Category: Cake

Easy Gooseberry Cake

  • I love gooseberries but in the last few years I have not seen any fresh ones for sale in the shops near me.
  • I will try the larger markets around me in the next few weeks.
  • I bought some bottled gooseberries in the Polish shop and decided to use these in this cake.
  • I have based this cake on an easy apple cake I made a few years ago and on – 
  • Easy Rhubarb Cake which I posted a few weeks ago.
  • This is based on an American idea with just a free form base and slightly raised sides.
  • Two secrets to success are:
  • 1) NOT have too much pastry and
  • 2) NOT to have loads of filling.
  • Also it is better to use fruit which has been cooked but NOT a “mush”
  • The pastry should be rolled out until it is thin.

Ingredients – pastry

  • 200g flour
  • 100g butter
  • 1 egg yolk
  • Juice of 1 lemon and water or just cold water.
  • *
  • 1 egg yolk – use it all – for sealing
  • *
  • 1 egg white – beaten
  • 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar

Ingredients – filling

  • 1 jar of gooseberries
  • Strain the gooseberries
  • Leave in the sieve for around 30 minutes
  • 1 tablespoon of icing sugar

Method 

  • Rub the butter into the flour until like breadcrumbs.
  • Add the egg yolk and lemon juice and mix to a soft dough.
  • Add more water sparingly if necessary.
  • *
  • Wrap in plastic and leave in the fridge for 30 minutes.
  • *
  • Butter / Grease a large baking sheet.
  • Pre-heat the oven to GM6 – 200°C.
  • *
  • Roll out the pastry thinly until you have a rough circle around 25cm.
  • Place the pastry onto the sheet.
  • Brush the egg yolk over the circle.
  • Place the gooseberries onto the circle.
  • Sprinke the icing sugar over them.
  •  
  • Bring up the sides of the pastry.
  • Brush the sides with the egg white.
  • Sprinkle on the tablespoon of granulated sugar.
  • *
  • Bake for 30-35 minutes until the pastry is golden.
  • Leave to cool on a wire rack.
  • *
  • Sprinkle with icing sugar before serving – optional

Duchess – Bramble Rose – Tea Plate

Poppy Seed & Lemon Buns

  • These little buns are based on one of my poppy seed cakes.
  • This amount makes 12 buns made in bun cases.

INGREDIENTS – buns

  • 100g butter
  • 100g granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 120g plain flour
  • 1 teaspoon of baking powder
  • 3 tablespoons of poppy seeds
  • Fine zest of 1 lemon
  • Juice of 1 lemon

    Topping

  • 1 large lemon – rind pared & juice
  • 50g granulated sugar & 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar

METHOD

  • Pre-heat the oven to GM 4 – 180°C.
  • Cream together the butter, sugar and lemon zest.
  • Add the eggs, one by one and whisk again.
  • Mix the flour with the baking powder.
  • Fold in the flour.
  • Mix in the lemon juice.
  • Fold in the poppy seeds.
  • Divide the mixture between 12 bun cases in a bun tray.
  • Bake for 25 -30 minutes.
  • Leave on a cake rack to cool.
  • *
  • MEANWHILE
  • Take the rind parings and boil them in a little water for 2 minutes.
  • Sieve and dry.
  • Add these to 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar and mix.
  • *
  • Mix the lemon juice with the 50g of granulated sugar.
  • *
  • Divide the topping over the buns.
  • Sprinkle parings over the buns.

Heathcote, made in England, cake plate.

Duchess Bramble Rose Tea Rose

Polish Dark Chocolate Cake

  • I have seen several references to a dark chocolate cake called murzynek – ‘little African boy’.
  • I have looked at several recipes and tried some of them out.
  • I was not happy with the results – either too dry or not dark enough.
  • I then came across this recipe, which I was pleased with.
  • It is a dense cake – not like a tort.
  • This recipe was most unusual in that all the ingredients were whisked together including the flour!
  • Oil & yoghurt are used in this cake (NO BUTTER).
  • Cocoa powder is used and dark fruit jam!

INGREDIENTS

  • 450g plain flour
  • 3 tablespoons of cocoa
  • 1 teaspoon of baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon of baking soda
  • 165g granulated sugar
  • 150 ml Greek style yoghurt
  • 100 ml cold water
  • 240g of a good  dark jam/conserve – blackcurrant was used here.
  • 3 eggs
  • 12ml of sunflower oil

METHOD

  • Pre-heat the oven to GM4 – 180°C.
  • Grease and line(3 sides with 1 piece of greaseproof) a 26 x 20cm baking tin.
  • In one bowl, mix the dry ingredients : flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa and sugar together.
  • Mix together the water and the yoghurt.
  • In another bowl whisk together the eggs, yoghurt mix, jam and oil.
  • Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk them all together until well mixed in.
  • Pour the batter into the baking and smooth over the top.
  • Bake for 45 – 50 minutes.
  • *
  • Can dust with icing sugar when serving.
  • Keeps very well in an airtight plastic box.

OPTIONS

  • Sprinkle top with flaked almonds or chopped hazel nuts.
  • Next time I am going to look at the ingredients needed for a 2egg

Black Forest Dessert

  • I thought of this dessert after making a new chocolate cake, which did not turn out very well – it was too dry.
  • I decided to make a dessert with this and bottled sour cherries.
  • Warn people if the cherries still have stones in them.
  • Use cherry brandy or wiśniȯwka.
  • It is styled around Black Forest tort.
  • The amouts you use – you have to guesss – depending on how much cake you have to use.
  • My test dessert was on the large size!

INGREDIENTS

  • Chocolate cake
  • Bottled sour cherries – wiśne
  • 125ml cherry brandy (or wiśniȯwka)
  • 1 packet raspberry jelly
  • *

  • Topping

  • Part sieved greek yoghurt & part greek yoghurt
  • 1-3 tablespoons of icing sugar – to taste

METHOD

  • Strain the cherries and put them in a dish of the cherry brandy and leave for at least 20 minutes.
  • Cut the chocolate cake into slices.
  • Line a glass bowl with the cake.
  • Place some of the sour cherries over the base of the dish.
  • Place some more cake over the sour cherries.
  • Put a few sour cherries over the top of the cake.
  • Pour any liquid left from the soaked sour cherries over the cake.
  • Pour some liquid from the bottled sour cherries over the cake.
  • Leave for around 4 hours.
  • *
  • Make up the packet of jelly and leave to cool.
  • Pour the jelly over the cake.
  • Leave to cool and then put in the fridge for around 4 hours or more to set.
  • *
  • Mix the sieved yoghurt with the greek yoghurt.
  • Add the icing sugar to tase.
  • Mix together to make a thick topping.
  • Pour this over the dessert.
  • Chill in the fridge.

Honey Loaf

  • I got this recipe from an English friend who lives in Harrogate.
  • It is easy to make and is a bit different to my Polish honey cakes – miodownik or piernik.
  • But I think it could be served over the Christmas period.
  • This recipe does NOT use any eggs nor butter nor oil.

Ingredients

  • 225g plain flour
  • 115g granulated sugar
  • 115g runny honey, plus around a tablespoon to glaze
  • 150 ml hot water
  • 1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
  • Zest of 1 lemon

Method

  • Pre-heat the oven to GM3 – 160ºC.
  • Use a liner to line a 1lb loaf tin.
  • Use a little oil or butter on the liner as the cake is quite sticky.
  • Mix together the flour and the sugar in a large bowl.
  • In a saucepan melt together the honey and the water.
  • Sprinkle the bicarbonate of soda over the honey mixture and stir.
  • Add this to the dry ingredients.
  • Add the lemon zest.
  • Mix everything well together till all is uniform.
  • Turn the mixture into the loaf tin.
  • Bake for 50 – 60 minutes.
  • Check at 50 minutes and cover the top of the loaf with greaseproof or foil  so it does not burn.
  • Remove the loaf from the tin and allow it to cool.
  • Heat the honey (with a little but of water if not so runny) slightly.
  • Brush the top of the loaf with the honey.

  • Option – different size.
  • Use a 26 x 16 cm baking tray.
  • Grease and line – 3 sides with one piece of greaseproof.
  • Bake for 25 – 30 minutes.

Ciasta i Ciasteczka – magazine inspirations

  • Whenever I go to Poland I try to get some magazines and books to add my collection and to give me new ideas.
  • This time I bought two magazines which have recipes for cakes and biscuits/ small cakes or cookies.
  • Known in Poland as ciasta and ciasteczka.
  •  
  • Do you get excited by new cookery books and magazines?
  • I bookmark all the ones I think I will try.
  • As this is autumn many are for nuts, chocolate and spices.
  • Also a few fruity one and there is one that contains twaórog (curd cheese) .
  • Hopefully in the next few weeks I will be trying out many of these.

Simple Chocolate Tort

  • I have called this simple as it is very easy to make.
  • Rubbing in the butter into the flour and then just mixing.
  • I adapted the recipe from an English BeRo cook book.
  • You can adapt it with lots of different fillings and glazes.
  • Here I used a milk chocolate icing using hot milk.
  • You could double the ingredients and make a 4 layer torte
  • or use a larger diameter tin – not tested.
  • *
  • The cake recipe is one I used for Chocolate Babka and for Chocolate Orange Tort

Chocolate Cake – Ingredients

  • 200g plain flour
  • 2 teaspoons of baking powder
  • 225g caster sugar
  • ½ teaspoon of salt
  • 25g cocoa powder
  • 100g butter
  • 2 eggs
  • 5 tablespoons of evaporated milk
  • 5 tablespoons of water

Method

  • Pre-heat the oven to GM4 – 180°C.
  • Grease and line the base of 2 x 20cm tins.
  • Rub the butter into the flour.
  • Add the baking powder, salt, cocoa and sugar
  • Mix well together.
  • Mix the eggs, milk and water together.
  • Mix the liquid into the dry ingredients.
  • Beat well.
  • Divide the mixture between the 2 tins.
  • Smooth the tops level.
  • Bake for 25-30 minutes.
  • Allow to cool completely before assembling. 

Milk Chocolate Icing – Ingredients

  • 60g butter
  • 3 tablespoons cocoa
  • 3 tablespoons of hot milk*
  • 2 -3 drops vanilla essence 
  • Around 250g icing sugar**

Milk Chocolate Icing – Method

  • Melt the butter gently in a saucepan.
  • Blend in the cocoa.
  • Add the vanilla essence.
  • Add the icing sugar and hot milk bit by bit.
  • Use a small hand whisk to beat the icing until it is smooth and thick.
  • *
  • * Heat a little more milk and then measure out the amount of milk you need.
  • ** You need to adjust the milk and icing sugar to get the required thickness you need.

Assembling the Cake

  • Place one round of cake onto a serving plate or stand.
  • Spread half the icing over the cake.
  • Place the second round of the cake on top.
  • Press down a little.
  • Spread the rest of the icing on the top of the cake.
  • Smooth or make a pattern with a fork or small spatula.

One of my many glass cake stands.

Placek with Dried Fruits

  • Placek is a thin flat cake.
  • Dried fruits are called bakalie in Polish – fruit from the Balkans.
  • If this were a loaf shaped fruit cake it would be called a “keks” – however it works better in this thin version.
  • Dried apricots are used, which is a bit different.
  • The apricots are soaked overnight in brandy – so you have to start the cake the night before.

INGREDIENTS

  • 175 dried apricots – chopped
  • 3 tablespoons of brandy
  • 175g butter
  • 175g granulated sugar
  • 4 eggs beaten
  • 175g plain flour
  • 225g raisins
  • 225g currants
  • 225g cherries*
  • *
  • *Or a mixture of cherries and mixed peel if you are short of cherries

METHOD

  • Put the apricots and brandy in a small bowl.
  • Cover and leave overnight.
  • *
  • Pre the oven to GM3 – 160°C
  • Line 3 sides of a 32 x 22 baking tin.
  • Mix the apricots with the other dried fruit.
  • Cream the sugar and the butter.
  • Add the eggs and beat together.
  • Mix in all the dried fruit.
  • Fold in the flour.
  • Spread the cake mixture into the tin.
  • *
  • Bake for 50  –  60 minutes.

Rafaelo Dessert

  • Raffaello chocolates were first made in 1990 by the Italian firm Ferrero. 
  • I have noticed that they are very popular in Poland and nearly always on sale in Polish shops in England.
  • They contain: almonds, wafer, white chocolate and coconut.
  • I have been looking for a definitive recipe for a Raffeallo or Rafealo tort based on this confectionary.
  • There are just so many different ideas on how to make this.
  • I have found a vast number of variations including no-bake versions using biscuits or sponge fingers.
  • I then looked at the more baked ones.
  • The cake most used is a fat free sponge – sometimes this includes ground almonds.
  • The filling is a creamy budyń (Polish custard) with large amounts of added butter,
  • Some versions use white chocolate in their ingredients.
  • The tort is topped with desiccated coconut.
  • The tort is often baked in a square or rectangular tin and each served piece is usually square.
  • However a circular one might be easier if using homemade biszkopt – sponge cake.
  • *
  • I decided to make a lighter dessert, instead with a coconut budyń and sponge cake and a lot less butter.
  • I used a 18cm fat free sponge made with two eggs – cut into two layers.
  • My first attempt was getting the budyń right.

    INGREDIENTS for budyń

  • 500ml milk
  • 1 tablespoon of butter
  • 2-3 tablespoons of granulated sugar
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 3 tablespoons of potato flour (or cornflour)
  • 50 – 80g desiccated coconut & 2 tablespoons
  • 50g white chocolate – coarse grated

Method for budyń

    • Put 300ml of the milk, the butter and sugar into a saucepan.
    • Heat gently till the butter has melted and the sugar dissolved, stirring all the time.
    • Bring this to the boil for a few seconds and then take off the heat.
    • Blend the potato flour with the rest of the milk (200ml) and with the egg yolks.
    • Add some of the boiled mixture to this and stir well.
    • Add this mixture to the rest of  the boiled mixture and stir well.
    • Put the pan back on the heat and bring back to boiling point, stirring gently.
    • Keep at boiling for 1 minute, stirring all the time.
    • Add in the 80g of coconut.
    • Leave to cool.
    • *
    • Use a glass dish and layer up cake, budyń, cake and budyń for the top.
    • Sprinkle the 2 tablespoons of coconut and grated chocolate on the top.
    • Chill in the fridge before serving
OPTION
  • Make the budyń with 750ml of milk and 4 egg yolks.
  • Layer up with some budyń first, then cake, budyń, cake, budyń as before.

Thoughts

  • I liked the version with more budyń. (750ml milk)
  • This was more like a dessert.
  • The version using 500ml of milk was more like a cake with filling.
  • However – they were both voted delicious.

Keks – With Yorkshire Connections

updated February 2026

  • Keks is the word for a light fruit cake which is baked in a loaf tin or even more so a long narrow rectangular tin.
  • This recipe is adapted from an old Yorkshire recipe but would equally be liked in Poland.
  • The fruit in this recipe is may be bit higher than in some keks recipes,
  • In England this cake could be made at Christmas time.
  • The soft brown sugar could be replaced by granulated sugar (not tested)
  • The cake has to be started the night before.

INGREDIENTS

155g butter

140g soft brown sugar

3 eggs

*

225 raisins

225 currants

80g glacé cherries

60ml of brandy

*

155g plain flour

1½ teaspoons of baking powder

55g ground almonds

½ teaspoon of freshly ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon of mixed spice

METHOD

Soak the fruit with the brandy overnight.

Use a cake liner to line a 2lb loaf tin.

Pre-heat the oven to GM2.

Mix the dry ingredients together.

Cream the butter with the sugar.

Add the dry ingredients with an egg one at a time.

Stir in the fruit mixture.

Place the cake mixture into the cake tin and cook for around 2 hours – check after 1 30 minutes – should be golden and fully baked.

Option – tested – replace some of the currants with chopped peel.