To celebrate my big day we planned to go out for the day, rather than just doing dinner or going clubbing. I’m more of a day person, where i can have fun all day long amidst mother nature, opposed to a few hours in a dark room with cigarette smoke and loads of people. We decided to go to my most favourite place in Ghana, the Akosombo Dam at the lake Volta. I’m sharing pictures of this wonderful place with you, as according to me its the only place that makes being in Ghana easy for me.
This place does have quite a few interesting facts and history to it. To begin with, its the worlds largest man made lake ! And one of its benefits besides the fact that it provides electricity year round to Ghana and neighbouring countries, is that its loaded with Tilapia fish, which makes it a fantastic spot to go fishing. I must admit I’ve been fairly lucky with my fishing skills, and have never gone home disappointed. There are times when i get really small catches, but those just get chucked back into the water to grow to full size.
The water is so pristine, that a swim in the middle of the lake is almost irresistible. Very often the local fishermen living by the lake, offer rides in their little boats, a way for them to make a few cedis on the side, and for the visitors to get a feeling of the place the true African way.
A lot of you wondered and asked me, what the cake i made for myself looked like. Well actually i got my cake ready just at the last minute, before we left for the lake. I wasn’t sure if i would be able to take pictures, but luckily there was some cake remaining, just enough to do a little photo shoot the next day. Since i’m a diehard chocoholic i had to make a chocolate cake. This time i chose to do layers of a french vanilla cake and dark chocolate, sandwiched with a rich chocolate ganache and finished off with chopped hazelnuts. A cake fit for a queen ! Well i’m not implying anything here … aehm aehm … but yeah … the cake is royal, fit for royalty :p
And to end this post i leave you a picture of me, at my favourite place on my budday !!! Thank you all for your warm wishes and wonderful greetings. I did have a wonderful day 
Beautiful pictures! And that cake looks to die for. I’m glad you had a wonderful day.
Yum yum yum. And now I’m seriously craving some layer cake.
annie @ toomuchgarlic
The cake looks so delicious…you really are the Cake Queen! The lake looks so beautiful and serene except when the croc comes out of it
And, the monkey is too cute. It seems like you had a nice quiet birthday … I like the same! Have a nice weekend!!
e to the m, i know mw too !
Annie , i still have a slice left over.
Mo thnx , the lake and cake are lovely , and hehe the croc was in the resort, thank god for that ! if it were in the lake i would not jump in for a swim
“dark room with cigarette smoke”sounds awful! Lake is lot better, looks beautiful.LOVED the monkeys and you look fab too!:)
Are those tattoos I see on your back? Yes, I had LASIK surgery last year, have Eagle vision now!:P
Should show us one day! Glad you had a wonderful birthday. I live next to a man made lake as well, Oak Hollow!
delicious cake and pictures…
Magical pics Kate! What a gorgeous environment to celebrate your b’day in…and true, you are “Queen of the cakes!). Happy B’day!
What a beautiful place to celebrate your Birthday. I imagine living in Ghana is full off contrasts, but images like these make it worth it.
BTW…I put a homemade pectin recipe in the comments of my post for you.
And that cake is fit for a Queen!
oh!! like your serene posting especially yourself and cake.Happy Belated Bday!
Asha, i know , and i always come back with my hair stinking of smoke, and feel hung over the next morning, even after consuming no alcohol ! And by the lake, with all that water and green ..hmm soothing ! the monkeys were actually in a cage at the resort. I managed to get a few decent pics.And ah the tattoo
well that was done at the age of 16 in a very rebellious mood.And how nice … u live by a lake .. how lucky !!!
maybelles parents, thnx
Peter, Haha …i’m quite enjoying my new title..” Queen of Cakes”:p.
Thanks again !
glamah , trust me being in Ghana is nt easy , if it wasn’t for my work and blogging ( and the lake ofcourse) i’d would’ve been insane by now…
Will chk the pectin recipe , thanks.
Kate, you’re so beautiful and you have to share more pictures of yourself from now on…:P
What a wonderful place! Breathtaking! Thanks for sharing those great pictures with us! That cake looks delicious!
Cheers,
Rosa
Bee,
thanks, i’ll try n put up more pics .
Rosa you are most welcome.
even i wanna be a part of the birthday celebration!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!come here n celebrate with me…..
n make al these yummy things here in bombayyy!!!!!!!!!!
oh my darling sister , i wish you were there too ! haha and if you want to eat this stuff u gotta come here , i’m not baking in bbay !
Happy birthday! Great pictures and great cake too
Oh my, I’m speechless. I can’t comment… i can’t… i can only.. err.. sing!
You are so beautiful
To me
You are so beautiful
To me
Can’t you see
You’re everything I hoped for
You’re everything I need
You are so beautiful
To me
Wow.. Geez.. Sorry! This is the first time a chocolate cake transport me that way. I need to go for a walk.
Kelly – Jane , thanks.
Stephan …all that for the cake … i thought you were singing for me :p
beautiful, beautiful photos!! Glad you had a good birthday!!
Stunning pictures!
Happy Happy! Looks like you had a good. Beautiful place and beautiful cake…fit for a queen I say
!
By the way, that crocodile or whatever it is…ummm that shot is to close for comfort
Well, your pictures are stunning – but that cake really takes the biscuit, so to speak! Great way(s) to celebrate your birthday.
Lovely pictures! Thanks for sharing them with us all. And happy birthday, Kajal!
Greetings,
Tiina
happy belated birthday! that cake looks delicious, and the place you chose to spend your birthday looks like just the sort of place I would want to be on mine. Thanks for sharing your special day with us!
wish i could come…tho u can eat a big bite from each of the lovely things u make on my behalf!!!!
Africa is the continent I have left for the last! Will probably begin with Egypt and Kenya first. Great pics!
The photos are amazing! I’m so glad to hear you had a lovely time on your birthday.
Awesome cake and that lake looks gorgeous!
Aran , thnx
Bree, thanks
M&M’s haha thank you
and oh not to worry , he was down in a pit , so there was no way he was gonna get me
aforkfulofspagetti thank you .
Tiina thanks
Lael thank you so much.
Arpy, haha and get even fatter ! no thanks , come n get ur share.
Shantanu , sounds like a plan. U’ll really love it here.
Patricia, thnx.
Brilynn, thnk u !
As usual, it looks great, and it’s interesting to see some photos of your surroundings.
I must say that I’m fascinated by the contrast between the landscape of Ghana and the images of your scrumptious, frilly, European looking cakes and pastries.
Are they complimentary? Opposites?
http://www.teaandfood.blogspot.com
great pictures but the cake pics still seduced me first.
Aaron , Ghana does have some wonderful places. And yes my desserts would be opposite to whats available here. In fact everything that i use for most of my stuff is imported, or grown specially by me, frm seeds n all brought frm outside. I travel a lot, and live in 3 countries simultaneously, so i get the best of all the worlds
I’m glad u like my work.
Diva,
, well then i think thats a compliment . Thank YOu.
Happy Birthday to you Kate! I just feel like I’ve gotten a great b-day gift myself with your delicious cake and your wonderful photo-journalism.
The lake is so beautiful, as well as the rest of Ghana, it’s people and wildlife. I’m so jealous that you are in a beautiful place, but am grateful that you share it so much with all of us too!
A very royal looking cake indeed. I can NEVER produce something like that my life, I just know it. =*( Thanks for sharing the sights of Ghana, beautiful. And I was right, you’re a very beautiful girl. =)
Beautiful cake! And thank you for sharing your birthday with us through such wonderful photos.
Can’t do without a modern gadget,heh?
Happy Birthday! And many happy returns
I can see the trees’ “ghostly” reflections in the pristine waters :O
what an awesome way to spend your bday! the cake looks divine and the scenery is breath-taking (quite literally when it came down to the photo of the croc).
Happy B-day Kate! I’ve just discovered your blog and I’m already mesmerized by such great photography. Great job!
i agree with mango power girl ..you are indeed a cake queen..thanks for making us travel with these magnificent photos
Belated Birthday wishes! The pics are great! And look at you…doesnt look like you eat the yummy things you prepare
Just kidding!U look great.
Thank you for sharing such stunning photos with us, kate. I feel as I just returned from a trip!
Hi there Kate, Happy Belated Birthday! What stunning photos these are, Love the lake – a cool place to reflect and relax, and that cake is G O R G E O U S!
By the way, I’ve been wondering what you did for a living as you’re always traveling, and HK is home? You speak fluent Cantonese then?
I caught up on 3 or 4 of your previous posts too, and thoroughly enjoyed them ;o)
glad to hear that you had a great time on your budday, Kate! The cake, oh my, looks absolutely delectable and irresistable!
Happy Birthday Kate! Looks like a wonderful way to spend the day! Glad to hear that croc wasn’t out just roaming about…that is what we have to fear here in Florida.
That cake looks so yummy! You are the Cake Queen!
WORC , thanks so much, but i’m still dreaming about your garden
Stardust, oh dont say that …infact , never say never ! i’m sure u can do it. N thnx
Lydia, most welcome.
Tigerfish :p
i simply adore the reflections !
Antionio … thanks, it was just perfect.
Lore glad u like it.
Dhanggit , Thank You, thank you
Homecooked , haha trust me i work hard to loose all those extra calories. Hubby hates all things sweet , so its only me who eats it all, and then endless hrs in the gym to loose it.
Susan ,
On For The Love Of Food thanks so much.
We are into medicines. Pharma and neutraceuticals. Collect a few natural seeds n plants frm Africa for the same. Dont speak much cantonese , just a few lines here n there, these days everyone speaks English in HK, so can manage it.
Mandy , i agree , the cake does look nice :p
Jenn, so now we both share the queen title…u for leftovers …me for cake !!!
and ooh wild crocks at your end…scarry !
good to know you had a wonderful birthday kate! lovely photos…especially yours:)
Nice photos! That cake looks good!
what a serene hideout !
Yours is such a delicious blog..am not much of a dessert person but your stunning pics make me drool. Have bookmarked your mango salad..and before i forget-belated Happy Birthday:)
I don’t know what is prettiest, Kate, the cake, the lake or you! Thanks for transporting me momentarily to Africa this morning!!
ces , thanks babe !
Kevin , thnx.
delhibelle, serene it is ! And pls u must try the mango salad. its to die for
Aimee hahaha …i think the cake u be prettier !