Chocolate and Strawberry Birthday Cake

It was my birthday on Friday and this was the cake I made for myself. For the main cake, I used a foolproof recipe that my mum has made for years (that's why its all in imperial measurements). Its really easy to make, looks impressive and tastes delicious!!

Recipe

Ingredients
6 oz caster sugar
6 oz butter or margarine
4 oz self raising flour
2 oz cocoa powder
3 medium eggs
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp warm water

Chocolate Buttercream 
250g  unsalted butter at room temperature
500g icing sugar
100g dark chocolate, 70% cocoa solids, melted and cooled slightly


Decoration
2 boxes of chocolate fingers, 1 white and 1 milk chocolate
2 Punnets of strawberries or any fruit of your choice

• Preheat oven to 170C or gas mark 3 and grease and line two 7 inch sandwich tins.
• Put all of the ingredients in a food processor or food mixer and mix very well until combined.
• Divide mixture between the two tins and spread evenly. I always weigh each tin to make sure I have an equal quantity in each one. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the top springs back once touched. Leave to cool for about 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Cool completely before icing.
• In an electric mixer, cream together the butter and icing sugar. Stir in the cooled, melted chocolate and mix well.
• In an electric mixer, cream together the butter and icing sugar and then add the cooled melted chocolate. Mix until all the chocolate is incorporated.
• Using some of the buttercream, sandwich together the cakes with a nice thick layer. Then using the rest of the buttercream cover the sides and the top of the cake. Stick the chocolate fingers round the edge and alternate between the white and milk chocolate.
• Pile your strawberries or other fruit on the top of the cake.

Simnel Muffins

This is a slight variation on the traditional Easter Simnel cake. Instead of the top being covered with marzipan, there is a layer of marzipan inside each cake.

Recipe

Makes 12

Ingredients
250g mixed dried fruit
Grated zest and juice of 1 medium orange (reserve 2tbsp juice for the icing)
175g butter, softened
175g golden caster sugar
3 large eggs, beaten
300g self-raising flour
1 tsp mixed spice
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
5 tbsp milk
100g marzipan, cut into 12 pieces


Decoration
200g icing sugar
2 tbsp orange juice
Mini eggs

• Put the dried fruit in a bowl and add the orange juice and zest and leave to soak for about an hour. Preheat the oven to 180C or gas mark 4 and line a 12 hole muffin tin with muffin paper cases.
• Beat together the butter, sugar, eggs, flour, spices and milk until light and fluffy. This will take about 3-5 minutes. Stir in the fruit and mix well.
• Spoon the mixture to half fill the paper cases. Roll each piece of marzipan into a ball and flatten with your thumb. Put one in each of the muffin cases and then spoon the rest of the mixture on top. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until risen and golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely before icing.
• Beat together the icing sugar and orange juice until well mixed. Drizzle over each muffin and decorate with mini eggs.

Chocolate Brownie Cheesecake

I made this for Mother's Day last weekend as I had both families round for lunch. It went down very well. It is a baked cheesecake that has a chocolate brownie bottom instead of a more traditional biscuit crumb base.

 

Recipe 

Serves 12

Ingredients

Base

115g unsalted butter

115g plain chocolate

200g caster sugar

2 eggs, beaten

50ml milk

115g plain flour

Topping

500g soft cheese

125g caster sugar

3 eggs, beaten

1 tsp vanilla essence

125ml natural yoghurt

Few squares of plain chocolate, melted to drizzle

Handful of fresh raspberries

• Preheat the oven to 180C or gas mark 4. Lightly grease and flour a 23cm loose bottomed tin.
• Melt the butter and chocolate in a saucepan over a low heat, stirring often, until smooth. Remove from the heat and beat in the sugar.
• Add the eggs and milk, beating well. Stir in the flour, mixing just until blended. Spoon into the prepared tin and spread evenly.
• Bake in the oven for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and reduce temperature to 160C or gas mark 3.
• For the topping, beat together the cheese, sugar, eggs and vanilla essence until well blended. Stir in the yoghurt, then pour over the brownie base. Bake for a further 34-55 minutes or until the centre is almost set.
• Chill overnight in the fridge before removing from the tin. Drizzle with the melted chocolate and decorate with fresh raspberries.

Mother's Day Cupcakes

This year for Mother's Day I wanted to try making my mom and my mother-in-law a gift box of cupcakes. I had had some new cutters I wanted to try out but also I wanted to have a go at using texture mats and two tone buttercream. For a first attempt, I was really pleased with the result and so were the mums.

Lemon Cupcakes

Spring has sprung!! These are a lovely fresh tasting cupcake, garnished with lemon buttercream and icing flowers.

Recipe

Makes 12

Ingredients

110g unsalted butter, at room temperature

225g caster sugar

2 large eggs

150g self raising flour, sifted

125g plain flour, sifted

90ml semi skimmed milk

2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tbsp sour cream

1 tsp grated lemon zest

Lemon Buttercream
250g icing sugar, sifted

80g unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 tbsp grated lemon zest

25ml whole milk

• Preheat oven to 180C or gas mark 4 and line a muffin tin with paper cases.
• In a large mixing bowl cream together the butter and sugar until mixture is light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and mix well.
• In a separate bowl mix both flours and in another bowl mix milk, lemon juice and sour cream. Add one third of the flour to the creamed mixture and beat well. Pour in one third of the milk mixture and beat again. Repeat until all the flour and milk has been added. Add the lemon zest and mix well.
• Spoon the mixture into the paper cases and bake for 25 minutes until golden brown.
•  Leave cakes in the tin for about 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely before icing.
• Beat together the icing sugar, butter and lemon zest by hand or in a food processor until well mixed.
• Slowly pour in the milk and then beat until well incorporated and is light and fluffy. The longer it is beaten, the fluffier it becomes, at least 5 minutes. 
• Pipe on the buttercream and decorate with a flower.

Millionaire's Shortbread

These bring back memories from when I was a kid as one of my my neighbours used to make them. A really naughty treat to sit back enjoy with a cuppa.

Recipe

Makes 16

Ingredients

240g plain flour

90g caster sugar

220g unsalted butter, cubed

1 tin of condensed milk (379g)

100g soft light brown sugar

2 tbsp golden syrup

100g unsalted butter

175g milk chocolate

50g white chocolate

• Preheat the oven to 180C or gas mark 4 and grease a 23cm square tin.
• Put the 220g butter, flour and caster sugar in a food processor and mix until the mixture is like fine breadcrumbs. Tip into your greased tin and press down. Prick surface with a fork and chill for about 20 minutes. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until just golden. Leave to cool.
• Put the condensed milk, soft light brown sugar, syrup and 100g butter in a pan and heat until boiling. Continue to boil for about 5 minutes, stirring all the time until mixture is thickened. Pour the caramel on top of the shortbread and leave to cool for at least 30 minutes.
• Break the chocolate into pieces in two seperate bowls and melt over a pan of simmering water. Firstly pour the milk chocolate over the caramel and spead to cover completely. Pour over the white chocolate and then using a skewer, swirl to achieve a marble effect. Put in the fridge to set completely before cutting into squares.

Choc-o-tastic Cupcakes

Like most women I love anything chocolatey and these cupcakes a sure way to get that chocolate hit! Thanks to The Hummingbird Bakery for the recipe.

Recipe

Makes 12

Ingredients

100g plain flour

20g cocoa powder

140g caster sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

A pinch of salt

40g unsalted butter, at room temperature

120ml whole milk

1 large egg

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Chocolate Buttercream

300g icing sugar

100g icing suagr , at room temperature

40g cocoa powder, sifted

40ml whole milk

Sprinkles to decorate

• Preheat the oven to 170C or gas mark 3 and line your tin with 12 paper cases.
• Put the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder and salt in a bowl and with an electric mixer, mix until mixture has a sandy consistancy and everything is well combined.
• Whisk the milk, egg and vanilla extract together in a jug, then slowly pour about half into the flour mixture, beat to combine and turn the mixer up to high speed to get rid of any lumps.
• Turn the mixer down to a slower speed and slowly pour in the remaining milk mixture (scrape any unmixed ingredients from the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula.) Continue mixing for a couple more minutes until the mixture is smooth. Do not over mix.
• Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until two-thirds full and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the sponge bounces back when touched. Leave the cupcakes to cool slightly in a tray before turning out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely before icing.
• Put the icing sugar, butter and cocoa powder in a large bowl or food processor and mix well. Add the milk and slowly beat again until well mixed. Continue beating on a higher speed for a few minutes until the buttercream is light and fluffy.
• Spread or pipe icing on top of each cake and decorate with the sprinkles.