Madeira cake

The Madeira cake dates back to an old english recipe in the 18th century. It is similar to an american pound cake or yellow cake.  Many people mistakenly believe that this originates from the island of Madeira but in fact it got its name because it used to eaten with Madeira wine which was very popular in 18th century.  It is now more often served as part of afternoon tea.

Watch a video of how to make this cake:

Ingredients 

240g unsalted butter at room temperature 

200g caster sugar
3 eggs
zest and juice of one lemon
220g self raising flour
80g plain flour

Equipment Required

large bowl

electric mixer

loaf tin
greaseproof paper

Preheat the oven to 170 degrees centigrade on a conventional setting (or 160 on a fan setting) (360 fahrenheit or gas mark 5).  First cream together the butter and sugar until light and creamy.  Add the lemon zest and mix together.  Then add the eggs one at a time and add a small amount of flour with each egg to stop the mixture form curdling.  Once all mixed, add flour and mix together (ideally manually rather than using the mixer).Finally add the lemon juice.  Spoon the mixture into the tin and then sprinkle a tablespoon of caster sugar on the top.  

Bake for amount an hour until a skewer comes out clean.  Leave to cool in the tin and then turn out on to a wire rack to cool.

Halloween Cupcakes

As it is nearly halloween I thought I would add a recipe and a few ideas for some fun halloween cupcakes.

I have just given a basic recipe and some ideas for toppings but i am sure that you are more creative than me!

Halloween Cupcakes www.howtomakecakes.co.uk

Halloween Cupcakes www.howtomakecakes.co.uk

Halloween Cupcakes www.howtomakecakes.co.uk

Halloween Cupcakes www.howtomakecakes.co.uk

Watch a video of how to make this cake and decorate them:

Ingredients for the cupcakes

120g unsalted butter at room temperature 

400g caster sugar
360g plain flour
1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
350ml milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Ingredients for the buttercream

100g unsalted butter at room temperature 

200g icing sugar
2 tablespoons boiling water
food colouring as required

Other ingredients
fondant icing
piping icing
anything else you want to use to be creative!

Equipment Required

large bowl

electric mixer

cupcake cases

cupcake tin

Preheat the oven to 190 degrees centigrade (or 360 fahrenheit or gas mark 5).  First mix together the butter, caster sugar, flour, salt and baking powder with an electric mixer until it is a breadcrumb type consistency.  Add the eggs into the milk with the vanilla essence and lightly whisk together in a separate bowl. Add about three-quarters of this to the breadcrumb mixture and beat together and then add the rest of the milk mixture and mix until a smooth batter.

Put the cupcake cased into the bun tin and fill about two-thirds full with the mixture.

Bake in the oven for around 15-20 minutes (not on the fan setting) unit springy to the touch and starting to lightly brown. 

Leave them to cool for a few minutes in the tin and then put on a cooling rack to cool completely before adding any topping. 

To make the buttercream first beat the butter with an electric mixer to soften. Then add the icing sugar and boiling water and carefully mix together until creamy and smooth.  Split between bowls to add different colours as required.

Please see the video for ideas of how to decorate using simple approaches that you can get the kids to help you with. The decoration approaches are:
(1) Creating a spiderweb with buttercream icing and piping icing.
(2) Using fondant icing to create words and pictures.
(3) Piping words onto the buttercream icing.

Sticky Toffee Squares

These toffee squares are a 'traybake' with a nice sticky syrup on the top.  the sponge is made with dates in which makes it moist and sticky.

Watch a video of how to make this cake:

Ingredients for the sponge

90g unsalted butter at room temperature 

140g caster sugar
180g pitted dates, chopped
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
175ml boiling water
1 egg
180g self raising flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Ingredients for the toffee sauce

85g light soft brown sugar
40g butter
2 tablespoons of cream or full fat milk

Equipment Required

large bowl

electric whisk

sieve

saucepan

8-inch square tin

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees centigrade (or 350 fahrenheit or gas mark 5).  First put the dates, boiling water and bicarbonate of soda in a saucepan and gently heat for 5 minutes.

While that is cooking put the butter and sugar in a  large bowl and beat together using an electric whisk until light and fluffy. Then add the egg and vanilla extract and add the cooked date mixture and beat beat together.

Sift the flour and fold this into the mixture so that it is totally absorbed.  Pour into a greased 8inch by 8inch cake tin.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 - 40 minutes (not on the fan setting) until the sponge is springy to the touch. Be careful to check after 30 minutes and not to overcook it.

When the cake is cooked make the toffee sauce.  Put all the ingredients for the sauce into a saucepan and put on a low heat to melt.  While this is happening prick the sponge with a fork or cake tester for the sauce to absorb in.  Once the sauce is melted down pour it over the sponge so that it is evenly spread. Some will absorb in and some will sit on the top.  

Leave it to cool in the tin and then cut into squares.

Cherry Madeleines

Madeleines are made using a delicate Genoise sponge. This produces a light sponge which comes from the way the eggs and sugar are whisked together over a gentle heat.  The sponge can collapse easily and to make it a little more robust, cornflour is added.


It is believed that Madeleines date back to the 18th century and that they originate from the Lorraine district of France.  They are traditionally shell shaped and could be named after Madeleine Palmier who was pastry chef Louis XV's  Father-in-law, Stanislaw Leszczynski, King of Poland and Duke of Lorraine.

Watch a video of how to make this cake:

Ingredients

65g unsalted butter

65g plain flour

1.5 teaspoons cornflour

2 eggs

65g caster sugar

0.5 tsp vanilla extract

30g glace cherries

Equipment Required

large bowl

electric whisk

sieve

saucepan

madeleines tin

First melt the butter in a small saucepan and leave to cool.

Then put the eggs, sugar and vanilla extract in a large bowl and place over a pan of simmering water.  Whisk the mixture using an electric whisk until the mixture is thick, pale and has tripled in volume.  It should leave a thick trail as it drops off the whisk.  Remove from the heat and continue to whisk for another couple of minutes until the mixture is cool.

Sift the flours twice and then a third time into the mixture and gently fold it in using a 'figure of eight' movement.  When it is nearly blended pour the cooled butter down one side of the bowl and blend it into the mixture. Then gently stir in the glace cherries.

Spoon the mixture gently into the holes of the tin and fill to the top and then bake at 190 degrees Celsius (375 Fahrenheit or Gas Mark 5) for 10 - 12 minutes.  The cakes should be springy and golden.  

Allow them to cool for a couple of minutes in the tin before turning out onto a wire rack to cool.  Dust with icing sugar before serving.

Variations - rather than using glace cherries you could add a tablespoon of cocoa to make chocolate madeleines or add 20g of orange zest and a tablespoon or orange juice for orange madeleines.

Chocolate cake with fudgey chocolate buttercream

I have had a chocolate cake recipe on here for a while but had not recorded a video.  I got quite a few emails asking for a video so I have updated the recipe and recorded the video below. It is an easy all-in-one sponge mixture and the buttercream has melted chocolate in it which makes it really tasty and creamy and you don't get that bitter cocoa taste you get if you just make buttercream with icing sugar and cocoa.

Here is a video of how to make the cake

Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

200g self raising flour
40g cocoa
1.5 tsp baking powder
200g light muscavado sugar
200g softened butter (at room temperature)
4 eggs
1.5 tsp vanilla extract
60g dark chocolate 

Equipment Required
Large bowl
Electric whisk 
2 8" sandwich tins
sieve
bowl for meting chocolate
saucepan

Put the chocolate in a bowl that fits neatly on top of a saucepan of simmering water and melt the chocolate. While it is melting put everything else into a bowl and when the chocolate is melted add that too. Whisk everything together until it is smooth and combined. If the mixture still seems very stiff then add a couple of tablespoons of milk and whisk again.

Grease the sandwich tins (ideally put some greaseproof paper on the bottom) and then split the mixture between the two tins. Spread evenly but try not to really push the mixture down in the tin and it will make it less light and springy when it cooks. Bake in the oven at 180 degrees Celsius (if you have a fan oven and can turn the fan off then do that - use the normal oven setting). It should take around 30 minutes to cook but check it after 25 and if it is springy then take it out. Leave it to cool for 5 minutes in the tin and then turn out in to a cake rack. Allow to cool completely before adding the buttercream.

Ingredients for chocolate buttercream

200g butter (softened)

200g icing sugar

200g dark chocolate

Equipment required

Large mixing bowl

Saucepan

Bowl for melting chocolate

Electric whisk or wooden spoon

Melt the chocolate over a pan of simmering water as you did for the cake. While it is melting whisk the butter for about 15 seconds and then add the icing sugar and whisk with the butter. Then add the chocolate and whisk again. The buttercream should look creamy and light.

Choose the sponge that has the flattest top and keep it to one side. Put half the buttercream on the other sponge (on the side that was the base) and then put the other one on top. Then carefully spread the rest of the buttercream on top of the other sponge trying not to move it around too much or putting too much pressure on the cake otherwise the buttercream in the middle will come out. You could add the buttercream to the top of the top sponge before sandwiching it on the other - you just have to be careful when picking it up to put it on top.

Christmas cake (with some added chocolate!) - Part 2 (marzipan and icing)

Hopefully you have made my Christmas cake (with some chocolate added) and I will now explain how to marzipan and ice the cake. 


I like to use royal icing as I think this is much nicer than fondant icing - it sets hard and has a much nicer meringue-like taste.  


The traditional way to make royal icing is to use egg whites but some people are concerned about using raw eggs, and therefore meringue powder is a suitable substitute which is what I use on my cake.  I have however included both recipes below.

To watch a video showing you to how to marzipan and ice the cake please watch the video below:

Equipment required

Electric mixer

Large bowl

First marzipan the cake.  I have used ready rolled shop-bought marzipan but if you want to make your own marzipan you can see my recipe in my Battenburg cake recipe.  Warm two tablespoons of apricot jam and then pass through a sieve.  Brush this all over the top and sides of the cake and then put the marzipan on the top and carefully flatten around the sides.  If you have an icing smoother use this to help smooth the marzipan and cut the marzipan where there are folds.

Royal icing using egg whites

2 egg whites

1tsp lemon juice

500g icing sugar

Mix the lemon juice with the egg whites in a large bowl and add a quarter of the icing sugar and mix well using an electric whisk or wooden spoon.  Keep adding the rest of the icing sugar a quarter at a time and mix each time.  The mixture will become thick and spreadable.

Royal icing using meringue powder

3 tablespoons meringue powder

500g icing sugar

1/2 tsp lemon juice 

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

120ml - 180ml warm water

Sieve the icing sugar into a large bowl and mix in the meringue powder.  Then mix the lemon juice and vanilla extract into the water and add most of the water to the icing sugar.  Start mixing together with a spoon and then use an electric whisk to mix the icing for a fe minutes.  The icing will become glossy and thick - so that if you turn the bowl upside down it won't fall out.  Add more water is required.

As soon as the icing is mixed start by spreading it on the top of the cake with a pallette knife and then cover the sides until all the marzipan is completely covered and you have a nice thick layer of icing.  You may want to smooth the icing completely or create a 'snowy' effect or pipe more icing.  

Once covered leave to set - it will take a few days to completely harden and keep the cake is an airtight tin until Christmas!

Christmas cake (with some added chocolate!) part 1

Christmas Cake before decorating



Christmas Cake before Decorating

Although I like a traditional Christmas cake I decided to try a recipe adding some chocolate and not using too much alcohol.  I think this has the right combination of tradition and some added flavours to make it a more modern cake.  I will add a blog shortly on how to marzipan and ice the cake but this will show you who to make the fruit cake.
 To watch a video showing you to how to make the cake please watch the video below:

Equipment required

8 inch deep cake tin
Greaseproof paper

Food processor
Large bowl

Christmas fruit cake

375g sultanas
200g currants
175g raisins
150g mixed peel
150g glace cherries
150ml brandy
350g unsalted butter (at room temperature)
200g dark chocolate

300g dark muscovado sugar

4 eggs
300g plain flour

2tsp mixed spice
1.5tsp cinnamon
zest of one lemon
juice of three lemons

Preheat the oven to 150 degrees centigrade (300 fahrenheit or gas mark 2) and line the deep cake tin with  greaseproof paper with enough paper so that it stands above the side of the tin.


Put the chocolate in a bowl and put over a pan of simmering water in order to melt the chocolate.


While the chocolate is melting, beat together the butter and sugar on a high speed until light and fluffy.  Add the melted chocolate and beat together on a slow speed and then add the eggs one at a time.  Before adding the final egg add one tablespoon of flour to stop the mixture from splitting.  Once mixed together, sift and add the flour, mixed spice and cinnamon together with the lemon zest and lemon juice.  Mix together until thoroughly mixed.  If using a food processor remove the bowl and do the rest by hand.  Add all the dried fruit, mixed peel and glace cherries and stir together.


When all mixed together pour the mixture into the deep cake tin.  Make a small well in the middle of the cake to stop the centre rising and ensuring a flat top.  Cover the top with a disc of greaseproof paper to stop the top from burning and cook for 3.5 to 4 hours.  Test it is cooked by inserting a skewer or sharp knife that should come out clean.


Allow to cool in the tin and then turn out on to a wire reach to cool.  Wrap in cling film or foil and keep in an airtight tin until ready to be decorated.  Feed it once a week with a little brandy but putting small holes in the cake and pouring over a couple of teaspoons of brandy.


Click here to go to the posting on how to decorate this cake with marzipan and icing.