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Showing posts from February, 2013

Spiced Banana Cake with Butterscotch icing

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Yet another loaf cake to add to my repertoire - well the recipe used a 900g loaf tin, but I wanted a round cake so used a 20cm springform tin. Inspiration for the cake was a few very ripe bananas in the fruit bowl. I rarely use alcohol in cakes, but this time I did what the recipe said, and soaked the sultanas in the rum. I wanted to try a different topping so I used a butterscotch one I'd wanted to try for ages - I know it has a lot of sugar in it, but for a special occasion..........! 100g sultanas 50ml rum 185g plain flour 2 tspn baking powder ½ tspn bicarb pinch salt 2 tspn cinnamon - I used 3 tspns 125g soft unsalted butter 150g light soft brown sugar 2 large eggs 4 small very ripe bananas 1 tspn vanilla extract For the icing: 75g golden caster sugar 15g butter 50g light muscovado sugar 1 tbspn golden syrup 75ml double cream In a small pan pour the rum over the sultanas and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and leave to soak. Preheat the oven 17

Rhubarb crumble muffins

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I've posted muffin recipes several times, adapting my favourite recipe. I made a rhubarb tart yesterday, and had enough rhubarb left to make some muffins. I wanted to make something different, but having looked online and not been inspired, I decided to adapt my old faithful recipe  We love rhubarb crumble, so muffins with rhubarb and crumble sound ideal. I usually make the crumble with half oats and half flour, and I use oil instead of butter in the muffins. A healthier option! I used soft light brown sugar instead of my usual caster. For the crumble topping: 50g butter, 50g plain flour 25g porridge oats 50g demerara sugar 1 tsp ground cinnamon For the muffins: 225g self-raising flour 100g soft light brown sugar 1 medium egg, beaten 250ml milk 120ml sunflower or rapeseed oil 200g rhubarb, sliced lengthways and chopped 2 tbspn cold water 50g caster sugar icing sugar [opt] Preheat oven to 200C/gas mark 6. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases.   Crumb

Pecan and Honey Loaf

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I still have some pecans to use up from the bag I bought a while ago from the sadly- no- longer Julian Graves shop. I love making loaf cakes, so this is my variation on a recipe that had walnuts in it. Had a pot of local honey in the cupboard which needed using up, so added 1 tbspn to the cake mixture and also put 1 tbspn in the icing. 190g butter 190g caster sugar 190g plain flour 1 tspn baking powder 3 eggs 1 tspn vanilla essence 1 tbspn runny honey 60g chopped nuts - pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts Icing - icing sugar, lemon juice and 1 tbspn of honey - depends how thick you want your icing to be  as to how much icing sugar and lemon juice you use! Preheat oven 170C/gas 3 Grease a 900g loaf tin. Beat the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer till white and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, and beat well after each one. Fold in the flour gently, a bit at a time. Add the vanilla and 1 tbspn of honey, then mix in the chopped nuts by hand. Spoon into the tin

Buttermilk and rhubarb cake

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Rhubarb is one of my favourite things to eat, so when I saw some lovely and pink, it made my day. We need a bit of colour in this dreary month! I didn't want to make a crumble, so thought about a cake. I'd seen this recipe ages ago on this site Taste of Home , so decided to have a go at changing the cups to grams and to make the cake. 100g rhubarb cut into small chunks 25g + 150g caster sugar 115g unsalted butter, softened 2 eggs 1 1/2 tspn vanilla essence 175g plain/all purpose flour 1 tspn baking powder 1/2 tspn salt Pinch of bicarbonate of soda 180ml buttermilk Brown sugar for the topping Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Grease and line a 2lb loaf tin. Put the rhubarb in a bowl with 25g of sugar and set aside. Cream together the butter and the rest of the sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and beat in well. Add the vanilla essence. Sift all the dry ingredients together into a big bowl. Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients and fold into the