Category: Cake

Iced Lime Yoghurt Cake

  • This is based on my Iced Lemon Yoghurt Cake.
  • This is a wonderful ‘plain cake’ using yoghurt and the texture is good.
  • I did not have any lemons but had some limes – limonka – so tried this out.
  • I learnt a new tip, which was to add the lime rind to the sugar for about 30 minutes – this releases more lime oil.

Ingredients

  • 200g plain flour
  • 2 teaspoons of baking powder
  • 200g granulated sugar
  • Zest of 3 limes
  • 185ml of Greek style yoghurt
  • 3 eggs
  • 120ml sunflower oil
  • Large pinch of salt

Method

  • Add the lime zest to the sugar and leave for about 30 minutes.
  • Pre-heat the oven to GM4 – 180ºC.
  • Use a loaf liner to line a 2 lb loaf tin.
  • Mix the flour, baking powder and salt together.
  • Add the yoghurt and eggs to the sugar mixture.
  • Gradually add the flour mixture and mix well.
  • Add the oil and mix well again.
  • Pour the batter into the loaf tin and smooth the top.
  • Bake for around 45 to 50 minutes.
  • Check a little earlier and cover with greaseproof  paper if it is starting to burn.
  • Leave to cool in the tin.

Lemon Icing – Ingredients

  • 100g icing sugar – approx
  • 1 tablespoon of lime juice

Lemon Icing – Method

  • Mix the icing sugar with the lime juice.
  • Adjust sugar or juice to make a thin pouring icing.
  • Once the cake is cold, pour this over the cake.
  • Smooth down with a warm spatula.
  • Served on Royal Doulton – Tapestry Tea Plate

Chocolate Meringues

  • The original recipe made a circle/nest of the meringue.
  • I find individuals ones easier and more useful.
  • The sugar in the original was all icing sugar – I found this very hard to whisk up so if you can find caster sugar it is much easier to use.

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 egg whites
  • 90g caster sugar
  • *
  • 15g icing sugar
  • 2 teaspoons of cocoa powder

METHOD

  • Pre-heat the oven to GM2 – 150°C
  • Line a baking tray with baking paper
  • *
  • In a small dish mix the 15g of icing sugar and the cocoa powder.
  • *
  • Whisk the egg white until they are stiff.
  • Add the caster sugar and whisk until stiff again.
  • With a metal spoon fold in the icing sugar and cocoa mixture.
  • Place spoonfuls of the mixture onto the baking sheet.
  • You should get 6 or 8 meringues.
  • Place them in the oven for around 1hour 25 minutes.
  • Turn off the oven – you can keep them in there for an extra 15 minutes if required.
  • Leave the baking tray on a wire rack to cool completely.

Using the Meringues

  • These chocolate meringues are very useful for a variety of desserts.
  • They go well with sweetened yoghurt or yoghurt cheese.
  • They can be used with flavoured butter creams using rum or coffee or even more chocolate.
  • In England whipped double cream can be used.
  • In the glass dish above greek yoghurt was mixed with some sour cherry jam as the base and a dollop of the yoghurt was put on top of the meringue.
  • Try with chocolate budyń –– Polish custard.
  • They should be great with vanilla ice cream.

Half Size – Mama’s Never too Late Christmas Cake

  • Because of not being able to see many friends or family these last 3 years, I have not made an English style Christmas Cake for ages.
  • I have just been making one for my friend who is about to celebrate a significant birthday and loves fruit cake.
  • I found that the usual amount was quite a lot and I had forgotten how hard it was to mix it all up.
  • I thought that next time I would just make a half sized one.
  • Rather than halve the amounts ‘on the hoof’  I thought I would write this up with the half sized amount.
  • Decided it was better to do this now whilst things are fresh in my mind.
  • Of course I will not have the timings for baking but I can give estimates and check these later when I make this size of  cake.

  • It is a very moist cake and therefore it will only keep for about 2 months.

  • *
  • However if you want to add marzipan & icing then you should make it about 2- 3 weeks in advance, to give time for this to be done.

Ingredients

  • 450g mixture of currants, raisins & sultanas
  • 100g chopped mixed peel
  • 100g glacé cherries cut in half
  • Grated rind of 1 lemon & 1 orange
  • 1 medium cooking apple, peeled and coarse grated
  • 100g fine grated carrots
  • 1 tablespoon rum
  • 60 ml strong cold tea (I use a scented one like Earl Grey)
  • *
  • 175 g Butter
  • 175 g soft dark brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons of black treacle
  • 3 large eggs – beaten
  • *
  • 200g plain flour – sieved
  • 1/4 level teaspoon salt
  • 3 level teaspoons mixed spice
  • ½ level teaspoon of cinnamon
  • ¼  grated nutmeg
  • ½ 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.
  • Grease and line the cake tin – 20cm or 18cm square.
  • In another  large bowl, cream the margarine 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.
  • 20 cm square – try 1hr 30mins
  • 18 cm square  -try 1hr 15 mins 
  • The above are guides 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.

Decorating the cake

  • It depends on who is coming and whether there are  lots of marzipan & icing lovers on how much I decorate the cake.
  • *
  • Sometimes I just dust the top with icing sugar.
  • See the full sized recipe for more details.
  • Cut down the amounts to suit the cake size.

Placek with Figs 2

  • My father loved English Fig Rolls so he would have loved this pastry.
  • It is based on an English recipe for a pie that was served on Palm Sunday – 2 April in 2023.
  • You have to start the fig filling the evening before and then cook it the next morning.
  • The filling needs to be completely cold before using.
  • I made it using my kruche ciasto – shortcrust pastry.

INGREDIENTS – Pastry

  • 250g plain flour
  • 125g butter
  • 1 egg yolk
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • Cold water to mix the dough.
  • *
  • Egg white to glaze

METHOD – Pastry

  • Rub the butter into the flour until you have breadcrumbs.
  • Mix in the egg yolk, lemon juice and enough water until you have a soft dough.
  • Cover and rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.

INGREDIENTS  – FILLING

  • 250g dried figs
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar
  • 1-2 tablespoons of cornflour
  • 1 teaspoon of mixed spice

METHOD – Filling

  • Place the figs in a bowl with the lemon juice.
  • Pour enough boiling water over the figs to cover them and leave overnight.
  • Sieve the figs from the liquid – but keep the liquid.
  • Chop the figs into small pieces.
  • Take a few tablespoons of the liquid and mix with the cornflour.
  • Put the rest of the liquid in a saucepan and add the sugar and spice.
  • Heat gently and then add the cornflour paste.
  • Carry on heating until the liquid thickens.
  • Add the chopped figs and heat gently to reduce the liquid until you have a thick paste.
  • Leave to cool – this must be cold when you use it.

METHOD – Placek

  • Grease and line a 26 x 16cm tin.
  • Pre-heat the oven to GM 6 – 200°C
  • Divide the pastry into two.
  • Roll out one half and use this to line the base of the tin.
  • Spread out the fig paste over the pastry.
  • Roll out the rest of the pastry and cover the top of the tin.
  • Brush the top of the pastry with beaten egg white.
  • Bake for 30 – 35 minutes

 

 

  • Served on Crown bone china tea plates.

OPTIONS – Not Tested.

  • Add 2 tablespoons of icing sugar to the flour when making the pastry dough.
  • Sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons of granulated sugar on top of the egg white glaze.
  • Dust with icing sugar when serving.

Baking with Cranberry Mincemeat 2 – Placek

  • I have tried several bakes using the cranberry mincemeat.
  • Here is the second one.
  • You can use any version of shortcrust pastry but the richer ones are the best.
  • This one is one my Mama used to make.

INGREDIENTS

  • 250g plain flour
  • 125g butter
  • 1 egg yolk
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • Cold water to mix the dough.
  • *
  • Egg white to glaze
  • *
  • Cranberry mincemeat

METHOD

  • Rub the butter into the flour until you have breadcrumbs.
  • Mix in the egg yolk, lemon juice and enough water until you have a soft dough.
  • Cover and rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
  • *
  • Grease and line a 26 x 16cm tin.
  • Pre-heat the oven to GM 6 – 200°C
  • Divide the pastry into two.
  • Roll out one half and use this to line the base of the tin.
  • Spread out the cranberry mincemeat over the pastry.
  • Roll out the rest of the pastry and cover the top of the tin.
  • Brush the top of the pastry with beaten egg white.
  • Bake for 30 – 35 minutes.
  • Cut into squares when cool.

Royal Doulton – Tapestry tea plate

Apple Mincemeat Crumble Squares

  • This is my 525 post – Thank you everyone for reading them.
  • This is a quicker alternative to making individual little mince pies.
  • There is a buttery layer of shortcrust pastry at the bottom.
  • A crumble mixture on the top.
  • In between a layer of Apple mincemeat. 
  • Or use good quality mincemeat with a cooked cooking apple added but no extra sugar.

Ingredients – Pastry

  • 150g plain flour  –  
  • 75g butter 
  • 1-2 tablespoons of icing sugar (optional)
  • 1 egg yolk
  • Juice of 1 lemon (and maybe 1 tablespoon of cold water)

Method  – Pastry

  • Rub the butter into the flour to make “breadcrumbs”.
  • Mix in the icing sugar.
  • First with a knife and then with your fingertips mix in the yolk & lemon juice (and  maybe a tablespoon of cold water.)
  • You are aiming to get a dough which is not wet.
  • Rest for about 20 minutes.

Ingredients  – Crumble

  • 90g plain flour
  • 45g butter
  • 45g granulated sugar

Method – Crumble

  • Rub the butter into the flour until you have breadcrumbs.
  • Stir in the sugar.

Method – Overall

  • Pre-heat the oven to GM6 – 200°C
  • Grease and line with 1 piece of baking paper 2 long sides and the base of a 26 x 21 cm tin.
  • Roll out the pastry into a  thin rectangle that fits the base of the tin.
  • Spread the mincemeat over the pastry.
  • Sprinkle the crumble mix over the top.
  • Use a fork to ‘rough up’ the top.
  • Bake for around 25 – 30 minutes.
  • *
  • Cut into squares when cool.

Banana Bread

  • This is not a Polish recipe and my mother would not have made this cake, especially as my father did not like bananas.
  • But looking online and on Instagram I find that bananas are used in many new recipes from Poland.
  • Banana bread recipes originated in the USA in the early 1930s.
  • They tended to be made in bread or loaf tins but I have found a flatter rectangular tin gives better results.
  • For the best results the bananas have to be as ripe as possible – very black spotted skins and ‘squidgy’ flesh.
  • I have adapted an old recipe of mine by using dried cranberries and am very pleased with the contrast between the bananas and the cranberries.
  • I used a packet of cranberries which was 1`70g and made the dried fruit up to 250g with sultanas – you can adjust these amounts – but I found these worked well.

Ingredients

  • 225g plain flour
  • 2½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon of salt
  • 110g butter
  • 150g of granulated sugar
  • 170g dried cranberries
  • 80g sultanas
  • 450g – mashed ripe banana flesh
  • 2 eggs – beaten

Method

  • Grease and line 32 x 22cm baking tin.
  • Pre-heat the oven to GM 4 – 180°C.
  • Mix the flour, baking powder and salt together.
  • Rub in the butter till the mixture is like breadcrumbs.
  • Stir in the sugar, cranberries and sultanas.
  • Mix this with the eggs and mashed bananas till uniform.
  • Spoon into the tin and level.
  • Bake for 40 – 45 minutes.
Served on Bramble Rose by Duchess

Sponge Cake with Peaches

  • This cake is loosely based on one I made with pears.
  • However rather than use fresh peaches – I used tinned peaches.
  • My peaches were in syrup – but one in juice should also be fine (but not tested).
  • This sponge is made with sunflower oil and is very easy to make.

Ingredients

  • Tin of peaches – drained
  • *
  • 230g of plain flour
  • ½ tablespoon of baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon of salt
  • 125ml of sunflower oil
  • 200g granulated sugar
  • ¼ – ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 eggs
  • *
  • Icing Sugar to dredge – optional

Method

  • Pre-heat oven to GM4 – 180°C.
  • Use a 22cm loose bottom tin with a cake liner – (like a huge bun case).
  • Chop the peaches into small chunks.
  • Leave whilst you prepare the cake mixture.
    *
  • In a large bowl mix the flour, baking powder and salt.
  • In another bowl whisk the oil, sugar, vanilla extract and the eggs until they are thoroughly mixed.
  • Add the flour mixture to the oil mixture and mix thoroughly.
  • Place half the cake batter into the cooking tin.
  • Place half the peaches on top of the cake batter.
  • Cover with the rest of the cake batter.
  • Place the rest of the peaches evenly over the surface of the cake.
  • Bake for 60 – 65 minutes – cover and maybe another another 10 minutes if not done.
  • Leave to cool in the tin before turning it out.
  • *
  • Dredge with icing sugar when serving – optional.
  • Served on Royal Doulton – Sonnet  and Duchess – Bramble Rose tea plates
  • *
  • I tried this out also in a rectangular tin – 26 x 21cms.
  • The batter was poured into the tin and the peaches all put on the top.
  • This took 40 – 45 minutes to cook – check after 35 minutes and cover with baking paper if necessary.

Coffee Tort

  • I wanted to make a coffee tort using strong ground coffee rather than instant.
  • I think my mother used Camp Coffee – concentrated syrup flavoured with coffee and chicory.
  • It was first produced in 1876 by S. Paterson & Sons Ltd in Glasgow.
  • Camp Coffee is still made today and used mainly in home baking.
  • I made two sponge cakes with the method of weighing the eggs in their shells and then weighing the same amounts of butter, caster sugar and plain flour.
  • I made a 2 egg  version but you can easily make a bigger cake and adjust the ingredients and cake tin sizes.
  • You can make more butter cream to cover the sides.

Ingredients – Cake

  • 2 eggs
  • Equal weights of – 
  • -Butter
  • -Caster sugar
  • -Plain flour
  • 2½ teaspoons of baking powder
  • 1 tablespoon of strong coffee
  • *
  • 125ml strong coffee & 2 tablespoons of sugar – mixed so the sugar dissolves
  • * you can use a larger volume of coffee- say 180ml or even 250ml – adjust the sugar

Method – Cake

  • Line the bases of 2 x 18cm diameter sandwich tins.
  • Pre-heat the oven to GM4 – 180°C.
  • Mix the flour with the baking powder.
  • Cream the butter and sugar till pale and fluffy.
  • Beat in the coffee.
  • Beat in the eggs – one by one.
  • Fold in the flour.
  • Divide the mixture between the two tins.
  • Bake for 20 to 25 mins.
  • Leave to cool in the tins on a baking rack.

Ingredients –  Butter Cream

  • 100g butter
  • 200g icing sugar – more may be needed
  • 3 tablespoons strong coffee

Method – Butter Cream

  • Cream the butter with half of the icing sugar.
  • Mix in and cream the coffee.
  • Add the rest of the icing sugar, bit by bit until you have the consistency you require. 

Assembling the tort

  • Place one of the two cakes on a flat cake plate.
  • Use half the coffee and sugar mixture and spoon it over the cake.
  • Spread half the butter cream over the cake.
  • Put the second cake over the butter cream.
  • Use the rest of the coffee and sugar mixture over the top.
  • Spread the rest of the butter cream over the top.
  • Using a pointed spatula, make a pattern in the butter cream.
  • Vintage cake stand on a central chrome/steel foot
  • Tea plate – Crown bone china

Honey Cake – Miodownik 4

  • This is based on an old English recipe and is a bit lighter than my other Polish honey cakes.
  • There are no spices in the original recipe but you can of course add them.

Ingredients

  • 150g butter
  • 100g granulated sugar
  • 150ml honey
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • 2 eggs – beaten
  • 200g plain flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder

Method

  • Pre-heat the oven to GM 4 – 180 C.
  • Grease and line a 26 x 16cm baking tin.
  • In a saucepan gently melt the butter and sugar.
  • Add the honey and stir.
  • Add the milk and stir again.
  • Leave to cool.
  • Mix in the eggs.
  • Mix the baking powder with the flour.
  • Add the flour to the mixture to give a smooth batter.
  • Pour the batter into the tin and smooth the top.
  • Bake for 30 – 35 minutes.
  • Check that the top is not burning and cover with baking paper if necessary.
  • Leave to cool in the tin.

Crown bone china tea plate