <p>5. Divide the cake mixture evenly between the two cake tins and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until risen and golden-brown. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Run a round-bladed knife around the inside edge of the tins to loosen the cakes. Remove the cakes from the tins and set aside to cool completely on a rack.</p> <p>6. Meanwhile, to make the lemon curd heat the butter, sugar and lemon juice and zest in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Be sure not allow the base of the bowl to touch the surface of the water. Remove from the heat.</p> <p>7. Meanwhile, beat the eggs in a separate bowl. Slowly whisk the melted butter mixture into the beaten eggs until well combined.</p> <p>8. Set the bowl over the pan of simmering water and cook, whisking constantly, for two to three minutes or until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.</p> <p>9. Sieve the lemon curd into a clean bowl, then cover with cling film and set aside to cool.</p> <p>10. For the cream, whip the cream and icing sugar together in a bowl until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed.</p> <p>11. Place one of the cakes onto a serving plate and spread with the lemon curd. Spread over some of the whipped cream and sandwich with another cake. Drizzle the top of cake with lemon curd and let it run over the edges.</p> <p><em>Images: Shutterstock</em></p>

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“Lunch-box-mum queen”: Woman goes viral over 2 ingredient cake mix

<p dir="ltr">One Coles shopper has taken the internet by storm, revealing a “snack hack” with just two ingredients.</p> <p dir="ltr">Aussie mum-of-three Claudia creates content on TikTok on cheap Kmart buys, a day in the life of her family, and her most popular videos, her “snack hacks”.</p> <p dir="ltr">For her most recent hack, only two ingredients are required.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Snack hack! Again!” she said in the video, which has attracted more than 70,000 views on TikTok.</p> <p dir="ltr">“So, this one, I’m looking forward to.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This is not healthy. This is two ingredients — Nutella and eggs — and it’s supposed to make the gooiest, chocolatiest, yummiest cake ever.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I have not tried this before so let’s get to it.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Claudia didn’t have Nutella in her pantry, but she bought the Coles version, which she claims tastes very similar.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m a big believer in using what you have, but a few people said ‘check this out, make this, it’s delicious’ so I just had to,” she continued.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I did go and buy the Coles one, and it was very cheap, and I’m sure a lot of people do have Nutella in their cupboard.”</p> <p dir="ltr">For the snack hack, Claudia used one cup of the chocolate spread and four eggs to create a gooey cake mix.</p> <p dir="ltr">“If ‘trust the process’ had a cover photo, it would be this,” she said, visibly grossed out by the gooey batter.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It is safe to say I won’t be trying any of this cake mix.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Claudia instructed viewers to put the cake in the oven for 20-25 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Do you know how good this smells?” she said as she took the cake tin out of the oven.</p> <p dir="ltr">She was even more excited by the time she tried it. </p> <p dir="ltr">“That is so good. So, so good. Like no exaggeration. So freaking good,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">People flooded the comments, applauding Claudia for another great “snack hack”. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m soooo trying this,” one person wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Thank you, lunch-box-mum queen,” another added.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I honestly thought it was going to come out looking like chocolate scrambled eggs,” a third said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Claudia is renowned on TikTok for making snacks that are easy on household budgets, so people were grateful she used the cheaper Coles chocolate spread. </p> <p dir="ltr">“The Coles Nutella is just as good in my opinion,” one wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credit: TikTok</em></p>

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No cake for Karen: Karl mocks Hemsworth birthday detractors

<p><em>Today </em>co-hosts Karl Stefanovic and Sarah Abo have said their piece (of cake) amid the internet controversy that has erupted over a birthday celebration in the Hemsworth-Pataky household. </p> <p>In a photo shared to Instagram to wish their “two little men” - 9-year-old twins Tristan and Sasha - a happy birthday, the family can be seen gathered around a table. On said table is a cake, with one of the kids bent over it, face pressed against it, and the others watching on - some in a show of surprise, all smiling. </p> <p>The image - which appears to be a screenshot from a video - was paired with Chris’ caption stating that there is “Only one way to eat cake in this house and that’s to have mum slam your head into it face first!!”</p> <p>Despite the fact that this was only a brief glimpse into the family’s festivities that day, Chris’ followers wasted no time in slamming them for their birthday prank, with some even going as far as to accuse them of wasting an entire cake without any proof that that was the case. </p> <p>“Why people smash their kids’ face[s] in the cake is above my understanding but whatever,” said one critic. </p> <p>“Agreed,” wrote another. “I think it’s ridiculous.” </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cp_TjmPP_LW/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cp_TjmPP_LW/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Chris Hemsworth (@chrishemsworth)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>And when entertainment reporter Brooke Boney asked Karl and Sarah for their take on the situation, the two let loose. </p> <p>“Chris Hemsworth has been called out by his fans, with some saying his latest Instagram post is violent, and shows him putting his son in an unsafe situation,” Brooke explained. </p> <p>“I'm all for holding people accountable,” she added, “but saying that this is a violent image is a bit too much.</p> <p>“It's a bit of a stretch - they look like they’re a family having fun.”</p> <p>Karl hopped straight to responding, imitating a much older - and sarcastic - version of himself when he quipped, “I think it sends a bad message.” </p> <p>“He’s such a terrible father,” Sarah deadpanned. </p> <p>“People need to wake up to themselves,” Brooke agreed, hands up in amused exasperation. “It’s such a joke!” </p> <p>“It’s face in a cake,” Karl powered on through his own laughter, “now we’re not going to be able to pin the tail on the donkey.” </p> <p>“Unacceptable,” a straight-faced Sarah mused, “unacceptable.” </p> <p>When Karl asked Sarah if she played pin the tail on the donkey, she finally broke, laughing as he told her “you can’t do it anymore.” </p> <p><em>Images: Today / Nine, Instagram</em></p>

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Lilibet's adorable first birthday cake revealed

<p>The baker who made the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s wedding cake has revealed a new snap of a 244 floral two-tier strawberry buttercream cake, which was baked fresh for Lilibet’s first birthday.</p> <p>Prince Harry and Meghan Markle enjoyed the summer sunshine and hosted a “relaxed garden party” in June 2022 for their daughter's first birthday in the Windsor estate. The gathering included cake, balloons, party games and picnic snacks.</p> <p>Claire Ptak, the East London baker who made the couples wedding cake in 2018, created other baked goods for the low-key garden party including the cake that was a two tier seasonal strawberry buttercream.</p> <p>She shared a snap of the creation on Instagram, as a part of the 2022 highlights reel saying: “Our 2022 Greatest Hits. Thank you to all our customers and supporters over the last year for inspiring such beautiful work.”</p> <p>"Thank you to my incredible team for executing it all with so much fun, humour and passion."</p> <p>In the snap, she can be seen placing a pink peonie onto the cake, which featured the youngster's name. It was complete with an Amalfi lemon and elderflower filling and covered in a light buttercream.</p> <p>On the bakery's website, the cake is described as having "three layers of vanilla sponge drizzled with elderflower syrup and filled with Amalfi lemon curd."</p> <p>The top and sides of the cake are "iced with a buttercream scented with the juice and zest of lemons from the Amalfi coast, and decorated with chopped candied Amalfi lemon peel."</p> <p>At the time, Claire who owns the bakery and carefully designed the incredible cake - wrote on the brand's Instagram: "It was an absolute pleasure to make this special cake last week for Lilibet’s birthday. Wishing her a very happy year ahead!”</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

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Cake decorating 101

<p>When it comes to decorating your baked goods, there are many tips and tricks to creating master pieces. But before you get to the fun part, to ensure your cakes are on the professional side rather than baking disaster, you'll need to know these basics...</p> <p><strong>DECORATING TOOLS</strong></p> <p>1. Sturdy serrated knife (to ensure clean cuts)<br />2. Large and small offset spatulas (to make precise frosting easy)<br />3. Teaspoon and table knife (in place of more specialised tools)<br />4. Pastry bags (to make frosting, creating patterns and shapes)<br />5. Rubber spatula (to stir batter)<br />6. Bamboo skewers (to stabilise cake layers – this is not always needed)</p> <p><strong>DECORATING TIPS</strong></p> <p><strong>Butter up</strong><br />Remove the butter for both the cake and icing from the fridge about an hour before you start cooking to allow it to be room temperature. This will ensure your butter is soft enough to beat and create a light, fluffy texture.</p> <p><strong>Prep perfect</strong><br />Make the cake at least one day out before you intend to cut it into shapes. This will make cutting easier. You can store cakes, before icing them, in an airtight container for up to two days.</p> <p><strong>Adding colour to your icing</strong><br />Adding colour to your icing comes in two forms – gel or paste. One of the most important things to remember at this step is that a little goes a long way. Swirl a toothpick into the colouring and mix well into your icing. Add the colour little by little until you have your desired hue. There’s also liquid food colouring which is more commonly found in grocery stores but only comes in limited colours such as red, blue, yellow and green. To use, stir drops of food colouring into the frosting (mix and match the primary colours to get creative hues!) until you achieve your desired colour.</p> <p><strong>How to flavour icing</strong><br />For a little something extra, you can add flavour to your frosting to complement the flavour of the cake. Choose from various flavourings and extracts, such as vanilla, almond, rum, or maple, as well as different liqueurs (raspberry, hazelnut, coffee) and citrus zest to add standout flavours before decorating your cake.</p> <p><strong>Using a coupler</strong><br />The plastic coupler is a nifty little tool that allows you to use different decorating tips while piping from one bag. To change decorating tips, you simply unscrew the coupler ring, replace the decorating tip, and replace the ring. Voila.</p> <p><strong>Filling a pastry bag</strong><br />First, you need to place the bag, tip down, in a tall glass and cuff the bag around the rim. Insert icing with a spatula, scraping the icing against the side of the bag to release it. Be sure, not to fill the bag more than halfway. Unfold the cuff. Second, gather the top edges together with one hand, and drag the thumb and index finger of your other hand downward to let out air, forcing icing into bag and decorating tip. Twist the top of the bag to close and to maintain pressure.</p> <p><strong>Creating the perfect base</strong><br />To ensure your icing experience is as seamless and doesn’t get too messy, it's important that every icing job begins with a smooth layer of base icing.</p> <p>1. Place the chilled cake on a cardboard cake round or plate, and transfer it to a rotating cake stand. Smooth on a base layer of slightly chilled buttercream with a straight icing spatula to seal the cake crumbs. Chill the cake until icing has hardened, this should take about 15 minutes.</p> <p>2. Next you’ll want to coat the sides of the cake with 1/4 inch of buttercream. Hold the spatula parallel to the sides of the cake with the blade slightly angled towards you. Apply pressure with the spatula against the sides of the cake, and use your other hand to rotate the cake stand, smoothing the sides.</p> <p>3. Lastly, spread excess icing from the sides onto the top of the cake and add more to coat. Position the spatula almost flat halfway across the top of the cake. Apply pressure as you rotate the cake stand, smoothing the top. Chill until the icing has hardened, about 15 minutes, before decorating.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p> <p> </p>

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A red velvet twist on the classic marble cake

<p dir="ltr">Perfect for a Sunday morning, or if you want to make a final impression at your next dinner party, the options are endless. </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Serves:</strong> 8</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Prep and cooking time:</strong> 1 hour, 20 minutes</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>INGREDIENTS</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Cake</p> <p dir="ltr">320g plain flour</p> <p dir="ltr">40g cornflour</p> <p dir="ltr">2 tsp baking powder</p> <p dir="ltr">½ tsp salt</p> <p dir="ltr">225g butter, softened</p> <p dir="ltr">500g caster sugar</p> <p dir="ltr">100g Greek-style yoghurt</p> <p dir="ltr">1 vanilla bean pod</p> <p dir="ltr">5 large eggs</p> <p dir="ltr">120ml milk Red velvet swirl</p> <p dir="ltr">30g unsweetened cocoa powder</p> <p dir="ltr">75g milk</p> <p dir="ltr">1 tbsp red food colouring</p> <p dir="ltr">Lemon drizzle icing</p> <p dir="ltr">Juice of 1 lemon</p> <p dir="ltr">225g icing sugar, sifted</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>METHOD</strong></p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-733ac1fe-7fff-3c9a-09c1-c737b138e132"></span></p> <ol> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and flour a 26cm (10-cup capacity) Bundt tin.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cornflour, baking powder and salt.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a K beater attachment, beat together butter, sugar, and yoghurt until well combined.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Split the vanilla bean down its length with a paring knife. Scrape out the seeds and add to the stand mixer bowl.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Add eggs one at time, mixing well after each addition.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Turn the speed to low and stir in the flour mixture until just incorporated. Stir in milk until combined.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">In a separate large bowl, stir together 2½ cups of the batter, cocoa powder, milk, and red food colouring until well-combined.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Add 1/3 cup plain batter and then 1/3 cup red velvet batter on top. Continue alternating batters, working your way around the tin, until batter is finished.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Cool cake in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Invert the cake onto a wire rack, and cool completely.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">To make the lemon drizzle, mix the lemon juice with the icing sugar until smooth. Pour over the cooled cake. Slice and serve.</p> </li> </ol> <p><em>Image: Better homes &amp; Gardens</em></p>

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How to bake your pup a birthday cake

<p dir="ltr">This recipe makes one dog cake and can be served as a full meal (based on a medium size dog 10-25 kg), however, we encourage sharing amongst other furry friends or cutting a slice as a treat only. </p> <h4 dir="ltr">Dog cake recipe</h4> <h4 dir="ltr">What you'll need</h4> <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Chopping board</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Knife</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Cake stand</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Bowls</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Spoon</p> </li> </ul> <h4 dir="ltr">Ingredients</h4> <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">300 g Glow Raw Adult Australian Kangaroo dog food (or any preferred flavour)</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">4 salmon skin dog treats</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">9-12 mixed berries (mixture of raspberries, blueberries and strawberries)</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">10 strawberry yoghurt drops</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">1 tsp melted coconut oil</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">1 tsp pumpkin seeds</p> </li> </ul> <h4 dir="ltr">Method</h4> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-d3b8966e-7fff-2340-4098-edebe3d7b817"></span></p> <ol> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Create three 1cm thick patty slices out of the Glow Raw Adult dog food.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Melt the strawberry yoghurt drops.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Place one patty slice on a cake stand.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Top with two crumbled salmon skin dog treats.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Place second patty slice on top.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Top with another two crumbled salmon skin dog treats.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Place third patty slice on top.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Drizzle the melted yoghurt drops over the top and sides of the cake.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Top with mixed berries.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Drizzle over melted coconut oil.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Sprinkle over pumpkin seeds.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Serve. Enjoy!</p> </li> </ol> <p><em>Image: Better Homes &amp; Gardens AU</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Nonna’s breakfast apple cake

<p dir="ltr">Perfect for a Saturday afternoon baking session, this recipe is a little more involved than your average sweet treat. However, you can have your cake and eat it too! Here’s a fresh take on Nonna’s breakfast cake. </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Nonna’s Breakfast Apple Cake with NUTELLA®</strong></p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Difficulty:</strong> ⅔</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Time:</strong> 1hr 15mins</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Serves:</strong> 12</p> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Ingredients: </strong></p> <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">2 eggs</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">⅓ cup brown sugar</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">¼ cup unsweetened apple sauce</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">½ cup plain Greek yoghurt</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">1 tbsp butter</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">1 cup + 1 tbsp all-purpose flour</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">⅓ cup wholemeal flour</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">1 tbsp baking powder</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">½ cup of wheat germ</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">¼ tsp salt</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">½ cup chopped hazelnuts</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">½ cup chopped pecans</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">1 ⅓ cup grated carrots</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">1 ⅓ cup grated apples</p> </li> </ul> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>To serve:</strong></p> <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">15g (1 tbsp) Nutella®</p> </li> </ul> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Method: </strong></p> <p> </p> <ol> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Preheat the oven to 180℃. Grease the bottom of a 20cm square cake pan with butter (removed flour). In a large bowl, beat the eggs and brown sugar together. Add the apple sauce and yoghurt, and beat until you’ve created a smooth mixture. </p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">In a separate bowl, mix the 2 kinds of flour, baking powder, wheat germ and salt. Then, gradually combine the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, and mix until smooth. Finally, add the chopped nuts, carrots and grated apples, and mix well. </p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Spread the mixture evenly in the cake pan and bake for 50 minutes.Remove from the oven, and allow to cool in the tin for a few minutes. Then, transfer the cake from the tin to a cake rack to cool further.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">When you’re ready to delight your crowd, slice the cake into 12 equal pieces. Then, cut each individual piece in half and spread 1 tablespoon of Nutella® on one half. Play the other half on top, like a sandwich, and enjoy!</p> </li> </ol> <p> </p> <p><em>Image: Supplied</em></p>

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Mona Lisa gets caked in climate activist stunt

<p>The Mona Lisa has been targeted by vandals, when a visitor at the Louvre museum in Paris smeared frosting all over the Renaissance-era painting’s protective glass.</p> <p>The man posed as an elderly visitor in a wheelchair and a wig as he approached the painting, before throwing a piece of cake at the famous artwork, according to a statement from the Louvre.</p> <p>The vandal then walked away from the scene before being approached by security. </p> <p>“A visitor simulated a disability in order to use a wheelchair to approach the work, which was installed in a secure display case,” the statement noted.</p> <p>“The Louvre applied its usual procedures for people with reduced mobility, allowing them to admire this major work of art."</p> <p>“While standing near the painting, this individual threw a pastry he had hidden in his personal belongings at the Mona Lisa’s glass case."</p> <p>“This act had no effect on the painting, which was not damaged in any way.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Can anybody translate what ole dude was saying as they where escorting him out?😂 <a href="https://t.co/Uy2taZ4ZMm">pic.twitter.com/Uy2taZ4ZMm</a></p> <p>— Lukeee🧃 (@lukeXC2002) <a href="https://twitter.com/lukeXC2002/status/1530940469492035584?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 29, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p>A spokesperson clarified that visitors in wheelchairs are allowed to move in front of other museum-goers to better see the artworks. </p> <p>The 36-year-old man was arrested and taken to a psychiatric infirmary in the police headquarters, according to the Paris prosecutor’s office.</p> <p>An investigation has been opened by the prosecutor for “the attempt of damaging a cultural property”.</p> <p>In a video shared by a museum-goer to Twitter, the man is heard yelling in French, “Think of planet Earth, there are people destroying it” while security escorts the man, with rose petals scattered on the floor of the museum.</p> <p>Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece, arguably the most famous painting in the world, draws millions of visitors each year to see her enigmatic smile. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Twitter @klevisl007</em></p>

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