Victoria Sponge

As mentioned in my previous post, I also made a plain and simple victoria sponge for the Macmillan World's Biggest Coffee Morning . I decided that you can't go far wrong with a simple sponge and fortunately it was very well received. I used the recipe from Mary Berry and it turned out really well. Just mix everything together and voila.... it rose better than my previous attempt, I'll be using this recipe from now on :) 

ready to go in the oven 

adding jam 

dust with icing sugar

at the coffee morning 

For the cake 

225g butter

225g caster sugar

4 eggs

225g self-raising flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

For the filling and topping

about 4 tablespoons raspberry or strawberry jam

a little caster sugar

• Preheat the oven to 180C
• Grease and base line 2 x 20cm sandwich tins with greaseproof paper.
• Measure the ingredients into a large bowl and beat well until thoroughly blended. 
• Divide the mixture evenly between the tins and level out. 
• Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 25 minutes or until well risen and the tops of the cakes spring back when lightly pressed with a finger.
• Leave to cool in the tins for a few moments then turn out, peel off the paper and finish cooling on a wire rack.
• When completely cold, sandwich the cakes together with the jam. 
• Sprinkle with caster sugar to serve. 

Dark Indulgent Chocolate and Walnut Brownies

Friday 24th September 2010 was the World's Biggest Coffee Morning in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support. So far, they've raised £1,880,000 . Please check out their website and donate online if you can, it's for a really good cause. 

I made these brownies and a few other baked goodies (victoria sandwich and chocolate chip flapjacks) for the event. I think the brownies were the favourite. I got a new cookbook for my birthday 'Mary Berry's ultimate cake book' and I made all my recipes from there. I've made quite a few brownies in my time and I have to say these were absolutely amazing!! I love dark chocolate and the addition of coffee and nuts made it even better. You have to give this recipe a try.

Speaking of brownies, I will also be entering this recipe (with some modifications) to the Great Brownie Bake Off which is taking place on Saturday 9th October 2010 at Look Mum No Hands Cafe, 49 Old Street, EC1V 9HX. Do come along for lots of brownies as well as a chance to sample mine or enter your very own brownie recipe! Click on the link for more details. I will also be selling other baked goods on the day and donating most of the proceeds to cycle charity, Wheels for Wellbeing. 

melt chocolate and butter 

walnuts 

mix coffee, eggs and sugar 

add chocolate mixture 

fold in flour, chocolate chips and walnuts 

ready to go in the oven 

love the crispy top :) 

350g plain chocolate, broken into pieces

225g butter

2 teaspoons instant coffee

2 tablespoons hot water

3 extra large eggs

225g caster sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

75g self-raising flour

175g walnut pieces, chopped

225g plain chocolate chips 

• Preheat the oven to 190C.
• Grease and base line a 12 x 9 in roasting pan with greaseproof paper.
• Melt the chocolate and butter slowly in a bowl over a pan of hot water, stirring occasionally. 
• Allow to cool.
• Dissolve the coffee in the hot water.
• In another bowl, mix together the coffee, eggs, sugar and vanilla essence. 
• Gradually beat in the chocolate mixture. 
• Fold in the flour, walnuts and chocolate chips and pour the mixture into the prepared tin. 
• Bake in the pre-heated oven for 40-45 minutes or until firm to the touch and a dull crust has formed. 
• Leave to cool in the tin. 

Coffee and Walnut Cake

It's been a while since I've baked anything as I've been really busy lately. I decided on this delightful coffee and walnut cake from the primrose bakery book.  I don't like to drink coffee but I like coffee flavoured cakes, ice-cream or chocolate. The cake turned out very light and spongy with a delicious aroma of coffee. In fact my cake was a little too soft and it fell apart a little. Good thing I could cover it up with the icing! It still tasted very good and I would definitely make this again. 

adding coffee and walnuts 

ready to go in the oven

straight from the oven 

adding coffee syrup 

cover with coffee buttercream icing 

decorate with walnuts, I added crushed walnuts as well. 

Recipe from 'cupcakes from the primrose bakery'

For the cake

175g unsalted butter

175g golden caster sugar

3 large eggs, free-range or organic

175g self-raising flour, sifted

1.5 teaspoons baking powder

75g walnuts

1.5 teaspoons instant coffee mixed with 2 tablespoons boiling water

For the syrup

1 tablespoon instant coffee

50g demerara sugar

55ml boiling water

For the coffee buttercream icing (you need 1.5 batches) 

150g unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 tablespoon semi-skimmed milk, at room temperature

2 teaspoons instant espresso powder, dissolved in a small amount of hot water

350g icing sugar, sifted

• Preheat the oven to 170 C.
• Grease and line two 20cm cake tins.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until the mixture is pale and smooth, which should take 3-5 minutes using an electric hand mixer. 
• Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing for a few minutes after each addition. 
• Add the flour and baking powder and beat well. 
• Grind the walnuts in a food processor for about 30 seconds or so - they should not be too fine. 
• Add the coffee and ground walnuts to the batter and mix again but for no more than 3-4 seconds. 
• The mixture should have a marbled effect and it is very important not to overmix or you will take all the air out of the cakes. 
• Divide the mixture evenly between the tins and bake in the oven for about 25 minutes until raised and golden brown.
• Insert a skewer in the centre of one of the cakes - it should come out clean if it is cooked. 
• Remove from the oven and let the cakes cool in their tins. 
• Make up the syrup by combining the ingredients in a jug and stirring well to ensure the sugar dissolves completely. 
• After 10-15 minutes, prick the sponges with a fork, brush on the syrup and leave it to soak in. 
• When you are ready to ice the cakes, carefully turn them out of their tins and peel the greaseproof paper from the bases. 
• Place one cake on a plate and spread a thin layer of coffee buttercream over it. 
• Place the second cake on top and use the rest of the buttercream to cover the upper surface. 
• Decorate with walnut halves around the edge. 

Lemon Layer Cake

It was my birthday earlier this week and I debated what to make as a birthday cake for work. I wanted to make something 'wow' and thought about a red velvet cake or a chocolate cake (always a favourite). I'd already made hummingbird cake and carrot cake earlier this year. In the end, I settled for a simple yet delicious lemon cake - another favourite flavour. Sometimes simple is best. The cake rose beautifully and it tasted light and citrusy. Definitely one to make again and again. 

cake mix 

Do you like my decorations? :) 

For the cake

225g golden caster sugar

225g self-raising flour, sifted

1.5 teaspoons baking powder

25g cornflour

225g unsalted butter, at room temperature

4 large eggs

grated zest and juice of 2 large juicy lemons (otherwise use 3 lemons) 

Lemon Buttercream icing

110g unsalted butter

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Grated zest of 1-2 unwaxed lemons (you need 2 teaspoons) 

500g icing sugar, sifted

• Preheat the oven to 170c.
• Grease and line two 20cm cake tins.
• Cream the butter and sugar in a bowl until the mixture is smooth and pale.
• Combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
• Add the eggs to the creamed mixture, one at a time, mixing for a few minutes after each addition, alternating the dry ingredients, and finally the grated zest and lemon juice. 
• Beat well after each addition, but again do not overbeat. 
• Divide the mixture evenly between the tins and bake in the oven for about 25 minutes until raised and golden brown. 
• Insert a skewer into the centre of one of those cakes - it should come out clean if it is cooked. 
• Remove from the oven and leave the cakes in their tins for about 10 minutes before turning out on to a wire rack to cool. 
• Peel the greaseproof paper from the bases of the cakes. 
• Once they are cool, sandwich the layers together with lemon buttercream icing and cover the top of the cake with more.
• Decorate with sugared lemon slices or sugar flowers or both. 

Chocolate Cupcakes

Finally a recipe that is not from the hummingbird bakery cookbook but from another favourite, 'Cupcakes from the Primrose Bakery'.  I have not made cupcakes for a long time and decided on these chocolate ones. They are certainly worth the effort of making it and the icing is to die for! It had to be chocolate icing on chocolate cake for me :) I only made 1/2 the recipe which yielded 9 cupcakes and managed to eat most of them myself! 

chocolate mixture 

egg whites

ready to go in the oven 

fresh from the oven 

I tried 2 different piping techniques 

ran out of gold stars! 

Makes 18 cupcakes

115g good quality dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids) 

85g unsalted butter, at room temperature

175g soft brown sugar

2 large eggs, free range or organic, separated

185g plain flour, sifted

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

pinch of salt

250ml semi-skimmed milk, at room temperature

1 teaspoon good quality vanilla extract

Chocolate buttercream icing 

175g good quality dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids) 

225g unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 tablespoon semi-skimmed milk, at room temperature

1 teaspoon good quality vanilla extract

250g icing sugar, sifted 

For the cupcakes

• Preheat the oven to 170C.
• Break the chocolate into pieces and melt (In a microwave or in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water).
• Stir occasionally until it has completely melted and is quite smooth. Leave to cool slightly. 
• In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until the mixture is pale and smooth, which should take 3-5 minutes using an electric hand mixer. 
• In a separate bowl  and with clean beaters, beat the egg yolks for several minutes. 
• Slowly add the egg yolks to the creamed mixture and beat well. 
• Next, add the melted chocolate to the mixture and beat well. 
• Combine the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt in a separate bowl. 
• Put the milk in a jug and add the vanilla extract to it.
• Add one-third of the flour to the chocolate mixture and beat well. 
• Pour in one-third of the milk and beat again.
• Repeat these steps until all the flour and milk have been added. 
• In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks start to form. 
• Carefully add the egg whites into the batter, using a metal spoon. 
• Do not beat or you will take all the air out of the mixture. 
• Carefully spoon the mixture into the cupcake cases, filling them to about two-thirds full.
• This is a fairly liquid batter, so take care when spooning out.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. 
• Remove from the oven and leave the cakes in their tins for about 10 minutes before carefully placing on a wire rack to cool.
• Once they are completely cool, ice the cupcakes with buttercream icing.

For the icing

• Melt the chocolate until smooth (In a microwave or in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water).
• Leave to cool slightly. 
• In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, milk, vanilla and icing sugar until smooth - this can take several minutes with an electric hand mixer. 
• Add the melted chocolate and beat again until thick and creamy. 
• If it looks too runny to use when trying to ice cupcakes or cakes, simply keep beating - this will thicken the icing and improve its consistency. 

Oat and Raisin Cookies

Even more from the hummingbird bakery cookbook... oat and raisin cookies. Simple and delicious.

cream butter and sugars 

add flour mixture and oats 

270g unsalted butter, at room temperature

160g caster sugar

160g soft dark brown sugar

2 eggs

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

380g plain flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

110g rolled oats

220g raisins 

• Preheat the oven to 170C
• Put the butter and sugars in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use an electric handwhisk) and cream until light and fluffy. 
• Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well and scraping any unmixed ingredients from the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula after each addition. 
• Turn the mixer down to slow speed and beat in the vanilla extract. 
• Sift together the flour, salt, bicarbonate of soda and cinnamon in a separate bowl, add the oats and mix well. 
• Add to the butter mixture and beat until well mixed.
• Stir in the raisins with a wooden spoon until evenly dispersed. 
• Arrange equal amounts of cookie dough on the prepared baking trays. 
• Make sure that the cookies are spaced apart to allow for spreading while cooking. 
• Bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes, or until golden brown and firm.
• Check them regularly to make sure they are not burning. 
• When you are happy tat they are cooked through, remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly on the trays before turning out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely. 

Double Chocolate Cookies

Yet another recipe from the hummingbird bakery cookbook. These are definitely for the choc-a-holics amongst us :) 

melt butter and chocolate 

the batter is quite runny but don't worry it will set

50g unsalted butter

450g dark chocolate, roughly chopped

2 eggs

170g light brown sugar or light muscovado sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

85g plain flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• Preheat oven to 170C
• Put the butter and half the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. 
• Leave until melted and smooth. 
• Put the eggs, sugar and vanilla extract in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld whisk) and beat until well mixed. 
• Pour in the chocolate mixture, beating on slow speed until well combined. 
• Sift the flour, salt and baking powder into a separate bowl, then stir into the chocolate mixture in 3 additions., mixing well after each addition (scrape any unmixed ingredients from the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula)
• Finally, stir in the remaining chocolate until evenly dispersed. 
• Arrange 6 equal amounts of cookie dough on each prepared baking tray. 
• Make sure that the cookies are spaced apart to allow for spreading while baking. 
• Bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, checking regularly after 10 minutes.
• They are ready when the tops start to crack and look glossy. 
• Leave the cookies to cool slightly on the trays before turning out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.