Orange Polenta Cake

When life gives you oranges, make orange and polenta cake.

Get the recipe and see more photos at BAKELIFE.

Brown Butter Pound Cake

I have lots of favourites in the kitchen, but brown butter is right up there on my list of CANNOT/DO-NOT-WANT-TO-LIVE-IN-A-WORLD-WITHOUTs.

Use the best butter you can get your hands on. I live in dairy country (every man, woman, child and their dog is a dairy farmer) so I have a hotline to the good stuff, so that’s what I use. You can throw this cake together in a jiffy… and be eating it by the time the kids get home from school… or before, if you play your cards right.

Go on… You know you want to.



Brown Butter Pound Cake
slightly adapted from here

For the Cake:
185g unsalted butter, chopped
330g golden caster sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
240g sour cream
335g “00” flour , sifted
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, sifted
180ml full-cream milk

For the Frosting:
100g unsalted butter, chopped
1 1/2 cups icing sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons sour cream

Make the Cake:
Preheat the oven to 160C. Line a 23 cm x 13 cm loaf pan with a cake liner, or grease and line it with baking paper. Set aside.

Put the butter into a saucepan and melt over high heat. Cook for 3 – 4 minutes, until foamy and golden and beginning to smell nutty. Pour it into a shallow tray and put it in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes, until cold and starting to firm p.

Scrape the brown butter into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the sugar and beat on medium-high for about 5 minutes, until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla and sour cream and beat on low until just incorporated. Add the flour, baking powder and milk and beat until just combined.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Don’t overfill the pan. It should come at least 1.5cm below the rim. I had a little batter leftover.

Bake for about 60 – 70 minutes. It’s done when a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the Frosting:
Put the butter into a saucepan and melt over high heat. Cook for 3 – 4 minutes, until foamy and golden and beginning to smell nutty. Pour into a bowl, add the icing sugar and enough milk to make a spreadable frosting. Whisk until smooth and refrigerate until spreadable. Transfer to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until pale and light.

Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cake.

Tiramisu Cake

 

 

It was my dads birthday yesterday, so I made him this cake.  He is a coffee monster, just like me... or I'm just like him...  Either way, it's in the genes.



Tiramisu Cake
adapted from here

For the Cakes:
2 cups plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
140g unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup caster sugar
3 eggs
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup buttermilk

For the Espresso Extract:
2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
2 tablespoons boiling water

For the Espresso Syrup:
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup caster sugar

For the Mascarpone Filling and Frosting:
125g mascarpone
1/2 cup icing sugar, sifted
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup cold cream
1/2 cup dark chocolate, roughly chopped, plus extra for grating

Make the Cakes:
Preheat the oven to 180C.  Butter two 23cm round cake pans, coat with flour and line the bottoms with baking paper.  Set aside.

On a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Set aside.

In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until smooth.  Add the sugar and beat for a further 5 minutes.  Add the eggs and egg yolk one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add the vanilla and reduce the speed to low.  Add a third of the flour mixture, followed by half of the buttermilk.  Add another third of the flour mixture and the remaining buttermilk.  Finally, add the rest of the flour mixture and mix until just incorporated.

Divide the batter between the prepared pans and bake for 22 - 25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cakes comes out clean.  Leave the cakes to cool in the pans for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the Espresso Extract:
Put the espresso powder into a small bowl, add the boiling water and whisk until smooth.  Set aside.

Make the Espresso Syrup:
Put the water and sugar into a small saucepan and bring to the boil.  Remove from the heat and stir in a tablespoon of the espresso extract.  Set aside.

Make the Mascarpone Filling and Frosting:
Put the mascarpone, sugar and vanilla into a bowl and whisk until blended and smooth.

In an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the cream until firm peaks.  Stop the mixer and use a spatula to fold a spoonful of the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture.  Add the remaining whipped cream and gently fold them together.

Assemble the Cake:
Protect the cake stand from drips by lining it with strips of baking paper.  Level the cakes if the have risen to a dome and place one cake on the cake stand, bottom-side up. Spoon a third of the espresso syrup over the cake.  Spread about 1 cup of the mascarpone cream evenly over it and sprinkle with the chopped chocolate.  Put the second cake on the counter, spoon a third of the espresso syrup over it and turn it over and place it, syrup side down on the filling.  Spoon the remaining syrup over the top of the cake.

Complete the Frosting:
Whisk 1 tablespoon of the remaining espresso extract into the remaining mascarpone cream.  Taste it to see if you want to add more extract for a stronger coffee flavour.  Put the frosting in the fridge for 20 minutes to firm up and then spread it evenly over the top and sides of the cake.

Refrigerate the cake for at least 3 hours (or overnight) before serving.

Before serving, grate some dark chocolate over the surface of the cake using a fine microplane.  I used a stencil for decoration.

Angel Food Layer Cake with Lemon and Lime Curd, Saffron Italian Meringue Frosting and Passionfruit

It was my husbands birthday last week, so I made him this cake.  I'm cool like that.

Angel Food Layer Cake with Lemon and Lime Curd, Saffron Italian Meringue Frosting and Passionfruit

Slightly adapted from here

For the Curd:

Zest of 2 lemons

Juice of 1 lemon

Zest of 2 limes, plus their juice

3 eggs, lightly beaten

100g unsalted butter, chopped

200g caster sugar

For the Cake:

10 egg whites, at room teperature

1 teaspoon baking powder

Pinch of sea salt

1 tablespoon white vinegar

425g caster sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla sugar

175g plain flour

For the Frosting:

250g caster sugar

5 egg whites

Pinch sea salt

3 drops lemon juice

1 teaspoon saffron threads soaked in 100ml boiling water for about 10 minutes

For the Topping:

Flesh of 3 - 4 passionfruit

Make the Curd:

Put the zest of both fruits and their juices into a heatproof bowl.  Add the eggs, butter and sugar and place the bowl over a pan of simmering water, without letting the bowl touch the water.  Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes or until smooth and thickened.  Leave to cool, then chill for a few hours in the refrigerator to set.  I usually do this the day before I want to use/eat it.

Make the Cake:

Preheat the icing to 175C.  Very lightly butter a 20cm (measured from the base) angel food cake pan.  Set aside.

In the clean and dry bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites until soft peaks.  Mix the baking powder, salt and vinegar together in a small bowl and add it to the whipped egg whites while the mixer is still going.  Add 300g of the caster sugar and all of the vanilla sugar, a tablespoonful at a time, while continuously whisking.  Once all the sugar has been incorporated.  stop the mixture and sift the flour and remaining 125g of caster sugar over the mixture and fold it in with a spatula.  

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35 minutes, until golden on top.  Don't open the oven door during baking.

Leave the cake in the pan and set on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes before turning the cake over on the rack.  Leave the up-turned cake until it releases from the sides itself  Leave to cool completely.

Make the Frosting:

Drain the water from the saffron threads, discard the saffron.  Put the saffron water and sugar into a small saucepan and bring it to a boil.  Boil until the temperature reaches 121C on a candy thermometer.

In the meantime, in the clean and dry bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites with the salt until soft peaks.  Add the lemon juice.  Continue whisking as you gradually add the hot sugar syrup in a thin stream.  Keep whisking until the mixture has cooled, about 10 minutes.

Assemble the Cake: 

Cut the cake horizontally into thirds.  Put the bottom layer of cake on a cake stand lined with pieces of baking paper (so that you can catch any drips and keep the stand clean).  Spoon half of the lemon and lime curd on and spread around evenly.  Top with the middle layer of cake and spread it with the remaining curd.  Place the final layer of cake on top and cover the entire cake (top, sides and down the center hole) with a generous layer of frosting.  Scoop the flesh out of the passionfruit and use it to adorn and perfume the top of the cake.  Remove the paper from under the edges of the cake, stand back, admire your work of art, then dig in.

Brooklyn Blackout Cake

My family love chocolate cake.  The more chocolate there is, the happier they are.  And when I say chocolate cake, I mean the ones made with the oozing, silky, dark, luscious kind.  That’s the best kind, right?  Unless we’re talking chocolate chips, bars and cookies… but that’s a whole other story.  A chocolate cake on the kitchen counter doesn’t last long in our house.  Yeah, they really do love their chocolate cake.  But seriously, what’s not to love?

Brooklyn Blackout Cake

slightly adapted from here

For the Filling:
250g caster sugar
500ml full cream milk
1 tablespoon maple syrup
140g dark chocolate, chopped
50g cornflour
2 teaspoons instant coffee
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the Cake:
200g plain flour
50g cornflour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
50g cocoa powder
140g unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing
100ml sunflower oil
250g light brown sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon instant coffee dissolved in 100ml boiling water
140ml buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the Frosting:
115g unsalted butter
155g icing sugar
50g cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 – 2 tablespoons thickened cream

Make the Filling:
Put all the ingredients, except the vanilla, into a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-low heat, whisking continuously. Once smooth and thick (about 5 minutes), remove from the heat and add the vanilla. Put the custard into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap making sure the plastic sits directly on top, and chill in the refrigerator until set.

Make the Cake:
Preheat the oven to 180C.

Grease and line the base of 2 x 20cm round cake pans. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, whisk the flour, cornflour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cocoa powder together. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk the butter, oil and sugar until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the coffee, buttermilk and vanilla, mixing until combined.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Don’t over mix the batter, or you’ll end up with a tough cake.

Divide the batter between the prepared pans and bake for 25 – 30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the Frosting:Put the butter and icing sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium-high until light and creamy. Add the cocoa powder and vanilla and beat again until thoroughly mixed. Add 1 tablespoon of cream and mix the frosting until whipped and fluffy. Add the extra cream if needed to create a spreadable consistency.


To Assemble:
Once the cakes have cooled, cut each one in half horizontally. Take your least attractive layer and blitz it in a food processor to create the crumbs for the topping. Set aside.

Place one layer of cake onto a cake platter, spread it with the cooled custard filling. Top with another layer of cake, then more custard, then the last layer of cake.

Spread the top and sides of the cake with an even layer of frosting. Sprinkle the top and sides of the cake with the cake crumbs, pressing the crumbs into the frosting with your hands.

Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before slicing and serving. My crew couldn’t wait that long, so you’ll notice my filling isn’t as set in my photos as it could be, but it will set firmer if you chill it longer. Enjoy!

Almond and Pear Cake

I didn't set out to blog this cake, hence no process photos.  It was just a cake I threw together between my strength and conditioning session at the gym and school pick-up, but it was so good.  Too good not to share as it turns out.

Almond and Pear Cake

adapted from here

For the Cake:

220g unsalted butter, at room temperature

250g golden caster sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 eggs

310g self-raising flour, sifted

50ml whole milk

250g plain, unsweetened Greek yoghurt

1 tablespoon Amaretto

450 pears, peeled and chopped

50g flaked almonds

To Serve:

125ml cup whipping cream

125ml plain, unsweetened Greek yoghurt

Make the Cake:

Preheat the oven to 170C.  Grease and line the base of a 23cm round springform cake pan.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar for about 5 minutes on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy.  Add the vanilla then add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Stop the mixer and add half the flour, then the milk and half the yoghurt.  Mix on low speed for 1 minute.  Add the remaining flour and yoghurt with the Amaretto and mix until just combined.  Gently fold the pears into the batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and scatter the top with flaked almonds.  Bake for 1 1/2 hours or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.  Leave to cool in the pan for 20 minutes before releasing the sides.  

To Serve:

Whip the cream and yoghurt together until floppy.  

Serve slices of cake with generous dollops of yoghurt-cream.

Flourless Salted Chocolate Cake - Gluten Free

Afternoon tea never tasted (or looked) so good.  This cake is simple to make and even easier to eat. A dangerous combo I know but hey, let's live dangerously.


Flourless Salted Chocolate Cake - Gluten Free
adapted from here

For the Cake:
1/4 cocoa powder
1 cup almond meal
200g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt flakes
3/4 cup caster sugar
4 eggs, separated
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

For the Topping:
300ml whipping cream, whipped to soft peaks
200g fresh raspberries

Make the Cake:
Preheat the oven to 160C and grease and line a 23 cm x 13 cm loaf pan with baking paper. Set aside.

Put the cocoa powder and almond meal into a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine and break up any lumps.  Set aside.

Put the chocolate and 1/4 cup of water into a heavy based saucepan and place over low heat, stirring constantly until the chocolate is melted.  Whisk in the oil and salt.  Add the almond mixture, half of the sugar and the yolks and whisk to combine.

Put the egg whites and cream of tartar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and whip them until frothy.  Add the remaining sugar and beat until firm peaks form.

Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the chocolate mixture in two batches.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 50 - 60 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it.  Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely. The cake will sink in the middle as it cools.

Top the Cake:
The cake will have a desirable hollow down the centre into which you can pile the whipped cream and strew with fresh raspberries.  It will look like you just opened a white velvet-lined jewelry box filled with rubies and garnets.

Caramel Apple Upside-Down Cake

There's something very Betty Draper about an Upside-Down Cake, don't you think?  I've got some cookbooks from the 1950's and upside-down cakes feature quite a lot.  They're right up there on the list of "how to impress your guests" along with salmon in aspic, oysters Rockefeller and baked ham with pineapple rings and maraschino cherries toothpicked all over.  I can imagine an Upside-Down cake might be something Betty would offer the Ladies if she was having them over for afternoon coffee... and cigarettes.  After the Ladies left, she'd kick off her slingbacks, pour herself a gimlet, light another cigarette, berate Sally and have a nap before Dan came home from the office.  In my house, in 2016, everything old is new again.  My kids thought I'd invented the Upside-Down Cake.  I'm good, but I'm not that good.  Now, can someone pour me a gimlet?


Caramel Apple Upside-Down Cake

For the Caramel Apple Topping:
100g unsalted butter
4 apples, peeled, cored and sliced into 1cm thick rounds
1 cup golden caster sugar
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1/4 teaspoon sea salt flakes

For the Cake:
100g unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup golden caster sugar
4 eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups plain flour, sifted
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch ground nutmeg

Make the Caramel Apple Topping:
Grease and line a 23cm round springform cake pan with baking paper and set aside.

Put the butter in a saucepan and melt over medium heat.  Add the apples and lemon juice and zest.
Reduce the heat to low and gently cook the apples for 2 - 3 minutes.  Add the sugar and salt and cook until the apples have softened.  Remove from the heat and use a slotted spoon to remove the apples and arrange them on the base of the prepared pan.

Return the pan to the heat and boil the contents of the pan until it turns a deep golden caramel.  It should only take 3 - 4 minutes.  Pour the caramel over the apples.

Make the Cake:
Preheat the oven to 180C.

Put the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium-high speed for about 5 minutes until light and fluffy.  Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add the vanilla and mix.  Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour, baking powder and spices.  Mix until just incorporated.

In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form.  Add them to the the batter in two batches.

Spoon the batter over the apples and caramel and bake for 35 - 40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Leave the cake in the pan to cool for 5 mintues before removing the sides and inverting onto a serving plate.  Remove the base and paper to reveal this retro beauty.

Serve warm with cream.