Wednesday 30 January 2013

Peek-a-boo!!

It's a bit sad how excited I was before cutting this cake open but it feels like Christmas, not knowing what's inside (even though I did know)!! If you've not heard of peek-a-boo cakes before the concept is simple and really fun. Simply, it is a cake that looks really plain on the outside but has something exciting inside when you cut it open. This was the first peek-a-boo cake I've made and I am really pleased with the results. I would definitely recommend having a go as it is actually really simple to do and it tastes divine. I used this recipe from Good Food magazine:


  Once you've had a read of the recipe, here are some pics to show how I went about putting mine together!

2 almond and 2 rose sponge cakes
 


Cut each cake into 3 equal rings


 
Put together the cakes, alternating the colours so you have 4 'targets'

 Stack the 4 cakes together covering them with melted apricot jam as you go

 Cover with marzipan
 Peek-a-boo!

This cake is massive and will serve loads of people. It is actually quite light to eat but all you need is a small slice! Hope this inspires some more people to have a go at a peek-a-boo cake! Got to think what I shall try next!
Happy baking!
xxx

Sunday 27 January 2013

Z is for Zebra!

Had another go at making a zebra cake, with a different recipe today. Thought I'd share this recipe, some pics of my efforts and my ideas for improvement with you. If you've never heard of a zebra cake it's really just a fancy name for the hotly tipped '2013 marble cake'. The idea is by dolloping two different colour (and flavour if you wish) cake batters into a tin on top of each other zebra stripes are created in the cake. 

Here is the link for the recipe I used:

Here are some pics of my cake at various stages. I didn't use the topping suggested in the recipe and just went for a dark chocolate drizzle.



 




I was really pleased that it had zebra stripes in it and is a nice moist cake, although if you eat a big piece, like me, it can feel a bit claggy by the end. I'd like to try this recipe with my one sponge cake mixture and see how that works! I also think I need to make it even pinker next time as the raspberry stripes aren't pink enough for my liking! I would also make the stripes wider by putting in two dollops of each colour instead of one. Overall, I enjoyed trying something new and I think it looks very effective for a tea party, I shall definitely be giving this another go and trying more recipes! Let me know how you get on trying out a zebra cake and if you find a cracking recipe!
xxx

Sunday 20 January 2013

A few of my favourite things...

BREAD! Need I say more....


OK, I probably should! Bread is one of my all time favourite foods, I actually think I could live off bread alone! Really, I could, with some cake, Marmite, pineapple and peanut butter, that's my top 5! Anyway, I have diverged...
 Today I baked a cottage loaf (one of my favourite shape loaves- sad I know to have a favourite shape) using my usual bread recipe: 


Then I split into into 1/3 and 2/3, to form a cottage loaf. I glazed my bread with egg to get a nice shiny crust. I recommend having a look at this site if you are 'into bread' like me as it has loads of info and tips. This page in particular is useful if you are thinking about glazing your bread:


Looking forward to tucking into some of this tonight with some homemade beetroot and feta soup thanks to Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's yummy recipe which can be found here:

(Lots of links for you today!)

Happy kneading!
xxx

Friday 18 January 2013

10 Minute Microwave Sponge Pudding!!

This recipe is a real winner for busy Mums and Dads, or anyone who needs pudding quickly (you know the times, when you are having pudding withdrawal!) It is especially good on snow days like today, once you're in from sledging and snowman building, and want something warm and comforting! 

It takes under 10 minutes from 'raw' ingredients to a finished pudding to serve a family. You can make it any flavour you like and put anything you like on top really. I have very fond memories of this pudding as a child, we usually had jam or golden syrup as the topping and served it with lashing of custard, but you could do anything you imagine. Chocolate would obviously always be yummy, but I think I might try a toffee and apple one sometime! This recipe will serve a family of 4 and could be easily doubled or halved.

Yummy Grandma's 10 Minute Microwave Sponge Pudding

4oz/100g self raising flour,
4oz/100g Stork,
4oz/100g castor sugar,
2 large eggs,
Slug of milk,

Jam, syrup etc for the top of the pudding.

1. Mix together the self raising flour, Stork, sugar, eggs and milk.
2. Grease a microwave proof pudding basin and fill the bottom of the bowl with your choice of topping.
3. Gently spoon in the cake mix and put a plate on top.
4. Cook it in the microwave for about 6 minutes on 700w. The pudding should be cooked and look like a light coloured cake.
5. Turn the pudding out the pudding basin and enjoy!

Ours tonight was jam with custard, lush!
xxx

Monday 14 January 2013

Pop-tastic!!

I decided to have a go today at making cake pops, and although mine can't be described as delicate or dainty they taste yummy and stayed on the sticks!! Next time I would use a palette knife to get the covering smoother but here are my first efforts.. (please excuse my chipped nail varnish and Blue Peter style cake pop stand!)...





I used homemade cake and buttercream and Vanilla Candy Melts for the outside. Before I started I watched the video at the bottom of this page: 
I would recommend giving it a watch as it has lots of helpful tips, putting some Candy Melts on the sticks first and then freezing them for 20 minutes made sure they stayed on the sticks when I covered them.

 Not a very exciting freezer drawer I'm afraid! 

Hope you have some fun having a go at some cake pops, I really enjoyed it and definitely think I could improve them next time!
xxx

Wednesday 9 January 2013

Comfort pudding!

I suppose most 'proper' puddings are comfort puddings but I do think fruit crumble is ultimate comfort food. A bowl of this, custard (controversial with my work friends I know!) or ice cream, PJs, snuggled up on the sofa, perfect! There are millions different ways of making crumble and this is mine:

Yummy Mummy's Apple Crumble

Apples:
6 cooking apples,
2 tbsp sugar (or to taste),

Crumble topping:
5oz plain flour,
3oz soft brown sugar,
3.5oz Stork,

I also added to mine this time:
2oz oats,
2oz ground almonds.
But you can add any extras you like, cinnamon, walnuts, sultanas etc.

1. Peel and cube the apples. Put into a pan with 2tsbp of water and simmer gently until the apples are softened. Add the sugar to taste.
2. Mix together the crumble topping until it resembles breadcrumbs. If you are doing this my hand, I would rub in the butter and sugar first, then add the other ingredients.
3. Sprinkle a thick layer of the crumble mixture over the top of the apples.
4. You can make this in advance and once the apples are cooled, store in the fridge. When you are ready to bake yours put it in the oven for about 40-50 minutes at 200C/180C fan/gas mark 6. I usually cover the top with foil for about 30 minutes then uncover it for the crumble to crisp up. Lush!!

I am looking forward to baking this in the oven tonight!!

And here's one I made earlier...

I usually make double the crumble topping and freeze half, very quick and easy pudding at another time!
xxx

Tuesday 8 January 2013

Winter warmer!!

UPDATED
This time of year screams comfort food to me, roast dinners, toad in the hole, crumbles, pies and apple cake! I am a huge fan of apple cakes (surely it's one of my five a day?) and there are so many out there. I am going to try out a few over the next few weeks, including my Gran's apple and almond cake, and a recipe the lovely Karen has suggested for a squidgy apple cake. This one is a tried and tested recipe that is soft, squidgy, moreish and the streusel topping is divine.


Good Food's Apple Streusel Cake

For the topping:
50g/2oz pecans (you can substitute any other nuts you like, I used walnuts this time),
50g/2oz plain flour,
25g/1oz dark brown sugar,
25g/1oz butter (I used Stork).

For the cake:
140g/5oz butter, softened, (I used Stork),
140g/5oz light brown sugar,
2 large eggs,
1tsp baking powder,
1tsp mixed spice,
3tbsp milk,
500g/1lb 2oz eating apples, peeled, cored and cubed.

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas mark 4.
2. Blitz the nuts in a food processor then mix in the other ingredients for the topping. Put into a bowl and put aside.
3. Mix together all the ingredients for the cake (I put all the ingredients bar the apple in the Kitchen Aid to mix, then just stirred in the apples.
4. Grease a cake tin. I used a loose bottom tin as last time I made this cake in a 'normal' cake tin it really came up high and nearly spilt over the top as you can see in the picture! Still tasted yummy though!
5. Spoon the cake mix into the tin and sprinkle the streusel topping on, covering the cake mix.
6. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, check it is done by inserting a skewer which should come out cleanly. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before cooling on a wire rack.
This is my favourite part of the cake!!!
Enjoy!
xxx
Here is the cake in a loose bottom tin, works much better for this recipe I think you'll agree...