Sweet Tooth Experiments

Category Archives: Cakes

Devil’s Food Cake

Posted on Posted in America, Cakes .

So my all-time favourite dessert in the world is Tiramisu. Coffee, chocolate and Marsala is there a better flavour combo in the world? (I don’t think so)!

This got me thinking about other desserts that hold similar flavours, where I was led to the Devil’s Food Cake. This cake has many variations, some with red food colouring, some with beetroots for the colour, some with coffee, some with chocolate, and some with only cocoa powder for the taste.

After assessing variations I decided on my ingredients mix that would provide the most rich (but not too sweet) result with a lovely dense texture.

To do this I have elected for coca powder and only used chocolate in the icing. I have a good amount of coffee, which complements and amplifies the chocolate taste. Also I have used sour cream for the icing to pull back the sweetness again (as the icing is mostly chocolate).

 

IMG_5026

Devil’s Food Cake

Ingredients

  • 180g butter
  • 1 1/2 cups caster sugar
  • 2 tsn vanilla essence
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 1/3 cups self-raising flour
  • 1/2 cup plain flour
  • 2/3 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/2 tsn bicarbonate of soda
  • 4 tsn (5 if you are a coffee fan) instant espresso coffee powder
  • 5 drops red food colouring
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1/3 cup milk

Chocolate ganache

  • 300g dark chocolate
  • 3/4 cup sour cream

 

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180c and line a 23cm round cake tin with baking paper.
  2. Using electric beaters beat the butter, sugar and essence for 5 mins or until it is light and fluffy.
  3. Add in the eggs one at a time and ensure you beat thoroughly between each addition.
  4. Sift in the flours, cocoa powder and bicarbonate of soda into the sugar mix, stir.
  5. Add 3 tsn of the coffee powder to the water, stir.
  6. Add remaining tsn of coffee powder to the mix as well as the food colouring, water mix and milk.
  7. Pour mixture into prepared pan and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
  8. Once cooked leave the cake in the tin for 5 mins, then place onto a cooling rack to cool.
  9. To make the chocolate ganache place the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on medium (50%) for 1 minute, and then stir every 30 secs with a spoon until just melted. Following stir in sour cream.
  10. Cut cake into 3 layers. Spread the ganache on top of the 3 layers as well as the side of the cake.

Notes:

  • This cake is super rich with flavour, however I have deliberately have not had it super sweet. The sugar level is lower than most devils food cakes and there is no chocolate in the actual cake only cocoa powder. Additionally instead of cream I have used sour cream again to slightly off set the ganache sweetness. Though I LOVE sweet but I think this cake the flavour needs to dominate. Though it is still very much sweet blisss…
  • If you don’t like coffee you can omit the coffee powder, however it more enhances the chocolate taste not so much had its own flavour. This will then just be a red velvet cake.
  • I added an extra 2 steps to this for decoration. I placed kit kats around the cake which held in place thanks to the ganache. Then I placed M&Ms on top.
  • Deciding against the coffee and red food colouring would mean this is just a dense chocolate cake.

 

Like this recipe? Subscribe via RSS or email to get my new entries and more scrumptious recipes with reviews.

Devils Food Cake

Step 10

Devils Food Cake

My additional step 11 (see notes)

 

 

 

 

Email, RSS Follow
Print

Hummingbird Cake

Posted on Posted in America, Cakes .

Hummingbird Cake recipe

Hummingbird Cake

I actually just realised, I love pineapple but don’t recall EVER making a cake with this ingredient…

Being a fan of making different and traditional recipes I became familiar with an American cake treat – the Hummingbird cake.

There are actually quite a few variations of this cake, some with carrot, some with banana, some with walnuts, some with pecans. However, after doing a little investigating I managed to track down the original recipe that was created by Mrs. L.H. Wiggins of North Carolina in February 1978!

Needless to say I opted for the ingredient mix that she used, however my recipe has key shortcuts and little tweaks to enhance the flavour. Outcome = This cake is sooo tasty. Think banana cake with a hint of a spiced carrot cake twist (thanks to the cinnamon and nuts).

Hummingbird Cake recipe

Ingredients:

  • 440g can of pineapple
  • 180g butter
  • 275g white sugar
  • 1 tsn vanilla essence
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 medium banana
  • 90g desiccated coconut
  • 80g pecans
  • 300g self-raising flour
  • 1 tsn cinnamon

Icing

  • 370g cream cheese
  • 60g butter
  • 150g icing sugar
  • 30ml pineapple syrup (reserved from earlier)

 

Method:

  1. Grease and line a 23cm round cake tin with baking paper.
  2. Pre-heat the oven to 180c fan forced.
  3. Drain the can of pineapple reserving the juice for later.
  4. Using a food processor process the pineapple pieces until coarsely chopped.
  5. Process the pecans.
  6. Process the banana until smooth.
  7. Using electric beaters beat the butter and sugar until creamy and smooth. Add in the eggs one at a time, beating in between each addition.
  8. Stir in the pineapple, banana, coconut and pecans until combined.
  9. Add the flour and cinnamon, stir to combine.
  10. Pour mix into the cake tin, level out with a spoon and bake for 50 minutes or until the skewer in the center comes out clean.
  11. Let the cake stand for 15 mins then transfer onto a cooling rack.
  12. To make the icing add all the ingredients into a bowl and stir with a wooden spoon until just combined.
  13. Using electric beaters beat for 5 minutes until light and fluffy. Place in the fridge until cake is cooled.
  14. Cut the cake in half, spread icing in the center, then the remainder of the icing around the outside of the cake.

 

Notes:

  • Decorate with any leftover pecans or you can do what I did which was place white sugar in a pan on the stove until it caramelises. Then using a fork place in the caramel and swirl over the cake in a circular motion until the caramel is used up.
  • You can replace the pecans with walnuts.
  • Or if you wish, you can replace the banana with a grated carrot.

 

Ingredients

Hummingbird Cake recipe

Step 11

Hummingbird Cake recipe

Step 14

Hummingbird Cake recipe

Like this recipe? Subscribe via RSS or email to get my new entries and more scrumptious recipes with reviews.

See the original 1978 recipe at http://www.southernliving.com/food/entertaining/hummingbird-cake.

Email, RSS Follow
Print

Sweet Potato and Orange Cake

Posted on Posted in Cakes .

Sweet Potato and Orange Cake recipe

Sweet Potato and Orange Cake

Hello sweet potato again. This is the second time this ingredient has popped up in my blog (a la sweet potato chocolate brownie posted in January 2013).

Believe it or not but this cake actually tastes very similar to carrot cake, however don’t have any identical ingredients…I must post my carrot cake recipe at some stage. It took me a few different recipes but my version is something else!

If you’re a fan of oranges you will definitely like this as the orange flavor is much stronger than the sweet potato.

orange

Ingredients:

  • 1 ¾ cups plain flour
  • 2 tsn baking powder
  • 1 tsn bicarbonate of soda
  • 1 tsn ground cinnamon
  •  1+ ¾ cups brown sugar
  • ¾ cup sultanas
  • 2/3 cup chopped walnuts
  • 500g sweet potato grated
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup butter
  • 1 orange (you will need 2 tbs of finely grated orange zest and 1 tbsn of the juice from this)

Icing:

  • 50g butter
  • 250g cream cheese
  • 1 tbs finely grated orange zest
  • 2 cups icing sugar

 

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180c and line a 25cm cake tin with baking paper.
  2. Combine flour, baking powder, bicarb, cinnamon, sugar, sultanas, walnuts and potato in a bowl, stir to combined.
  3. In another bowl beat eggs, butter, zest and juice. Pour wet mix into the dry mixture, stir to combine the batter.
  4. Pour into pan and bake for 45 minutes. Following decrease the oven temperature to 160c and bake for a further 30 minutes or until a skew inserted in the cake comes out clean.
  5. Cool the cake in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer onto a cooling rack.
  6. Make the icing recipe by combining the ingredients together, beat until glossy and smooth
  7. Cut the cake in half and spread half the icing in the cake and the remaining on top of the cake.

 

Notes:

  • I’m not a massive fan or walnuts and have made this many times by omitting this ingredient where the cake turns out perfectly fine.
  • There is not much orange in this cake but don’t be tempted to add more in. You will be surprised how strong the orange taste is with the little amount in the batter.

 

Like this recipe? Subscribe via RSS or email to get my new entries and more scrumptious recipes with reviews.

 

Email, RSS Follow
Print

Lemon Meringue Cheesecake

Posted on Posted in Cakes .

Lemon Meringue Cheesecake recipe

Lemon Meringue Cheesecake

So Lemon Meringue Pie is a classic ultimate favorite of mine. Cheesecake can also be unbelievable if the right recipe and ingredient combination is used. Both these 2 sweet indulgent treats are very popular to both the sweet and more savory taste buds.

As I am always asked to bake cheesecake and lemon pie I decided the only way I would make these is to incorporate them together. This way if the outcome is incredible I can post the recipe on this blog and share the awesomeness for others to bake and experience.

So introducing the Lemon Meringue Cheesecake.  Now let me pre-warn you,  once I put this cake out it was gone in 10 minutes, the quickest of my cakes to disappear. Many people missed out and I am told this is my best cake yet…

Lemon Meringue Cheesecake recipe

Ingredients:

Base:

  • 375g butternut snap biscuits
  • 100g butter

Filling:

  • ¼ cup water
  • 4 tsn powered gelatin
  • 280g jar lemon butter
  • 500g cream cheese
  • ¾ cup thickened cream
  • 110g white sugar
  • ½ lemon zest

Meringue:

  • Extra 80g water
  • Extra ¾ cup white sugar
  • 3 egg whites

 

Method:

  1. Line a 20cm cake tin with baking paper.
  2. Add the biscuits and butter into a food processor and process until well combined.
  3. Spoon mix into the cake tin and line the walls and base with the biscuit mix. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to set.
  4. Put the water and gelatin into a bowl and whish with a fork until well combined.
  5. Microwave for 30 seconds or until dissolved, cool.
  6. Whisk lemon butter until smooth. Add 4 tsn of the gelatin mix to the lemon butter and whisk.
  7. Beat together the cream, cheese, sugar and zest into a bowl with an electric whisk for 5 minutes until smooth.
  8. Pour cheese mix over the base.
  9. Spoon the lemon mix over the cheese layer.
  10. Place cake in the fridge for 3 hours minimum.
  11. Put extra water and sugar into a saucepan on medium heat cook stirring until the sugar has dissolved.
  12. Increase to high and place a candy thermometer in the sugar mix. Cook until the temperate hits 120 degrees then remove off the heat.
  13. With electric beaters whisk the egg whites on medium until soft peaks form.
  14. Increase speed to high, while beating in the sugar syrup in a steady stream. Beat for 10 minutes or until thick and glossy.
  15. Remove the cake from the tin and place onto a plate.
  16. Spoon the meringue onto the cake and blow torch the meringue until golden brown on top, serve.

 

Notes:

  • If in a hurry place the cake in the freezer for 45 minutes instead of 3+ hours in the fridge to set quickly.

Lemon Meringue Cheesecake recipe

Step 2

Lemon Meringue Cheesecake recipe

Step 3

Lemon Meringue Cheesecake recipe

Step 8

Lemon Meringue Cheesecake recipe

Step 9

Lemon Meringue Cheesecake recipe

Step 12

Lemon Meringue Cheesecake recipe

 

Email, RSS Follow
Print

Lemon, Basil and Olive Oil Cake

Posted on Posted in Cakes .

Lemon, Basil and Olive Oil Cake

Photographer: Margaret Paola Minero

Lemon, Basil and Olive Oil Cake

Gosh, if I remove the word ‘cake’ from this Lemon, basil and olive oil title you would swear I am making a pasta sauce!

Don’t let this fool you, this cake produces the most amazing texture that can only be described as more fluffy that a sponge cake but cheesecake like, yep seriously (a friends words not mine)!

Separately lemon and olive oil in cakes is quite common (olive oil thanks to the likes of the carrot cake popularity). However, basil…this is the first time I must say I have come across this ingredient in a cake, therefore of course I had to make it.

Believe it or not this cake is a winner, especially to the everyday taste bud that doesn’t have a sweet tooth obsession as bad as mine (in other words it is sweet but not chocolate caramel layer cake sweet).

We already know these flavors work, why not give it a try!

 

Ingredients:

  • 180ml olive oil
  • 16 basil leaves
  • 4 eggs separated + an extra yolk
  • 170g white sugar
  • Finley grated zest of 1 large lemon
  • 2 tbsn + ½ tsn of lemon juice
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 175g plain flour
  • 1 tsn cream of tarter

Syrup:

  • 10 basil leaves
  • 60g white sugar
  • 4 tsn lemon juice

 

Method:

  1. Place the oil and basil in a pan on the stove on high until the basil starts to sizzle and crisp up. Once you hit this stage take the pan off the heat and leave aside to cool.
  2. Line a 20cm cake tin with baking paper and pre-heat the oven to 180c.
  3. Beat the egg yolks and 1/3 of the sugar until thick and pale.
  4. Add the cold oil, zest, juice and salt and beat to combine.
  5. Gently fold (be very gentle) the flourinto the batter until just combine.
  6. In another bowl beat the egg whites and cream of tarter until peaks start to form. Now add in the remaining sugar and beat until mixture is thick and glossy.
  7. Place a large spoonful of egg whites in to the batter and gently fold to loosen the batter up.
  8. Once lose fold in the remaining egg white mix very very gently.
  9. Spoon the batter into the cake tin and smooth the top.
  10. Bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the cake comes out clean.
  11. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes than transfer onto a cooling rack.
  12. Now for the syrup, combine all ingredients into a pan with 80ml water and stir on the stove on medium until the mix is reduced to a nice syrup consistency.
  13. Dust the cake with icing sugar and spoon the syrup over the cake, serve.

 

Notes:

  • I whipped up some thickened cream with 2 tbsn of icing sugar and brought 250g strawberries that were mixed with 2 tsn of icing sugar and 2 tsn lemon juice. I then piped the cream and placed the strawberries on top of the cake before the syrup was spooned on the cake to decorate. Lastly I placed a few basil sprigs in the center for the look.
  • The reason I say very very gently is because there is no self-raising agent in this cake. The rise of the cake comes from the egg white and cream of tarter combo you have beaten, so if you are not gentle enough the cake will loose its rise (old school raising styles going on here)!

 

Lemon, Basil and Olive Oil Cake recipe

Step 2

Lemon, Basil and Olive Oil Cake recipe

Step 2

Lemon, Basil and Olive Oil Cake recipe

Step 2

Lemon, Basil and Olive Oil Cake recipe

Step  1

Lemon, Basil and Olive Oil Cake recipe

Step 3 & 4

Lemon, Basil and Olive Oil Cake recipe

Step 6

Lemon, Basil and Olive Oil Cake recipe

Step 7

Photographer: Margaret Paola Minero

Photographer: Margaret Paola Minero

Step 8

Lemon, Basil and Olive Oil Cake recipe

Lemon, Basil and Olive Oil Cake recipe

Lemon, Basil and Olive Oil Cake

 

Like this recipe? Subscribe via RSS or email to get my new entries and more scrumptious recipes with reviews.

Email, RSS Follow
Print

Swedish Apple Cake

Posted on Posted in Cakes, Sweden, Traditional .


Swedish Apple Cake recipe

Swedish Apple Cake

So someone said to me the other day why don’t you bake an apple pie. My response was ‘to boring’ I like to try ‘out there’ unexpected flavours and then be surprised when the flavours are magic and I uncover a hidden gem recipe…However, I also love to ‘uncover’ traditional global dessert recipes – I think this is because some cultures have flavours I have never even heard of which peaks my ‘trial & testing’ obsession.

But, it did get me thinking, I do baking a lot with fruit and the recipes have in the most part been amazing and there are millions of different apple pie/tart/slice/cake/torts/jelly/trifle recipes.

So I decided that I would investiagte and find a killer recipe that ticks all the boxes..I am told this cake tastes exactly like Apple Pie but as a cake…

 

Ingredients:

  • 4 granny smith apples
  • 260g plain flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 150g white sugar
  • 150g butter
  • 4 eggs

Glaze:

  • 50g water
  • 50g white sugar
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon

 

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180c and line a 25cm cake tin with baking paper.
  2. Peel the apples. Dice 3 into 1cm cubes. For the 4th apple slice thinly into moon shapes to decorate the cake.
  3. Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and sugar in a bowl.
  4. Add the diced apple to the bowl and mix with dry ingredients well.
  5. Add the softened butter and eggs until all ingredients are well combined.
  6. Pour into cake tin.
  7. Place the sliced apple in a fan shape on top of the batter.
  8. Bake for 60 minutes or until a skew inserted in the cake comes out clean.
  9. Cool the cake in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer onto a cooling rack.
  10. Make the glaze by combining the ingredients together in a small pan on low and stir until the sugar dissolves. Turn up heat to medium until the glaze thickens to half the measure.
  11. Using a pastry-brush brush the apples on top of the cake with the glaze.

 

Notes:

  • The reason you need to make sure you mix the dry ingredients with the diced apple is because covering the apple in flour will ensure the apple does not sink to the bottom.
  • As the apple is diced so finely after cooking the pieces themselves break down, making the cake smooth in texture and apple intenseness in every bite. If you would like to actually have apple pieces in the cake you will need to dice into 2cm sizes.
  • 150g sugar may not seem like that much for a full cake, however as apple has natural sugar they bring this into the cake (that is if you have nice tasty apples and not apple on the sour ‘to ripe’ side).
  • Don’t try to make the glaze in the microwave. I am all for time saving and making things easier but this will only make a water like glaze texture not a syrupy one.
  • This cake does not need icing (that would not work at all), if you want something to eat this with ice-cream or a dollop of cream would go down a treat. This would also be perfect for people that don’t have as much as a sweet tooth as it will dull down the sweetness.

 

Swedish Apple Cake recipe

The ingredients

Swedish Apple Cake recipe

Step 2. Dies apple

Swedish Apple Cake recipe

Step 7.

Swedish Apple Cake recipe

Step 9.

 

Like this recipe? Subscribe via RSS or email to get my new entries and more scrumptious recipes with reviews.

Email, RSS Follow
Print

Hazelnut Cake with Spiced Syrup

Posted on Posted in Cakes .

hazelnut cake

Hazelnut Cake with Spiced Syrup

 

This cake believe it or not tastes like Baklava but without the pastry and is better!

This is actually one of my favorite cakes that incorporates beautiful spices, tasty hazelnut with a to die for syrup and melt in your mouth texture.

 

Ingredients:

  • 125g butter
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/3 cup plain flour
  • 1 tsn baking powder
  • 1 ¾ cup hazelnut meal
  • ¼ cup milk

Syrup

  • 2 chamomile tea bags
  • 2/3 cup boiling water
  • ¼ cup honey
  • 1 + ½ tsb cinnamon
  • 2/3 cup white sugar

 

Method:

  1. Place the teabags into boiling water on a saucepan, boil then let the tea infuse for 15 minutes mins.
  2. Preheat the oven to 180c and line a 20cm cake tin with baking paper.
  3. Beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, add eggs one at a time.
  4. Sift in the corn flour and baking powder.
  5. Add hazelnut meal and milk and stir to combine.
  6. Pour into tin and bake for 45 minutes or until skewer inserted in the cake comes out clean.
  7. To make the syrup remove the teabags and add in the honey, cinnamon and sugar.
  8. Put the stove on medium until the sugar dissolves, then bring to the boil until the syrup has thickened.
  9. Once cake has cooled place on a plate and drizzle with the syrup.

 

Notes:

  • My example above is a slice, where I just made this into a rectangle slice tin instead. As this cake has minimal rising agents this was fine to do. I recommend though making it as a cake.
  • You could use chai teabags instead of chamomile for a more spicy taste.
  • I recommend whipping up some cream with icing sugar and piping on top then drizzling the syrup if you want to dress the cake up a bit.
  • This would also be lovely served with ice-cream on the side.

 

Like this recipe? Subscribe via RSS or email to get my new entries and more scrumptious recipes with reviews.

 

Email, RSS Follow
Print

Coca-Cola Chocolate Cake


Posted on Posted in America, Cakes .

coca-cola chocolate cake

Coca-Cola Chocolate Cake

Give me a sec to explain before you get scared off this post (you will be thankful).

Ok so I didn’t hit my head and decide to bake a cake with the first 2 ingredients that popped in my head. Believe it or not there are many versions of a ‘Coca-Cola’ cake. And I promise I wouldn’t post a recipe on my site unless the recipe was super awesome.

I also thought that this was taking things a little too far and it would be a disaster waiting to happen. But I promise you that was not the case. The outcome was the most moist and intense chocolate flavoured cake I have had in a while. The cola must intensify the chocolate flavour as only 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder go into this cake and no actual chocolate. Personally I couldn’t taste the Cola, the only remnants of it being there was an ever so slight cola after taste as such (which was surprisingly quite pleasant).

If you didn’t know it wasn’t a plain chocolate mud cake you would be none the wiser. Having said this though I did get feedback from people saying they could taste a little of the cola…each to their own I suppose.

 

Ingredients:

  • 220g plain flour
  • 250g white sugar
  • 1/2 tsn bicarbonate of soda
  • 1/4 tsn salt salt
  • 1 egg
  • 125g milk
  • 1 tsn vanilla essense
  • 125g butter
  • 2 tbsn cocoa powder
  • 190ml Coca-Cola
  • 250g icing sugar
  • 1 tbsn butter
  • 4 tbsn coco-cola
  • 1 tbsn cocoa powder

 

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180c and place in a baking tray. Line a 20cm cake tin with baking paper.
  2. In a bowl add the dry ingredients – flour, sugar, bicarb soda and salt.
  3. In another bowl beat with electric mixer the egg, milk and vanilla.
  4. In a saucepan on low add the butter, cocoa and Coca-Cola until the butter is melted.
  5. Add the butter mix to the dry bowl, stir until combined. Now add the milk mix to the bowl, beat with electric mixer until smooth.
  6. Pour into cake tin and place onto tray. Bake for 50 minutes or until skewer comes out clean.
  7. Let it cool for 10 minutes then place on a cooling rack to cool.
  8. To make the icing melt butter in the microwave. Once melted add  coco-cola and cocoa, stir until smooth, add vanilla.
  9. Stir in the icing sugar until cominbed then beat until thick and glossy. Set aside for 15 mins to cool and thicken.
  10. Spread over cooled cake.

 

Notes:

  • I used gluten free plain all-purpose flour. I think this was a contributor to the cake being so moist and mud cake like.
  • I split the cake in half and spread half the icing in the center of the cake and the rest I pipped on top of the cake.
  • The cake is so rich that I don’t actually believe you need the icing, as an alternative I would serve this with a dollop of cream instead.
  • Only 250g of sugar is in this cake and no chocolate as the cola is quite sweet already, therefore making the cake extra sweet.
  • I used diet Coke when I made this as this is what I had in my cupboard, however if you are a fan of cherries you could use Dr. Pepper or Lemon twist Coca-Cola for example for a little hit of complementary favour fusion with the chocolate.

A helping hand:

coca cola chocolate cake ingredients

The ingredients.

coca cola chocolate cake steps

Step 1. Lining the cake tin.

coca cola chocolate cake steps

The 3 mixes.

coca cola chocolate cake steps

Icing ingredients.

coca cola chocolate cake steps

Step 9. The icing cooled.

Like this recipe? If you love the rich texture ayou may also like my Red Wine Chocolate Cake and my Chocolate Zucchini Cake. Subscribe via RSS or email to get my new entries and more scrumptious recipes with reviews.

Email, RSS Follow
Print

Polenta, Yoghurt and Lime Cake

Posted on Posted in Cakes .

Polenta, Yoghurt and Lime Cake

Polenta, Yoghurt and Lime Cake

I am a lover of polenta, cook with parmesan and bake..oh my! So when I came across a polenta, yoghurt (I also love baking with yoghurt the texture is to die for) and lime cake I was intrigued.

You don’t taste the polenta (it doesn’t really have much flavor anyway) but the texture of this cake is awesome.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup polenta
  • 1 cup natural yoghurt
  • 2 tsn finely grated lime rind
  • 250g butter
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup self raising flour

Syrup:

  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1/3 cup lime juice

Method:

  1. Combine the polenta, yoghurt and rind in a bowl and mix. Refrigerate for 3 hours minimum (overnight would be best).
  2. Pre-heat the oven to 180c and line a 25cm cake tin with baking paper.
  3. Add the butter, sugar and polenta mix until combined. Then stir in the eggs and sifted flour.
  4. Pour batter (or spread due to constancy) into the cake tin and cook for 50 minutes.
  5. To make the syrup add the sugar and juice into a pan on the stove on low until the sugar is dissolved, then boil mixture.
  6. Pour the syrup over the cake in the tin once cooked and let the cake stay in tin for 20 minutes. Serve.

Notes:

  • This cake is amazing by itself but you can serve with a dollop of yoghurt on the side if you think the syrup is to over powering.
  • Don’t microwave the syrup instead of cook on the stove, the syrup won’t thicken and it will be the consistency of water not thick syrupy goodness.
  • I places some sultanas in the syrup for a bit of a variation on the syrup in the pic above, however I do recommend leaving the syrup as is.

Like this recipe? Subscribe via RSS or email to get my new entries and more scrumptious recipes with reviews.

Email, RSS Follow
Print

Red Wine Chocolate Cake

Posted on Posted in Cakes .

Red Wine Chocolate Cake

Red Wine Chocolate Cake

My last post featured the Chocolate Zucchini cake, which I would say was one of the most dense cakes I have ever made, however this cake I am about to introduce you to would be one of a few that is an exception.

Recently I have been drinking red wine a lot more than I usually do (I’m not really a wine or beer drinker, more a spirit with mixers).  Based on this new palate I seem to have I thought it could be fun to experiment with red wine in a cake (many cakes have liqueur’s so this isn’t that different..is it)?

From my posts thus far you can start to get the notion that I am a MASSIVE chocolate fan, where again this cake demonstrates this. I promise the next posts will be chocolate free for a bit of a change 🙂

For this Red Wine Chocolate Cake you will need:

Ingredients:

  • 1 + ¾ cups plain flour
  • ¾ cocoa powder
  • 2 tsn bicarbonate of soda
  • 1 tsn baking powder
  • 1 + ½ cups white sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 cup + 20ml red wine
  • ½ cup butter
  • 1 tsn vanilla essence

Method:

  • Preheat oven to 180c and line a 25cm spring form cake tin with baking paper.
  • Add all the dry ingredients into a bowl via a sieve and stir to combine.
  • Then add all the wet ingredients and beat with an electric beater on medium for 2 minutes until the batter is smooth.
  • Pour batter into the cake tin and bake for 40 minutes or until the skewer comes out clean.
  • Cool the cake for 5 minutes in the tin then transfer to a wire cooling rack.

Notes:

  • This cake is awesome and the red wine is not over powering at all.
  • If you want to make cupcakes instead pour batter into cupcake patties and cook for 15 minutes.
  • I decorated my cake with chocolate cream cheese frosting that had red wine also incorporated into it.

Like this recipe? I recommend you also check out my Chocolate Zucchini Cake. Additionally please do subscribe via RSS or email to get my new entries and more scrumptious recipes with reviews.

Red Wine Chocolate Cupcakes

Email, RSS Follow
Print