Strawberry Shortcake Cake

A very light lovely cake - made with fresh strawberries

For the Cake

1-1/2 cups cake flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup milk
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 large eggs at room temperature
1-1/4 cups sugar
fresh strawberries, halved, mixed with powdered sugar

For the Filling
2 cups cold heavy cream
½ cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 180 C

Lightly grease an 8 inch springform cake pan 

In a mixing bowl, sift cake flour, baking powder and salt until combined.

In a small saucepan heat milk and butter; bring to a boil.

Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and lemon juice.

In your mixer's bowl, combine eggs and sugar; beat until pale yellow, fluffy, and doubled in size.

With the mixer on, slowly pour in the milk mixture; mix until well incorporated.

Turn off mixer and gently fold in the flour mixture.

Spread the batter in the prepared pan and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean.

Remove from oven and set pan on a cooling rack.

Remove Cake from tin and cool completely

In the meantime, prepare the frosting.

In a mixing bowl, combine the whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla.

Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

When chilled, beat the mixture until stiff peaks form.

When cake is completely cooled, cut into 3 layers. 

Spread half of the whipped frosting over 1 of the cake layers.

Sprinkle some of the strawberries on top.

Repeat with second layer

Top with the last cake layer.

Spread the rest of the whipped frosting over the cake.

Top with fresh strawberries.  Brush with some melted strawberry jam

Chill cake for 1 hour.

Serve.

Velvet Chocolate Cheesecake

This is a time consuming cake / cheesecake so start well in advance.

You need to make the cheesecake base, ganache, cheesecake filling and a separate cake.  Then assemble it all - 

Crust Ingredients:

2 packets Oreo cookies, processed into crumbs including cream 

5 tbsp butter, melted and cooled

 

Filling Ingredients:

1 box cream cheese, at room temperature

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 large egg

Ganache Ingredients:

150 gms heavy cream

300 gms chocolate, finely chopped 

Make the cake: 

follow the recipe given here

Make the cheesecake base: 

To make the crust, preheat the oven to 180˚C. 

Butter a 8-inch springform pan and place it on a baking sheet. 

Combine the chocolate cookie crumbs and melted butter in a small bowl. Mix well to moisten all of the crumbs. Press into a thin layer covering the bottom and sides of the springform pan (at least 3 inches up the sides).

Make the ganache: 

Bring the cream to a simmer in a medium saucepan. 

Pour the cream over the chopped chocolate mix until a smooth ganache has formed. 

Pour 1/2 of the ganache over the bottom of the crust. 

Freeze the base until the ganache layer is firm. 

Keep balance ganache in reserve

Make the cheesecake filling: 

Using an electric mixer beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium-high speed until well blended. 

Add in the vanilla and beat until well incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. 

Beat in the egg.

Fold in the flour. 

Pour the filling over the cold ganache in the crust. 

Bake until the top is lightly browned, puffed and cracked at the edges, and the center moves only very slightly when the pan is lightly shaken, about 1 hour. 

Transfer to a wire cooling rack. 

Cool at room temperature for at least 30 minutes and then chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours

Assembling the cheesecake: 

Remove the cheesecake from the tin and transfer to a serving platter. 

From the remaining ganache, smear a thin layer on top of the cheesecake to help the cake adhere well

Place your cake layer on top of cheesecake

Decorate top of cake with balance ganache and some white chocolate

Strawberry Chocolate Chip Cake

Talk of being lazy.  I have not updated my baking on the blog for ages.  For one reason or the other the pics have been saved on my phone but not uploaded.  So here I am writing these out ---- before I get lazy again  

This is a great recipe if you are like me and buy strawberries in bulk.  Because the strawberries make this moist you will need to refrigerate it.  It tastes equally good cold.  You could make this with any fruit 

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 3 tbsp butter, softned
• 3 tbsp yogurt
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• chocolate chips - as much or little as you want.
• Strawberries, washed and halved

Method

• Line a 9" loose bottom or springform tin with butter paper,  Grease the sides and dust with flour
• Preheat the oven to 180C
• Sift the flour, baking powder and salt 
• Beat the sugar and butter in a separate bowl till light and fluffy
• Add in the yogurt beating till fully mixed
• Add in the egg and vanilla and beat again.
• Mix in the milk.
• Fold in the flour, carefully making sure not to overmix
• Fold in half the choco chips keeping some for the top
• Pour into prepared cake tin and arrange the strawberries on top.
• Sprinkle balance choco chips between the strawberries.
• Bake the cake for 45 mins or till done.
• Remove from oven and let cool in the cake tin.
• Remove from tin once cooled.

Tea Party

This tea party happened in Jan this year so you can see how late I am with posting.


PEANUT BUTTER BANANA MUFFINS - 
Adapted from Rachel Allens recipe available here

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
For recipe go here

Lemon Tarts 

Linzer Cookies
For recipe go here

Red Velvet Cupcake
For recipe go here

CUCUMBER CHEESE SANDWICHES

Marmalade Orange Chiffon Cake

The flavour of Oranges with the lightness of air - made with oil which keeps cake soft even when in the refrigerator

3 eggs 

115 gms flour

125 gms castor sugar  + 25 gms castor sugar

1/2 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

60 ml sunflower oil

60 ml freshly squeezed orange juice

1 tbsp grated orange rind 

Separate egg yolks and white.  Do this with cold eggs and leave to come to room temp.

Beat egg whites till soft peaks.  Slowly add in, a tablespoon at a time, of the 25 gms sugar.  Beat until stiff peaks.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

Add in the egg yolks, oil, orange juice and rind.

Mix well till incorporated.  I use a hand mixer for this.

Slowly fold in the egg whites, using a whisk, ensuring you don't overbeat and deflate them.

Pour into a lined 12 cm tin and bake at 170 C for 55 mins

Leave to cool in pan for 5 mins then upturn and cook on a wire tray.

Glaze the top with melted marmalade.

Fudge cake

My favourite and tried tested Fudge cake also called Devils food cake or mud cake.   You cannot go wrong on this one, even if you have never baked before.

To prepare mould take 2 tbsp melted butter and 2 tbsp cocoa powder and make a paste of it.  Brush the mould with this and your cake will not stick

1.5 cups flour

1.5 cups castor sugar

1.5 tsp baking soda

0.5 cup cocoa powder

Mix all and keep aside

1 cup milk

2 tbsp malt vinegar

Mix in a glass bowl and leave to thicken

Add

2 eggs  + 1 cup oil +thickened milk

To the dry ingredients and mix till moistened, with a spoon

Beat with an egg beater for 2 minutes.

Pour into a prepared tin and bake at 180C

for 35 minutes.

Mix will be more liquid than normal cakes but that is correct so don't worry.

Drizzle with chocolate ganache

Crumb Cake

A cup of Tea and a beautiful cake - what more could you ask for.  

This crumb or coffee cake - I don't drink coffee hence the change in name - is a light butter cake with an extremely moist crumb.  The texture comes from using buttermilk alongwith baking soda and baking powder. 

The cake is topped with a mixture of brown sugar, chocolate chips, pecan nuts which gives it the crunch element.

It is extremely delicious served warm from the oven with your cup of tea or coffee.

A must try for all :)

Ingredients

Crumb Layer

• 100 gms walnuts or pecans
• 55 gms brown sugar
• a handful of chocolate chips - white or chocolate
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
• 1 tbsp flour

Cake

• 215 grams flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 110 grms butter, room temperature - I used Amul so did not add salt
• 200 grams castor sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 180 ml plain yogurt or buttermilk 

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.
2. Butter a 9" pan. Line the bottom of the pan with a circle of paper.

1. Chop the nuts coarsely. 
2. In a bowl, stir together the nuts, brown sugar, chocolate chips, ground cinnamon and flour. 
3. Keep aside.

1. In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda
2. Using a hand mixer, beat the butter until softened. 
3. Gradually add the sugar and continue to beat until pale and fluffy. 
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. 
5. Beat in the vanilla extract. 
6. Using the mixer on low, add the flour mixture and yogurt alternatively, starting and ending with the flour. 
7. Do not overbeat but mix only until combined.
8. Spoon half of the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top.
9. Sprinkle half of the crumb mix on  the batter. 
10. Cover this with the remaining batter and then sprinkle with the remaining crumb topping. 
11. Bake for about 40 - 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. 
12. Serve warm or at room temperature with a nice cup of tea.

Boston Cream Pie

A Pie which is not a pie but a cake.  A total misnomer but a delicious light cake.  Its actually a sponge cake filled with vanilla cream and then covered with a chocolate ganache. 

Recipe

Sponge cake

• 100 gms flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 120 gms sugar
• 4 eggs - separated
• vanilla extract

1. Sift the flour and baking powder and keep aside.
2. Grind the sugar to make powdered sugar.  Sift to ensure there are no lumps
3. Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.  Gradually beat in the castor sugar, till you achieve stiff glossy peaks.
4. Add in the egg yolks and extract, beating well.
5. Fold in the flour, in three lots, taking care not to deflate the mixture.
6. Pour into a lined, dusted 9" dish and bake for 30 mins at 170 C or till skewer inserted in centre comes out clean.
7. Turn onto a wire rack and leave till cool

Pastry Cream

• 3 egg yolks
• 50 gms sugar
• 300 ml milk
• 20 gms cornflour
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Beat the egg yolks and sugar till light and creamy
2. Add in the flour and stir to make a paste.
3. Bring the milk just to boil.
4. Pour milk into the egg, sugar, flour mix, whisking all the while to ensure egg does not curdle.
5. Put this mix back on the heat and cook on low till it becomes thick and coat the back of a spoon.
6. Remove and cool.  Add extract once it comes to room temperature.
7. Cover and keep in the refrigerator to cool.

Chocolate Ganache

• 100 gms chopped chocolate
• 100 gms cream
• 1 tbsp butter

1. Heat butter and cream together till warm and butter melts.
2. Pour over the chopped chocolate and stir to mix all.
3. Keep to cool to room temperature.

Assembling.

1. Split the cooled cake into three layers.
2. Place the top layer on the bottom and spoon the center with some of the pastry cream
3. Cover with 2nd layer and repeat.
4. Cover with the 3rd layer and pour ganache on the top.  I just let it drip down the sides.

Since this is a sponge cake and is not soaked in any liquid, its best eaten fresh the same day.

Lemon Surprise

Lemon Surprise or Lemon Sponge Pudding has a wonderful feature.  It looks like a sponge cake but when you dig into it you find a curd like texture on the inside.  The outer layer is like a light airy sponge cake and the inner a tangy lemon sauce.  Research points the reason for this to the higher content of liquids.  This is a perfect dessert for summer

Recipe

170 gms + 30 gms sugar

60 gms butter softened

3 eggs, separated

1 tsp vanilla essence

zest of 1 lemon

40 grams flour

pinch of salt

80 ml lemon

240 ml milk 

 

Preheat oven to 160 C.

Butter six ramekins or other heatproof bowls.

Beat 170 gms sugar with butter until light and fluffly.

Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well. Mix in vanilla

Toss the lemon zest with the flour and salt 

Add to the butter, egg mix and beat until combined. 

Beating on lowest speed, pour in the lemon juice and milk. Keep aside

Beat the egg whites until frothy. 

Gradually add the 30 gsm of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. 

Fold the egg whites into the lemon batter, mixing only until incorporated.

Pour the batter into the prepared ramekins. 

Place the ramekins in a larger baking pan 

Carefully pour in enough hot water so that the water is halfway up the sides of the ramekins.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until the sponge cakes are golden brown 

Remove the ramekins from the water bath immediately and cool slightly before serving.