Christmas Battenburg

This is not a simple cake to make but if you follow the instructions it is straightforward and the children love it

Equipment

 

20cm square tin - the tin size is very important to ensure you make a successful cake

1 piece of greaseproof paper

 

For the cake

• 175g/6oz softened butter plus extra for greasing
• 175g/6oz golden caster sugar
• 3 free-range eggs
• 175g/6oz self-raising flour
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• red  and green food colouring

For the covering

• 6 tbsp apricot jam
• 500g/1lb 2oz ready-made marzipan
• 2–3 tbsp icing sugar, for rolling.

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5.
2. Grease a 20cm/8in square cake tin with butter.
3. Take a 30cm x 20cm/12in x 8in strip of baking parchment and make a 8cm/3in fold in the centre. This will create a division in the cake so that the two differently coloured sponges can be cooked at the same time.
4. Line the tin with the baking parchment, keeping the division in the centre.
5. Put the butter, sugar, eggs, flour and vanilla in a bowl and beat with a mixer until thoroughly combined.
6. Transfer the batter to a bowl set on scales, remove half of the batter and put it in a different bowl.
7. Add half a teaspoon of of red food colouring to one bowl and fold it into the batter until it is well blended, then do the same with the green.
8. Spoon the cake batters into each side of the prepared tin and smooth the surface with the back of a spoon.
9. Bake in the centre of the oven for about 25 minutes, or until the sponges have risen. Cool in the tin for five minutes, then slide a knife around the outside of each sponge and turn them out onto a wire rack. If the sponges have risen unevenly, press the surface gently until level. Leave until completely cold.
10. To assemble the cake, first place one sponge on top of the other and trim off the crusty edges so they are both the same size. Cut the sponges in half lengthways to make four long rectangles.
11. Warm the apricot jam in a saucepan then press through a fine sieve.
12. Brush the long side of one of the sponges with jam and sandwich together with a sponge of a contrasting colour. Do the same with the other two sponges.
13. Sandwich the two pairs of sponges together like a checker board and brush the top and sides with jam.
14. Place the marzipan on a surface dusted with icing sugar and roll into a rectangle of about 40cm x 20cm/16in x 10in; it should be large enough to wrap the cake completely, leaving the ends exposed, and be about 5mm/¼in thick.
15. Turn the cake upside down on the marzipan and brush the underside of the sponges with jam.
16. Wrap the marzipan around the cake, pressing it gently onto the surface of the sponges, and press the edges together to make a firm join.
17. Turn back over with the seam underneath, trim a thin slice off each end and place on a serving plate.
18. Decorate with holly!

Crumble Mince Squares

These are a very simple yet credible alternative to the mince pie and so light and delicious.

Preparation time is 10 minutes and there is no need to make pastry its just crumble mix top and bottom with mince meat sandwiched in the middle.

Equipment

1 tin 28cm x 18cm (11" x 7")

Ingredients

10oz / 275g plain flour

2oz  / 60g  self raising flour

8oz  / 225g slightly salted butter

6oz / 175g caster sugar

1 jar mincemeat

Method

1. Preheat the oven to gas mark 5 / 375f / 190c

2. Grease the tin and line the bottom with greaseproof paper

3. Place the flours, butter and sugar in a large bowl and rub the fat into the flour using the tips of your thumbs and index fingers. The crumble should resemble course breadcrumbs.

4. Tip half of the crumble mix into the bottom of the tin and lightly press the mixture into the tin. pour over the mincemeat and spread evenly over the base. sprinkle over the remaining crumble mix and once again press down lightly and smooth the top.

5. Bake on the top shelf of the oven for 35 - 45 minutes.

6. Cool in the tin and slice into 24 squares, serve warm or cold dusted with icing sugar.

Muffin Challenge

Are you ready for the second challenge?

32 of you made a Lemon drizzle with excellent results so why not try making a muffin or 12?

This basic recipe can be made into Chocolate Chip, Christmas Spiced or Blueberry Muffins so choose your favourite and get baking!

Muffins are about combining the dry ingredients and then combining the wet ingredients and then adding them together and mixing quickly (not overworking) to combine.

Equipment you will need:

a 12 hole muffing tin (cup cake tin will do fine, I have a few if you would like to borrow one!)

Muffin cases

Bowl

Wooden spoon

Chocolate Chip Muffins

9 oz /250g  Plain flour

2.5 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoons bicarbonate of soda

4 oz / 100g caster sugar

7 fl oz / 200ml  Full fat milk

2.63 fl oz / 75ml Vegetable oil (or melted butter left to cool slightly)

1 egg

6oz / 175g cadbury's milk chocolate cut into small chunks

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6. Line a 12-bun muffin tin with muffin papers
2. Measure the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and caster sugar into a large bowl.
3. Measure the milk and oil (or slightly cooled, melted butter) and egg to the milk, and lightly beat until just combined.
4. Pour this liquid mixture into the bowl of dried ingredients and stir until everything is more or less combined, remembering that a well-beaten mixture makes for heavy muffins: in other words a lumpy batter is a good thing here.
6. Fold in the chocolate, then spoon the batter into the muffin cases. 

1. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.

Christmas Spiced Muffins

• 9 oz /250g  Plain flour
• 2.5 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
• 4 oz / 100g caster sugar
• 4.39 fl oz / 125ml  Full fat milk
• 2.63 fl oz / 75ml Vegetable oil (or melted butter left to cool slightly)
• 1 egg
• 6 oz / 175g dried cranberries
• 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon Ground nutmeg (or good grating of fresh nutmeg)
• 2 clementines (or satsumas)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6. Line a 12-bun muffin tin with muffin papers
2. Measure the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, caster sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg into a large bowl; grate the zest of the clementine/satsuma over (using the fine part of your cheese grater), and combine.
3. Squeeze the juice of the clementines/satsumas into a measuring jug, and pour in the milk until it comes up to the 200ml mark.
4. Add the oil (or slightly cooled, melted butter) and egg to the milk, and lightly beat until just combined.
5. Pour this liquid mixture into the bowl of dried ingredients and stir until everything is more or less combined, remembering that a well-beaten mixture makes for heavy muffins: in other words a lumpy batter is a good thing here.
6. Fold in the cranberries, then spoon the batter into the muffin cases. 
7. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.

Blueberry Muffins

Chocolate Chip Muffins

9 oz /250g  Plain flour

2.5 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoons bicarbonate of soda

4 oz / 100g caster sugar

7 fl oz / 200ml  Full fat milk

2.63 fl oz / 75ml Vegetable oil (or melted butter left to cool slightly)

1 egg

6oz / 175g blueberry's (make sure they are dry) 

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6. Line a 12-bun muffin tin with muffin papers
2. Measure the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and caster sugar into a large bowl.
3. Measure the milk and oil (or slightly cooled, melted butter) and egg to the milk, and lightly beat until just combined.
4. Pour this liquid mixture into the bowl of dried ingredients and stir until everything is more or less combined, remembering that a well-beaten mixture makes for heavy muffins: in other words a lumpy batter is a good thing here.
5. Fold in the blueberries, then spoon the batter into the muffin cases. 
6. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. 

Spiced Flapjacks

I am a believer that the humble flapjack shouldn't be played around with too much but adding a bit of ginger (thank you Sally Lockyer and not for the obvious reasons) and cinnamon adds a bit of warmth. I also think that if you overlook the buttery, syrupy parts with all of those oats in them they must be tremendously good for you!

150g butter
75g light soft  brown sugar
3 rounded tbsp Lyle's Golden Syrup
250g oats
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon


Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180C/160Cfan/ gas 4. Grease and line a shallow 20cm square tin with baking parchment.

2. Put the butter, sugar and Golden Syrup into a medium pan and gently heat until melted stir in the spices. 

3. Stir in the oats. Turn into the tin, level and press the mixture evenly and firmly with the back of a spoon. Bake for 25 minutes, or until just golden around the edges.

4. Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes then mark into 12 or 16 pieces whilst still warm. Cool completely before turning out onto a board and cutting again with a sharp knife.

Tip: Flapjacks will keep up to a week in an airtight container.

Lemon Drizzle Challenge

Thank you so much to everyone who took part in the challenge, 27 of you in all, it was an overwhelming success. We have made bakers of all of you, even those of you who have never baked anything before. here are some of the wonderful photo's that you posted on the what's not to love about baking facebook page.



Sue's beautifully dressed traditional
Lemon Drizzle and a crumble topped version



Bev's beautiful mini version sandwiched with lemon curd







  

 Some of the Children getting stuck in to the challenge!

 



First time baking in 30 years!



Gemma and the boys making their first successful cake ever!



Sandie and Oscar's delicious cake (I tasted it)
So Heather what have you done today to make you feel proud!!!!

 



Fiona Thomas looks lovely



Claire Cooper and family polised there's off nicely



Leigh's looks fab



Lydia got there in the end!



Team Conyards yummy succesful bake



Lucy took hers to family who had just had a baby 




 

Matt even made his own lemon curd!



10 year old Nicole made this fabulous cake, her brother marked her 5/5




 

Tonya's looks like sunshine on a plate!



Rufus looks like he enjoyed Lorna's cake made with dark soft brown sugar

 



OK so this is what you need to make your cake. The challenge has been set for the weekend of 17/18th November and there are lots of people taking part.

I will post step by step pictures and the method during the week.

Equipment

I x bowl

I x wooden spoon

I x tin mine is 22cm x 11cm but don't worry too much if yours is smaller then you will have more mixture to lick out the bowl and if it's bigger then make 1 and a half times the mixture.

A hand held electric mixer will really help if you intend to make an occasional cake. I found one is Argos for £5.97 http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/4219529.htm. Of course if you have a free standing mixer then you can and should use that instead.

You will also need a grater for the zest of the lemon but I forgot to put it in the photo!

Ingredients

5oz Self raising flour

4oz Soft margarine such as stork

4oz caster sugar

1 tablespoon (or 2 level dessert spoons) lemon curd

2 Large eggs

grated zest and juice of 1/2 a lemon

For the lemony crystallised topping

the grated zest and juice of the other half of the lemon

1 dessert spoon granulated sugar

Method



1. Preheat the oven to between gas 3 and 4 or 150c

2. Grease the inside of your tin with some of the stork on a piece of greaseproof or baking paper. Cut out a rectangle of baking paper and place it in the bottom of the tin so it doesn't stick.

3. Measure all of the ingredients carefully and place in a large bowl

4.Using an electric whisk (or a wooden spoon and lots of elbow grease) combine all of the ingredients until pale in colour and light and fluffy.

5.Spoon the prepared mixture into your lined tin, fill to a little over 3/4 full and smooth the top.

6.Put on a high shelf in the oven and bake for 4o minutes. Check the cake is ready by pressing the top lightly, if it springs back then the cake is ready, if not then put it back in for 5 minutes.

7. Whilst the cake is in the oven combine the topping ingredients.

 8. As soon as you remove the cake form the oven spoon over the topping making sure the whole cake is coated in a thin layer.

9.Leave to cool in the tin and then run a knife carefully around the edge of the tin, remove and serve sliced.

When you have made your cake take a picture of it and post it on my what's not to love about baking facebook page. Ask a family member or friend to rate it out of 5 for taste and texture and let us know the outcome.

1= yuck  2= alright  3= pretty good  4=rising star 5=blooming fantastic





Andy Wood's Chocolate Malteaser Cake

I made the cakes for this creation and my sister Ria decorted them. I use Peggy Porschen's chocolate cake recipe which is absolutley marvellous and works for any sized cake from cup cakes to big cutting cakes.

Peggy Porschen Chocolate Cake

This makes an 8" round cake or 20 - 24 cupcakes

125g plain chocolate (same as above) chopped or buttons

165ml milk

285g light brown sugar

105g unsalted butter, softened

2 large eggs

180g plain flour

pinch of salt

½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp bicarb of soda

8g cocoa powder

1. Pre heat your oven to Gas mark 3
2. Place the chocolate, milk, and half the sugar to a saucepan and gently bring to a boil while stirring.
3. Cream the butter and the remaining sugar until pale and fluffy.
4. Lightly beat the eggs together then slowly mix into the butter mixture. 
5. Sift all the dry ingredients together; then add to the butter mixture in two batches. Slowly mix until combined.
6. Again slowly add the hot chocolate mixture into the batter and mix. Scrape the bowl down with a spatula to make sure it’s well combined. If using for cupcakest ransfer to a measuring jug as the mixture is a batter. Pour into the cases until 2/3 full only and bake for 15 minutes.
7. For a big cake line the bottom and the sides of the tin with baking parchment. Pour the batter into the tim and bake in the oven for 55 - 65 minutes.

The Fabulous Funky Little Choir at Glastonbury

I love these guys.

I am in the third row chatting, not at all like me and Fiona's head far left appears to have turned into a microphone or some such device!

My Ella making some bread

Best to get them started early!

UK Handmade Winter Edition

http://ukhandmade.co.uk/magazine

This magazine is edited by my lovely friend Bebe Bradley and has some wonderfully creative contributors. If you take a peek at page 42 you will see my retro finger piece buffet recipes which were great fun to put together.

Sticky Toffee Apple Crumble

I made this as a bonfire night pudding but have decided that I will need to make it more than just once a year because it's super delicious. the caramel oozed over the top of the crumble making it even more toffified. It would be a sin not to serve this with custard.

Ingredients

For the toffee apples

• 100ml/3½fl oz water
• 225g/8oz granulated sugar
• 30ml/1fl oz golden syrup
• 30g/1oz unsalted butter
• 450g/1lb cooking apples, peeled, cored and sliced into wedges
• 450g/1lb eating apples, peeled, cored and sliced into wedges

For the crumble

• 150g/5oz plain flour
• 150g/5oz unsalted butter
• 150g/5oz demerara sugar

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
2. For the toffee apples, place the water and sugar into a saucepan and slowly bring up to the boil. Reduce the heat once the sugar has melted, add the syrup and butter and then bring up to the boil again, stirring constantly.
3. Turn down the heat, add the apples and cook, stirring gently, until just soft. Place into an ovenproof dish.
4. For the crumble, rub the flour, butter and sugar together in a bowl with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Spoon the crumble evenly over the toffee apple mixture and place in the oven to bake for 15 minutes, or until crisp and golden-brown.

Bonfire Night Cupcakes

I made these cupcakes using Jo Wheatley's recipe from her 'A passion for baking' book. I used yellow and orange butter icing together in a piping bag to get the flame effect. I cut our the flames from yellow fondant icing and piped around it in red and finished off the effect using orange matchmakers.

Whiz, bang cake pops

Cake pops make a fabulous children's party gift, favour or centre piece. These cake pops have red cake centres for an added wow factor.

I made these cake pops from a Victoria sponge recipe that I coloured red (add the colouring after you have added the eggs and before you add the flour).

Once baked and completely cool crumble the cake in your fingers or using a food processor until the cake resembles fine breadcrumbs. Mix in a half quantity of butter cream to cake until the mixture comes together and you can easily roll it into firm balls.

Take a tablespoon size scoop (30g) and form it into a ball and place them onto a sheet of greaseproof paper. refrigerate the balls for 3-4 hours. Meanwhile melt some candy melts, this should pour off of the spoon easily, if not then loosen with some vegetable oil. Remove the balls from the fridge and dip the end of the stick in the candy melt and stick into the cake balls.

Dip the cake pops into the candy melt until completely covered, tap off the excess and place the stick into either some polystyrene or some regalice to dry.

Decorate immediately with sprinkles, smarties and icing.

Keep refrigerated once covered and they will keep for a week.

Scones

This is a WI recipe that my Mum (the Queen of scones) gave me many years ago, I have been making yummy scones ever since. The key to a great scone is not to over work the dough and to make them on the day you eat them.

12oz Self raising flour
pinch of salt
2oz caster sugar
One handful of sultanas (optional)
2fl oz oil (sunflower, vegetable or corn)
6fl oz milk
1 egg

1. Pre heat the oven to gas mark 7
2. Place the flour, salt, sugar and sultanas if using in a bowl.
3. Carefully measure the oil in a measuring jug, measure the milk on top of the oil and then add the egg and  beat with a fork.
4. Add the liquid to the dry ingredients and bring together very lightly using a knife.
5. The mixture should be quite sticky so turn out onto a floured surface and gently roll to about 1inch or 3cm thick.
6. Using a round cutter dipped in flour to prevent it sticking to the dough (I use a 2 inch cutter but it is up to you what size you prefer), cut out your scones and place on a non stick baking tray. You can glaze the scones with egg wash, milk wash or if you prefer them rustic just leave them as they are.
7. Bake in the oven for approximately 10 minutes, keeping an eye on them remove when risen and golden brown.
8. Serve with home made strawberry jam, clotted cream and a pot of tea.

Celebration Cakes

My Friend's little boy Jo is obsessed with lego, I counted 9 new sets that he had for his birthday this week which should keep both him and his Mum busy for a while! We were all invited to his superhero adventure party which was lots of fun and very noisy, Jo loved his cake and added a few of his super hero friends for good measure.

I just baked 2 x 20cm square sponge cakes and cut them both in half and then one of the halves in half again. I sandwiched the cakes with butter icing and raspberry jam and covered them in regal ice, I used a 4cm round cutter for the circles. I measured and marked out the board and then used rolled out regal ice for the lego effect. my 6 year old son Robby cut out all of the circles. I would recommend making this cake as it is simple but effective.

I made this wedding cake for my lovely friends Nick and Fay, their reception was held at the Beach House on Mudeford spit amongst all of the beach huts.

The cakes were a mix of chocolate and vanilla sponge and I used soft brown sugar stuck on using a layer of butter cream and some softened raspberry seedless jam to get the sand effect.

This was last years school raffle prize, a round cake with a rolled sugar paste wrapped and draped to make it look like Santa's sack.

This 40th birthday cake for my husbands cousin was a replica (kind of) of his Porsche. I used a basic car tin with vanilla sponge and then carved it to make it look like this!

Bannana Bread

This is what I always must do with over ripe bananna's.

• 285g/10oz plain flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 110g/4oz unsalted butter
• 225g/8oz caster sugar
• 2 free-range eggs
• 4 ripe bananas, mashed
• 85ml/3fl oz buttermilk (or normal milk mixed with 1½ tsp lemon juice or vinegar)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
2. Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a large mixing bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
4. Add the eggs, mashed bananas, buttermilk and vanilla extract to the butter and sugar mixture and mix well. Fold in the flour mixture.
5. Grease a 20cm x 12.5cm/8in x 5in loaf tin and pour the cake mixture into the tin.
6. Transfer to the oven and bake for about an hour, or until well-risen and golden-brown.
7. Remove from the oven and cool in the tin for a few minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before serving
8. Serve sliced and spread with butter

This is a picture of Tatyana's banana bread that she made using this recipe. Tatyana is only 8  and she has made a splendid job, I think it's better than mine!