The Pink Whisk Brilliant Baking Step-by-Step Cake Making (7 page)

TIP

Greek-style yoghurt is lower in fat than soured cream which is why I’m using it here – go for the full fat soured cream if you have it or use plain natural yoghurt instead. Measure these by volume and not by weight.

5 Now it’s messy fingers time! Using half of the filling pinch off small clumps and dot over the cake mixture.

6 On top dot spoonfuls of the remaining cake mixture to cover the filling. Use up all the remaining cake mixture and then using the back of a spoon smooth the cake mixture together to cover up the filling completely.

7 Dot the remaining filling onto the top of the cake and bake in the oven for 55 minutes until dark golden brown.

TIP

Because bicarbonate of soda is the raising agent in the cake here it needs to go in the oven pretty sharpish.

8 Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight tin and serve with your mid-morning cuppa!

Jam Bakewell ‘Cuppa’ Cake

A very British twist on an American classic – still as deliciously lovely with your morning brew!

Makes one 20 cm (8 in) square cake

Prep: 25 minutes plus cooling

Bake: 50 minutes

Oven: 160°c (fan)/180°c/350°F/Gas Mark 4

Ingredients

Filling

50g (1
³
⁄
₄
oz) caster (superfine) sugar

50g (1
³
⁄
₄
oz) melted butter

50g (1
³
⁄
₄
oz) ground almonds

50g (1
³
⁄
₄
oz) semolina

1 egg, large

¹
⁄
₂
tsp almond extract

170g (6oz) raspberry jam (about half an average-sized jar)

Cake

100g (3
¹
⁄
₂
oz) butter

200g (7oz) caster (superfine) sugar

2 eggs, large

230ml (8 fl oz) Greek-style yoghurt

185g (6
¹
⁄
₂
oz) plain (all-purpose) flour

¹
⁄
₂
tsp bicarbonate of soda

To decorate

30g (1oz) flaked almonds

Equipment

20cm (8in) square cake tin (pan), at least 7.5cm (3in) deep

Electric handmixer

1 First mix together the bakewell filling – beating together the caster sugar, melted butter, ground almonds, semolina, egg and almond extract. Set aside.

2 For the cake follow the same method as the Cinnamon Pecan ‘Cuppa’ Cake. Add half the cake mixture to the tin. Dot on top small teaspoonsful of jam and spread together gently with the back of the spoon. Now dot on all of the bakewell mixture in the same way and spread together.

3 Top with the remaining half of the cake mixture, level roughly with the back of a spoon and scatter the flaked almonds on top.

4 Bake for 50 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the tin before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve.

TIP

The semolina adds a little bit of crunch to the proceedings – if you don’t have any double the quantity of ground almonds instead.

Lemon & Elderflower Drizzle Cake

With a crunchy elderflower topping this cake is a little treasure – bursting with zesty sunshine flavour!

Makes one 900g (2lb) loaf cake

Prep: 20 minutes plus cooling

Bake: 50 minutes

Oven: 160°c (fan)/180°c/350°F/Gas Mark 4

Ingredients

Cake

175g (6oz) butter

175g (6oz) caster (superfine) sugar

Zest of 2 lemons,

3 eggs, large

160g (5
³
⁄
₄
oz) self-raising (-rising) flour

Juice of 1 lemon

Drizzle

Juice of 1 lemon

2 tbsp elderflower cordial

110g (4oz) caster (superfine) sugar

Equipment

900g (2lb) loaf tin (pan), 18.5 × 11.5cm (7 × 4
¹
⁄
₂
in)

Electric handmixer

Juicer

Zester or small grater

1 Preheat the oven to 160°C (fan)/180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. Line the loaf tin with baking paper or a paper liner.

2 Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the lemon zest and mix until evenly combined. Add the eggs a little at a time, beating well after each addition until the mixture is light and fluffy again.

3 Fold in the self-raising flour until the cake mix is even.

4 Finally stir through the juice of 1 lemon – don’t worry if the mixture curdles, the acidity from the lemon juice will often do that.

5 Fill the loaf tin with cake mixture. Level the top roughly with the back of a spoon and bake in the oven for 50 minutes. Do check the oven after 35 minutes and if the crust is going very dark cover it with a sheet of foil for the remaining baking time.