Konditor & Cook's "Comforting Curly Whirly"

I popped up to Borough Market today - August bank holiday weekend.  It certainly was manic, hoards of people, and swarms of wasps in every tasting jar of chutney.  After filling a bag full of goodies I dived into Konditor & Cooks, reading the "deservedly legendary" awning overhead.  Inside it did look delicious, and you could grab a cake slice for about £1.70 if you look for it.  I was tempted by the lavender swirls, and the lavender and orange blossom cake.  In the end I opted for a cake behind the glass counter.  They always look so much more appealing somehow.  I chose the Curly Whirly cake.  I was feeling  like something rich and dark, and hoped it would give me a cocoa kick.  I was also allured by the description of the "Real vanilla bean frosting, surrounded in layers of dark chocolate sponge".

It was squeezed carefully into a little cardboard box and stowed away in my bag for the journey home.  I enjoyed it with a cup of hot earl grey.

The sponge, for £2.65 was worth it in terms of texture.  I could tell as soon as I lifted it from the box, the cake gave beautifully under my fingers.  It held together well, even in the mouth and had a wonderful bounciness to the texture.  Often with a light sponge I find the consequence can be that it is overly crumbly, this wasn't so.  The taste was quite delicate, chocolatey, but not overly rich, which was a good thing, as the slice was fairly generous.  It was moist without being stodgy or heavy. Perfect.

The benefit of the moist sponge meant there wasn't need for heaps of the icing.  At first I thought the thickness of icing down the centre was stingy, until I realised the sponge was perfect without.  If the cake had a downfall,for me it was in the icing.  I was really excited for a "real vanilla bean" butter icing.  Unfortunately all I could detect was heaps of sugar, and butter. A fail-safe combination maybe but I was expecting a strong vanilla accent to the chocolate.

Was it worth £2.65? For me yes.  I will definitely be going back to Konditor & Cooks to sample some more cakes.  Though maybe next time I'll try to avoid a summer bank holiday weekend.

Curly Whirly Cake