The best chocolate cake?

Ok, every year, just before Christmas I go mad for cookery magazines. I buy them all and sit with a cup of tea flicking through the glossy mouth-watering pages wondering which delectable goodies I'm going to make for the festive season.

Apres bebe, it's more about what I'm going to have time to make. Which hasn't been much. Infact this year, not even a mince pie......sigh.

Anyway I still get the mags and then, because they take up a lot of room and alas do seem to contain an awful lot of advertisements, I rip them up! Carefully, I should add. I go through each magazine carefully tearing out each page which has a recipe I love and then I stick them all into a file with plastic slip covers.

I have four of the files now! Voila! Instant new cookery books! They're not all Christmas recipes as throughout the year I do tend to pick up the odd copy of the Waitrose or Sainsbury's magazine while out shopping.

I also stick in anything I print out from the internet. My only problem now is finding certain recipes without trawling through all four files......Add cataloguing to my new year to do list....!

So I saw this recipe in one of my bumper files for this chocolate cake and gave it a go. I'm not the biggest chocolate fan I have to say, I know...What's wrong with me??! If I'm out for dinner I'll very rarely (if at all) pick the chocolate dessert on the menu, I'd always rather go for something lemony or a brulee of some kind.

However, I do think proper homemade chocolate cake is to die for. Especially something big and stodgy - perfect with a cup of tea!

I'm not sure where this recipe cutting came from, I have a feeling it may have been the Sainsbury's mag, but I'm not sure, I really should write it down. Anyway wherever it came from, it's good!

So good that I made it for a certain little lady's first birthday. She didn't have any, but I did. And it was good! I'll be sure to tell her when she's older! He he!

Chocolate Cake

250g unsalted butter

300g light muscovado sugar

100g plain flour, sifted

100g self-raising flour, sifted

5 eggs

300g dark chocolate, melted and slightly cooled

Chocolate Icing

200g dark chocolate

200ml double cream

Butter and line a 20cm cake tin

Preheat oven to 160º C/ fan 140ºC / Gas mark 3

Using an electric whisk, beat together the butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy.

beat in the eggs, one at a time, adding one or two tbsp of the flour as you go if the mixture starts to split.

Pour the melted chocolate into the mix, beating as you do so and then fold in the rest of the flour.

Spoon into the tin and bake for 1 hour 30 minutes, or until the cake has risen and has a crust on top and a skewer comes out clean.

Cool, then remove from the tin. Split the cake with a knife horizontally.

To make the icing, melt together the chocolate and cream over a low heat then cool until thickened.

Fill the cake with the icing, then spread the rest over the outside.

red velvet cupcakes

The world seems to be going mad for red velvet cupcakes. I was dying to have a go at making them so with my new Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook and a birthday party coming up it seemed the perfect time. They came out pretty perfect, if I say so myself and were not as difficult as they look to make. Have a go. They look pretty impressive and taste divine!

Red Velvet Cupcakes (from the Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook)

60g unsalted butter, at room temperature

150g caster sugar

1 egg

10g cocoa powder

20ml red food colouring

½ teaspoon of vanilla extract

120ml buttermilk

150g plain flour

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1½ teaspoons of white wine vinegar

1 quantity of cream cheese frosting (see here )

12-hole cupcake tray, lined with paper cases

Makes 12

Preheat oven to 170ºC (325ºF) Gas mark 3.

Put the butter and the sugar in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy and well mixed. Turn the mixer up to high speed, slowly add the egg and beat until everything is well incorporated.

In a separate bowl, mix together the cocoa powder, red food colouring and vanilla extract to make a thick, dark paste. Add to the butter mixture and mix thoroughly until evenly combined and coloured (scrape any unmixed ingredients from the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula). Turn the mixer down to slow speed and slowly pour in half the buttermilk. Beat until well mixed, then add half the flour, and beat until everything is well incorporated. Repeat this process until all the buttermilk and flour have been added. Scrape down the side of the bowl again. Turn the mixer up to high speed and beat until you have a smooth, even mixture. Turn the mixer down to low speed and add the salt, bicarbonate of soda and vinegar. Beat until well mixed, then turn up the speed again and beat for a couple more minutes.

Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until two-thirds full and bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the sponge bounces back when touched. A skewer inserted in the centre should come out clean. Leave the  cupcakes to cool slightly in the tray before turning out into a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

When completely cool add the frosting on top.

I sprinkled some dessicated coconut on top.

Yum!

frostings

It was a whirlwind of cupcake baking last weekend. A birthday party isn't a birthday party without cupcakes. A first birthday party requires extra special cupcakes. Am I right or am I right??

So I made some different ones like red velvet ones and chocolate ones and as time was, as always, precious and ever decreasing, I also made a batch of Nigella's fairy cakes and just added some different flavoured frostings, and they worked well!

So I made up a batch of the fairy cake mix (omitting the vanilla extract) and divided it into two bowls. In one bowl I added a teaspoon of vanilla extract and in the other bowl a teaspoon of lemon extract. Then baked as normal -scratching a little cross on the cake tin to mark the lemon side!

When baked and as the cakes were cooling I made up the frosting. I made up a batch of vanilla frosting (again, omitting the vanilla extract) then as with the cake mixture I divided it into two bowls and for the vanilla cupcakes I made a strawberry frosting and for the lemon cupcakes, well, you guessed it, I made a lemon frosting.

Vanilla Frosting (from the Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook) 12 Cupcakes

250g icing sugar, sifted

80g unsalted butter, at room temperature

25ml of whole milk

a couple of drops of vanilla extract (or a teaspoon if you love vanilla like I do or none if you are making other flavoured frosting!)

Beat the icing sugar and butter together in a freestanding electric mixer with paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) on medium-slow speed until the mixture comes together and is well mixed.

Turn the mixer down to slow speed. Combine the milk and vanilla extract in a separate bowl, then add to the butter mixture a couple of tablespoons at a time.

Once all the milk has been incorporated, turn the mixer up to high speed. Continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy, at least 5 minutes. The longer the frosting is beaten, the fluffier and lighter it becomes.

Strawberry Frosting 6 Cupcakes

Make up the vanilla frosting as above. Omitting the vanilla extract if also making other flavoured frosting. If using all of the mixture ( to cover 12 cakes) simply double the quantities below.

4-5 large ripe strawberries, washed and hulled,

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

sugar flower decorations, sprinkles, silver balls or scrolls of white chocolate to decorate

Simply chop the strawberries into small pieces and mush slightly with a fork. Mix into the vanilla frosting with the vanilla extract.

If the frosting now seems to be too runny add a tablespoon of sifted icing sugar and beat well. Add small quantities of icing sugar to get back to the desired consistancy of frosting. Top the cakes with a palette knife or plastic spatula. Decorate as you wish!

Lemon Frosting 6 Cupcakes

Make up the vanilla frosting as above. Omitting the vanilla extract. If using all of the mixture ( to cover 12 cakes) simply double the quantities below.

grated zest of ½ lemon

½ tsp of lemon extract (optional)

½ tsp yellow food colouring (optional)

sugar flower decorations, sprinkles, silver balls or scrolls of white chocolate to decorate. Or simply use some lemon zest strands as I did.

Add the lemon zest and extract to the vanilla frosting. Beat well together. Add the yellow colouring if using by adding very small quantities at a time. A good way to do this is with a cocktail stick to avoid that bright yellow egg yolk look. You want to try to get a lovely pale lemon colour.

Top the cakes and decorate as you wish.

Cream Cheese Frosting ( From the Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook)

This is used to top the red velvet cupcakes but can also be used as an alternative to buttery frosting. It is less sweet and has a creamy texture. It is quite yum I have to say! Cream cheese frosting can be coloured with food colouring if desired but looks so beautiful left white I think!

300g icing sugar, sifted

50g unsalted butter, at room temperature

125g cream cheese, cold

To frost 12 cupcakes (double quantities for a 20cm cake)

Beat the icing sugar together and butter together in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or a handheld electric whisk) until the mixture comes together and is well mixed. add the cream cheese in one go and beat until it is completely incorporated. Turn the mixer up to medium-high speed. Continue beating until the mixture is light and fluffy, at least 5 minutes. Do not overbeat as it can quickly become runny.

baked cheesecake with blueberries

I have watched Rachel Allen on cooking channels for quite a while now. I love her style. Everything looks cosy comfy in her kitchen, from her drool-over kitchen equipment to her Cath Kidston aprons and soft Irish tones! What's not to love.

I watch her cookery school on tv and like to imagine that I'm there. She has such a good teaching way. Kind of makes you feel like you've just popped round to a friends house and she is showing you how to make a passed-down old family recipe, over a cup of tea and a friendly chit chat, oh and of course a nibble on whatever it is you have learnt to bake that afternoon!

Imagine my delight to receive, as a birthday gift from Mr H, her yummy book, Bake.

This baked blueberry cheesecake caught my eye straight away. I'm a huge cheesecake fan. The chilled and the baked version. I love them all.

As Miss Ella had shown a profound love of blueberries recently, and as because of this the fridge was stocked to bursting with ripe purple/blue berries, well, it felt wrong not to make this cheesecake.

It was a huge hit at Ella's first birthday party on sunday ( the second party I might add!) and was quite easy to make and looked so pretty! Yum!

Baked Cheesecake with Blueberries


175g (6oz) digestive biscuits
75g (3oz) butter, melted
175g (6oz) blueberries, plus extra for decorating
450g (1lb) cream cheese
150g (5oz) caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 eggs, lightly beaten
Icing sugar, to dust

24cm (9½") diameter spring-form/loose-bottomed tin

Preheat oven to 180ºC (350ºF), Gas mark 4.
Butter the sides and base of the cake tin.

Place the biscuits in a food processor and whiz until quite fine. Alternatively place them in a plastic bag and bash with a rolling pin. Mixed the crushed biscuits with the melted butter and press down into the base of the tin so that it is nice and even. Spread the blueberries over the base and allow to chill in the fridge while you make the topping.

Beat the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla extract and the eggs together in a large bowl until smooth and creamy. pour over the top of the blueberries and then bake in the oven for 40 minutes or until it is pale golden and should only wobble very slightly when you gently shake the tin.

Allow to cool in the tin for about 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge to loosen it and carefully remove the cheesecake from the tin. Transfer to a serving plate. Sprinkle over a few blueberries, if you wish, then dust with icing sugar.

Cut into slices to serve. The cheesecake is best served at room temperature.

baby birthday banana buns

I looked high and low on the internet for a birthday cake with no sugar. That's right no sugar. Yuk! You might think? Not so.

I found all sorts of recipes online, carrot cakes, courgette cakes, yoghurt cakes..... All had mixed reviews and as they were posted by readers there were no accompanying photos. And I do like a good photo. Some of them contained unusual ingredients or just slightly more 'exotic for a corner shop at 5pm the night before' sort of unusual and unattainable.

So after all that searching would you believe I found this recipe in my tried and trusted and flour spattered copy of Nigella's How to be a Domestic Goddess. I hadn't even thought to look there because Nigella not putting a vat of sugar/cream/lard into a recipe is a bit like Gordon Ramsay getting through a sentence without swearing....It just never happens, or so I thought, wrongly it turns out.

Anyhoo, these are good. Very easy to make.

I topped mine with a yoghurt coating and scattered blueberries on top. The recipe I used { 1 cup yoghurt :: ½ cup icing sugar :: 1 tsp vanilla extract - whisk together } was far too much for 12 buns so next time I'd halve it. Also should have used greek yoghurt as natural yoghurt was a bit runny although it set ok with some chilling time. Any left over buns will need to be stored in the fridge if they have the yoghurt coating on them as this will not last long in a warm room....As discovered!

Banana Muffins

30g unsalted butter
60g (two heaped 15ml tablespoons) clear honey
½ tsp vanilla extract
2 large very ripe bananas
150g plain flour
1 heaped tablespoon baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt (I didn't use)

12 bun muffin tin and papers ( I used 12 silicon cases on a baking tray)

Preheat oven to 190ºC/gas mark 5

Put the butter, honey and vanilla extract in a pan on a low heat to melt, then remove and set aside for a few minutes.

Mash the bananas and, in another bowl, measure out the flour, baking powder, bicarb, cinnamon and salt. Mix the melted butter mixture with the bananas and then mix that into the dry ingredients. Don't over mix: just stir a couple of times; you will have a not terribly attractive lumpy sludge.

Fill the muffin cases (paper or silicon) in the tray about two thirds full with mixture. Put in the oven and bake for about 25 minutes. Leave in the tins for about 5 minutes, then remove the muffins in their cases to a wire rack for another 5-10 minutes until cool.

I left mine in the silicon cases for serving.

Makes 12.

It's testament to how good these are and how well they were received by a small gathering of one year olds that I only have a photo of the empty cases and a dusting of crumbs to show you.

Or it's testament to the stressful morning I had with the birthday girl who refused to nap and insisted on screaming and emptying the kitchen cupboards, that I failed to take a photo before these were devoured!

Choux Puffs {Julia Child}

Pâte à choux for dessert puffs 
Taken from Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child


1 Cup of Water
6 Tbsp Butter cut into cubes
Pinch of Salt
1 Tsp Sugar
Pinch of Nutmeg (optional)
¾ Cup of Plain Flour
4 Large Eggs

1 Small beaten Egg mixed with a little water

Preheat oven to 220º
This recipe makes 35-40 {although I got 25} small puffs

Bring water to a boil in a pan with the butter, seasonings and sugar. Boil slowly until butter has melted.

Remove from heat and immediately pour in the flour and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon for several seconds to blend thoroughly.

Then beat over a moderately high heat for 1 to 2 minutes until mixture begins to leave the side of the pan and form a mass.

Remove pan from heat and make a well in the centre of the mixture. Break one egg into the centre of the well and beat thoroughly until blended.

Continue with the remaining 3 eggs, beating them in one by one until combined and smooth.

Place a grease proof baking sheet onto a baking tray.

Spoon mixture into a piping bag and then squeeze into mounds, about 1" in diameter and ½" high {approx!} onto the baking sheet.

Space the mounds about 2" apart to allow for spreading {Although mine were much closer than this and came out fine!}

Dip a pastry brush into the beaten egg and flatten each puff very slightly with the side of the brush avoiding dripping egg down the puff onto the baking sheet.

Put the tray {or trays!} into the upper and lower thirds of the preheated oven.

Bake for about 20 mins until puffs have risen and are golden in colour. ~They should be firm and crusty to the touch.

Remove from oven and pierce the side of each puff with a sharp knife to let the steam out.

{Apparently this is the only secret to perfect puff making! Although it also comes in handy for filling with cream or custard later - just spoon or pipe into the hole!}

Put the trays back into the turned off oven and leave the doors ajar for 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and put puffs onto a cooling rack.... et voila!

To Freeze

Puffs freeze perfectly. When cool place into a freezer bag or box.

When you want to use them just put the frozen puffs onto a baking tray and heat in an oven at 220º for 3 - 4 minutes.

Fairy Cakes {Nigella Lawson}

Ingredients
125g unsalted butter, softened I use flora no salt 
125g caster sugar
2 large eggs definitely organic free-range 
125g self-raising flour
1/2 tsp vanilla extract extract not essence
2-3 tbsp milk
500g packet instant royal icing I just used whatever icing was in the cupboard 
12 bun muffin tin lined with 12 muffin papers
I actually used fairy cake tin and papers which are much smaller

Preheat oven to 200ºC/gas mark 6

Basically, throw all the ingredients into a bowl, except for the milk and mix together with a hand held mixer ( this is how I do it). Then add the milk a little at a time until you get a smooth mix with a dropping consistancy.

Spoon into each case, about half fill (the mix will rise when baked).

Bake for about 15-20 mins until slightly golden on top.

Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

When totally cool make up icing to a thick consistancy so it is not too runny. I add the colour with a cocktail stick to create a pastel shade, it always amazes me how little you actually need.

Spoon icing on top and decorate with sweets or sugar swirls or whatever.

Scoff with a really nice cup of tea.

Alternatives

My mum used to make fruity fairy cakes by adding raisins or sultanas and omitting the icing or any decoration. they somehow felt healthy!! They look a little boring but taste lovely!