Spiced Pumpkin Mini Cakes

Spiced pumpkin mini cakes
(From Martha Stewart, makes 24)
     2 cups plain flour
     1tsp bicarbonate of soda
     1tsp baking powder
     1tsp salt
     1tsp ground cinnamon
     1tsp ground ginger
     1/4 freshly grated nutmeg
     1/4tsp ground allspice
     1 cup packed soft brown sugar
     1 cup caster sugar
     1 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
     4 large eggs, lightly beaten
     1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Grease trays and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice; set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together brown sugar, caster sugar, butter and eggs. Add dry ingredients and whisk until smooth. Whisk in pumpkin puree.
• Divide batter evenly among the trays, filling each about halfway. Bake until tops spring back when touched, or a cake tester comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.

I had some chocolate custard left over from my Brooklyn Blackout cupcakes, which goes perfectly with the spicy pumpkin cake. Recipe here. Then topped with some blitzed cake crumbs and a pecan half.

Brooklyn Blackout Cupcakes

   As it's Chocolate Week I made some super chocolatey Brooklyn Blackout cupcakes. These cupcakes were made popular by Ebinger's Bakery in Brooklyn, New York. A rich chocolate cake filled with rich chocolate custard and frosted with the same rich custard and covered in cake crumbs. 

   These cakes were named after the blackout drills in New York in World War II performed by the Civilian Defence Corps. All lights in the city were turned off and windows were covered with black material to practice so that ships sailing off to battle could not be spotted by enemy planes.

Brooklyn Blackout Cupcakes
(Adapted from Hummingbird Bakery, makes 12 cupcakes)
     100g unsalted butter, softened
     260g caster sugar
     2 eggs
     45g cocoa powder
     1/4 tsp vanilla extract
     3/4 tsp baking powder
     3/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
     a pinch of salt
     170g plain flour
     160ml whole milk

For the chocolate custard:
     500g caster sugar
     1tbsp golden syrup
     125g cocoa powder
     200g corn flour
     85g unsalted butter
     1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• Heat the oven to 170 degrees and line a muffin tray with cupcake cases.
• Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
• Slowly beat in the vanilla extract, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt until well mixed.
• Add half the flour, then all the milk, and finish with the remaining flour.
• Mix well until everything is well combined.
• Divide the mixture between the cupcake cases and bake for 20 minutes.
• Leave the cupcakes to cool on a wire rack.
• For the chocolate custard, put the sugar, golden syrup, cocoa powder and 600ml of water into a large saucepan and bring to the boil over a medium heat, whisking occasionally.
• Mix the cornflour with 120ml of water, then whisk into the cocoa mixture in the saucepan. Bring back to the boil, whisking constantly. Cook until very thick, about 10 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla extract.
• Pour the custard into a bowl, cover with clingfilm and chill until very firm.
• When the cupcakes are cold and custard cooled, use a pairing knife to cut out a cone shape from each. Put all 12 into a food processor and blitz to make fine crumbs.
• Fill each cupcake with a piping bag (I didn't use a nozzle for this) and then finish with a swirl on top. 
• Sprinkle the cake crumbs over each cupcake to decorate.

Salted Caramel Chocolate Fudge Cake

Sometimes you just need to bake a cake. A really indulgent one!

Salted caramel chocolate fudge cake
(Adapted from Great British Chefs)
     125g caster sugar
     100g soft brown sugar
     4 large eggs
     1tsp vanilla extract
     240ml vegetable oil
     200g self raising flour
     75g cocoa powder
     1tsp baking powder
     1tsp bicarbonate of soda
     a pinch of sea salt
     2tbsp plain, natural yoghurt

For the salted caramel buttercream filling:
     250g unsalted butter, softened
     500g icing sugar
     3tbsp Bonne Maman Confiture de Caramel
     a pinch of sea salt

For the chocolate fudge topping:
     200g dark chocolate
     125ml double cream
     2tbsp Bonne Maman Confiture de Caramel
     chopped fudge pieces to decorate

• Heat the oven to 180 degrees. Butter three sandwich cake tins and line the bottom of each with baking paper.
• Using a mixer or electric whisk, beat the caster sugar, soft brown sugar, eggs and vanilla together for about four minutes until creamy. Slowly add the vegetable oil and mix again well.
• Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and stir together well with a metal spoon or spatula. Add a pinch of salt and stir in the plain yoghurt, mix well.
• Divide the mixture equally between the prepared baking tins and bake for 30 minutes. Once a skewer comes out clean, take the sponges out of the oven and leave to cool in the tins.
• To make the filling, beat the butter until soft and a little fluffy. Carefully add the icing sugar a little at a time and keep mixing until the whole amount is added in. Add the caramel sauce and a punch of sea salt and mix well.
• Once the sponges are completely cool, sandwich them together with equal amounts of buttercream.
• To make the chocolate fudge topping, melt the chocolate and stir in the cream and caramel once slightly cooled. Leave to cool entirely, before spreading the fudge topping over the entire cake. (I found it easier to do a crumb coating, although the second layer was a lot cooler and a lot less spreadable). Decorate with chopped fudge pieces.

Mini Caramel Coffee Cakes

   I thought I'd share a quick recipe of one of my midnight bakes this week. These mini cakes were a little experiment with a jar of caramel that's been sitting patiently in the cupboard. Of course they were waiting for a little java buzz and some chocolate caramel buttercream.

Mini caramel coffee cakes
(Makes 6 mini cakes)
     85g unsalted butter, softened
     55g soft dark brown sugar
     1tbsp golden syrup
     1 large egg, lightly beaten
     100g self raising flour
     1tsp freshly grated nutmeg
     2tbsp espresso coffee

• Heat the oven to 180 degrees and line a bun tray with 6 cases.
• Beat together the butter, sugar and golden syrup until light and fluffy. 
• Gradually beat in the egg.
• Sift in the flour and nutmeg and, with a spatula, gently fold in with the 2tbsp espresso coffee.
• Spoon the mixture into the paper cases and bake for 15-20 minutes. Until golden and firm to the touch. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool before topping.

For the topping,

     150g unsalted butter, softened

     1tsp vanilla extract

     280g icing sugar

     2tbsp caramel sauce

     115g milk chocolate, melted

• Place the butter and vanilla in a large mixing bowl and beat until the butter becomes pale.
• Gradually sift in the icing sugar, beating well after each addition.
• Add the melted chocolate and caramel and continue to beat until well combined, light and fluffy.
• Pipe swirls onto the cooled cakes (I used a Wilton 2d...my favourite!)

Find me on Instagram, @S_LovesFood.

Pret-a-Portea, The Berkeley

   Whilst backing up my beloved iPhone to ios7 I found these cake-dreams from a few weeks ago. This was of course whilst I was desperately trying to free up the obligatory 3gb of memory.

   Like the Queen, I managed to celebrate my birthday this year over two months. So I thought I'd share a little of my Amazing Monday (where I became a real grown up...but I'll save that for another time).

   On Amazing Monday, Boy Loves Food and I toddled down Knightsbridge hidden from the showers under my teeny umbrella. Not a fan of rain, usually I'd be a little grouchy. But on this amazing Monday, I was wearing my Wednesday Addams dress and off to drink tea and eat cake at The Berkeley.

   Pret-a-Portea at The Berkeley gives a fashionista twist to a traditional English afternoon tea inspired by fashion designers such as Alexander McQueen, Prada and Oscar de la Renta. Here, designs fresh off the catwalk are translated into a tea stand full of gorgeous cakes and fancies.

   Coming to the close of the Spring/Summer there are many a photo of these treats circulating round the Interweb by now, I'm sure. But my absolute favourite was the Alexander McQueen whimsical yellow honeycomb cream oversized dress topped with marzipan bee. Or the lovely Jason Wu coconut 'Carolyn' hatbox shaped cake bag sandwiched in retro leopard print chocolate. All washed down with the loose leaf pear caramel tea blend.

   I promise those cake descriptions are fresh from their menu, enough to make any cake eater sound like a fashionista!

Pret-a-Portea, The Berkeley London.

Pear and Cardamom Cake with Coffee and Amaretti

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   I had intended to attend my first Putney Bake Club event last week but couldn't attend due to work commitments. The theme was Harvest Festival so I decided to make this pear and cardamom cake with coffee and an amaretti topping. The kind of cake that's perfect slightly warmed and served with a dollop of custard. Warming and autumnal.

   Said cake was all ready to go, but instead it was left feeling sorry for itself in the kitchen so I thought I'd show it a little attention and post the recipe. Boy Loves Food had even helped me with its little photoshoot, he makes a good assistant.

   Fresh pears make this cake really moist, with a little nuttiness from ground almonds and freshly ground cardamom to lend a little floral hint.

Pear and cardamom cake with coffee and amaretti
(Recipe from Warm Snug Fat...the best baking blog name I have ever seen!)
     175g butter, softened
     175g light muscavado sugar
     3 medium eggs
     50g ground almonds
     1tsp freshly ground cardamom
     175g self raising flour
     2 tbsp espresso coffee
     3 ripe pears, peeled, deseeded and cut into chunks
     4 amaretti biscuits, roughly crushed
     75g dark chocolate

• Heat the oven to 190 degrees and grease and line a 20 cm loose bottomed tin.
• Cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluff.y
• Beat in the eggs, one at a time.
• Fold in the ground almonds, cardamom, flour, coffee and two thirds of the chopped pears until well combined.
• Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and level the surface.
• Scatter the remaining pears and two thirds of the amaretti biscuits over the top and bake for 1 hour until risen and cooked. If you insert a skewer into the centre it should come out clean.
• Allow the cake to cool completely.
• Remove the cake from the tin and place onto a serving plate. Scatter over the remaining biscuits.
• Melt the chocolate and drizzle over the top of the cake.

Rocky Road

Not a recipe post as such, but I thought I'd share the homemade treats I've been enjoying this week

   These have been the most successful rocky roads I've made to date, and the most simple. Just 1 packet of smashed biscuits and a scattering of mini marshmallows coated in 3 bars of melted milk chocolate and left to set in a 20cm square tin.

   I used chocolate digestives, but ginger biscuits or cookies work very well also. Smashed up crunchie bars can make these even more naughty.

Blackberry and Cinnamon Cake

   Autumn/Winter has set in. Finally! I can't be dealing with hot sticky trains. Arriving to work in my summer clothes only to freeze under the air conditioning through an eight hour shift. I'm that excited for the colder climates, I've already purchased some winter staples. Staples such as 1 kg of mini marshmallows for all those hot chocolates and a bear onesie. Completely necessary of course.

   And so, in order to welcome chilly mornings and chilly toes, I decided to bake something cosy and warming. Cinnamon being one of my favourite spices, makes me feel a little festive. Like wearing my favourite cashmere winter scarf. But as its not quite winter enough, yet, and I can't get away with wearing it just yet, I baked a cake with cinnamon in.

  This cake could have been a disaster...I forgot to add a raising agent. It did have a lovely streusel topping with all the blackberries peaking out the top before baking. So, in a desperate attempt to salvage my efforts, I gave the cake batter-filled tin a sprinkling of baking powder. A quick stir, ruining that precious streusel, and a prayer to the raising gods á la Christine of the Great British Bake Off!

   Any cakes that resemble a pancake don't get featured on here. There have been one or two. But, as this one turned out to be a success, a surprising one...here it is. Complete with streusel topping in case you decide to bake it the regular way. And home grown blackberries!

Blackberry and Cinnamon Streusel Cake
(Adapted from a Nigella's community recipe)
     5 oz unsalted butter, softened
     5 oz superfine sugar
     5 oz ground almonds
     5 oz self raising flour
     1 egg
     1 tsp ground cinnamon
     2 tsp vanilla extract
     8 oz blackberries
     35 g plain flour
     25 g sugar
     25 g butter
     Icing sugar and cinnamon for dusting

• Heat the oven to 180 degrees and grease and line a 23 cm springform tin.
• Combine all the ingredients except the blackberries and beat well. Spread the mixture into the tin with a rubber spatula and then scatter the blackberries over.
• Make the streusel topping by rubbing together plain flour, sugar and butter and scatter over the blackberries.
• Bake for about 1 hour until golden and springy.
• Cool in the tin before adding a dusting of icing sugar and cinnamon.

Pretzel M&M Brownies

  In order to give my team at work a little boost last week I decided to take in some baked goods. I've been a little slack on the baking recently, but after a physio session I felt up to some easy baking...especially as the secret of brownies is as little folding as possible.

   Speaking of secrets...I've done a little recipe comparison into what makes the ultimate brownie over the past week and found the best tips in Lily Vanilli's Sweet Tooth. This may be obvious to others, but brownies have not been my friend in the past.

   Using a little self raising flour helps to give a bit of leavening to the mixture. But as the batter is so dense it will sink down resulting in a fudgy texture. I like to use big chunks of chocolate as well as cocoa powder to make them even denser.

   In an attempt to start using my baking books more, my research lead me to a good brownie recipe in Jo Wheatley's A Passion for Baking...the only Bake Off related book I own. A good choice for proper home baking recipes, I can't think of anything in there I wouldn't give a go.

Pretzel M&M Brownies
(Makes ..., recipe adapted from A Passion for Baking)
     100g dark chocolate, chopped
     85g milk chocolate, chopped
     115g unsalted butter, diced
     300g caster sugar
     1tsp vanilla extract
     2 large eggs, beaten
     100g plain flour
     50g self raising flour
     30g cocoa powder
     80g M&Ms
     Salted pretzels to top

• Heat the oven to 170 degrees and line and grease a 20 cm square tin.
• Tip the dark chocolate and 25g of the milk chocolate into a heatproof bowl. Add the butter and melt together, either in the microwave on a low setting or in the bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Stir until smooth and leave to cool slightly.
• Add the sugar, vanilla and beaten eggs to the melted chocolate and butter, and mix to combine. Sift both of the flours and cocoa powder into the bowl and mix until smooth.
• Fold in the M&Ms and remaining 60g of chopped milk chocolate. Spoon into the prepared tin, spread level and bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 30-35 minutes.
• Leave to cool in the tin, then cut into squares.

What do you think makes the ultimate brownie?
Any recommendations for GBBO related books?

Mini Lemon Meringue Cake for One

      I was so excited to find a recipe to make just one cupcake. Some days there's nothing better than a home made treat. I wouldn't quite trust myself with a whole batch to myself so making just the one is ideal. Filled with lemon curd and topped with a small cloud of meringue, this mini cake is zingy and sweet.

Mini Lemon Meringue Cake
(Makes 1, recipe adapted from Sweet Road)
     1 tablespoon margarine, or softened butter
     2 tablespoons golden caster sugar
     4 tablespoons & 1 1/2 teaspoons almond milk (I used soya milk), room temperature
     1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
     3 tablespoon & 1 1/2 teaspoons plain flour
     1/4 teaspoon baking powder
     a pinch of salt
     Mackay's lemon curd
     egg white from 1 egg
     couple of spoons of caster sugar

• Heat the oven to 190 degrees celsius and grease a mini cake tray.
• Combine the margarine and sugar together until well incorporated.
• Add 2 tablespoons of the soya milk and mix.
• Combine the flour, baking powder and salt and add to the butter mixture.
• Add the remaining milk and vanilla and mix until incorporated.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden.
• Once cool, hollow out the cake and fill with a spoon of lemon curd.
• For the meringue, beat 1 egg white until stiff on a high speed. Melt a spoon or two of caster sugar in equal amounts of water. Once melted, add to the stiff egg white by pouring down the side of the bowl so as not to touch the whisk. Continue to beat into silky and the mixture has cooled, felt by the bowl. Pipe onto the cake and give it a quick blast with a chef's torch.