Lumberjack cake. Photo: Marina Oliphant
A simple pleasure to treasure
Baking a cake is one of life’s treats, bringing joy to the baker and the lucky taster.
ACCORDING to Nigella Lawson, in her book How to be a Domestic Goddess, the rewards of baking are exponentially higher than the effort required. The satisfaction derived from this simple task provides welcome relief from our busy lives. It is entirely separate from everyday cooking, although that’s not to say you can’t bake every day.
Good cake recipes are always in demand. These ones have been in my bulging recipe folder for many years and I’m happy to share them with you. Tap into your own domestic god or goddess – whip up one of these treats, sit back and bask in the warmth of this simple pleasure.
Lumberjack cake
Lemon poppy seed cake. Photo: Marina Oliphant
THIS delicious cake will become a favourite. It’s filled with apples and dates then topped with crunchy caramelised coconut.
INGREDIENTS
Hummingbird cake. Photo: Marina Oliphant
125g butter, plus extra for greasing cake tin
2 medium Granny Smith apples
185g dates
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 cup boiling water
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla essence
1½ cups plain flour
½? tsp salt
For the topping:
½ cup brown sugar
60g butter
? cup milk
60g shredded coconut
METHOD
?Preheat oven to 180C. Butter and line a loaf tin (14cm x 24cm). Peel, core and cut the apples into small pieces. Chop the dates and mix with the apples and bicarb soda. Pour the boiling water over the top and leave to cool until lukewarm.
?Cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat well. Sift the flour and salt.
?Alternating between the two, add flour and apple to the creamed mixture. Pour into the tin and bake for 1 hour or until cooked when tested with a skewer.
?For the topping, mix the sugar with the butter, milk and coconut in a small saucepan over a low heat. Spread over the cooked cake.
?Return the cake to the oven and bake for another 15 min until topping is golden and crunchy.
Lemon poppy seed cake
A LIGHT, lemony cake with the delightful crunch of poppy seeds.
INGREDIENTS
125g butter, plus extra for greasing cake tin
1¼? cup castor sugar
2 tbsp poppy seeds
1 lemon, zested
3 tbsp lemon juice
2 eggs, beaten
1¼? cup plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
? cup milk
For the icing:
1 lemon, zest and juice
225g icing sugar
METHOD
?Preheat the oven to 180C. Butter and line a round 17cm cake tin. Cream the butter and sugar in an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
?Add the poppy seeds, lemon zest and juice and mix well. Add the eggs and mix well. Sift the flour and baking powder and add alternately with the milk.
?Pour the mixture into the tin and smooth the top. Bake for 10 min, then turn the oven down to 170C and cook for a further 45 min, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
?Remove and cool on a cake rack.
?For the icing, mix the lemon zest and juice with icing sugar until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled cake.
Hummingbird cake
INGREDIENTS
Butter for greasing cake tin
1½? cups plain flour
½? tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
½? cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla essence
½? cup tinned crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
2 medium mashed or sliced banana
½? cup walnuts or pecans, roughly chopped (optional)
For the icing:
250g cream cheese
125g butter
300g icing sugar
2 passionfruit
METHOD
?Preheat oven to 180C. Butter and line a round 17cm cake tin or two 16cm fluted brioche tins. Sift the flour, bicarb soda and cinnamon into a large bowl, stir in the sugar.
?Whisk the eggs with the oil and vanilla, then add to the flour mixture and gently mix. Fold through the pineapple, banana and nuts.
?Pour into the cake tin and bake for about 70 min (60 min for brioche tins) or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
?For the icing, beat the cream cheese, butter and icing sugar until creamy and smooth. Scoop out the passionfruit pulp and fold through the icing. Spread over the cooled cake.
Jill Dupleix’s fast food for friends.
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