Category: Cake

Honeycomb Tin

I recieved another Nordic Ware to review.

This time this one that looks like cells in a beehive.

It is quite large so check it fits into your oven.

You need to brush melted butter into the tin and dust with dried breadcrumbs – bułka tarta

Once baked and turned out of the tin, you should be able to pull each individual little bun/cake apart.

I used a plain Madria style cake recipe but substituted some honey for the full amount of sugar I would have usually used.

You could add some mixed spices – not tested.

INGREDIENTS

  • 150g butter
  • 100g granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons runny honey
  • 3 eggs
  • 225 plain flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder

METHOD

  • Pre-heat the oven to GM4 – 180 degrees centigrade
  • Cream the butter, sugar and honey till fluffy.
  • Add the eggs, 1 by 1 until well mixed.
  • Mix the baking powder with the flour.
  • Fold the flour into the creamed mixture until uniform.
  • Spoon the cake mixture into the buttered tin.
  • Bake for around 40 minutes
  • Leave in the tin to cool
  • *
  • Turn out onto a large cake rack.

Nordic Ware Wildflower Tin

  • I got a Nordic Ware Tin to review.
  • There were no instructions – except not to overfill!
  • I tried a madeira style cake using 2 eggs and then a cocoa – maderia style using 3 eggs.
  • You need a plain mixture – no bits like currants that will spoil the pattern.
  • The pattern showed up better in the plain cake and the size using 3 eggs was better for the tin size.
  • I used melted butter to brush the tin and then dusted it with dried bread crumbs – bułka tarta.
  • The cake came out easily – no problems.

Ingredients for 3 eggs – plain

  • 150g butter
  • 150g granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 225g plain flour
  • 2 teaspoons of baking powder
  • 2-3 drops of vanilla essence
  • *
  • Melted Butter & some bułka tarta – dried breadcrumbs.

Ingredients for 3 eggs – cocoa

As above but 4 tablespoons of cocoa and just 190g plain flour

Method

  • The usual way for this type of cake.
  • Pre-heat the oven to GM4 – 180 0C
  • Cream the butter and sugar.
  • Add in the eggs and vanilla.
  • *
  • Mix the baking powder and flour.
  • Fold this into the creamed mixture.
  • Spoon into the tin – flatten the top.
  • Bake for at least 1 hour – more may be needed.
  • Leave to cool in the tin.
  • Turn tin upside down.
  • It should come out easily with the aid of a little knock.

You can add spices or similar to the cake mixture.

You could have the cocoa cake with a buttercream or icing around around the base – A sea of chocolate – to serve with the cake – (dusting with icing sugar did not work – you lost the design).

Kruszonka – Another Idea

I wrote about kruszonka toppings – crumbles for cakes and buns earlier.

Whilst making the Rhubarb & Custard tart, I came across another idea for this topping and I think it worked well.

In this case the kruszinka mix is baked seperately on a baking tray in a hot oven and used as a topping on the cake or bun.

It can also be used as a topping for desserts such as yoghurt or budyń

  • INGREDIENTS
  • 100g plain flour
  • 70g butter – cold
  • 70g granulated sugar
  • METHOD
  • Pre-heat the oven to GM6 – 200oC.
  • Mix butter with flour until the mix is like breadcrumbs.
  • Stir in the sugar.
  • Spread on a baking sheet.
  • Bake for around 30 minutes – stirring ocasionally.
  • It should be golden and crunchy.
  • NOTE – You can keep it in a airtight box if all is not used straight away.

Fig Roll

  • I made placek with figs 3 a few weeks ago and really liked the filling.
  • I had half of the fig packet(soft type) left and they needed to be used soon.
  • I made the filling as before but without the dates.
  • I decided to make a yeast dough pastry this time.
  • I used the recipe from whinberry buns.
  • Note – you can make buns but I think you will not need as much filling.
  • I used a new long proofing basket but at the end found my baking trays were too long for my new oven.
  • I quickly transfered them to other lightly greased trays and curved the shapes.
  • NOTE – next time I would be prepared and shape the rolls into C, D or S shapes after they prooved or on the trays.
  • They turned out really well – the dough a light yeast dough and the amount of filling to dough just right.
  • My late tatus – dad would have loved these – he loved English fig rolls.

FIG FILLING

  • 175 – 200g dried fig – chopped into small pieces
  • 25g dark brown sugar
  • 75ml water
  • 2 small oranges – fine grated rind and juice
  • 1/4 tea spoon of bicarbonate of soda
  • *
  • 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1 medium eating apple – peeled, cored and coarse grated.
  • INGREDIENTS- dough
  • Starter
  • 50g plain flour
  • 150 ml of hand hot milk
  • 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar
  • 1/2 tablespoon dried yeast
  • *
  • Dough – rest
  • 200g Plain flour
  • 60g granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 egg yolks
  • *
  • Beaten egg white to glaze

METHOD

  • Mix the starter ingredients together.
  • Leave for 20-30mins.
  • *
  • Dough – mix the starter with the rest of the ingredients.
  • Knead 10 minutes – set timer.
  • Leave for 2hrs or more.
  • Lightly knead again.
  • Divide into 2.
  • Shape into rectangles and then roll these out thinly to around 30 x 15cm.
  • Fill with fig filling.
  • Bring the long edges together and then the ends and seal well.
  • Pinch several times.
  • Cover and leave for 30 minutes.
  • Pre- heat the oven to GM6 – 2000 C.
  • Grease or butter a large baking sheet.
  • Brush with the beaten egg white.
  • Shape – curve to fit on your trays
  • GM6 – 2000 C.
  • Bake for around 30 minutes.
  • Leave to cool.
  • Cut into small slices.

Royal Doulton – Counterpoint tea plate.

Brush with

Placek with Figs – 3

  • This is a lovely placek – flat cake – this has similarities to English Fig Rolls.
  • These were biscuits that my Tatus (dad) loved.
  • He would have loved this recipe.
  • Did you know that Jacob’s fig rolls were manufactured from 1903 after a machine in America was invented that made a pastry case over a filling?
  • A fig mixture is sandwiched between 2 layers of shortcrust pastry – Kruche ciasto.
  • The placek is made like placek with figs – 2 – it is the fig mixture which is diferent.
  • You make the fig mixture first and leave it to cool as you have to use it cold.

INGREDIENTS

  • 175g dried figs – chopped
  • 25g muscavado sugar
  • 50g dates* – chopped
  • 75ml water
  • 1/4 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
  • 1 orange – finely grated zest & juice
  • 1 lemon – finely grated zest
  • 1 small apple – peeled and coarsely grated
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • *
  • * I will try leaving out the dates next time and just use extra figs.
  • *
  • Shortcrust pastry made from 250g of plain flour

METHOD

  • Chop the figs and dates into small pieces.
  • Add these to the water in a small pan.
  • Add the bicarbonate of soda, the orange zest and juice and the lemon zest.
  • Heat gently and then simmer, stirring as necessary until the mixture is
  • Thick, sticky and jam-like.
  • Leave to cool .
  • Add the grated apple and the spices and mix well.
  • Leave till cold before using.
  • NOTE
  • You can make this earlier and add the apple and spices before using.
  • *
  • Pre-heat the oven to GM5 – 190o C.
  • Grease and line a 26 x 21 cm baking tray.
  • Divide your pastry into 2.
  • Roll out 1 piece and use for the base.
  • Cover the base with the fig mixture trying to made this even and as near the edges as possible
  • Roll out the rest of the pastry and cover the fig mixture.
  • Usea fork to make pin pricks over the surface.
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes until the surface is golden.
  • Leave to cool on mesh cooling tray.
  • Cut into squares to serve,
  • *
  • Option – not tried – brush beaton egg white over the surface and dust with granulated sugar before baking.

Heathcote cake stand

Rhubarb & Date Cake – 2

Many years ago I had been talking with my old school friend who lives in Leeds and she told me her husband made a lovely rhubarb cake with the rhubarb they have growing on their allotment.

So, I tried it out and it was indeed lovely!

Recently she mentioned a cake she called “Crusader Day” Cake and sent me the recipe.

I found it was nearly the same recipe but had extra Demerera on the top – so I made it again.

The Demerera made a nice crunchy topping.

Ingredients

  • 340g plain flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 170g  butter
  • 230g granulated sugar
  • 450g rhubarb, chopped into small cubes
  • 230g stoned dates, chopped into small pieces
  • 3 eggs
  • 120ml milk (either whole or semi skimmed)
  • *
  • 2 & 1/2 tablespoons of Demerera sugar

Method

  • Preheat the oven to GM 5 – 190°C
  • Line the base of a 23cm round spring-form or loose bottomed tin with baking paper.
  • Or use a cake liner.
  • Place the chopped rhubarb and dates into a bowl.
  • Place the flour and baking powder into another bowl.
  • Cut the butter into cubes and rub it into the flour using your fingertips until you have a mixture that resembles breadcrumbs.
  • Stir in the sugar.
  • Stir the chopped rhubarb and dates into the mixture.
  • Combine the eggs and milk in a jug and beat a little.
  • Stir into the cake mix until well combined.
  • Spoon the batter into the prepared cake tin and level the surface.
  • *
  • Sprinkle the Demerera sugar evenly over the top of the cake.
  • Bake for approximately 1 – 1 & 1/4  hours or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean – best check on it after an hour and cover top if necessary to prevent burning.
  • Leave to cool on a wire rack until the tin is cool enough to safely handle.
  • Remove the cake from the tin and leave to cool completely on the wire rack

Although the cake keeps well, I think it is best eaten when fresh as then the rhubarb taste is strong and the cake delicious.

Crown china tea plates – no pattern named.

Option – This cake is quite big for the 23cm – I would tried it again in a 26cm diameter tin. I used 3 eggs and 3 tablespoons of demerera sugar.

Cake with Poppy Seed Filling

  • Today is the 11th year anniversary of my blog.
  • I started on 4 July 2015.
  • This will be my 725 post.
  • I used to have several recipes per post but have realised that is too much and I now try to have 1 recipe per post.
  • I thought I would use a very Polish ingredient in this post – that is poppy seed.
  • This is really a large version of my small buns with poppy seed filling.
  • I had some poppy seed to use up and wanted to make a simple cake.
  • I used a large cake liner in a 20cm diameter loose bottomed tin.
  • I used a 3 egg version of my sponge cake.
  • I had around 50g of poppy seeds – you can use a bit more.

INGREDIENTS

  • Cake
  • 3 eggs – weighed in their shells
  • Equal weighs of the eggs for – Sugar, Butter and Plain Flour
  • 1 teaspon baking powder for each 100g flour
  • *
  • Filling
  • 50g or more of poppy seed
  • Milk to cover these in a pan
  • 2-3 tablepoons of runny honey
  • 1 tablespoon of semolina – optional

METHOD – filling

  • Simmer the poppy seeds in the mix for around 20 minutes.
  • Using a fine sieve, sieve the poppy seeds to remove the milk.
  • Get the poppy seeds as dry as possible.
  • Put them back in the pan and heat gently to remove any move liquid.
  • Add the honey and stir this in well.
  • Stir in the semolina if using.
  • Leave to cool completly.

METHOD – cake

  • Pre-heat the oven to GM5 – 190o C.
  • Cream the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy.
  • Cream in the eggs.
  • Fold in the flour and baking powder mixture.

METHOD – to assemble the cake

  • Put the cake liner into the tin.
  • Add just over half the cake mixture and spread to the edges.
  • Put all of the poppy seed mixture on top and stir a little into the cake mixture.
  • Put the rest of the cake mixture on to and spread to the edges.
  • Bake for around 50 minutes – maybe more – until the top is golden and a tester comes out clear.

Serve on a Royal Doulton Sonnet tea plate.

Kefirowe with Raspberries

  • I recently made a cake with raspberries on the top.
  • These tasted so good I thought I would go back to an earlier recipe with fruit and this time just use raspberries.
  • I will give the recipe again here for ease.

This cake made with kefir is lovely to make in summer or early autumn with fresh raspberries equally you can use frozen fruits later in the year.

Ingredients

  • 350g plain flour
  • 2 teaspoons of baking powder
  • 175g of granulated sugar
  • 2eggs
  • 400ml of kefir*
  • 125ml of sunflower oil
  • Grated rind of 1 large orange
  • *
  • Around 300g of fresh raspberries OR
  • Frozen fruit should be part defrosted first
  • *
  • Icing sugar to dust – optional
  • *my tub of kefir was 350ml so I added 3 tablespoons of Greek style yoghurt.

Method

  • Grease and line with one piece of greaseproof a 32x22cm baking tray.
  • Pre-heat the oven to GM4 – 180°C
  • Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
  • In another bowl mix the eggs, oil, kefir and rind together.
  • Pour the kefir mixture into the dry mixture.
  • With a wooden spoon or Danish whisk mix well together until you have an even thick batter.
  • Pour the cake batter into the prepared tin.
  • Place the fruit evenly over the top
  • Bake for 40 – 45 minutes.
  • Leave to cool in the tin on a wire cake rack.
  • *
  • Dust with icing sugar to serve – optional.

Royal Doulton – Counterpoint & Duchess – Bramble Rose tea plates.

Almond & Raspberry Cake

  • I came across this recipe and thought I would give it a try.
  • The cake is easy to make as it is a batter.
  • I used fresh raspberries but I think defrosted frozen raspberries would also be fine.

INGREDIENTS

  • 125g plain flour
  • 1 teaspoon of baking powder
  • 75g ground almonds
  • 150g butter
  • 200g granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons of lemon juice=1 large lemon
  • 2-3 drops of vanilla essence
  • 2 eggs
  • 150 – 200g of fresh raspberries

METHOD

  • Preheat the oven to GM4-180°C.
  • Use a 20cm square tin (one with a loose base is best).
  • Grease and line the base and 3 sides with greaseproof paper.
  • Mix the flour, baking powder and the ground almonds together.
  • *
  • In a saucepan melt the butter, sugar and lemon juice together until well combined.
  • Leave to cool a little.
  • *
  • Add the butter mixture to the dry mixture.
  • *
  • Beat the eggs with the vanilla essence.
  • Add the egg s a little at a time.
  • Mix well until you have a smooth batter.
  • Pour the batter into the tin.
  • Place the raspberries over the top.
  • *
  • Bake for 35 – 40 minutes until the top is golden.
  • Cover the top with greasproof or foil near the end to prevent burning if not cooked through.
  • Leave to cool on  wire cake rack.

Duchess – Bramble Rose – tea plate

Wedding or Celebration Cake

  • My friends are getting married next week.
  • It will be a small private wedding in the Dales.
  • They have been together for a long time and rather than give them a present I offered to make a cake.
  • A Polish wedding cake could be a tort – a layered cake.
  • But as this needed to be made ahead and last awhile – 
  • I offered to make my Mama’s never too late Christmas Cake.
  • This is more a Polish take on an English style cake.
  • I know they both like fruit cake.
  •  
  • Because it is so moist it will only keep for about 2 months.
  • I just covered it with a top layer of marzipan and bought a wooden
  • Mr & Mrs Sign – see photo below.
  •  
  •  
  • Ingredients
  • 900g mixture of currants, raisins & sultanas
  • 175g chopped mixed peel (if you have a 200g tub just use it all)
  • 175g glacé cherries cut in half (if you have a 200g tub just use it all)
  • Grated rind of 1 lemon & 1 orange
  • 1 large cooking apple, peeled and coarse grated
  • 225g fine grated carrots
  • 2 teaspoons rum
  • 110 ml strong cold tea (I used a scented one like Earl Grey)

**********

  • 350g Butter
  • 350 g soft dark brown sugar
  • 4 tablespoons of black treacle
  • 6 large eggs – beaten

*************

  • 400g plain flour – sieved
  • ½ level teaspoon salt
  • 6 level teaspoons mixed spice
  • ½ level teaspoon of cinnamon
  • ½ a grated nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon cocoa  – yes cocoa! – sieved
  • 1 tablespoon ground almonds

Method

  • Put all the fruit, rinds, carrots, rum & tea into large bowl,  mix and leave for 15 minutes.
  • Pre-heat the oven to Gas Mark 2 – 150oC.
  • This amount made a  25cm square cake.
  • Grease and line the cake tin.
  •  
  • In another  large bowl, cream the butter and sugar, beat in the treacle and eggs.
  • Mix all the dry ingredients together & fold them in using a large metal spoon.
  • Fold in the fruit mix using a large metal spoon.
  •  
  • Put all the cake mixture into the tin to fill the shape and smooth the top.
  • Bake for around – 2 hours.
  •  
  • The above is just a  guide as it does depend on your oven – you need to check earlier.
  • Leave to cool completely in the tin.
  • Wrap in several layers of foil to store if not decorating it straight away.

Decorating the cake

  • I decided to just use marzipan to cover the top of the cake.
Marzipan
 
  • Marzipan is a paste made from ground almonds, honey or sugar & egg white.
  • It is thought that it originated in China and then came to the Middle East and from there it came to some parts of Western Europe through Spain & Portugal and to Eastern Europe from Turkey.
  • The old name in English is marchpane and the Polish is marcypan.
  • The name appears to come from Italy where it was known as panis martius or marzapane  which means March Bread – but why March Bread – I am not sure!
  • It was certainly being used in the 15th century in Europe.

Preparing the cake for marzipan

  • Brush the surface of the cake with warmed apricot jam.
  • I usually make my own marzipan but of course you can buy ready made marzipan.
  • If you are going to ice the cake as well then allow 1 week for the marzipan to harden so the nut oils do not discolour the icing (If you know it will be eaten quickly this is not really a problem).

Ingredients for 3 egg whites

  • 3 egg whites
  • 225g ground almonds
  • 120g icing sugar
  • 120g caster sugar
  • 1 -2 drops of almond essence

Method

  • In a bowl mix the ground almond, icing sugar and caster sugar.
  • Lightly beat the egg whites & add the almond essence.
  • Add the egg white mixture to the dry ingredients and mix together with a wooden spoon until you get a unified mass of marzipan.
  • You want a mixture that you can roll out – you may have to add more icing sugar to achieve this.
  • You need to dust a board with icing sugar to roll out the marzipan easily.
  • Try and get a piece that will cover the top.
  • Though I found it easier to piece it together.
  • Dust the top well with icing sugar.
  • *
  • Use a cake frill to cover the outer edges of the cake – optional