cake

Spiced Plum Cake

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Soft sweet plum topping with gentle spices.

Whenever possible I like to eat seasonally, it’s usually cheaper, and usually better for you, and better for the planet. Autumn has some great fruit and vegetables. One of my favourites are plums. Usually inexpensive and really versatile. I love this plum cake, no only because its relatively straight forward to make, but the cinnamon and cardamon add a whole other level of flavour. The addition of sour cream adds a tenderness to the sponge. This will also live quite happily in a cake tin for 3-4 days. I love it with whipped cream, but it’s also perfect comfort food served with custard.

Ingredients

300 Grams Plain flour

1, 1/2 Tsps Baking powder

1 Tsp Ground cinnamon

1/2 Tsp Ground cardamon

1 Tsp Salt

3 Eggs

100 Grams Butter

200 Grams Sugar

60 Grams Sour Cream

4-5 Plums

Ready for the oven

Methods

  1. Mix the flour, salt, spices and baking powder together
  2. In a separate bowl cream the eggs and sugar together with an electric whisk (hold back 2 tablespoons of sugar to top the plums with)
  3. Add the eggs and sour cream to the butter and sugar and whisk until light and fluffy
  4. Gradually whisk in the flour mixture until you have thick cake batter
  5. Grease a 9 inch spring firm cake tin, and pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees
  6. Transfer your cake batter to the cake tin and spread evenly.
  7. Cut the plums in half, remove the stone and cut each half into quarters
  8. Starting in the centre of the cake, arrange the slices of plum in a circle (or any type of pattern you like) and sprinkle with remaining sugar
  9. Bake for 35 mins, or until a skewer comes out clean when stuck in the cake

Easy Almond Brownies

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Delicious with berries and ice cream, or just a cup of coffee.

I usually make these with walnuts, but I’m trying to limit how much I go out at the moment. So almonds took their place, as this was what was in the cupboard.

These are more of a cakey, than a fudgey brownie. I don’t mind this at all. I’ve never met a brownie I didn’t like!

They also freeze really well (if any actually survive). I love one with a cup of coffee, but they also make a great dessert served warm with ice cream.

Allow to cool before cutting into squares and freezing

Ingredients

250ml Melted butter

250 Grams Sugar

60 Grams Cocoa powder

200 Grams Plain flour

4 Eggs

60 Grams Almonds (chopped)

1/2 Tsp Salt

1/2 Tsp Baking powder

Method

  1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees, and line a 9in x 13in baking tin
  2. Combine all the dry ingredients and nuts in one bowl
  3. Add the eggs and melted butter, and mix until through combined
  4. Transfer the batter to the lined baking, and bake for 25 minutes.

Easy Apple and Cinnamon Cake

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Easy Apple and Cinnamon Cake

This is a great easy to make cake that will make your kitchen smell great. More importantly it tastes really good. I mean apple and cinnamon, of course it going to taste fantastic.

One of the ingredients is yoghurt, which helps keep the cake moist and light. The crunchy sugar and cinnamon topping makes it extra delicious.

Dry ingredients and apple chunks

Ingredients

1 Large eating apple (peeled, cored, and cut into 1.5 cm chunks

2 eggs

2 Tsp Baking powder

1/2 Tsp Bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)

200 Gram Caster sugar

210 Gram Plain flour

120ml Vegetable oil

120ml Natural yoghurt

1 Tsp Cinnamon

1 Tbsp Melted butter

Cake batter sprinkled with the sugar and cinnamon mix.

Method

  1. Set you oven to heat to 180 degrees, and line a 9in baking tin with grease proof paper
  2. In one bowl, add all your dry ingredients (except the cinnamon), and the chopped apple. Hold back 2 tablespoons of sugar in a separate bowl
  3. In a separate bowl add the yoghurt, oil, and eggs. Mix the ingredients, this will look like it’s split but don’t panic it’s fine
  4. Pour the cake batter into the baking tin
  5. You should still have 2 tablespoons of sugar in a bowl. Add the melted butter, and cinnamon to this and mix
  6. Sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon mix over the top of the cake batter, and bake for 35 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean from the cake

Pear and Ginger Upside Down Cake

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Sticky delicious caramel, soft juicy pear, and a light sponge with a gentle hum of ginger.

It’s that time of year, frosty mornings, long dark nights and cravings for comfort food.

This cake is perfect with custard as a dessert, or just enjoy a slice along with a cup of tea or coffee.

Use pears that are not too soft and mushy, so they will stay in tact during baking.

Yummy as a tea time treat.

Ingredients

For the caramel

1 Orange (juice, keep the zest for the sponge)

60 Grams Butter

330 Grams Brown sugar

For the cake

4 Pears

1 Tsp Ground ginger

3 Eggs

375 Grams Plain flour

2 1/2 Tsp Baking powder

220 Grams Sugar

250 ml Vegetable oil

125 ml Milk

Method

  1. Add the sugar, butter, and orange juice to a pan. Bring to boil, ans simmer for 2-3 minutes until caramel begins to thicken. Allow to cool slightly
  2. Add the sugar, oil, orange zest, eggs to a bowl and with an electric whisk until throughly combined
  3. Then add the flour, baking powder, and groung ginger gradually. Half way through adding the other ingredients add the milk.
  4. Whisk until the batter is thoroughly combined
  5. Peel and core the pears, cut into thick slices or quarters . Arrange in the bottom of a well greased 9 inch spring form cake tin
  6. Cover the pears with the caramel, then add the cake batter on top.
  7. Bake in an oven preheated to 220 degrees for 10 minutes, reduce the heat to 180 degree and bake for a further 55 minutes, or until a skewer comes cleanly out of cake.
  8. Allow to cool completely before removing from the tin

Chocolate and Coconut Macaroon Tart

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Rich, chewy and chocolatey

Does rich unctuous chocolate ganache, sitting on a crispy chewy macaroon base sound good, yep it sounded good to me too.

This recipe is super simple, and has only 5 ingredients. It’s also gluten free, so it’s perfect if you’re cooking for friends. Delicious served along ice cream as a dessert, but I enjoy it with a cup of strong coffee.

Serves 8

Ingredients

300 Grams Dessicated coconut

1/2 Tsp salt

350 ml Condensed milk

300 Grams Dark chocolate

250 ml Double cream

I couldn’t wait to let it cool before trying some, because it smelled so good

Method

  • Combine the condensed milk, salt and coconut in a bowl and mix well
  • Grease a 24cm round springform cake tin
  • Empty the coconut mixture into the tin. With the back of a spoon, press the coconut into the of the tin and up about 4cm at the sides of the tin
  • Bake in an oven preheated to 200 degrees for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown
Allow the base to cool before removing the springform
  • While the base is cooling, heat cream until just before boiling
  • Break the chocolate into small pieces in a bowl and pour the hot cream on top. Whisk the chocolate and cream together until the chocolate has totally melted
  • When the base is cool top with the chocolate mixture and set aside to cool completely (I couldn’t wait, but you might have more self control)

Cuppa Cuppa Cuppa Cake

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I’m going to be honest, I stole this recipe from one of my roles models in life, the fabulous Ms Dolly Parton.

One rainy afternoon while I was firmly wedged on the sofa watching Steel Magnolias, Dolly Parton’s character calls out this recipe to a friend.  When I had recovered from having a little cry at the film, I decided to go shopping and see if this recipe would work, and it did.  I think it’s more of pudding than a cake, but you’ll enjoy it none the less.

Dolly’s recommendation is to serve this with ice cream (to cut the sweetness), and it does go extremely well.  So have a go at this recipe, put on Steel Magnolias and treat yourself to some cuppa cuppa cuppa cake.

Ingredients

1 cup flour

1 cup sugar

1 cup tinned fruit cocktail in syrup

Method

Preheat your oven to 180 Celsius

Combine all the ingredients, mix well, and transfer to a greased cake tin.

Bake for 30 – 40 mins, or until golden and crunchy on top.