Apricot Upside Down Cake

Ingredients
Topping
100 g unsalted butter
12 Apricots halved and stoned
1 Juice and zest Lemon
1 cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Cake
100 g unsalted butter
1 cup caster sugar
4 Eggs seperated
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1¼ cups Plain Flour
2 teaspoons Baking powder

Method :
Topping


1.To make the topping, place the butter, sugar and lemon juice in a non-stick frying pan, with a metal handle over medium heat and melt.

2.Cook gently for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Increase heat and boil remaining liquid in the pan for 5 more minutes until a rich caramel forms.

3.Remove from the heat and arrange apricots face down in the pan.

Cake
1.To make the cake, preheat the oven to 180C.

2.Place butter and sugar in a bowl and cream until light and fluffy.

3Add egg yolks one at a time, beating after each addition. Add vanilla.

4..Gently fold in the sifted flour and baking powder.

5.In a small, clean, dry bowl; beat egg whites until stiff. Fold through cake mixture with a large metal spoon. Spoon evenly over the apricots and smooth with a spatula.

6.Bake cake for 45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake - comes out clean.

7.Remove cake from the oven and leave in the pan for 5 minutes.

8.Turn cake over onto serving plate and serve.

Angel Food Cake

INGREDIENTS
1 1/4 cups cake flour
1 3/4 cups white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups egg whites
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

DIRECTIONS
Beat egg whites until they form stiff peaks, and then add cream of tartar, vanilla extract, and almond extract.
Sift together flour, sugar, and salt. Repeat five times.
Gently combine the egg whites with the dry ingredients, and then pour into an ungreased 10 inch tube pan.
Place cake pan in a cold oven. Turn the oven on; set it to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Cook for about one hour, or until cake is golden brown.
Invert cake, and allow it to cool in the pan. When thoroughly cooled, remove from pan

Simple orange cake

Ingrediants :-
125gm butter
1/4 cup sugar 
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup orange juice1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 eggs
1 cup flour
3 tbsp custard powder
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon orange zest


icing
1/3 cup melted butter
1 1/2 cup icing sugar
2 tbsp orange juice
1/2 teaspoon orang zest
Method:-
1. Preheat oven to 180 degree
2. cream butter sugar salt and vanilla until light and fluffy
3. add egg one of the time
4. add flour gradually with milk alternating and custard powder
5. fold lightly and bake for 45 mins 

Simple Butter Cake

Ingrediants :-
125gm butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 eggs
1 cup flour
3 tbsp custard powder
pinch of salt

Method:-
1. Preheat oven to 180 degree
2. cream butter sugar salt and vanilla until light and fluffy
3. add egg one of the time
4. add flour gradually with milk alternating and custard powder
5. fold lightly and bake for 45 mins


optional : if making chocolate cake, substitute custard powder for cocoa powder

Basic Butter Cake

Ingrediant :-
185gm butter
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
3 eggs
2 cups self raising flour
1/4 cup milk

Method :-
1. Preheat oven to 180 degree
2. cream butter sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy
3. add egg one of the time
4. add flour gradually with milk alternating
5. fold lightly and bake

Linzer Torte

Ingredients  

150g unsalted butter 

200g icing sugar 

1 egg beaten 

3 egg yolks 

1 lemon zest & juice 

140g flour sifted 

110g ground almonds 

Pinch cinnamon 

220g red current jelly 

1 egg beaten to glaze 

icing sugar for dusting

 

Method

1. Pre heat the oven to 180C.
2. Cream the butter and sugar together until creamy and fluffy.
3. Gradually beat in the whole egg and the egg yolks.
4. Stir the lemon zest, flour, and almonds, knead to form smooth dough.
5. Rest for twenty minutes and roll out half the dough to the size of the flan ring allowing you to line the paste up the sides of the flan approximately 5mm thick.
6. Roll the remaining dough out the same thickness and cut into strips 5mm thick.
7. Spread the red current jelly into the base of the flan and place the dough strips across the tart to form a lattice.
8. Brush the dough with the beaten egg to glaze and place into the oven.
9. Bake for 40 minutes until golden.
10. Remove from the oven and dust in icing sugar to serve.

Sponge Cake

Ingrediants
3 eggs seperated
Pinch of salt
60gm sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
20 gm butter melted
2 tbsp of milk
60gm flour double sifted (take out 1 tbsp and replace with 1 tbsp of custard powder)

Method
1. Add vanilla essence to egg yolk
2. Whisk egg whites with a pinch of salt
3. Add in sugar gradually
4. Add in egg yolk
5. fold in flour gradually
6. Add in melted butter with milk on the side
7. Pour in pan and bake for 18 mins at 180 degrees oven

Meduria Cake

Ingredients 
225gm Butter
225gm Sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla essence
50gm milk
225gm Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
50gm Cocoa Powder

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees
2. Whisk Butter and Sugar
3. Mix in 4 eggs with vanilla essence
4. Add egg to butter mixture
5. Add in Milk
6. Sieve Flour and baking powder
7. Add to mixture
8. Divide mixture into 2
9. Add cocoa powder to 1 half
10. alternate mixture in Pan and swirl for marble effect. Bake for 30-35 mins

Chocolate Red Wine Cake

Ingredients :
4 ½ oz softened unsalted butter
4 ½ oz caster sugar
2 medium eggs, lightly beaten
5 fl oz red wine, at room temperature
4 ½ oz plain flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
1 easpoon baking powder
2 ¼ oz dark chocolate (55-70 per cent cocoa solids), grated

For soaking:

2 fl oz water
1 oz caster sugar
4 fl oz red wine (an inexpensive Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot works well)

For finishing:

1 jar of redcurrant jelly
About 10 ½ oz tempered dark chocolate

Method :
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease and flour a 10 inch bundt tin.

Cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, then add the beaten eggs a little at a time, beating well between each addition. Add the wine and mix well.

Sift the flour, cinnamon, cloves, cocoa powder and baking powder together. Sift again to make sure the ingredients are well mixed. Fold the dry ingredients a tablespoon at a time into the creamed cake mixture.

Lastly, fold in the grated chocolate. Transfer the mixture to the prepared bundt pan and level the top. Bake in the center of the oven for 35 minutes, until the cake is well risen and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let the cake cool in the pan for 20 minutes and then place a thin cake card over the top and invert the pan. Lift off the pan so the cake sits on the card. It will still be warm, so do not try to move it at this stage. Cool the cake completely.

To soak the cake, bring the water and sugar to a boil in a small pan and stir in the red wine. Fill the cleaned bundt pan with the red wine syrup and place the cooled cake back in the pan. It will quickly absorb the hot liquid. Once the liquid has been absorbed, reverse the cake on to the cake card as before. Remove the pan, being careful not to damage the cake.

Leave the cake to cool before glazing. Bring the redcurrant jelly to a rolling boil in a small pan, then remove from the heat and, with a small, flat brush, quickly brush the hot jelly over the cake using large strokes. Let the jelly set, then repeat the process for a beautiful glossy finish.

To finish the cake, you need to make little discs of tempered chocolate. Spoon 10-15 blobs of the chocolate, about ½ inch wide, on a sheet of acetate, spacing them 2 inches apart. Place a second sheet of acetate on top of the chocolate and press down to flatten each blob to a smooth circle. They do not have to be completely round—that is half the fun. Place the chocolate discs, still sandwiched in acetate, on a baking sheet, put another baking sheet on top of it and leave in the fridge for 10-15 minutes to set.

Remove the top sheet of acetate and peel away the chocolate circles. Using a hot knife, cut the base off each circle so they sit flat at the bottom of the cake. Push them one at a time on to the sides of the cake round the base; they will stick to the jelly.

Claire’s notes:

Make the chocolate decorations the day before you make the cake, to take the hassle out of finishing it. If you do not feel up to tempering chocolate, look in your local supermarket for chocolate decorations.
The cake will keep for a week in a sealed container in the fridge.
Sheets of acetate can be bought in boxes from most stationery stores.

Ingredients :-

Cake
150g dark cooking chocolate
150g butter, soft
150g castor sugar
6 eggs, separated
150g self-raising flour
pinch of salt
250ml cream
1 tbsp extra castor sugar

Cherries
2 1/2 tbsp cornflour
750g jar of sour cherries
75g-100g sugar (depends on how sour the cherries are. Add to taste)
30ml liqueur such as amaretto, kirsch or Cointreau

Ganache
375g dark chocolate, roughly chopped (this can be done in the food processor)
250ml cream

Method :-
For the cake
1. Preheat oven to 170C.
2. Gently melt the chocolate in a microwave or over a double boiler.
3. In a bowl, combine the melted chocolate with the soft butter and beat until creamy.
4. Slowly and gradually beat in the sugar and egg yolks (adding one at a time).
5. Fold in the sifted flour. Beat the whites until stiff with a pinch of salt and very gently fold through the mixture. Pour into a lined and greased 26cm spring-form tin.
6. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
7. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

For the cherries
1. Mix the cornflour with enough cherry juice to make a paste.
2. Combine the rest of the juice with the cornflour paste and put into a saucepan with the desired amount of sugar.
3. Cook, stirring, until it boils and thickens. Add the cherries and liqueur, remove from heat and allow to cool.

For the ganache
1. Gently heat the chocolate and cream in a saucepan, stirring constantly until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.
2. Do not let it boil. Pour into a bowl and allow the ganache to cool until you have the right consistency, i.e. thin enough to pour but thick enough so it stays on the cake.
3. It's about right at room temperature. Pour over the top of the cake and wait until it is set.

To assemble
Whip the 250ml cream with the 1 tablespoon extra castor sugar until thick. Cut the cake in half horizontally. Sprinkle the bottom layer with a little extra liqueur and spread over the cherry mixture. Top with the cream then place the other half of the cake on the top. Pour over the ganache and allow to set before cutting.

To serve
Although this cake is best eaten on the day, it is still great the next day

Nashi Butterscotch Cake

Ingredient :-

For the base
80g unsalted butter
120g brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 nashi pears, peeled, cored, seeded and cut into 1cm thick slices

For the cake
125g soft butter
3/4 cup caster sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup milk
Vanilla ice-cream, to serve

Method :-
1. Preheat oven to 180C. Grease a 24cm round cake pan and line base with baking paper.
2. For the base Combine butter, brown sugar and salt in a saucepan and stir over low heat until sugar has dissolved.
3. Pour the mixture into the base of the cake tin and arrange nashi on top.
4. For the cake Place all ingredients in a large bowl and beat with electric beaters until smooth.
5. Spoon the mixture over nashi and smooth top.
6. Bake for between 1 hour and 1 hour, 10 minutes, or until cooked when tested with a cake skewer.
7. Remove and rest in tin for 5 minutes then invert cake onto a serving plate and serve with vanilla ice-cream.

Serves 6-8

Banana Cake

Ingredients
125g butter/margarine
3/4 cup castor sugar
Teaspoon vanilla essence
2 eggs
2 ripe bananas
1 1/2 cups Self Raising flour
1/4 Teaspoon bi-carb soda
1/4 cup milk

Method
1. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees.
2. Cream butter, sugar and essence then beat in eggs one at a time.
3. Mash bananas with fork.
4. Add bananas to mixture and beat in.
5. Fold in sifted flour and soda.
6. Stir in milk.
7. Line 20cm square or similar round cake tin with baking paper.
8. Pour in mixture.
9. Bake in moderate oven - 45 mins. Slightly less for fan forced oven.
10. Let cool for 5 mins before turning out.

Icing - icing sugar mixed with margarine and philly cream cheese.

Chocolate Red Wine Cake (French Laundry)

Ingredients(Serves six to eight)
125g unsalted butter, softened
125g caster sugar
2 medium eggs, lightly beaten
150ml red wine, room temperature (Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot)
125g plain flour1tsp ground cinnamon
1/4tsp ground cloves1tsp cocoa powder
1tsp baking powder65g dark chocolate (55-57% cocoa solids), grated

For soaking
50ml water
30g caster sugar
125ml red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot)

For garnish
1 jar redcurrant jelly
300g dark chocolate, tempered
Optional: raspberry sorbet and hot chocolate sauce

Method
1. Preheat oven to 170°C. Grease and flour 25cm bundt tin.
2. Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
3. Add beaten eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition.
4. Add 150ml red wine. Mix well. Sift flour, cinnamon, cloves, cocoa powder, baking powder together. Sift again, then fold a tablespoon at a time in to creamed mixture.
6. Fold in grated chocolate. Transfer to bundt tin. Level.
7. Bake in centre of oven for 35 minutes until well risen.
8. Skewer-test to check if cooked.
9. Once cooked, cool in tin for 20 minutes, then take out and cool completely.
10. Clean tin for reuse.

To soak the cake, bring water and sugar to the boil in a small pan, stir in 125ml red wine. Fill bundt tin with red wine syrup. Place cooled cake back in tin. Once liquid has been absorbed, reverse cake out again, being careful not to damage. Cool.

Bring redcurrant jelly to a rolling boil in small pan. Remove from heat, then brush hot jelly over cake. Let jelly set, then repeat process to get glossy finish.

To garnish cake, make discs of tempered chocolate. Once cooled, cut off base using hot knife so that they sit flat at the bottom of cake (see above).