Cluck, Muck & Cook

Baking & Foodie Blog From Sunny Brentwood Essex

Cakes

80 Cakes

Quick Christmas Cake

It is Christmas Eve and late last night my wife mentioned that we are taking a cake to my sister-in-law’s on Christmas Day. Time for a small panic! Luckily I have a few jars of homemade mincemeat left and a quick rummage through the baking cupboard unveils half a bag of brandy soaked dried fruit and Christmas spices. I have based the recipe on a Mary Berry mincemeat cake recipe.

Whilst I normally like my Christmas cake to mature and get a sound drenching in brandy, this is a quick and delicious cake that will do the job perfectly. I am a pecan addict though and have swapped out almonds for them as well as adding some mixed spice.

This is a super quick recipe to prepare, I cream the softened butter and sugar together first. Then throw everything else into the stand mixer and mix until blended all together. No fuss. Into a lined 2lb loaf tin, pop it into a low oven for about 90 minutes and you are done.

Christmas Cake

This with a cup of tea will go down a treat after a nice afternoon dog walk through the village.

I love a bit of marzipan and icing on my Christmas cakes but you could decorate with nuts and glaze it with some warmed apricot jam.

Ingredients
150g soft butter
150g dark muscovado sugar
2 large eggs
225g self-raising flour
1 heaped teaspoon mixed spice
225g mincemeat
200g mixed dried fruit (soaked in brandy)
50g pecans chopped

Optional:
Marzipan and fondant icing or nuts to decorate
1 tablespoon apricot jam to glaze

Instructions

Makes 1 large loaf cake

1. Preheat the oven to 180c / 160C fan 140C/gas 3. Line a 2lb loaf tin
2. Cream the softened butter and sugar together either with a wooden spoon in a large bowl or a stand mixer.
3. Add all the remaining ingredient into the bowl and beat well until thoroughly blended.
4. Spoon into the lined loaf tin and level out.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for about 1 1/4 – 1 1/2 hours until the cake is golden brown and a skewer comes out clean when poked into the middle of the cake.
6. Allow the cake to cool in the tin for a few minutes, turn out on to a wire rack and leave to cool.
7. To decorate, warm the apricot jam in a small saucepan and brush over the top of the cake.
8. Roll out the marzipan and icing and cut to just cover the top of the cake. Use the tin you baked it in as a guide. Place on top of the cake.

Quick Christmas Cake
 
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A delicious quick Christmas fruitcake packed with mincemeat and dried fruits .
Author:
Serves: 1
Ingredients
  • 150g soft butter
  • 150g dark muscovado sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 225g self-raising flour
  • 1 heaped teaspoon mixed spice
  • 225g mincemeat
  • 200g mixed dried fruit (soaked in brandy)
  • 50g pecans chopped
  • Optional:
  • Marzipan and fondant icing or nuts to decorate
  • 1 tablespoon apricot jam to glaze
Instructions
  1. Makes 1 large loaf cake
  2. Preheat the oven to 180c / 160C fan 140C/gas 3. Line a 2lb loaf tin with baking parchment.
  3. Cream the softened butter and sugar together either with a wooden spoon in a large bowl or a stand mixer.
  4. Add all the remaining ingredient into the bowl and beat well until thoroughly blended.
  5. Spoon into the lined loaf tin and level out.
  6. Bake in the preheated oven for about 1¼ - 1½ hours until the cake is golden brown and a skewer comes out clean when poked into the middle of the cake.
  7. Allow the cake to cool in the tin for a few minutes, turn out on to a wire rack and leave to cool.
  8. To decorate, warm the apricot jam in a small saucepan and brush over the top of the cake.
  9. Roll out the marzipan and icing and cut to just cover the top of the cake. Use the tin you baked it in as a guide. Place on top of the cake.

 

2 Cakes

Black Forest Roulade

Keeping on the Christmas baking theme, as a kid every year at Christmas we would make a chocolate Yule log. This comprised of a shop bought chocolate swiss roll that we cut to look like a branch and then covered in a ton of chocolate butter icing. Then it was liberally dusted with icing sugar snow and decorated with plastic holly and a robin. We felt like artistic geniuses once it was complete and drove my parents mad on a pre Christmas sugar high once my brother and I had demolished it.

Chocolate roulade

This week I was feeling nostalgic and thought it was time to create a more grown up version. As the brain cells got working I thought of blending the height of sophistication of desserts in the late 70s early 80s, the black forest gateau, with a chocolate log.

Chocolate roulade

This rich chocolate roulade is filled with thick cream and stuffed full of juicy morello cherries soaked in kirsch. For an extra depth of flavour and kick, I also added some dried sour cherries steeped overnight in vodka.

Chocolate roulade

Makes: 1 Roulade
Oven Temp: Gas 4, 350f, 180C (160C Fan)

Ingredients

200g dark chocolate
150g caster sugar
5 medium eggs
300 ml fresh double cream
125g Morello cherries with kirsch
50g dried cherries (steeped overnight in vodka) (optional)
1 tablespoon cocoa powder, for dusting
1 tablespoon icing sugar, for dusting

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan and Line a 33cm x 23cm Swiss-roll tin with baking parchment.
2. Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water (be careful that the bowl doesn’t touch the water).
3. Separate the eggs. In a stand mixer or with an electric whisk, whisk the sugar and egg yolks until very thick and pale. Fold in the melted chocolate.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff.
5. Mix a couple of tablespoons of the eggs whites into the chocolate mixture to lessen it up, then gently fold in the remainder.
6.Pour into the prepared tin and gentle spread out to fill the tin, bake for 15-20 mins until risen and firm to the touch.
7. Lay out a large piece of baking parchment and sift half the icing sugar over it. Turn out the warm roulade  onto the baking parchment  and cover with a clean damp tea towel. Allow to cool completely.
8. Whilst the roulade is cooling, whip the cream to soft peaks in a bowl.
9. Remove the top baking parchment layer from the roulade and spread with the cream. Then scatter over the cherries and drizzle a little of the kirsch/cherry juice over the cream.
10. Use the bottom piece of baking parchment to roll up the roulade from one short end.
11. Transfer to a serving platter and dust with cocoa powder and icing sugar.

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Black Forest Roulade
 
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This rich chocolate roulade is filled with thick cream and stuffed full of juicy morello cherries soaked in kirsch. For an extra depth of flavour and kick, I also added some dried sour cherries steeped overnight in vodka.
Author:
Serves: 1
Ingredients
  • 200g dark chocolate
  • 150g caster sugar
  • 5 medium eggs
  • 300 ml fresh double cream
  • 125g Morello cherries with kirsch
  • 50g dried cherries (steeped overnight in vodka) (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon cocoa powder, for dusting
  • 1 tablespoon icing sugar, for dusting
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan and Line a 33cm x 23cm Swiss-roll tin with baking parchment.
  2. Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water (be careful that the bowl doesn’t touch the water).
  3. Separate the eggs. In a stand mixer or with an electric whisk, whisk the sugar and egg yolks until very thick and pale. Fold in the melted chocolate.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff.
  5. Mix a couple of tablespoons of the eggs whites into the chocolate mixture to lessen it up, then gently fold in the remainder.
  6. Pour into the prepared tin and gentle spread out to fill the tin, bake for 15-20 mins until risen and firm to the touch.
  7. Lay out a large piece of baking parchment and sift half the icing sugar over it. Turn out the warm roulade onto the baking parchment and cover with a clean damp tea towel. Allow to cool completely.
  8. Whilst the roulade is cooling, whip the cream to soft peaks in a bowl.
  9. Remove the top baking parchment layer from the roulade and spread with the cream. Then scatter over the cherries and drizzle a little of the kirsch/cherry juice over the cream.
  10. Use the bottom piece of baking parchment to roll up the roulade from one short end.
  11. Transfer to a serving platter and dust with cocoa powder and icing sugar.

 

0 Cakes

Classic Christmas Cake

Sunday 20th November is ‘Stir-up Sunday’. Traditionally the day to make your Christmas puddings and Christmas cakes. This tradition goes back to Victorian times where the family got together on the Sunday before Advent. It gets its name from the beginning of the collect for the day in the Book of Common Prayer, which begins with the words, “Stir up, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people”.

Classic Christmas Cake

Whist I am not particularly religious, it is a great way to remember when to make your Christmas puddings and cakes. For my traditional Christmas cake, it allows for 5 weeks of weekly feeding the cake with a tablespoon or 2 of brandy every weekend to get that lovely boozy, warming, rich fruitcake for Christmas Day tea. Everyone in the family takes a turn to stir the cake mix and make a special wish for the year ahead.

Christmas cake

Last Christmas when I was in the supermarket stocking up on dried fruit, a retired lady and I were dancing around each other to get to the ingredients, both obviously getting ready for Stir up Sunday. We got talking and I found out she was a retired home economics teacher. She said she was impressed that firstly I was a man who could not only be bothered to actually make a Christmas cake from scratch, when I could just as easily have picked a ready made and iced one in the next aisle. Secondly she could see the passion I had for baking and the desire to share that and build memories and traditions with my two young sons in the same way my father and I did many years before. I think we both left the supermarket with even more Christmas cheer than when we entered. We were both in firm agreement that we wished more people would take the time to have fun in the kitchen and pass on skills and traditions that can be so quickly lost in the high speed world we live in.

 

Christmas cake

If you are not partial to alcohol, soak the fruit in orange juice instead of brandy and skip the feeding.

I normally ice and decorate the cake with marzipan and fondant icing the weekend before Christmas. You will have to wait a little while before I can add the finished iced version.

Christmas Cake

Soak the fruit at least overnight, preferably a few days.

Makes: 1 cake
You will need a 20cm cake tin
Ingredients
450g currants
150g raisins
150g sultanas
50g dried cranberries
50g mixed peel
50g glace cherries, chopped
50g pecans, chopped
100ml brandy (or orange juice)
225g butter
225g soft dark brown sugar
5 eggs, medium
225g plain flour
1/4 teaspoon  nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon  mixed spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
Grated zest of 1 lemon
Grated zest of 1 orange
1 tablespoon treacle
Brandy to feed

To decorate
2 tablespoons of apricot jam
250g ready roll marzipan
500g ready roll icing
A little icing sugar

Instructions
A few days before, put all of the dried fruit and nuts into a large ziploc bag or Tupperware box and pour over the brandy or orange juice. Give it a good stir each day.

Preheat oven to 280F/140C (120C Fan)/Gas 1

1.Grease and line a 20cm cake tin with baking parchment. Then wrap and tie with string a double thickness of baking parchment on the outside of the tin. This will protect it through the long slow bake.
2.Combine the flour, salt and spices into a large bowl. Add sugar, eggs, softened butter and beat with a wooden spoon until light and fluffy.
3.Gently fold in the presoaked fruit, the grated zest of the orange and lemon and treacle.
4.Using a large spoon transfer the mixture to the lined tin, smooth out the top and cover the top with a double layer of parchment. Cut a small hole in the parchment to let out steam.
5.Place in the bottom shelf of the oven and bake for about 4 hours. Insert a skewer and make sure it comes out clean to ensure the cake is cooked through . It can take an extra 30 minutes. If it is not quite done, check every 15 mins until the skewer comes out clean.
6.Cool for 30 minutes in the tin. Then remove from the tin and cool on a wire rack.
7. Once cool, poke holes in the top of the cake and feed (slowly drizzle) with a tablespoon of brandy.
8.Wrap in parchment and then in foil. Store in an airtight tin and feed with brandy weekly.

Icing the cake

1. Warm the jam in a small saucepan to remove any lumps. Put the cake on a cake board or plate. Brush the jam over the top of the cake.
2. Dust the work surface with icing sugar and roll out the marzipan. Cut out a 20cm disc and place on top of the cake.
3. Repeat this step with the icing and then decorate using your own creative flair.
4. Store in an airtight container.

Classic Christmas Cake
 
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A lovely boozy, warming, rich fruitcake for Christmas Day tea
Author:
Serves: 1
Ingredients
  • 450g currants
  • 150g raisins
  • 150g sultanas
  • 50g dried cranberries
  • 50g mixed peel
  • 50g glace cherries, chopped
  • 50g pecans, chopped
  • 100ml brandy (or orange juice)
  • 225g butter
  • 225g soft dark brown sugar
  • 5 eggs, medium
  • 225g plain flour
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon mixed spice
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • Grated zest of 1 lemon
  • Grated zest of 1 orange
  • 1 tablespoon treacle
  • Brandy to feed
Instructions
  1. A few days before, put all of the dried fruit and nuts into a large ziploc bag or Tupperware box and pour over the brandy or orange juice. Give it a good stir each day.
  2. Preheat oven to 280F/140C (120C Fan)/Gas 1
  3. Grease and line a 20cm cake tin with baking parchment. Then wrap and tie with string a double thickness of baking parchment on the outside of the tin. This will protect it through the long slow bake.
  4. Combine the flour, salt and spices into a large bowl. Add sugar, eggs, softened butter and beat with a wooden spoon until light and fluffy.
  5. Gently fold in the presoaked fruit, the grated zest of the orange and lemon and treacle.
  6. Using a large spoon transfer the mixture to the lined tin, smooth out the top and cover the top with a double layer of parchment. Cut a small hole in the parchment to let out steam.
  7. Place in the bottom shelf of the oven and bake for about 4 hours. Insert a skewer and make sure it comes out clean to ensure the cake is cooked through . It can take an extra 30 minutes. If it is not quite done, check every 15 mins until the skewer comes out clean.
  8. Cool for 30 minutes in the tin. Then remove from the tin and cool on a wire rack.
  9. Once cool, poke holes in the top of the cake and feed (slowly drizzle) with a tablespoon of brandy.
  10. Wrap in parchment and then in foil. Store in an airtight tin and feed with brandy weekly.
  11. Icing the cake
  12. Warm the jam in a small saucepan to remove any lumps. Put the cake on a cake board or plate. Brush the jam over the top of the cake.
  13. Dust the work surface with icing sugar and roll out the marzipan. Cut out a 20cm disc and place on top of the cake.
  14. Repeat this step with the icing and then decorate using your own creative flair.
  15. Store in an airtight container.

 

1 Cakes

Vanilla and Honey Madeleines

Madeleines are delicious little light buttery french cakes, traditionally made in a tin shaped like a scallop shell. They are kind of a cross between a biscuit and a cake. Hard on the outside with a soft light and fluffy sponge center.

madeleines

They can be a little tricky when trying to make these in the traditional method, making the batter in the same way you would normally make a Genoise sponge mix. But I came across this easier method which are just as delicious and satisfying to eat or dunk with a lovely cup of tea. Or in my case dipped in a strong espresso! The honey in the recipe gives an additional depth of flavour.

The sign of a good Madeleine I am told is the hump that forms on the back of the cake. You are aiming for a Quasimodo in “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” size hump. I did not get the same hump in this recipe but who cares, they taste fantastic!

To prevent the purists or French from getting upset I will also post a more traditional recipe soon.

For additional twist you could add the zest of a lemon or orange to the wet mix before you combine the wet and dry ingredients.

Makes: 1 dozen cakes
Oven Temp: Gas 5, 375F, 190C (170C Fan)

Ingredients

100g plain flour
100g caster sugar
100g butter (melted)
1 egg yolk
2 egg whites
1 tbsp clear honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
Optional icing sugar for dusting

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375F/190C
1.Grease a 12 hole madeleine tin with a small amount of the melted butter and dust lightly with flour.
You can use a small tart tin if you don’t have the a madeleine tin.
2.Combine the flour and sugar in a bowl.
3.In a separate bowl whisk together the cooled melted butter, egg yolk, honey and vanilla.
4.Whisk the two egg whites to stiff peaks.
5.Mix the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients until evenly combined.
6.Gently fold in the egg whites in two batches using a metal spoon or spatula, making sure all the egg white is incorporated.
7.Divide the mixture between the prepared moulds. Do not overfill as these will expand, a large teaspoon should be fine.
8.Bake for 10-12 mins until golden brown.
9.Leave to cool in the tin for a few minutes and then remove and allow to cool on a wire rack.
Dust with icing sugar before serving.

Vanilla and Honey Madeleines
 
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Madeleines are delicious little light buttery french cakes, traditionally made in a tin shaped like a scallop shell. They are kind of a cross between a biscuit and a cake. Hard on the outside with a soft light and fluffy sponge center.
Author:
Recipe type: Cakes
Serves: 12
Ingredients
  • 100g plain flour
  • 100g caster sugar
  • 100g butter (melted)
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 egg whites
  • 1 tbsp clear honey
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Optional icing sugar for dusting
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375F/190C
  2. Grease a 12 hole madeleine tin with a small amount of the melted butter and dust lightly with flour.
  3. You can use a small tart tin if you don't have the a madeleine tin.
  4. Combine the flour and sugar in a bowl.
  5. In a separate bowl whisk together the cooled melted butter, egg yolk, honey and vanilla.
  6. Whisk the two egg whites to stiff peaks.
  7. Mix the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients until evenly combined.
  8. Gently fold in the egg whites in two batches using a metal spoon or spatula, making sure all the egg white is incorporated.
  9. Divide the mixture between the prepared moulds. Do not overfill as these will expand, a large teaspoon should be fine.
  10. Bake for 10-12 mins until golden brown.
  11. Leave to cool in the tin for a few minutes and then remove and allow to cool on a wire rack.
  12. Dust with icing sugar before serving.

Adapted from a recipe found on the Good Food website by Mary Cadogan

1 Cakes

Lemon and Poppyseed Friands

I love a good old muffin, it’s versatile, easy and delicious. However when friends or family come round I like to serve Friands, as it seems like you have pushed the boat out making these fancy little french cakes.

friandslemonpoppy

They are super simple to make like a muffin. Friands are little cakes, typically oval shaped, originally from France. If you do not have a friand tin you can always use a muffin tin. The cakes are made with ground almonds, melted butter icing sugar and egg whites (instead of whole eggs) and a small amount of flour, which makes them super light and the almonds keep them moist.

Like muffins you can easily tweak the flavours to make a whole range of friands. Rather than poppy seeds, you could always add some blueberries or raspberries to the batter once mixed and gentle fold them in. Or swap out the lemon zest for orange zest and add in some cranberries.

A word of warning due to using 6 egg whites the batter can feel gloppy and with the poppy seeds a little reminiscent of frog spawn. Do not be put off by that. Once baked they are fluffy, light and delicious.

You will be a convert and your guest will be amazed at these little beauties. If you want to amp up the lemon flavour, I like to add half a teaspoon of a good lemon extract.

Makes: 1 dozen friands
Oven Temp: Gas 6, 400F, 200C (180C Fan)

Ingredients
6 egg whites
1 large or 2 small lemons
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
185 g butter, melted
120g ground almonds
240g icing sugar
75g plain flour
1/2 teaspoon lemon essence (optional)
Icing sugar to dust

Instructions
Preheat oven to 400F/200C.

1. Grease 12 x ½ cup oval friand tins or a 12-hole muffin tin; stand on a baking tray.
2.Place egg whites in medium bowl and whisk lightly until they have combined together. they should still be runny, transparent with just a little froth on the top.
3.Zest the lemon, sift icing sugar and flour into the egg whites and add all remaining ingredients into the bowl.
4.Stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until just combined.
5.Spoon mixture equally into the fraind or muffin tin .
6.Bake friands about 25 minutes until golden brown. Cool on a wire tray, topside up.
7.Serve friands warm, dusted with extra sifted icing sugar.

These store well for a few days in an airtight container.

Lemon and Poppyseed Friands
 
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Friands are little cakes, typically oval shaped, originally from France. If you do not have a friand tin you can always use a muffin tin. The cakes are made with ground almonds, melted butter icing sugar and egg whites (instead of whole eggs) and a small amount of flour, which makes them super light and the almonds keep them moist.
Author:
Recipe type: Cakes
Serves: 12
Ingredients
  • 6 egg whites
  • 1 large or 2 small lemons
  • 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
  • 185 g butter, melted
  • 120g ground almonds
  • 240g icing sugar
  • 75g plain flour
  • ½ teaspoon lemon essence (optional)
  • Icing sugar to dust
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400F/200C.
  2. Grease 12 x ½ cup oval friand tins or a 12-hole muffin tin; stand on a baking tray.
  3. Place egg whites in medium bowl and whisk lightly until they have combined together. they should still be runny, transparent with just a little froth on the top.
  4. Zest the lemon, sift icing sugar and flour into the egg whites and add all remaining ingredients into the bowl.
  5. Stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until just combined.
  6. Spoon mixture equally into the fraind or muffin tin .
  7. Bake friands about 25 minutes until golden brown. Cool on a wire tray, topside up.
  8. Serve friands warm, dusted with extra sifted icing sugar.
Notes
These store well for a few days in an airtight container.

Adapted from a recipe by FoodtoLove