This is a light fruitcake, which goes down well for afternoon tea (if you have such a thing) or a coffee morning.. the base flavour is vanilla but this can be left out if you don't like it.
125g Caster Sugar
125g Butter (or margarine)
3 Eggs
200gFlour
1/2 tsp baking powder
150g mixed fruit
1 tsp Vanilla Bean paste (trust me this doesn't work as well with cheaper essences)
Brown Demerara sugar for topping the cake before baking
Sift the flour and baking powder together and stir in the fruit... ensure it is coated.
Beat the sugar and butter together until light and creamy, beat each egg in well to the butter/sugar mixture and then beat in the Vanilla Bean paste.
Fold in the flour and fruit mixture and pour into a cake tin, I use an 8inch cake tin with paper liners but whatever you have will work. Smooth out the top of the cake with a spoon.
Sprinkle the demerara sugar on top of the cake mixture and put it in a pre-heated overn of 180 deg C or Gas mark 4 for about 45 mins or until cooked through.
Leave to cool in the tin... this is hard because it smells so nice but trust me it is worth it.
Showing posts with label Cake. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cake. Show all posts
Chocolate Biscuit Cake
My Nan used to make these for us when Zeltus and I were children, to her it was recycling those old wasted biscuits and crumbs that collected in the bottom of the biscuit barrel but to us it was magic how it turned from a mess into something solid and wonderfully tasty.
225g Rich Tea Biscuits or broken plain biscuits for varied taste/texture
115g Salted Butter
3 rounded tablespoons of cocoa powder - I use Green and Black's organic cocoa
55g of caster sugar
2 heaped tablespoons Golden Syrup (well big dollops of the golden stuff cos I cannot get a heaped tablespoon to save my life)
115g plain chocolate although I used milk because of the cocoa content...for a richer taste. NB Don't use cooking chocolate though.. won't be as good.
Method
Roughly crush biscuits in plastic bag with rolling pin
Melt butter and add caster sugar, cocoa powder and Golden Syrup
Melt chocolate and add to mixture with crushed biscuits
Spoon mixture into a sheet of greaseproof paper, roll into a sausage and leave in fridge to harden
For extra zing, my Nan used to roll her cake in grated chocolate or cocoa powder. Personally I leave it plain as it looks good when sliced and eaten and surely that is what counts most.
225g Rich Tea Biscuits or broken plain biscuits for varied taste/texture
115g Salted Butter
3 rounded tablespoons of cocoa powder - I use Green and Black's organic cocoa
55g of caster sugar
2 heaped tablespoons Golden Syrup (well big dollops of the golden stuff cos I cannot get a heaped tablespoon to save my life)
115g plain chocolate although I used milk because of the cocoa content...for a richer taste. NB Don't use cooking chocolate though.. won't be as good.
Method
Roughly crush biscuits in plastic bag with rolling pin
Melt butter and add caster sugar, cocoa powder and Golden Syrup
Melt chocolate and add to mixture with crushed biscuits
Spoon mixture into a sheet of greaseproof paper, roll into a sausage and leave in fridge to harden
For extra zing, my Nan used to roll her cake in grated chocolate or cocoa powder. Personally I leave it plain as it looks good when sliced and eaten and surely that is what counts most.
Chocolate Nut Strudel
Serves 6
1 tbsp butter (for greasing)
200g mixed chopped nuts
115g dark chocolate
115g milk chocolate
115g white chocolate
200g filo pastry
150g butter (unsalted is best)
2tbsp gold syrup
55g icing sugar
Preheat the oven to 190 deg C (Gas mark 5). Lightly grease a baking sheet with 1 tablespoon butter. Reserve 1 tablespoon nuts for the toping.
Mix the chocolate together in a bowl.
Please 1 sheet of filo on a clean tea towel. Melt the butter and brush the sheet of filo with butter, drizzle with a little syryp and sprinkle with some nuts and chocolate. Place another sheet of filo on top and repeat until you have used all the nuts and chocolate.
Use the tea towel to help you carefully roll up the strudel and place on the baking sheet, drizzle with a little more golden syrup and sprinkle with the reserved nuts. Bake for 20-25 minutes. If the nuts start to brown too much, cover the strudel with foil.
Sprinkle with icing sugar, slice and eat warm with ice-cream.
1 tbsp butter (for greasing)
200g mixed chopped nuts
115g dark chocolate
115g milk chocolate
115g white chocolate
200g filo pastry
150g butter (unsalted is best)
2tbsp gold syrup
55g icing sugar
Preheat the oven to 190 deg C (Gas mark 5). Lightly grease a baking sheet with 1 tablespoon butter. Reserve 1 tablespoon nuts for the toping.
Mix the chocolate together in a bowl.
Please 1 sheet of filo on a clean tea towel. Melt the butter and brush the sheet of filo with butter, drizzle with a little syryp and sprinkle with some nuts and chocolate. Place another sheet of filo on top and repeat until you have used all the nuts and chocolate.
Use the tea towel to help you carefully roll up the strudel and place on the baking sheet, drizzle with a little more golden syrup and sprinkle with the reserved nuts. Bake for 20-25 minutes. If the nuts start to brown too much, cover the strudel with foil.
Sprinkle with icing sugar, slice and eat warm with ice-cream.
Chocolate Christmas Cake
So shopping on Friday night at Asda, for most of the ingredients I didn't have such as icing, marzipan etc... as I had stacks of mincemeat to use and most of it was very alcoholic having spent the last 9 months soaking up the best part of a bottle of brandy.
The recipe was simple in itself, see at the end of this post, and the hardest part was weighing out the ingredients. No complicated beating of eggs/sugar etc... though I did beat the butter and sugar together then added the eggs before I put in the dry ingredients. I did change the chocolate drops for grated chocolate, but that is because I forgot them on the shopping list.
My oven was a little low at 160oC, so after an hour and 15 mins I turned it up to 180oC and 45 mins later it was done perfectly. Taking it out of the oven, it smelt wonderfully chocolately and fruity.
Left to cool overnight, and Sunday afternoon was spent decorating it.. more improvisation as I hadn't been able to get hold of some glitter or chocolate shapes, so these are aero bubbles, chocolate stars, and icing shapes coloured with cocoa.
Preparation time: 20 minutes + cooling
Cooking time: 1¾ -2 hours
Ingredients
150g (5oz) soft butter
150g (5oz) light muscovado sugar or soft brown sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
185g (6½oz) self-raising flour
40g (1½oz) cocoa powder
400g jar of luxury mincemeat
80g (3oz) each of sultanas and raisins
50g (2oz) blanched almonds, chopped
100g packet of white chocolate chips
For decoration (decorate as you wish!)
Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 3/electric 160ºC/fan oven 140ºC. Line a 20cm (8inch) cake tin (see below for instructions).
Lining the cake tin: One of the keys to success when baking a fruit cake is the preparation of the tin before you start mixing the ingredients. Because of the length of cooking time, you need to use two sheets of greaseproof paper or baking parchment inside the tin.
Lightly butter the inside of the tin.Cut out a strip of paper about 2.5cm (1inch) longer than the outside of the tin and 5 cm (2inches) wider. (Measure using a piece of string).Fold in about 2 cm (¾ inch) along the long edge of the strip. Then make diagonal cuts along the folded edge at 2.5 cm (1inch) intervals.Fit the long strip of paper inside the tin with the folded edge sitting flat on the base. If you have a square tin fit the paper tightly into the corners. Place the tin on two sheets of greaseproof paper of baking parchment and draw around the base of the tin. Cut two pieces of paper to fit snugly into the base of the tin. Before baking, tie some thick brown paper or newspaper, which comes above the tin by about 10cm (4inches), around the edge of the tin.
Place all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and beat together for a minute or two until all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed. Spoon into the prepared tin and bake in the oven for 1¾-2 hours until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. You will probably need to cover the cake with foil towards the end of cooking to prevent the top from browning too much. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for a few minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Because we hadn't had anything like this before, SOH and I cut the cake and had a slice for our tea .. SOH rated the cake 8.5 which was very good. It was moist and fruity with chocolatey overtones and perfect for christmas so I will be making another one to give to the family.
Somerset Cider Cake
Ingredients
175g sultanas
150ml dry cider
280g plain flour
1 1/2 tsp Baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
225g unrefined caster sugar
180g unsalted Butter
2 Eggs
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
2 large cooking apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
Method 1. Preheat the oven to 170°C/gas 3. Grease a round silicon cake tin and line the base with a circle of greaseproof paper.
2. Soak the sultanas in the cider for about 20 minutes.
3. Sift the flour, baking powder and cinnamon into a bowl.
4. Cream the sugar and butter for about 5 minutes until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating as you go.
5. Fold in the dry ingredients, the lemon zest and the sliced apples.
6. Stir in the soaked sultanas, along with any remaining cider.
7. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.
8. Cool in the tin, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
175g sultanas
150ml dry cider
280g plain flour
1 1/2 tsp Baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
225g unrefined caster sugar
180g unsalted Butter
2 Eggs
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
2 large cooking apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
Method 1. Preheat the oven to 170°C/gas 3. Grease a round silicon cake tin and line the base with a circle of greaseproof paper.
2. Soak the sultanas in the cider for about 20 minutes.
3. Sift the flour, baking powder and cinnamon into a bowl.
4. Cream the sugar and butter for about 5 minutes until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating as you go.
5. Fold in the dry ingredients, the lemon zest and the sliced apples.
6. Stir in the soaked sultanas, along with any remaining cider.
7. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.
8. Cool in the tin, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
Vanilla Apple Cake (c)
(c) Sweet and Simple Bakes
Ingredients:
250g/9oz unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
250g/9oz golden caster sugar (or normal caster sugar)
4 eggs, beaten
250g/9oz self-raising flour
1 vanilla pod, split, seeds removed and reserved (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
3 small Bramley apples, peeled, cored and cut into wedges (or any other type of cooking apple, if not apple of your choice)
2 tbsp Demerera sugar
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
Method:
Step 1: Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Butter a 20cm/8inch springform tin, then line the base with baking paper.
Step 2: Beat the caster sugar and butter together until the mixture turns pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, flour and vanilla seeds, then beat together quickly to make a smooth batter.
Step 3: Tip into the prepared tin, then lay the apple wedges on top, poking them halfway into the mix. Don’t worry if the apples appear crowded – they’ll shrink as they cook. Sprinkle with the Demerera and cinnamon, then bake for 1 hour 5 mins, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean and the sponge is risen and golden.
Step 4: Leave to cool for a few mins, then release the tin and cool the cake completely on a wire rack.
Notes : I used a silicone cake dish, so left the cake to cool in that on top of a cake rack and it seemed to work well.
I served it warm with Clotted cream, but can be eaten warm with custard or cold with good quality vanilla ice-cream.
Ingredients:
250g/9oz unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
250g/9oz golden caster sugar (or normal caster sugar)
4 eggs, beaten
250g/9oz self-raising flour
1 vanilla pod, split, seeds removed and reserved (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
3 small Bramley apples, peeled, cored and cut into wedges (or any other type of cooking apple, if not apple of your choice)
2 tbsp Demerera sugar
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
Method:
Step 1: Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Butter a 20cm/8inch springform tin, then line the base with baking paper.
Step 2: Beat the caster sugar and butter together until the mixture turns pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, flour and vanilla seeds, then beat together quickly to make a smooth batter.
Step 3: Tip into the prepared tin, then lay the apple wedges on top, poking them halfway into the mix. Don’t worry if the apples appear crowded – they’ll shrink as they cook. Sprinkle with the Demerera and cinnamon, then bake for 1 hour 5 mins, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean and the sponge is risen and golden.
Step 4: Leave to cool for a few mins, then release the tin and cool the cake completely on a wire rack.
Notes : I used a silicone cake dish, so left the cake to cool in that on top of a cake rack and it seemed to work well.
I served it warm with Clotted cream, but can be eaten warm with custard or cold with good quality vanilla ice-cream.
Fat Rascals
Thanks to Waitrose for the basic recipe
Ingredients
1 medium freerange egg, lightly beaten
150g plain flour, sieved
150g self-raising flour, sieved
1 tsp baking powder
130g cold butter, cubed
90g organic caster sugar
Grated zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
150g mixed dried fruit I used organic sultanas and apricots for a change.
50ml milk
To finish:
1 medium egg yolk
1 tbsp water
Pinch of salt
Glacé cherries and blanched almonds, to decorate
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6.
Sieve both flours and the baking powder into a large bowl. Add the butter and rub into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the sugar, citrus zests, spices and dried fruit and mix well. Add the beaten egg and enough milk (about 50ml) to bring the mixture together into a soft dough. Form the mixture into 6 saucer-sized rounds, about 2cm deep.
Mix the egg yolk, water and salt together to make a glaze and brush this over the fat rascals. Decorate with the cherries and almonds. Transfer to a non-stick baking tray and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
Fat rascals are best served warm (but you can freeze them and reheat when required)
Ingredients
1 medium freerange egg, lightly beaten
150g plain flour, sieved
150g self-raising flour, sieved
1 tsp baking powder
130g cold butter, cubed
90g organic caster sugar
Grated zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
150g mixed dried fruit I used organic sultanas and apricots for a change.
50ml milk
To finish:
1 medium egg yolk
1 tbsp water
Pinch of salt
Glacé cherries and blanched almonds, to decorate
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6.
Sieve both flours and the baking powder into a large bowl. Add the butter and rub into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the sugar, citrus zests, spices and dried fruit and mix well. Add the beaten egg and enough milk (about 50ml) to bring the mixture together into a soft dough. Form the mixture into 6 saucer-sized rounds, about 2cm deep.
Mix the egg yolk, water and salt together to make a glaze and brush this over the fat rascals. Decorate with the cherries and almonds. Transfer to a non-stick baking tray and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
Fat rascals are best served warm (but you can freeze them and reheat when required)
Strawberry Shortcakes - with variations
900g strawberries (reserve a couple for decoration)
6 tbsp sugar (reduce if you don't like it too sweet)
300g plain flour, plus extra for flouring
5 tbsp sugar (3 for the mix and 2 for the baking)
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
110g cold butter
1 large egg - lightly beaten
130ml milk
Icing sugar (optional)
Place 1/3 of the strawberries (or other fruit) in a large bowl and crush, you can use a potato crusher or just the back of a serving spoon. Slice the remaining strawberries and stir into the crushed ones and add the sugar. Cover and leave on one side; doesn't need to be in the fridge.
Blend the butter into the flour, using the rubbing in method. When the texture is that of fine breadcrumbs add the remaining ingredients (3 tbsp sugar, salt and baking powder).
Combine the beaten egg with the milk, and add to the flour mixture. Mix with a knife (my gran told or rather showed me how to do this) but you could use a fork or some other fancy gadget like a food mixer.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead lightly until it comes together.
Using your fingertips, pat the dough into a rectangular shape about 2cm high. Flour a circular 7cm bisuit cutter and cut out your rounds of dough. Place the rounds on an oiled baking sheet and dust the tops with the remaining sugar,
Place into a pre-heated oven (220oC), in the lower/middle section and back for 12-15 mins or until golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool on the tray before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
When cool, split the shortcakes in half and place the bottom half on a plate, top with a spoonful of the strawberries, and top with a some whipped or clotted cream. Place the top half of the shortcake on top and dredge with some icing sugar or a whole strawberry. Serve immediately.
Variations
6 tbsp sugar (reduce if you don't like it too sweet)
300g plain flour, plus extra for flouring
5 tbsp sugar (3 for the mix and 2 for the baking)
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
110g cold butter
1 large egg - lightly beaten
130ml milk
Icing sugar (optional)
Place 1/3 of the strawberries (or other fruit) in a large bowl and crush, you can use a potato crusher or just the back of a serving spoon. Slice the remaining strawberries and stir into the crushed ones and add the sugar. Cover and leave on one side; doesn't need to be in the fridge.
Blend the butter into the flour, using the rubbing in method. When the texture is that of fine breadcrumbs add the remaining ingredients (3 tbsp sugar, salt and baking powder).
Combine the beaten egg with the milk, and add to the flour mixture. Mix with a knife (my gran told or rather showed me how to do this) but you could use a fork or some other fancy gadget like a food mixer.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead lightly until it comes together.
Using your fingertips, pat the dough into a rectangular shape about 2cm high. Flour a circular 7cm bisuit cutter and cut out your rounds of dough. Place the rounds on an oiled baking sheet and dust the tops with the remaining sugar,
Place into a pre-heated oven (220oC), in the lower/middle section and back for 12-15 mins or until golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool on the tray before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
When cool, split the shortcakes in half and place the bottom half on a plate, top with a spoonful of the strawberries, and top with a some whipped or clotted cream. Place the top half of the shortcake on top and dredge with some icing sugar or a whole strawberry. Serve immediately.
Variations
- Raspberries - I love the sharpness of the fruit and it's natural affinity with the shortcake
- Rhubarb - gently stew until just cooked and allow to cool
- Blueberries - I like them cooked but you could use them raw
- Bananas & Dulce con Leche - not my taste but a variation on banoffee pie
- Nectatines/Peaches - gently poach in some white wine/vanilla pods and allow to cool then slice thinly
Lavender Madeira Cake
150 g (5 oz) butter
150 g (5 oz) caster sugar (or use 2 oz lavender sugar and 3oz plain caster sugar)
a head of dried lavender flowers
3 medium eggs, lightly whisked
225 g (8 oz) Self Raising Flour
few drops vanilla essence
1 Heat oven to 180ºC, 350ºF, Gas Mark 4. Grease an 18 cm (7 inch) cake tin.
2 Cream fat and sugar, beat in lightly whisked eggs with a little flour.
3 Add essence, then fold in the remaining flour together with the lavender flowers
4 Bake for about 1¼ hours.
Serve with lavender icing
Nb - the basic recipe is from the be-ro recipe book which I have used for over 30 years.. gosh showing my age now :-)
150 g (5 oz) caster sugar (or use 2 oz lavender sugar and 3oz plain caster sugar)
a head of dried lavender flowers
3 medium eggs, lightly whisked
225 g (8 oz) Self Raising Flour
few drops vanilla essence
1 Heat oven to 180ºC, 350ºF, Gas Mark 4. Grease an 18 cm (7 inch) cake tin.
2 Cream fat and sugar, beat in lightly whisked eggs with a little flour.
3 Add essence, then fold in the remaining flour together with the lavender flowers
4 Bake for about 1¼ hours.
Serve with lavender icing
Nb - the basic recipe is from the be-ro recipe book which I have used for over 30 years.. gosh showing my age now :-)
Lavender Shortbread
100g unsalted butter, softened
50g lavender sugar
100g plain flour
50g corn flour
A pinch of dried or fresh lavender flowers
A little plain caster sugar to sprinkle on before baking
Beat the butter and sugar with an electric whisk until soft and creamy. Work in the flours and lavender flowers.
Press the mixture into a round 20cm/8 inch loose-based cake tin (or cut into rounds) and sprinkle with a little sugar. Bake at 160C/gas 3 for 30-35 minutes (less for rounds) until light golden. Mark the cake into 12 wedges and then leave to cool in the tin.
Remove from the tin carefully when cold and serve as for normal shortbread.
50g lavender sugar
100g plain flour
50g corn flour
A pinch of dried or fresh lavender flowers
A little plain caster sugar to sprinkle on before baking
Beat the butter and sugar with an electric whisk until soft and creamy. Work in the flours and lavender flowers.
Press the mixture into a round 20cm/8 inch loose-based cake tin (or cut into rounds) and sprinkle with a little sugar. Bake at 160C/gas 3 for 30-35 minutes (less for rounds) until light golden. Mark the cake into 12 wedges and then leave to cool in the tin.
Remove from the tin carefully when cold and serve as for normal shortbread.
Austrian Streusel Cake
I adapted this recipe from Mary Ford's Biscuit Recipes book
Ingredients
3 oz Butter
6 oz Caster Sugar
1 lge Egg
3.5 fl 0z Milk
6 oz Self-raising flour
Filling
3 0z light brown soft sugar
1 oz Self Raising Flour
1tsp Cinnamon
1 oz Butter
2 oz Chopped Nuts (I like Pecans but she say's Walnuts)
For the cake bit : beat together the Butter, Sugar, egg, milk and flour in one bowl
For the filling : mix ingredients in a bowl to form a crumbly mix
To bake : put half the cake mix in a cake tray 8 in square, sprinkle half the filling on top, then put the rest of the cake mix on top and finish with the remaining filling.
Note : I have made this a couple of times and struggle with these instructions so you can do what I do and that is to put all the filling mix in between the two cake layers and bake as is and then make a very thin drizzle icing to put over the cake when cold.
Bake in a pre-heated oven 170oC - gas mark 3 for 35-40 mins
Leave in tin until cold and cut into squares when cold
Ingredients
3 oz Butter
6 oz Caster Sugar
1 lge Egg
3.5 fl 0z Milk
6 oz Self-raising flour
Filling
3 0z light brown soft sugar
1 oz Self Raising Flour
1tsp Cinnamon
1 oz Butter
2 oz Chopped Nuts (I like Pecans but she say's Walnuts)
For the cake bit : beat together the Butter, Sugar, egg, milk and flour in one bowl
For the filling : mix ingredients in a bowl to form a crumbly mix
To bake : put half the cake mix in a cake tray 8 in square, sprinkle half the filling on top, then put the rest of the cake mix on top and finish with the remaining filling.
Note : I have made this a couple of times and struggle with these instructions so you can do what I do and that is to put all the filling mix in between the two cake layers and bake as is and then make a very thin drizzle icing to put over the cake when cold.
Bake in a pre-heated oven 170oC - gas mark 3 for 35-40 mins
Leave in tin until cold and cut into squares when cold
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