Peanut butter & banana cake

I could not believe how delicious this cake is, baring in mind it is gluten-free and there is no sugar in the recipe! Soft, aromatic and moist, best with a cup of tea or some warm milk. 

Ingredients:

• 4 very ripe bananas, chopped
• 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
• 1/3 cup of honey
• 1tsp cinnamon
• 1tsp mixed spice
• 1tsp vanilla paste
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1 cup ground almonds
• 1tsp gluten-free baking powder
• 1tsp baking soda
• small handful of chopped pecans to decorate

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl until combined.

Pour the mixture into a lined 20cm cake tin, then sprinkle with chopped pecans and bake in a pre-heated oven at 180C for about 45 minutes. 

Leave to cool.

Enjoy!

Apple & pear bundt cake with pecans and caramel glaze

For me Easter is the time of bundt cakes and this spiced apple and pear cake is amazingly soft and moist, drizzled with sticky caramel glaze and sprinkled with crunchy walnuts.


Ingredients:

For the cake:

• 3 cups plain flour
• 1tsp baking powder
• 1tsp bicarb. of soda
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground cloves
• pinch of salt
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla paste or extract
• 1/2 cup bramley apple sauce
• 2 small apples
• 2 pears

For the glaze:

• 8tbsp dulce de leche
• 2tbsp single cream
• 2tbsp icing sugar

Additionally:

• 70-80g walnuts 

Mix both sugars, oil, eggs, vanilla and apple sauce in a large bowl until combined, then add all dry ingredients and mix until combined.  

Peel and roughly chop apples and pears, then stir into the mixture.

Pour the mixture into a large greased bundt tin and bake in a pre-heated oven at 180C for about 50 minutes, or until skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Leave to cool a little in the tin, then turn it out and leave to cool completely.

To make the glaze place dulce de leche and single cream in a small saucepan, then warm gently until the mixture is combined and begins to bubble.  Stir in icing sugar and pour over the cake.

Sprinkle chopped walnuts on top and leave to set.

Enjoy!

Spiced banana and rum upside down cake

Wholemeal cake with cinnamon and dark rum, topped with slices of sweet banana.  You can add nuts, chocolate or dried fruit to the cake if you want but I just love it as it is!


Ingredients:

• 100g soft, unsalted butter
• 125g caster sugar
• 4 eggs
• 11/2tsp ground cinnamon
• 1tsp vanilla paste 
• 200g greek yoghurt
• 200g self-rising wholemeal flour
• 100g ground almonds
• 1tsp bicarb. of soda
• 4 ripe bananas
• 2tbsp dark rum
• 2tbsp honey

Line a 20cm square cake tin with baking parchment, then spread the honey onto the paper.

Halve the bananas lenghtways and lay two and a half, cut-side down in the tin, leaving one and a half banana for the cake. 

Beat the butter with sugar until pale and fluffy, then add eggs, one at a time.

Add the cinnamon, vanilla, flour, almonds, soda and rum and mix until combined. Mix in yoghurt and one and a half mashed banana.  

Gently spread the mixture in the tin and bake in a pre-heated oven at 160C for about 45 minutes, until skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Enjoy!

Raspberry dome cake

When I first looked through Peggy's Porschen Boutique Baking book the dome cake recipe grabbed my attention.. this cake looks so beautiful! After reading the recipe I wasn't entirely happy with it so I changed it around slightly and made this- perfect raspberry dome cake.  I need to tell you, it doesn't only look pretty- it is delicious too! Light almond sponge, filled with raspberries, creme patissiere and mascarpone and covered with marzipan- yum!


Ingredients:

For the Jaconde sponge:

• 3 eggs
• 125g icing sugar
• 125g ground almonds
• 40g plain flour
• 15g caster sugar
• 3 egg whites

For the cream patissiere:

• 2 egg yolks
• 60g caster sugar
• 25g corn flour
• 250ml milk
• 1 vanilla pod or 1tsp vanilla paste

Additionally:

• 125g mascarpone cheese

To decorate:

• 125g raspberries
• 50g plain chocolate
• sugar pearls
• 400g marzipan
• 50g pink sugar paste
• 2tbsp apricot jam

To make the sponge whisk the eggs with icing sugar until pale and fluffy.  Add sifted flour and almonds and gently fold in.

Beat the egg whites with caster sugar until medium peaks form and fold into the mixture.

Spread the mixture on two lined baking sheets (about 30cm x 15cm each).  Bake in a pre-heated oven at 200C for about 8 minutes until golden brown.

Take out the oven and leave to cool on the trays.

To make the crème pâtissière, pour the milk into a pan, add the vanilla pod. Bring the milk up to the boil, then take it off the heat.

In a separate bowl whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and cornflour. Pour the hot milk over the mixture and whisk.

Pour the custard back into the saucepan and set over a medium heat.

Stir the custard constantly until the mixture thickens. The custard should be very thick as it needs to be a firm set when the cake is assembled. 

Pour into a dish, cover the top with cling-film and chill in the fridge for about an hour until cold and set firm. 

When the cream patissiere is cooled, gently whisk in the mascarpone cheese.

Using a large round pastry cutter (about 28cm) cut out a circle from the first sponge. Line a 16cm dome cake mould with cling film and place the sponge in the mould, press firmly to the sides and cut off any access.

Spread a small amount of the cream around the sides and place layer of raspberries on top (about 1/3 of all raspberries).  Pipe more cream and cover with remaining raspberries.  Spread more cream on top, almost right to the edges (leave only as much space as thick your sponge is (about 1,5cm).

Using a round 15cm pastry cutter cut out a circle from the second sponge to cover the base of the cake.

Lightly press the base and cover with cling film.

Place the cake in the fridge to set for about 2 hours.

Take the cake out the mould and brush with apricot jam.

Roll out the marzipan and cover the cake.  Roll out pink sugar paste, cut into desired shape and wrap around the bottom of the cake.  Decorate with chocolate, sugar flowers and pearls.

Enjoy!

Fraisier

I wanted to make this cake since I have seen it in a little patisserie in London for the first time… Appreciating the skill it requires it took me about a year to finally attempt and make my own Fraisier- and I am so proud of it!

Now about the flavour.. light sponge soaked with lemon syrup, sandwiched with perfect, creamy vanilla creme patissiere and juicy strawberries, decorated with marzipan and dark chocolate… pure perfection !

After comparing many recipes I have chosen to base mine on Mary Berry's recipe, however I have made few little changes.


Ingredients:

For the sponge:

• 125g caster sugar
• 4 eggs
• zest of 2 lemons
• 125g self-rising flour (or 125g plain flour + 1 1/4tsp baking powder)
• 50g unsalted butter, melted and cooled

For the creme patissiere:

• 600ml milk
• 2tsp vanilla paste or 1 pod
• 4 eggs + 2 egg yolks
• 180g caster sugar
• 1tbsp kirsch (I used limoncello instead)
• 100g cornflour
• 150g unsalted butter

For the syrup:

• 75g caster sugar
• juice of 2 lemons
• 70ml water

Additionally:

• 200g marzipan
• 30g dark chocolate
• 500g strawberries

Melt the butter and set aside to cool.

Place the sugar, eggs and lemon zest in a large bowl set over a pan of simmering water.

Using an electric hand whisk, whisk the mixture over a medium heat until doubled in volume and pale in colour. The mixture should form a ribbon trail when the whisk is lifted out of the mixture. Remove from the heat.

Sift in two-thirds of the flour and gently fold into the whisked mixture. Add the remaining flour and fold. Keep in as much of the air as possible. Make sure the mixture is smooth and well combined.Gently fold in the melted butter.

Pour the mixture into a lined 23cm cake tin and bake in a pre-heated oven at 180C for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and the skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Leave the cake to cool a little in the tin, then turn out onto a cooling rack. It should be just under 5cm in height.

To make the crème pâtissière, pour the milk into a pan, add the vanilla pod. Bring the milk up to the boil, then take it off the heat.

In a separate bowl whisk together the eggs, sugar, kirsch and cornflour. Pour the hot milk over the mixture and whisk.

Pour the custard back into the saucepan and set over a medium heat.

Stir the custard constantly until the mixture thickens. The custard should be very thick as it needs to be a firm set when the cake is assembled. 

Add the butter and stir until melted and well combined.

Allow to cool slightly, pour into a dish, cover the top with cling-film and chill in the fridge for about an hour until really cold and set firm. 

Place the ingredients for the lemon syrup in a small saucepan and heat gently until the sugar dissolves, then boil rapidly for two minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

Roll out a thin 23cm disc of marzipan, then place in the fridge to chill.

Slice the sponge in half horizontally. 

Place a strip of acetate plastic or baking parchment around the inside of the 23cm springform tin (line the bottom of the tin with baking parchment as well).

Place one layer of sponge cake in the bottom of the cake tin. Then brush the sponge with half the syrup. 

Gently squash the edges of the cake down so that they are pushed against the sides of the tin.

Hull and halve about 12 strawberries, try and make sure they are all the same height.

Place the cut sides of the strawberries against the plastic on the inside of the tin, close to each other.

Take the chilled crème pâtissière out of the fridge and spoon two thirds of the crème into a piping bag.

Pipe a swirl covering the exposed sponge completely in the bottom of the tin.

Then pipe between each of the strawberries so the gaps are filled right to the top with the crème pâtissière.

Set 3 strawberries to one side for decoration, then hull and quarter the rest of them and place on top of the crème.

Pipe another swirl of crème pâtissière on top of the cut strawberries to cover the whole surface. Then smooth with a palette knife.

Place the other disc of sponge on top of this, with the cut side uppermost, so it has a completely flat top. Brush with the remaining syrup.

Gently press the top down quite firmly, so that the cake and filling push against the acetate to create the distinctive smooth and defined sides of the Fraisier cake.

Lay the chilled marzipan circle on top of the cake and put the whole thing back in the fridge to set. I like to leave it in the fridge over-night.

Make decorations of your choice with melted dark chocolate.

When ready to serve, remove the cake from fridge. 

Take out the tin and remove the acetate/ baking parchment.

Place onto a serving plate and decorate with strawberries, chocolate decoration and a dusting of icing sugar. 

Enjoy!

Lemon cheesecake and strawberry crumb bars

I really wanted something to make me feel like it's summer. Something refreshing and fruity… Sweet and crumbly crust with creamy lemon cheesecake topping and strawberries was just what I needed- yum!


Ingredients (makes 10 slices):

For the crust:

• 115g melted, unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 11/2 cup plain flour
• 1/2 tsp bicarb. of soda
• pinch of salt

For the topping:

• 250g mascarpone cheese
• 150g lemon curd
• 2tbsp corn flour
• 1 egg
• 1tsp vanilla paste or extract
• 2tbsp limoncello
• zest of 1 lemon
• 1/4 cup caster sugar

Additionally:

• 250g of strawberries

To make the crust combine all ingredients in a bowl and rub with your fingertips, then knead quickly until all is well combined.  Save a small handful of the mixture for topping and press the rest into a lined 20cm square tin.

For the cheesecake topping mix the mascarpone and lemon curd until smooth, then add all of the remaining ingredients and mix until well combined.  Pour over the crust.

Cut the strawberries (cut in half or slice) and place on top of the cheesecake mixture.  Sprinkle remaining dough on top.

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 190C for about 40 minutes, the mixture will be cooked through, the topping golden brown and the cheese mixture still very wobbly. Take out the oven and leave to cool.  Transfer into the fridge and chill over night (the mixture will then set).


Enjoy!

Summer fruit cake

Light and fluffy vanilla cake with the best summer fruit cream! The cake needs to be made a day ahead and you can use any berries you like for the cream.. Easy and soooo yummy!


Ingredients:

For the cake:

• 1 cup + 4tbsp caster sugar
• 140g soft, unsalted butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 3/4 cup plain flour 
• 2 rounded tsp baking powder
• 150ml milk
• 2tsp vanilla paste or vanilla pod

For the cream:

• 500g summer fruits (I used raspberries and blackberries)
• 3 1/2 tsp gelatine 
• 2 tsp corn flour
• 1tbsp lemon juice
• 3/4 cup caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla paste or pod
• 500g mascarpone cheese

Additionally:

• cocoa powder 
• cake stencil

To make the cake beat the butter with sugar until pale and fluffy, then add eggs, one at a time and vanilla and whisk.  

Add flour and baking powder and mix until well combined.

Mix in the milk.

Divide the mixture into three lined 20cm cake tins.

Bake at 175C for about 15 mins or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Leave the cakes on a cooling rack until cooled completely.

To make the cream place the fruit, sugar, lemon juice and vanilla in a pot and cook until the fruit has softened.  Dissolve the corn flour in a little bit of water (use about 1-2tbsp of boiling water) and add to the pot.

When the fruit has broken down, take off the heat and pass through a sieve to get rid of the seeds.

Dissolve the gelatine in 1/4 cup of boiling water and add to the fruit puree.  Set aside to cool, then place in the fridge for about two hours.

Beat mascarpone cheese with the fruit mixture, set aside 1/4 of the cream (place in a small bowl or a container and leave in the fridge), you will need this to decorate the sides before serving.

Place the first layer of the cake back in the tin (the same you baked it in) and spread half of the remaining cream on top, the cover with another layer of the sponge and cover with cream (leave about 4 tbsp aside).  Top with the final layer of the cake, then spread the rest of the cream on top (the 4tbsp you have set aside).

Place the whole cake in the fridge for few hours to set or best over night.

Before swerving take the cake out the tin and use the remaining cream to decorate the sides.

You can use a cake stencil and a little bit of cocoa powder to decorate the cake.


Enjoy!

Valentine's raspberry and vanilla cake

Well… I was supposed to make a chocolate cake. And I had no cocoa powder.  And this is how I have made the best vanilla sponge cake ever. It is light and fluffy and has the perfect texture. You can make it plain or add any fruit you like, I used frozen raspberries and it was delicious!


Ingredients:

For the cake:

• 1 cup + 4tbsp caster sugar
• 140g soft, unsalted butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 3/4 cup plain flour 
• 2 rounded tsp baking powder
• 150ml milk
• 2tsp vanilla paste or vanilla pod
• handful of raspberries

For the cream:

• 300ml double cream
• 2tbsp icing sugar
• 1tsp vanilla paste or pod
• 1 tbsp Baileys (additional)

For the chocolate drizzle:

• 40g dark chocolate

To decorate:

• sugar hearts (see here)

To make the cake beat the butter with sugar until pale and fluffy, then add eggs, one at a time and vanilla and whisk.  

Add flour and baking powder and mix until well combined.

Mix in the milk.

Divide the mixture into two greased heart-shaped tins and sprinkle over a small handful of raspberries.

Bake at 175C for about 20mins or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Leave the cakes on a cooling rack until cooled completely.

To make the cream whisk double cream, then add icing sugar and vanilla and beat.  Stir in Baileys.

Spread 2/3 of the cream on the first cake, then cover and spread remaining cream on top and around the sides of the cake.

Decorate with sugar hearts, then drizzle over melted dark chocolate.

Enjoy!

Blueberry loaf cake

Soft and moist cake with delicious blueberries.  You can make it with any fruit you like but I think blueberries go so well with it.. It is perfect for breakfast or with a cup of tea!


Ingredients:

• 1 cup plain flour
• 3tbsp cornmeal
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• pinch salt
• 100g fresh or frozen blueberries
• 120g yoghurt
• 2-3 tbsp milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 35ml vegetable oil
• 1 small egg
• 1/2 cup caster sugar

Mix all of the ingredients, apart of the blueberries, until just combined, do not over mix it.

Stir in the blueberries, saving some to sprinkle on top.

Pour the mixture into a greased 23cm x 8cm (base measurements) loaf tin, then sprinkle remaining blueberries on top.

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180C for about 30-35 minutes, until the cake is golden brown and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Take out the oven and leave in the tin to cool for 5 minutes, then take out the tin and leave to cool completely.

Enjoy!

Plum and marzipan tray bake

Soft and moist from the marzipan, with sour plums and crunchy almonds.  Delicious and easy way to use any sour fruit.

I need to tell you- it tastes best the next day, if you have any left over, of course!

Ingredients:

For the cake batter:

• 170g soft, unsalted butter
• 60g caster sugar
• 170g marzipan, chilled
• 190g plain flour
• 55g corn flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 3 eggs

Additionally:

• 10 plums
• handful of flaked almonds

Beat the butter with sugar.  Add grated marzipan and eggs and whisk until combined.  

Mix in the flour, corn flour and baking powder.

The mixture  will be really thick, so carefully spread it in a lined 20cm x 20cm baking tray.

Wash the plums, cut in half and remove the stone.  Place them cut-side-up on top of the cake and lightly press into the batter.  

Sprinkle with flaked almonds and bake in a pre-heated oven at 170C for about 40-45 minutes.

Enjoy!

Rabarberkaka - rhubarb cake from Sweden

When I first came across this recipe, I wasn't sure if putting so much fruit on a light, airy cake, made without any rising agents, was a good idea.  I was so wrong!  The cake is soft and moist, has lots of rhubarb and is topped with a crispy, sweet and buttery crust.  Perfect!


Ingredients:

• 2 eggs at room temperature
• 1/3 cup caster sugar
• 100g plain flour
• 50g cold butter
• 3-4 tbsp demerara sugar
• 320g rhubarb cut into chunks

Whisk the eggs with caster sugar until pale and fluffy, then stir in the flour, very gently, until just combined.

Pour the mixture into a lined 20cm baking tin, place rhubarb on top.

Cut the butter into thin slices (for example with a vegetable peeler) and place on top of the cake, sprinkle with demerara sugar.

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 175C for 35-45 minutes, until skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.  (Remember that skewer will be wet if inserted into a piece of rhubarb).

Enjoy!

Chocolate and raspberry cake

Recipe for the best chocolate cake from Mary Berry's Baking Bible.  I served it with vanilla cream and fresh raspberries- delicious!

Ingredients:

For the cake:

• 50g cocoa powder
• 6 tbsp boiling water
• 3 eggs
• 50ml milk
• 175g self-rising flour
• 1tsp baking powder
• 100g soft, unsalted butter
• 275g caster sugar

To decorate:

• 300ml double cream
• 1tsp vanilla paste
• 1tbsp icing sugar
• 300g fresh raspberries
• cocoa powder for dusting

Mix cocoa powder and boiling water until smooth.  Add all 'cake' ingredients and beat until well combined.  

Pour the mixture into 23cm lined cake tin and bake for about 20 minutes at 180C, the cake is ready when skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Leave to cool completely.

To make the cream whisk double cream, then add vanilla paste or extract and icing sugar.  

Spread cream on top of the cake and dust with cocoa powder around the edges.  

Place raspberries on top of the cake, forming a circle in the centre.  

Enjoy! 

Honey and semolina cake

Even though this cake doesn't belong to the prettiest, it is my all time favourite.  The smell of honey when it is baking is just amazing, and the taste so comforting.  It doesn't require long preparation, but should be done in advance, as it takes at least 5 hours, or best overnight for the moisture from the cream  to absorb into the cake, to make it soft and just the right texture.

Ingredients:

For the cake:

• 2 eggs
• 1 glass of icing sugar
• 2tbsp honey
• 50g butter
• 3tbsp sour cream
• 600g plain flour
• 1tsp bicarb. of soda
• 1tsp vanilla paste or 1 vanilla pod

For the cream:

• 500ml milk
• 200g butter
• 1/2 glass of semolina
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 glass icing sugar

Additionally:

• 3tsp honey

Beat the eggs with icing sugar.

Melt the butter and honey over low heat and leave to cool a little.

Mix the flour with bicarb of soda, vanilla and sour cream.

Add melted butter.

Mix in the beaten eggs and continue mixing until well combined. You can do it with your fingertips- it will be much easier!

Divide the dough into three equal parts, roll out (to about 5mm thick) into rectangle shape and bake on a lined baking sheet for about 10-15minutes at 180C until golden around the edges and baked through.

Brush each rectangle with one teaspoon of honey and leave to cool completely.

To make the cream boil 500ml of milk in a saucepan, then add semolina and stir.  Cook for about  2 minutes. Add the butter and stir until melted.  Mix in the sugar and honey. Leave to cool slightly.

Spread half of the cream on the first rectangle, cover with the second one, and spread remaining cream on top.  Cover with the third part of the cake and leave overnight.  

Enjoy!

Apricot, carrot and polenta cake with poached pear

The polenta keeps this cake moist, while the carrot and apricots are giving it sweetness.  The cake has unusual texture and an amazing flavour.  It might not be to everyones taste, but is worth trying.  I made this recipe having in mind people allergic to gluten, and those on a diet, as there is only 1tablespoon of sugar in the whole cake!

Ingredients:

For the cake:

145g boiled carrots
125g dried apricots
100ml orange juice
125g butter or 125ml of vegetable oil
1 tsp orange zest
1 tsp lemon zest
150g polenta flour
90g rice flour
3 eggs, lightly beaten
4 tsp baking powder (for gluten- free cake, use gluten-free baking powder)
1 tbsp light brown sugar

Additionally:

juice of 1 lemon
1-2tbsp honey or golden syrup
2 pears

Boil the carrots until soft.  Chop the apricots and cook in the orange juice for few minutes.
Blend the carrots with apricots and orange juice until smooth. Add the butter (or oil) and leave to cool a little.
Add all 'cake' ingredients and mix well.
Place the mixture in a lined 23cm baking tin and bake in a preheated oven at 180C for about 30minutes.
Leave the cake to cool a little, then take out the baking tin.
Peel and thinly slice both pears, then cut each slice in half to make strips.
Place slices of pear, few drops of lemon and about 4 tablespoons of boiling water in a pan and cook for few minutes, until soft, but still a little firm in the middle.  It should only take couple of minutes- do not overcook them.
Prick the cake with a fork and pour the juice of one lemon over it.  Brush with honey or golden syrup and arrange the slices of pear on top.

Cake can be kept for up to 3 days.

Enjoy!