Cakes, Recipes, Sweet bakes

Blood Orange Cake

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When I think of oranges I don’t think of them being red, just orange so blood orange are unusual to me. I don’t remember trying blood orange well not that I know of, apparently they are known to be much sweeter then normal oranges but what I’m most fascinates me about them is the beautiful, vibrant red colour it’s captivating. I was hoping this vivid colour would carry through to the cake. 

I was so excited to see that red colour once I cut the orange open, however I was a hugely disappointed as the colour was a mix of orange and red and not fully red 🤔 I didn’t understand, why? 😔 I wanted that lovely pink for the icing but mine turned out a very dull pink, however this cake was amazing it had a lovely taste of orange and was really soft I enjoyed it and would make it again, hopefully with more of red coloured oranges. 

 

Blood Orange Cake
Beautifully juicy blood orange cake
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Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
1 hr
Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
1 hr
Ingredients
  1. 220g -plain flour
  2. 1 tsp - baking powder
  3. 1/2 tsp - salt
  4. 113g - unsalted butter, at room temperature
  5. 200g - sugar
  6. 2 blood oranges - finely grated zest of
  7. 2 - large eggs, at room temperature
  8. 120ml - buttermilk
  9. 1/4 cup (60ml) - fresh blood orange juice
  10. 3 - large slices of orange (optional)
For the icing
  1. 3 tablespoons (45ml) - fresh blood orange juice
  2. 60g - icing sugar
Instructions
  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 175°C. Grease and line a 8.5" x 4.5" loaf tin.
  2. 2. In a bowl add the flour, baking powder, and salt mix and set aside.
  3. 3. In a stand mixer beat together the butter, sugar and blood orange zest until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes in a stand mixer. Scrape the sides of the bowl and beat in the eggs, one at a time until blended.
  4. 4. Mix in 1/3 of the flour mixture until just combined. Mix in the buttermilk and blood orange juice until just combined, scrape the side of the bowl. Add the remaining flour and blend until just combined, don't overmix.
  5. 5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan add the slices of orange on top of the cake. Bake for about 1 hour or until golden and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center. Let the cake cool.
  6. 6. Once cooled, whisk together the blood orange juice and icing sugar until smooth. Drizzle the sauce over the loaf cake.
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Recipes, Sweet bakes

Choux Doughnuts

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A long time ago I made profiteroles and I fancied making them again but this time as a big ring. I remember when I made the profiteroles rolls and they didn’t work the first time but had another go and they worked, I couldn’t remember which recipe I used. With any baking that is a bit more technical I always feel scared yet I feel it’s a challenging, I always give things a go and if they don’t work out, it can be quite upsetting BUT it’s not the end of the world, no one died, so I need to chill out and either have another go and bake something else. It’s all about trying and experimenting in life otherwise everyone would just live a boring life, right?

I do think they are a tricky thing to get right but once you’ve sussed it then it’s actually easy. I think the first thing to get right is the pastry dough, if this is too runny (by adding too much egg) then the choux pastry doesn’t work well, I think it becomes more cakey instead of crisp and no one wants a soggy cakey choux pastry right?

Well, yet again my choux pastry didn’t work the first time. I initially wanted to make a giant choux ring so everyone could have a slice, apparently I didn’t know it’s actually called a Paris Brest’s (how fancy and I think I would have to put on my best French accent to say it better, but I bet it still won’t sound right!) It went wrong as the last beaten egg had slipped out and went into the dough mixture. Arggggghhhhh then the dough was too slack and even when I was piping it I knew it was wrong. But I just baked it hoping for the best, and I had enough dough left and created smaller doughnut rings. The giant choux doughtnut didn’t work well, it was stoggy and thick and not crisp at all! What a disaster. However the good news was the doughnut ones did, so I gave it another go with less egg this time and yes!!! It worked, thank god, happy bunny!

So don’t make the mistake I did and add too much egg! check the consistency, it should be a smooth, thick texture that will falls from the beater like a thick ribbon.

Choux Doughnuts
Yields 8
Crispy and creamy Choux doughnuts with crunchy almonds and thick chocolate
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Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
25 min
Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
25 min
Ingredients
  1. 50g - butter, cut into small cubes
  2. 75g - Asda Strong White Bread Flour, sifted
  3. 2 - large eggs, lightly beaten
  4. 25g - Asda Flaked Almonds (extra for sprinkling)
  5. 350ml - double cream
  6. 100-200g - dark chocolate
Instructions
  1. 1. Pre-heat the oven to 200C/180C Fan. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
  2. 2. Put the butter in a pan with 150ml cold water and a pinch of salt. Heat until the butter melts and then bring it to the boil. Once boiling, remove immediately from the heat and add all the flour at once. Beat hard with a wooden spoon until it forms a dough that leaves the sides of the pan clean. 3. Tip into a large bowl and leave to cool for 15 minutes.
  3. 4. Gradually beat one eggs into the dough – you can do this with a wooden spoon or an electric hand mixer. In a small bowl beat the other egg and slowly add the egg and beat until the dough reaches a thick ribbon like consistency.
  4. 5. Put the mixture into a freezer bag and use a star tip. Pipe small round doughnuts on the baking tray. Sprinkle the almonds on each doughnuts. Bake for 30 minutes, without opening the oven, or until puffed up and golden.
  5. 6. With a knife, make small holes round the edge (to let steam escape). Return to the oven for 5 minutes, then cool completly on a wire rack.
  6. 7. Using a stand mixer or electric mixer put the double cream a little bit of the icing sugar and vanilla extract and whip until you reach stiff peaks. Place the cream into a piping bag with a star tip.
  7. 8. In a microwave safe bowl, add the chocolate and melt in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stir and melt until completly melted.
  8. 9. Once the doughnuts have completly cooled, slice the doughnut in half and pipe with the bottom layer cream and either dip the top layer in chocolate or spread the chocolate on.
  9. 10. Sprinkle with extra almonds (optional)
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Cakes, Desserts, No Bake, Recipes, Snacks, Sweet bakes

Tiramisu truffle balls

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Oh hey, bye bye 👋 2017 and bring on 2018 🎉, let’s hope it brings happiness for everyone.

So as my first post of 2018, this year I still want to carry on with my baking and cooking adventure. I want to experience different taste and experiences as I do every year and yet I still am greatly in love with food and I don’t think that will ever stop!

Over the holidays I did some baking (of course) it was very Christmasy based. I made some gingerbread men finally after having my cutter for 2 years! yes I know, how bad is that?! unfortunately I didn’t get a chance to photograph them. I also made Lebkuchen these are spiced German biscuits and are AMAZING they bring the most amazing smells of Christmas waft through the house, I just love them and their intense spiced flavour.

Back to this post, these tiramisu truffles were made for NYE, I celebrated with my family, the best way for me. I thought these truffles would bring a little bit of sparkle into the new year and I had to add a bit of liquor obviously. I really love tiramisu and when I came across these I was super excited to make them and thought they would fit perfectly for NYE.

These truffles are super easy to make and it does resemble the lovely flavour of tiramisu.

 

Tiramisu Truffles
Delicious Tiramisu inspired truffles, soft, creamy and full of coffee flavour
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Prep Time
15 min
Prep Time
15 min
Ingredients
  1. 24 - ladyfingers
  2. 2 tbsp - sugar
  3. 250g - mascarpone cheese, room temperature*
  4. 2-3 tablespoons espresso**
  5. 12 ounces - dark chocolate
  6. 2 tsp - espresso powder (optional)
Instructions
  1. 1. In a food processor, blend lady fingers until you have fine crumbs. Set aside 2 tablespoons to sprinkle on the truffles later. Transfer the remaining crumbs to a bowl. Add the sugar and whisk until combined.
  2. 2. Using a hand mixer (or stand mixer) add the mascarpone cheese to the bowl and mix until fully incorporated. Add the espresso one tablespoon at a time. You do not want a goopy consistency. It should be similar to a soft cookie dough. Transfer the mixture to a tupperware container and place in the fridge for 45 minutes to an hour.
  3. 3. Line a baking sheet or plate with parchment paper. Remove the mixture from the fridge (it should be firmer now). Start to shape the mixture into 36 (1-inch) balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
  4. 4. Melt the chocolate and stir in the espresso powder. Dip a cold tiramisu truffle balls into the melted chocolate and transfer it back to the baking sheet/plate. (I uses a fork) Sprinkle the truffle with the crushed lady fingers you set aside earlier. Repeat for the remaining truffles.
  5. 5. Place the back in the fridge for a 5 to 10 minutes for the chocolate to harden. Store tiramisu truffles in an airtight container in the fridge.
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Eggless, No Bake, Recipes, Sweet bakes

Tiffin

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When I think of tiffins, I just think of these sweet treats in a rusty old biscuit tin all wrapped up in baking paper. It has a very nostalgic feel to them and something that you would have sitting waiting for you at you grans house.

I really like tiffins as they have a bit of everything in them (which is great for a fatty like me!) they have so much different textures which makes your taste buds go crazzzzyyyyyy. The other thing about tiffins which make them great is the that you can adjust it and add what you want to to make the suit your taste. Actually there is more plus points, they are no bake, quick and easy to make too. These could possibly be made vegan as well which is great for the vegans out there.

These are delicious and this recipe worked well everything stayed intact.

 

Tiffin
Yields 12
Delicious crunchy, chocolatey, crispy, fruity and nutty bar
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Prep Time
10 min
Prep Time
10 min
Ingredients
  1. 145g - unsalted butter
  2. 60g - Golden syrup
  3. 25g - Caster sugar
  4. 10g - Cocoa powder
  5. 50g - Cornflakes
  6. 225g - Hobnobs/oat biscuits
  7. 70g - Cranberries
  8. 50g - Salted peanuts
  9. 50g - Desiccated coconut
  10. 200g - Milk chocolate
Instructions
  1. 1. Line 8" square/round cake tin with baking paper.
  2. 2. In a saucepan melt the butter, golden syrup, caster sugar, and cocoa powder together in a large saucepan over a gentle heat.
  3. 3. While they’re melting, roughly crush your biscuits (either by putting them in a sandwich bag and bashing them, or blitzing them in the food processor) until you have a mixture of fine crumbs and some fairly big chunks.
  4. 4. When you the butter mixture has melted to a glossy dark liquid and the sugar has dissolved, take the pan off the heat. Then add all the rest of the ingredients in, the crushed biscuits, cornflakes, cranberries, salted peanuts, and coconut. Make sure everything is well combined.
  5. 5. Place all the mixture into your prepared cake tin and press it down in an even layer. Pop the tin in the fridge to chill while you melt the chocolate. Melt your chocolate either in the microwave on low heat or in a glass bowl over gently simmering water. Pour melted chocolate over the cooling base and give it all a shake so the chocolate is even, then put the whole thing back in the fridge to set for around 1 hour, or until the chocolate is firm.
  6. 6. Cut, serve, try to resist eating whole thing at once by yourself.
Notes
  1. You can add or change any of the ingredients.
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Bars, Recipes, Sweet bakes

Crunchy Peanut Butter Oat Caramel and Nut Crumble Bars

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These bars.

One word. AAAAAAaaaaaaammmmmmmmmazzzzzzing.

Actually, there is more then one word to describe these but I could go on for ages and ages.

I am a huge fan of peanut butter but even more bigger fan of oats, so if your a fan of oats and peanut butter then you’ll love these. I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed eating these, they are probably one of the best bars I’ve made (and I think my new favourite, yes I said it!) and I have made plenty. My other favourites have included is the Mincemeat crumble bars, (one of my aunts fav) these are pretty good, they’re eggless and quite similar to shortbread. The other bars I made which were quite popular was Oat and coconut gooey caramel bars, Pecan pie bars, Peanut butter pretzel bars (these are pretty awesome, also eggless and no bake). There are others as well but it just takes to long to type them all!

Back to these beauties, I just don’t think I can comprehend how great they are and I don’t think I have been addicted to a bar just as much I was to this one! They are salty, sweety, caramely, chocolatey, oaty, like what else do you need right? The original recipe called for dulche de leche and used caramel as a replacement but feel free to use it if you have some lying round. I also added my own twist on it, to be more caramely and slightly more chocolately by using rolos. I think even typing this up also made me really want to eat bake them again, which is saying something! They are not the most healthiest of bars so I do need to control. These are quite similar to the mincemeat crumble bars in the way there are two layers and one mix. The bottom layer is pressed down and the top is crumbled on top (the best bit). 

I actually made these for my sister in law and cheekily kept some for my blog post but I’m so glad I did. Hopefully she liked them, she’s a peanut butter and oat fan like me. I’m so happy I came across this recipe and will definitely be making these again and again!

Crunchy Peanut Butter Oat Caramel and Nut Crumble Bars
Yields 16
http://gringalicious.com/crunchy-peanut-butter-oatmeal-dulce-de-leche-bars-2/
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Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
40 min
Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
40 min
For the base/crumble
  1. 113g - soft butter
  2. 1/2 cup - sugar
  3. 1/2 cup - brown sugar, packed
  4. 3 tbsp - peanut butter
  5. 1 egg
  6. 1/2 tsp - baking soda
  7. 1/2 tsp - salt
  8. 1 tsp - vanilla extract
  9. 11/4 cups - old fashioned oats
  10. 11/2 - cups plain flour
For the filling
  1. 70g - chocolate chips or chopped chocolate bar
  2. 11/2 - packets of rolos chopped
  3. 3 tbsp - caramel sauce*
  4. 1/2 cup - salted peanuts
Instructions
  1. 1. Preheat oven to 175°C, line and grease a 8" square cake tin.
  2. 2. In a stand mixer cream butter and sugars until thoroughly mixed, scrape sides of bowl and add eggs and peanut butter; beat until fluffy. Then add vanilla, soda, and salt. Add flour one cup at a time and beat after each addition. Add oatmeal and mix well.
  3. 3. Divide the dough in half and place in the square tin, spread and press in bottom of pan and bake for 15-18 minutes until edges are golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 5 minutes.
  4. 4. Drop tablespoons of caramel on top of crust and allow the heat to soften the carmel until it is easy to spread. Layer with chocolate peanuts then crumble remaining half of dough on top and return to oven. Continue baking for 18 - 22 minutes or until top is golden brown and center is set. Remove from oven and cool completely before cutting.
Notes
  1. *use dulche de leche to replace the caramel if you have that at hand.
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Recipes, Sweet bakes

Vegan Orange, Hazelnut, Chocolate and Cardamon Biscotti

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I can’t believe these biscotti are vegan they’re amazing! The biscotti worked really well without the eggs and the flavours were incredible, I love all these flavours anyway but by putting them together worked even better!

I made these as my second giveaways for Diwali food.

Like with all biscotti they take time to make, but it’s quite simple to make, I enjoy making them as they are an unusual process.

Eggless Orange, Hazelnut, Chocolate and Cardamon
Yields 20
A crunchy, orange and hazelnut biscotti with a hint of cardamon
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Prep Time
1 hr 40 min
Prep Time
1 hr 40 min
Ingredients
  1. 2 cups - plain flour
  2. 1 tsp - baking powder
  3. 1/2 tsp - baking soda
  4. 1/4 tsp - salt
  5. 113g - non-dairy butter
  6. 1 cup - sugar
  7. 1 tbsp - orange zest
  8. 1 tsp - vanilla extract
  9. 1 tsp - orange extract
  10. 2 tbsp - chickpea flour
  11. 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp - water
  12. 1 cup - hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
  13. 1/4 cup - chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. 1. In a small bowl sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  2. 2. In a mixer with the paddle attachment beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add orange zest and extracts, beat to combine.
  3. 3. Stir together the chickpea flour and water until creamy and thick - for best results you can use a small blender or coffee grinder. Slowly add the chickpea mixture to butter/sugar mixture and beat to combine, scraping down the sides as necessary.
  4. 4. Add flour mixture and beat to combine. Fold in the cacao nibs and hazelnuts.
  5. 5. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour.
  6. 6. Preheat the oven to 175°C. Divide dough in half and roll into logs on a floured surface about 1½ inch diameter. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and flatten to about 1 inch thick. Bake for 30 minutes or until lightly golden brown.
  7. 7. Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes before slicing each log into 10 cookies. Lay flat on baking sheet and return to the oven for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
  8. 8. Let cool for 15 minutes. Store in an airtight container
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Recipes, Sweet bakes

Mary Berry Viennese whirls

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I have been meaning to make these bad boys for a while now since they made their appearance on GBBO as one of the technical tasks. I didn’t bother making my own jam, can’t be bothered with that and I have too many jams to use up at home.

Whilst making the biscuit dough was pretty straight forward (please bear in mind to avoid loss of arms by using an electric mixer!). I did find pipping these little monsters was so so difficult. I mean really difficult, I remember everyone struggled on the program but I didn’t realise it was that hard. I managed to some how pull through and pipe all the biscuits, in the end I wouldn’t say my whirls would get a very good score, being the very big critic of my own food I would say  in Paul and Mary’s words…’although the biscuits taste nice, I notice there isn’t much definition in your whirls’. So yeh they do taste nice and are ‘short’ but definition is so not there! 

I’m in two minds if I would make these again, my parents loved them but it’s just the piping but I just don’t want to feel like I’ve been defeated over some whirls…maybe I should make them again (just for my parents).

Mary Berry Viennese whirls
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For the biscuits
  1. 250g - very soft unsalted butter
  2. 50g - icing sugar
  3. 225g/ - plain flour
  4. 25g - cornflour
For the filling
  1. 100g - unsalted butter, softened
  2. 200g - icing sugar, plus extra for dusting
  3. 1/2 tsp - vanilla extract
For the biscuits
  1. 1. Line 3 baking sheets with non-stick baking parchment. Using a 5cm/2in round cutter as a guide, draw 8 circles on each sheet of paper, spaced well apart. Turn the paper over so the pencil marks are underneath.
  2. 2. In a stand mixer add the butter and icing sugar into a bowl and beat until pale and fluffy. Sift in the flour and cornflour and beat well, until thoroughly mixed.
  3. 3. Place the mixture in a piping bag fitted with a medium star nozzle. Pipe 24 swirled rounds (not rosettes), inside the circles on the baking sheets.
  4. 4. Leave the trays in the fridge for 30mins-1hr*
  5. 5. Preheat the oven to 190°C and bake in the centre of the oven for 13—15 minutes, until a pale golden-brown. Cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely and harden.
Buttercream
  1. 1. add the butter into a bowl and sift the icing sugar on top. Add the vanilla extract and beat with until very light and smooth. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle.
  2. 2. Spoon a little jam onto the flat side of 12 of the biscuits and place jam-side up on a cooling rack. Pipe the buttercream over the jam and sandwich with the remaining biscuits. Dust with icing sugar to finish.
Notes
  1. *I did this but it's not in the recipe.
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Cakes, Recipes, Sweet bakes

Eggless Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

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Cookies and Cream are a perfect couple.

As well as many others, wine and cheese, bread and butter, gauc and tortilla chips, burger and fries the list can go on and on!

These cupcakes were the best eggless cupcake I’ve made, I was really impressed. They were light, fluffy and moist. I would happily make them again and again and feel happy in the process! They also tasted so yummy, I especially loved the frosting as I tweaked it to be made with cream cheese instead of buttercream. 

The other great thing about these cupcakes was how easy they are to make. So this recipe deserves an extra *gold star*. Happy, happy me :).

cookies-cream-cupcake cookies-cream-cupcake2cookies-cream-cupcake3cookies-cream-cupcake

Cookies and Cream Cupcakes
Yields 12
Creamy cookies and cream cupcakes
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Cook Time
20 min
Cook Time
20 min
For the cupcakes
  1. 350ml - coconut milk
  2. 165g cup - sugar
  3. 80ml cup - canola oil
  4. 1 tsp - Apple cider vinegar
  5. 1 tsp - vanilla extract
  6. 240g - all purpose flour
  7. 3 tbsp - Cocoa powder
  8. 3/4 tsp - baking soda
  9. 1/2 tsp - baking powder
  10. 1 cup - roughly chopped Oreo cookies
For the frosting
  1. 250g - Philadelphia cream cheese
  2. 250g - softened/room temp, good quality unsalted butter
  3. 350g - icing sugar
  4. 2 tsp - vanilla extract
  5. 1 cup - ground oreos
Instructions
  1. 1. Preheat your oven to 180C (356F) or 160C (320F) for a fan forced oven. Line a cupcake tin with cupcake liners.
  2. 2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the cocoa powder, plain flour, salt, bicarb soda, baking powder and sugar. Turn mixer on low speed and allow it to mix for a couple minutes to help everything combine well (alternatively you may do this by sifting the ingredients together).
  3. 3. Next, add coconut milk, canola oil, apple cider vinegar in a jug and whisk until well combined.
  4. 4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients in a slow and steady stream until no dry ingredients are visible. Scrape down the bowl, add chopped oreo cookies and mix for another 20 seconds.
  5. 5. Fill each paper 3/4 of the way (using an ice cream scoop to transfer the batter into the cupcake liners makes this a quick and easy process otherwise you can use two tablespoons).
  6. 6. Bake for 20-25 min or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow them to cool completely on a wire cooling rack before frosting.

For the frosting
  1. 1. In the stand mixer add the butter and icing sugar, beat until fluffy.
  2. 2. Add the cream cheese and then fold in the ground oreos.
  3. Pipe the
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Cakes, Sweet bakes

Eggless Sticky Date Cake

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So, I’ve come to a conclusion, that this sticky date cake, is basically a little bit like a sticky toffee pudding. It has dates (tick), it has the caramel sauce (tick) but the only thing is, it’s not as smooth and it’s a light as your normal sticky toffee pudding but half way there is good enough I thought.

I really enjoyed making this cake as it’s been a while since I made a sticky toffee pudding and it wasn’t like your normal procedures of making a cake. I wish I thought of putting spice in the cake, like cinnamon and mixed spice (note to myself for next time I make this cake) this would have elevated the flavour of the cake a lot more. Even so, the cake was nice enough, but be warned this cake is quite rich so a little goes a long way!

eggless-date eggless-date2 eggless-date3 eggless-date4eggless-date5eggless-date6eggless-date7eggless-date8eggless-date9eggless-date10

Eggless Sticky Date Cake
Yields 12
A rich, sticky, date cake perfect with sticky gooey caramel sauce
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Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
45 min
Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
45 min
For the pudding
  1. 300g - dates
  2. 250ml - boiling water
  3. 1 tsp - baking soda
  4. 1 cup - self-raising flour
  5. 1 cup - brown sugar
  6. 113g - butter
Instructions
  1. 1. Preheat oven to 180°C and grease and line a 8"square baking tin.
  2. 2. In a small bowl, add the dates, boiling water and baking soda and allow to sit for 10 to 15 minutes until the dates have softened.
  3. 3. In a stand mixer beat the brown sugar and butter until pale and fluffy. In another bowl, add the self-raising flour, brown sugar and margarine.
  4. 4. Drain the dates, keep the liquid and pour this in the butter/sugar bowl. Add the flour and mix.
  5. 5. In a food processor, add the dates and pulse until finely chopped. Scoop the finely chopped dates into the bowl with the rest of the ingredients.
  6. 6. Use electric beaters to beat the mixture until smooth and creamy.
  7. 7. Pour the mixture into the baking tin and allow to bake for 45 minutes until risen and a skewer comes out clean when poked into the centre.
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Cakes, Recipes, Sweet bakes

Salted Caramel Cupcakes

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caramel-cupcakes14

I enjoy eating cupcakes (apart from overly sweet buttercream) but I’m not very good at making them, the best ones I’ve made were my Red Wine Cupcakes and Guinness Cupcakes these were chocolate based surprisingly and turned out well, but my attempts of normal vanilla cupcakes haven’t gone down so well :s.

I usually leave the cupcakes to the experts, I know the trend of cupcakes is dying out slowly but I want to be great at making them as I have been asked a number of times to make cupcakes. The perfectionist in me wants to get them right first before I can say I’m finally happy for them to be given to people, so I’m on a quest to find that perfect recipe to make cupcakes. 

I have tried a number of american recipes out and looked into the recipes in detail, reading their reason why they think they have the perfect recipe but it all depends on how it works when you try it. 

The original recipe was based on a chocolate cupcake but I used the basic vanilla recipe and made these into salted caramel as I was visiting my family and I know my sister in law has a major obsession with salted caramel. I would say this recipe is easy to follow and the mixture turned out fine, my only flaw with this recipe was that I found they were over baked. So I want to try them again and bake them for less time. I did think it was odd that the temperature was set low at 160°C fan, usually it’s about 175°C. I do need to experiment on the buttercream as I did find it overly sweet, although the texture was great and held well.

  caramel-cupcakescaramel-cupcakes4caramel-cupcakes2caramel-cupcakes3caramel-cupcakes4caramel-cupcakes5caramel-cupcakes6caramel-cupcakes7caramel-cupcakes8caramel-cupcakes9caramel-cupcakes10caramel-cupcakes11caramel-cupcakes12caramel-cupcakes14caramel cupcakes15 caramel-cupcakes caramel-cupcakes13

Salted Caramel Cupcakes
Yields 24
Vanilla cupcakes with a salted caramel filling, salted caramel buttercream and topped off with crunchy caramel biscuits
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Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
20 min
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
20 min
Cupcakes
  1. 430g - plain flour
  2. 3 tsp - baking powder
  3. 265g - granulated sugar
  4. 1/2 tsp - salt
  5. 375ml - milk
  6. 125ml - vegetable oil
  7. 125g - butter
  8. 2 tbsp - greek yogurt (can substitute with sour cream)
  9. 1 tsp - vanilla extract
  10. 2 - large eggs
Buttercream
  1. 250g - softened unsalted butter (room temperature)
  2. 500g - icing sugar mixture (sifted)
  3. 2 tbsp - milk
  4. 1 tsp - vanilla extract
  5. 1/4 cup - caramel sauce
Optional
  1. 6-8 crushed lotus biscuits or any other caramel tasting biscuits
  2. caramel sauce for drizzle
Cupcakes
  1. 1. Preheat oven to 160°C and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
  2. 2. In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the dry ingredients - flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Turn mixer on low and allow it to mix for a couple minutes.
  3. 3. In a large jug combine all of the wet ingredients (except the butter) oil, milk, yoghurt, vanilla and eggs in a large jug and whisk well.
  4. 4. Add softened butter into dry ingredients and mix until the batter appears grainy with a sand-like texture to it. Next, add 2/3 of your wet ingredients in a slow and steady stream to the bowl until no dry ingredients are visible, stop the mixer. Mix on slow until the batter appears smooth. Scrape down the bowl and mix for another 20 seconds.
  5. 5. Line a cupcake pan with cupcake papers and fill each paper 3/4 of the way. Bake for 20-30 min or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  6. 6. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
Buttercream
  1. 1. In a stand mixer soften the butter and mix for 5 minutes so it gains some volume and goes pale in colour.
  2. 2. Add half the icing sugar and caramel sauce and mix on medium for 5 minutes. Then add the rest of the icing sugar along with 2 tbsp of milk and a tbsp of vanilla extract.
  3. 3. Continue mixing for 5 min until it's all well combined.
Piping
  1. Using a piping bag and tip, pipe the cupcakes according to how desire. Sprinkle with crushed
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