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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

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

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Chilli Chocolate Cookies

Posted on Posted in Biscuits .

Chilli Chocolate Cookie recipe

Chilli Chocolate Cookies

So I have had these cookies on my radar from quite a while. I love chocolate and do like some chilli in my cooking and have notice how Lindt and Cadbury have come out with their chocolate chilli sku’s so I thought I must give these a go already.

I shouldn’t be surprised that the flavours did in fact work perfectly together and I think the touch of cinnamon is quite complementary to the flavour combo.

These cookies are crunchie and soft in the center with a chocolate taste and a burst of chilli that hits after.

 

Ingredients:

  • 120g butter
  • 120g dark chocolate
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsn vanilla essence
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 white white sugar
  • 1 + ¾ cups of plain flour
  • ½ cup cocoa powder
  • 2 tsn cinnamon
  • 1 tsn chilli powder
  • 180g dark chocolate

 

Method:

  1. Pre-heat oven to 180c and line a 2 baking trays with baking paper.
  2. Melt the butter in the microwave for 45 seconds. Break up the dark chocolate and stir with a metal spoon through the butter until glossy and smooth.
  3. In a separate bowl whisk with electric beaters eggs, vanilla and sugars until pale and thick.
  4. Stir in the chocolate mix until combined.
  5. Sift in the flour, cocoa, cinnamon and chilli powder, stir to combine.
  6. Chop chocolate into small pieces and stir into cookie dough.
  7. Roll the dough with hands into 25g balls and place onto the baking trays. Use fingertips to flatten slightly.
  8. Bake for 10 mins or until set.
  9. Place cookies onto a cooking rack, enjoy.

 

Notes:

  • I actually kneaded the cookie dough to quickly ensure the dough was well combined.
  • I used scales to weight the cookie dough balls to get them all the same size.

Chilli Chocolate Cookie recipe

Chilli Chocolate Cookie recipe

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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.

 

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