Coca cola cake

I love it when a birthday comes in the family (obviously the most when it's mine) because it gives me an excuse to get my bake on. And as it was my mothers birthday I thought only except able to make the biggest chocolate cake I know. I decided on a chocolate coca cola cake, the tastiest chocolate cake I know. The extra coca cola makes a moist and delicious cake.

Ingredients For the cake

250g Self raising flour

300g Golden caster sugar

3 Heaped tbsp cocoa

Generous pinch bicarbonate of soda

250g Butter

250ml Coca cola

125ml Milk

2 Eggs beaten

1 Tsp Vanilla extract

For the Icing

100g Butter

2 Tbsp Coca cola

2 Tbsp Cocoa

200g Icing sugar

1. Pre heat the oven to 180 degrees.

2. Sift all of the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl and combined.

3. Melt the butter in a pan the pour in the cocoa cola, on a gentle heat but don't let boil. Then add to the dry mixture.

4. Also mix in the milk, eggs and vanilla and combined all together gentle but thoroughly.

5. Pour the mixture into a well greased and floured removable bottoms tin. Bake for about 50mins or until firm and no loose mixture if skewered inserted in the centre.

6. While cooking make the icing, put the butter cocoa cola and cocoa in a pan and melt slowly. Bring mixture to boil and then pour onto icing sugar. And combined well.

7. Once cooked bring out of the oven and leave to cool slightly for 15 mins.

8. Before completely cooled pour the icing over the cake. Then leave the cake to cool.

9. Slice and enjoy.

Banana and Butterscotch Pudding

I am finally home for Easter and can now bake lots again!

What is even better is that I have 4 weeks to bake with Imogen and we have some awesome things to make and decorate.

Today we had our own Mother's day seeing as we are now all home. We split the meals, my brother took on the brunch with eggs Benedict it was soooo good I wish he had made lots more! My sister made a seafood pasta for our main and I made the banana and butterscotch pudding. 

I followed a simple recipe on the internet, and really enjoyed making it as you think it shouldn't work but it does....I'll explain.

Ingredients 

For the banana cake:

120g plain flour

1 pinch salt

120g caster sugar

1 tbsp baking powder

1 banana, mashed

200ml milk

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 tsp vanilla extract

85g unsalted butter, melted

For the butterscotch sauce:

140g brown sugar

4 tbsp golden syrup

250ml water, boiling

1. My First step was to preheat the oven to 180C. Then sift the flour, salt, sugar and baking powder in a bowl.
2. Next add the banana, milk, egg, butter and vanilla and whisk together until everything is well combined. (Now i'm back home I get to use my mum's Kenwood Mixer!!)
3. Once combined, pour the mix into a greased dish a put aside.

4. The next job is the sauce, place the sugar syrup and water in a pan and bring to the boil. When it becomes runny and most of the sugar is dissolved, it's ready!

5. Here's the bit that makes you think, how does this work?!? Pour the sauce over the banana mixture, try pouring evenly around the entire dish and watch the butterscotch sink to the bottom.

6. Pop in the over and bake for approximately 35 minutes. 

When baked the pudding will be very hot because of the butterscotch sauce so be careful. This dish is best served straight out of the oven with vanilla ice-cream or custard.

As you break into the pudding, the banana bread should be light and steaming, with the bottom soaked in the sauce, fill each bowl and make sure you scoop the extra sauce in the bottom of the dish!!

Unfortunately within seconds this bake was almost gone, but i managed to save one picture for you, I promise I'll do better in the future, I know how important pictures are, I LOVE staring at food!!

(I know it looks a bit soggy but trust me the butterscotch is delicious!)

Enjoy...

Ginger Goodies

A classic for me is the good old ginger bread man. I got my recipe from Blue Peter years ago. And now I will show you a few I made earlier!
Going with my decorating theme, today was the first time I have completed the whole process of baking and decorating a ginger bread man - usually they are scoffed before they get anywhere near a piping bag!

Gingerbread Men

Ingredients for biscuits

250g Plain flour

100g Margarine

1 tsp orange juice

100g Brown sugar

2 tsps Ground ginger

1 tbsp Black treacle

1 tbsp Golden syrup

Ingredients for decoration

5 tbsp Icing sugar

1 tbsp water

Pink food colouring

Smarties (or chosen sweet)

1. Pre heat the oven to 180 degrees.

2. Weigh out the flour, margarine and orange juice, stir together.

3. When mixed add the sugar and ginger.

4. Put 2 table spoons into a cup of boiled water to warm.

5. Using the warmed spoons, add the golden syrup and black treacle and gradually stir in with your hands to form a stiffer mix.

6. Once combined form into a ball and place onto a lightly floured surface.

7. Roll out mixture to the thickness of 1cm or to your own choice depending on the texture of biscuit you desire. The thicker the softer.

8. Using chosen cutters cut out biscuits and place onto a grease proof paper lined tray.

9. Re roll the excess mixture. And cut out again. Try and use as much of the mixture as possible. ( fun tip, if you have kids let them try and making other objects with the left overs, my favourite used to be a snail simple and easily recognisable)

10. Cook in the Pre heated over for 10 mins

11. Once cooked bring out to cool. While cooling start on the icing.

12. Mix icing sugar in a bowl with water. Add extra if needed to make the correct consistency

13. Place cooled ginger bread men on a tray for decoration.

14. Simply pipe 2 white dots for eyes and 2 large dollops on the tummy for the buttons.

15. When all the white icing is done add a few drops of food colouring. Use this coloured icing to make a mouth on the face. And add the smarties onto the white dollops on the stomach.

Now enjoy these easy to make and personalised biscuits. Great for all ages. And the perfect ginger goody.

Although these are great for all ages another ginger treat enjoyed more by the adults are the ginger tray bakes. A more cakey product which can be enjoyed with a cup of tea or an after dinner treat warmed up served with ice cream

Ginger Tray Bake

Ingredients

175g Unsalted butter

150g Muscavado sugar

175g Golden syrup

2 large eggs beaten

225g Self raising flour

100g Wholemeal flour

2 tsp ground ginger

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Grease a deep square tin and Lin the base with greaseproof paper.

2. Place the butter, sugar and golden syrup in a sauce pan and heat gently, stirring until melted, remove from heat.

3. Beat in the eggs, flour and ground ginger, beat thoroughly to mix evenly.

4. Spoon the batter into the prepared tin and cook for 40-45 mins or until risen and firm to touch.

5. Allow to cool in the tray, the remove and cut into square.

6. Enjoy!

A yummy treat with a full ginger flavour. You could even add some decoration or icing to make it a more tempting snack.

Iced To Perfection

So I have never been to into decorating the goodies I bake. Souly because I am to desperate to get them in my stomach and the waiting for them to cool and then ice just takes much to long. But this weekend I was brought a decorating magazine. And now I am desperate to get icing.

I can not wait until the Easter holiday where some of the amazing looking treats in this magazine will be part of our mass bake. And by the end of 4 weeks hopefully they will look just as tasty as they do in the magazine.

There are examples of royals icing designs, biscuit treats, and even the extra decorations to add to your iced products. And the brilliance of this present is the freebies. A free cake stand, two butterfly cutters and some lovely pink glitter. All the things you need to make some good looking snacks.

 

Tarty Farty

When I was younger my love for puddings wasn't satisfied by yogurts any more. After a Sunday dinner, even though I had demolished a massive plate and probably about 4 Yorkshire puddings, I still needed more. I started to make crumbles. At the time still needed help with cutting the fruit and cooking it, but I was a dab hand at making the topping.

The fact I loved mixing these ingredients with my hand made me curious to see how I would be at making pastry and tarts.

I chose to make Mary's Tarte Au Citron

Ingredients

For the pastry:

175g Plain flour

100g Cold butter

25g icing sugar

1 large egg yolk

1 tablespoon icy water

For the Filling:

5 large eggs

125ml double cream

225g caster sugar

4 medium lemons, grated and juiced

My problem when it comes to cooking is my impatience, which makes its very funny that I enjoy making bread so much because they require the patience of a saint and as I worked through the recipe I learnt this was a timely feet .

1. Combine flour, butter and icing sugar with your hands. Once breadcrumbs consistency add the egg yolk and water. Keep mixing till a ball starts to form

2. Tip mixture onto a floured surface and knead the mixture in a ball 3 times to make it chill.

3. Leave to chill for 15 mins. (this is where my impatience comes through)

4. Now place your tin base on grease proof paper and roughly draw cut around so there is an outline for the shape you need to roll out the mixture.

5. With the tin bottom on the great proof paper bring the party mix out of the fridge and roll out to the shape of the roughly drawn circle.

6. Once rolled pull all edges into the middle and place the tin bottom in the tin. And pull the edges back out and push into the edges of the tin.

7. Leave to chill for 30 mins. ( great another wait)

8. While chilling per heat the oven at 200 degrees.

9. After its chilled blind bake for 12 to 15 mins or until the pastry is set.

10. Once cooked cut of the excess pastry. And then put back into the oven for a further 10mins.

11. For the filling break the eggs and whisk together. Then add the rest of the ingredients and whisk them all together. Transfer the mixture into a pourable jug.

12. Take pastry case out of the oven and leave to cool. Reduce oven temperature to 160 degrees.

13. When case is cooled transfer the mixture into the case.

14. Bake for 30 to 35 mins. Or until filling is cooked with a slight wobble in the middle.
15. Bring out of the oven, leave to cool.

16. Sprinkle with icing sugar or decorate as desired.

17. Cut and enjoy with ice cream or cream or however you desire.

This is such a lovely Tarte. But make sure you leave enough time to do all the steps without skipping any as they are vital to the final piece. Although it may hurt when you grate yourself then squeeze the lemon in the cuts this is a well worth trying Tarte.  

With enough lemon in it gives a delicious kick which works with the sweetness or the mixture.

Tips

•  Don’t cut off the excess pastry to early or the case will shrink.
•  Use a loose bottom tin
• When pouring in the mixture do it on or in the oven otherwise the mixture will spill during movement.
• This Tarte taste just as good days after so do not through away an left overs. Eat all!

Cupcake Combination

So cup cakes are the best thing when it comes to baking. You can start of simple, a little bit of vanilla, chuck in a sprinkle of cocoa. But adding a few simple and well-loved ingredients you can get some mouth-watering (the clique food adjective) baked wonders.
Everyone loves a good old Oreo, but how about crunching up a bunch and putting them in your mixture. They give a bit of texture, and a strong mix of vanilla and chocolate that you can't get just from adding the usual ingredients.

Ingredients

For the Cupcake:

100g Caster Sugar
100g Butter or Margarine
1Egg
100g Plain flour
Pinch or baking powder
6 Oreos crushed

My other recently found favourite which is a twist on the classic flavours. I found this recipe on a Waitrose recipe card (always check them out) and mixed the recipe slightly to make a simple but amazingly cheeky treat.

Ingredients

For the Cupcake:

100g Caster Sugar
100g Butter or Margarine
1Egg
100g Plain flour
Pinch or baking powder
1 tsp Vanilla extract
Tub of Nutella ( 1 small tsp per cake)

When making the cupcakes just add a dollop of Nutella onto your spooned out mixture in the cupcake cases then cover with a little bit more of the cupcake mix. The delight of this cupcake is the melt in the middle spread that you bight into when hot. And the lovely “hazelnutty” bite you get if snacking on them cold. It's just an easy to make melt in the middle cupcake!

Cupcake Crazy!!!

I have some very very exciting news! My amazingly talented baker and fab friend Imogen is going to join me in my blogging!!

That means double the stories and double the food!

I apologize for all of these !!!!!!!!
but it's very very exciting for me, and soon we will hopefully move on to setting up a mini bakery from out of our kitchen's to share our tasty treats with everyone.

She's ready to blog so next time you'll hear from her...........

Banana Cupcakes

Unfortunately I don't have a picture to show you what delicious healthy snack I made, but I did make something....and they are healthy but just as yummy!

My banana cupcakes turned out perfectly in my maker, and would work well as part of a breakfast in the mornings.

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes:

170g Wholemeal flour

20g honey

1 tsp baking powder

2 egg whites 

2 mashed (very ripe) bananas

I began by mixing the dry ingredients first; the flour and baking powder, i then added the mashed banana and mixed well, followed by the egg whites, and lastly the honey. No sugar and no butter needed!

It's that simple, mix it all together and pour into cupcake cases. I used my maker, but would suggest baking for about 20-25 minutes or until a cocktail stick comes out clean!

There are no pictures as due to the wholemeal flour they don't quit please the eye, but they are very yummy and good for you and definitely worth a go!! 

Healthy Eating

I know, it doesn't appeal to me either when the option of making amazingly yummy cupcakes is available!

But I feel I have been too naughty the past few weeks and now I regret it. So I won't be eating anything unhealthy until I break up for Eater-that's the 15th March, and even then cupcakes will be baked for your eyes and my friends only. I know I will be much happier once i'm eating more healthily. A little secret of mine... comfort food lasts an hour tops, but a deliciously cooked healthy meal will satisfy your tummy and your mind for a long time.

Tomorrow I start the day with a run before lectures start. Once the work is over I'll be off for a a spot of kayaking (my sport which I love!) so I will be busy. However, Wednesday looks good for some free time to whip up something delicious, I won't tell you what I'm doing now just in-case you are already put off by the word 'healthy', but come back Wednesday or Thursday to find out how I have begun my healthy streak!!

Vanilla Cupcakes!

As promised...here are my Vanilla Cupcakes!

I decided in the end I didn't want to cheat and so I made a small batch from scratch.

The small batch only made 6 cupcakes, the perfect amount for my brand new cupcake maker! Some may say that is cheating also, however I think it does the same trick as an oven, and it help me build on my collection of baking gadgets.

I decided not to follow any particular recipe as  the batch was so small. So instead I guesstimated what I though would be enough! They turned out a bit on the eggie side but I had no choice, it's either 1  egg or none. Being a student I'm also a yet to purchase any scales, so the measurements are based on whar I could use from my cupboard!

Ingredients

For the Cupcake:

1 egg

4 tbsp sugar

4 tbsp butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 mug plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tbsp milk

For the icing:

100g (roughly) butter

200g (roughly) icing sugar 

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp milk

This is my new cupcake maker from American Originals, I bough it for £25, I wanted to ensure it would do the job, so after searching threw reviews and comments I decided this one would be best even if it takes away from my food budget for this month!

Most recipes will tell you to mix the dry contents and wet contents separately (which I also recommend) however in this circumstance I was too keen to try out my icing gadgets and so I whacked it all in together and filled up the cupcake cases. 

While the cupcakes were in the maker, I cracked on with the icing, I first placed the butter in the bowl, making sure it was nice and soft, I then added the milk followed by some of the icing sugar.

After a couple of stirs I added a bit more, repeating until it was all in. 

Finally I added a drop of vanilla extract to create a buttery topping for the cakes.

As I didn't make much icing, I decided to also save my piping bag and use the plastic one that came with the maker. Although I'm yet to use the bag I would recommend that would be better, as this one was too small and didn't let out all the icing.

The actual icing of the cupcakes however was very easy, I started from the outside and worked my way into the middle, lifting up to finish it off.

And there you have it.... not the best cupcakes, and maybe more icing quantities would have allowed me to get a thicker texture on the butter-cream  But overall I am pretty pleased and can't wait to start making some really wacky cupcakes!

 

Vanilla Cupcakes and Peanut Butter Cups!

I have finally received all the gadgets needed to start some serious baking!

There are so many recipes I want to try, but first I am going to start off with some traditional Vanilla Cupcakes.

I know its cheating, but I really want to practice some icing techniques and so I will be using a mix for the sponge, but creating my own butter icing (with recipe attached ). The first thing I ordered was an icing kit from Tala. It includes 8 different nozzles for all sorts of shapes, so I am going to experiment a different design on each individual cupcake!

Whilst I have the spare time (only having one lecture on a Monday morning) I decided that I should make my own Peanut Butter Cups. They are so simple to make and don't involve any baking, but perfect for a little snack to share with course-mates  in between our busy work schedule on a Tuesday!

Both creations will be posted later today with pictures!!