D is for Diet Cola Cake

Now a bit of advice I was once told was the way to any mans heart is through his stomach. Never in my many years of baking have I come across a man who can resist a lovely baked treat. This cake is a James Martin recipe and I was a sceptic begin with. But I knew just the person to test this cake

I have a friend who, if they could would replace their blood with diet coke. They are rarely seen without a can of diet coke in their hand. Getting into the passenger seat of their car you have to fight through at least ten empty cans (Yes I know in my car there is usually a load of detritus in the passenger footwell but my car is very small). So when I found this recipe there was only one person to test it out on - and they love it and it always lets me get my own way!

Chocolate Diet Cola Cake

 

 

250g Butter, plus extra for greasing

250g Self Raising Flour

300g Caster Sugar

3 heaped tablespoons of cocoa powder

generous pinch of bicarbonate of soda

200ml Cola Drink

75ml Milk

2 eggs beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

 

For the topping (I usually double this to make it even more decadent)

60g Butter

200g Icing sugar- sifted

2-3 tablespoon cocoa

2 tablespoon cola drink

 

 

Pre heat the oven to 180'C/350'F/Gas Mark 4. Grease and line the bottom of a  cake tin.

 

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl. Gently melt the butter and cola drink in a pan and add to the dry ingredients, together with the milk, eggs and vanilla extract. Mix gently thoroughly, then tip into the cake tin.

 

Bake for about 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes whilst you make the topping

 

To make the topping, beat the butter, icing sugar and cocoa powder together in a bowl until blended. Beat in the diet cola to combine. Spread over the cake and allow to set

 

 

My Opinion:- This cake is always a winner. When you first combine the mixture it looks very runny don't be afraid- this makes the cake lovely and moist and it wont go hard fast. This is a great way of using the dregs in the bottom of a bottle of coke as it doesn't matter if the coke is fizzy or flat. I know this sounds a bit way out as a recipe but it is lovely. Try it

 

 

In other news Rachel (she of the Brownie fame) has introduced me to a brilliant procrastination method - Pinterest.  Here is my Little Miss Baker Bakes Board where I hope to gain inspiration for this blog. WARNING Pinterest can take over your life



C is for Cinnamon Breakfast Loaf

First of all sorry for this blog post taking so long to come. I had a job interview last week for a Campaign Managers roll. Which is basically a full time version of the job I was doing at RCA. Sadly I didn't get it allegedly I need more experience.

My friend Megan had her hen do the other week. Jen and I were in charge of catering for the champagne brunch.

I decided I wanted to make something special for the Brunch hence trawling through my cook book I came across the Cinnamon Breakfast Loaf

Cinnamon Breakfast Loaf

 

500g Strong White Bread Flour

1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt flakes-crushed

2 tablespoons caster sugar

1 x 7g Sachet fast-action dried yeast

125ml milk

50 g unsalted butter

1 Large free range egg, at room temperature

 

 

For the filling

50g Caster Sugar

1 teaspoon plain flour or white bread flour

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

 

 

To finish

Milk for brushing

Small knob of butter

 

1 x 900g loaf tin, about 26x12.5x7.5cm greased baking paper

 

 

Mix together the flour, salt and sugar in a  large mixing bowl or the bowl of a large free standing electric mixer. If using dried yeast, stir it in. If using fresh yeast, crumble it into a small bowl and mix to a smooth liquid with about 7 tablespoons of the measured milk.

 

Gently warm the milk with 125ml water and the butter until lukewarm and the butter has melted. Remove from the heat. Add the egg and beat with a fork until combined, then add to the flour mixture ( with the fresh yeast mixture, if using). Work the ingredients together (use the mixer on the lowest speed) to make a very soft but not sticky dough. If there are dry crumbs at the base of the bowl, or the dough seems dry and hard to work, add more milk or water a tablespoon at a time. If the dough sticks to your hands or to the sides of the bowl then work in more flour a tablespoon at a time.

 

Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured worktop and knead thoroughly for about 10 minutes by hand, or knead for 5 minutes with the dough hook on low speed, until the dough is silky smooth and pliable. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with a snap on lid or cling film and leave to rise in a warm not hot place for about an hour until doubled in size.

 

Meanwhile prepare the tin. Cut a long strip of baking powder the same width as your tin and long enough to cover both short sides as well as the base. Press the paper into the tin- this makes the loaf easy to remove after baking in case the filling leaks. In a small bowl mix the sugar with the flour and cinnamon for the filling.

 

Punch down the risen dough to deflate, then turn out onto a lightly floured worktop and knead for a few seconds. Pat out to a rough rectangle about 2cm thick. Cover lightly with a sheet of cling film and leave to relax for 5 minutes- this will make it easier to roll out.

 

Lightly flour the rolling pin and roll out the dough to a rectangle as wide as the length of the tin and 48cm long. Keep the sides straight and neat. Brush the dough liberally with milk, then sprinkle over the sugar mixture in an even layer, leaving a 1cm border clear at one short end. Roll up the dough, neatly and tightly, from the other short end and pinch the seam together to seal it firmly.

 

Uncover the dough and brush lightly with milk. Bake for about 35 minutes until a good golden brown and the turned out loaf sounds hollow when it is tapped on the underside. If it sounds like a dull thud return it to the oven (set straight on the shelf) and bake for a further 5 minutes then test again

 

Transfer the turned out loaf to a wire rack and rub the butter over the top to give a glossy finish. Leave until completely cold before slicing

 

 

 

 

Here is the finished loaf being enjoyed at the hen do

 

My Opinion This recipe takes a lot of time to cook but is really worth it. Also hand kneading dough is a great workout for those upper arms which is good if your dress for the wedding does not have sleeves. Given the rate at which the loaf was devoured by the hens I take it was a success.

 

 



 





B is for Brownies

Sixteen years ago on the second Saturday of August, I was at the village show. Now Thornton-le-Beans Village show and sports happens every year and is the highlight of the Village Social Calender. Now this particular village show sticks out in the memory more than all the others for reason. It was this day I approached a girl dressed as a playing card, I was dressed as a Kitchen Table at the time - don't ask, and asked her if she wanted to be my partner for the fiercely competitive three legged race. Who was to know that the little playing card and I were to become best friends. So close we even have to this day keys to each other houses and regards the others house as a second home. Now sixteen years later we are still going strong.

There is one food that I associate with Rachel more than anything and that is her mums chocolate Brownies. This weekend Rachel and I got together to have a catch up and to draft ideas for her wedding cake- this ironically is not going to be Chocolate Brownies- but it has lead me to choose this recipe as my next recipe. So this post is dedicated to Rachel, Her mum Claire (Mum 2) and the world famous Turner Brownies

Claire's Chocolate Brownies



 

 

4 Eggs

 

1 Lb Caster Sugar

8oz Butter

 

3 oz Cocoa Powder

 

4 oz Self Raising Flour

 

 

Break the eggs and cream together in a bowl with the sugar

 

Melt the butter and add the Cocoa Powder and stir

 

 

Mix the Eggs mixture and the butter mixture together. When properly  mixed add the flour

 

 

Tip into a lined tray bake tin and cook in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until it reaches the desired texture at 180'c

 

 

Leave to cool and enjoy

 

 

My Opinion:- These brownies are such an integral part of my childhood that I can't criticise them. I have eaten them in floods of tears and at moments of great joy and they always make me smile.  At Uni I sometimes chucked in some cherries as well. They are another simple bake and are perfect for bribing the male of the species with! 

A is for Apple

 

I love Apples. They are possibly my favourite fruit. They are just a sensation overload for all the senses. The noise as you bite into a crisp granny smith, the juiciness, the smell and they are also very versatile. So it seemed logical for my first recipe to use my favourite food and like Eve I hope this apple can tempt you

 

Cinnamon Apple Muffins

 

1 Large or 2 small sharp eating apples

1 1/2 Teaspoons ground cinnamon

115g Plain Flour

Good Pinch of Salt

3-4 Gratings of Nutmeg

1 Teaspoon of Baking Powder

100g Caster Sugar

2 Large Free Range Eggs, at room temperature

2 Tablespoons low fat Natrual Yoghurt

3 Tablespoons vegetable oil

 

Optional 1 Small Apple

1/2 Teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 1/2 tablespoons light brown muscavado sugar

50g Pecan Pieces or nuts

 

Preheat the oven to 200'c/400f/Gas 6. Peel quarter and core the apples, then chop roughly into pieces about the sixe of your little fingernail. Put into a bowl, sprinkle over 1/2 teaspoon of the ground cinnamon and toss thoroughly. Set aside

 

Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl with the remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon, the salt, nutmeg, baking powder and sugar. Whisk the eggs with the yoghurt and oil in another bowl or jug until combined, then add to the flour mixture. Mix together with a wooden spoon, then stir in the apples

 

Spoon the soft, sticky mixture into the muffin tin (which you have lined with paper cases).  Peel core and roughly chop another apple and mix in a bowl with the cinnamon, sugar and mixed nuts. Sprinkle on top of your cake mixture

 

And cook in the Oven for 25 minutes until firm to touch. The apples, sugar and nuts mixture makes a lovely caramelised topping

 

Remove from oven and leave to cool on a wire rack and enjoy!

 

 

My Opinion:- These muffins would make a good mid morning snack or breakfast on the run. They are really yummy and moreish! Never again will you want to pay for a muffin in Costa or Starbucks again.

They are also really easy to make as there is very little input. Good for Novice Bakers