Easy Victoria Sandwich

This is one of the first recipes that I ever made on my own. It is so easy that I made it when I was 10. The apricot alternative was one of my own designs, and I hope that if you try it you would agree that the combination is delicious. This recipe can also be made in a chocolate variety by removing 25g of flour and replacing it with 25g of cocoa powder. The same recipe can also be used to make fairy cakes (bake for 15-20 minutes).


Makes 8-10 slices
Ingredients
Cake
225g soft margarine
225g caster sugar
4 eggs
225g self-raising flour
2 tsp baking powder
Filling
Buttercream or fresh whipped cream with jam and or fresh strawberries or raspberries, or just jam. (At least 4 tbsp of jam are needed, if using)
Method
1) Preheat oven to 200 degrees C (180 fan).
2) Grease and line 2x20cm sandwich tins with greaseproof paper.
3) Combine all cake ingredients and beat until thoroughly blended. Divide between the tins and level out.
4) Bake for 25 minutes, until the tops spring back when gently pressed. Remove from the oven. Cool in the tins for a few minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack. Peel off the lining paper, turn the right way up and allow to cool.
5) Once cool sandwich together with your choice of fillings.
6) Finally ... ENJOY


Alternatives: Apricot Victoria Sandwich. Add 100g of chopped dried apricots to the batter and sandwich the layers with apricot jam (and fresh cream, optional)

Banana and Pecan Cupcakes

I have made this recipe with and without the pecans and it is delicious each way (for those with allergies). The size of the bananas will have an impact on the flavour so you can make alterations to the strength of the flavour by buying different sizes. I first made this recipe for a friends birthday party and was told that I'd ruined all of my friends for life. They still say they have never had one to match it.
I recommend the use of a cinnamon flavoured frosting. http://12557keepcalmandbakeon.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/cinnamon-frosting.html

Serves 24
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
400g butter, softened
400g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs
3 bananas, mashed
200g pecans, roughly chopped (optional)
400g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
Pinch salt
Method
1) For the cupcakes; Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C (160 fan)
2) Beat together the butter, sugar and vanilla extract until pale and fluffy. Beat the eggs in one at a time until completely incorporated.
3) Add the mashed bananas and pecans, beat again.
4) Combine the flour, baking powder and cinnamon. Fold it into the the batter.
5) 2/3 fill the cupcake cases, then bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, until golden. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool.
6) Finally ... ENJOY

Toffee Meringue Pie

I never considered another variety of lemon meringue pie before I found this recipe. Imagining it in my head it just seemed bizarre, but once making this recipe I was converted. I've made it twice and it has been a hit with my family and friends. It is great for someone with a sweet tooth, but by drizzling with dark chocolate it can really take the edge off the sweetness. I made this for my friends' 18th birthday and we proceeded to eat it with spoons out of the case (not our best moment to be truthful but it was AMAZING).


Serves 8-10
Ingredients
For the Pastry
400g plain flour
200g cold butter
1 egg white
For the Filling
85g butter
175g light muscovado sugar
300ml milk
3 tbsp cornflour
4 egg yolks
For the meringue
4 egg whites
200g caster sugar
Method
1) Put the flour and butter into a bowl. Rub the butter into the flour using the fingertips, until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add 4-6 tbsp of cold water until a dough forms. Knead into a ball, wrap in cling film, then put in the fridge for 30 minutes.
2) Preheat over to 200 (180 fan) degrees C
3) Roll out the pastry until it is large enough to line a 25cm tart tin with a slight overhang. Line the tin then bake blind, using baking parchment and baking beans, for 15 minutes.
4) Remove from the oven. Remove the baking parchment and baking means then brush the pastry with the egg white. Return to the oven for 10 minutes.
5) Remove from the oven, trim the pastry and turn the oven down to 150 (130 fan) degrees C.
6) For the filling; melt the butter in a pan and stir in the sugar until dissolved. 
7) In a bowl, add a little milk to the cornflour to make a smooth paste. Pour this into the butter and sugar mix..Whisk the egg yolks and milk together. Add to the mixture, bring to the boil and simmer for 2-3 minutes, until thick. Remove from the heat, but leave in the pan (it must be hot when added to the pastry case).
8) For the meringue; whisk the egg white until stiff. Add half the sugar and whisk until stiff and shiny. Add the remaining sugar a little at a time, whisk until stiff again.
9) Spoon the hot filling into the pastry case. Spoon the meringue over this.
10) Bake for 35 minutes, until the meringue is golden and crisping up.
11) Remove from the oven and serve cold.
12) Finally ... ENJOY

Best Fudgy Chocolate Buttercream

OMG I could eat this icing with a spoon. It is so decadent. Adding the chocolate when it is luke warm partially melts the butter creating a silky smooth, fudgy texture to the buttercream. It is the only buttercream that one of my friends will  eat. This is my go to chocolate icing, but is quite expensive due to the quality of chocolate needed, although Bournville can be used for a similar effect.


Enough to ice 15-20 regular cupcakes
Ingredients
175g dark chocolate (70% cocoa, if you have it)
225g unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
250g icing sugar, sifted
Method
1) Melt the chocolate until smooth. Leave to cool.
2) In a large mixing ball beat the butter, milk, vanilla and icing sugar until smooth, using a hand mixer.
3) Add the melted chocolate and beat until the icing is thick and creamy. It will thicken as you mix it and the chocolate cools further.
4) Pipe or spread onto the cupcakes, then decorate.
5) Finally... ENJOY

Bread and Butter Pudding

I've been eating bread and butter pudding since I was a child. My dad and I are the only ones that like it but occasionally my mum would make one and my dad and I would compete to see who could eat the most and argue about who would have the last piece. We always had a bread and butter pudding from the same recipe but a few months ago my mum was out and I couldn't find the recipe so I went online. This is the recipe I found (plus a few changes). I would have to have to say that I prefer it because it is less dense than my mums recipe and requires a shorter cooking time (so there is less of a wait).


Serves 6


Ingredients
50g soft butter
10 slices of bread cut diagonally across
50g sultanas (raisins can be used but I think sultanas taste better)
4 tbsp demerara sugar (for a crunch)
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp cinnamon
350ml milk
50ml double cream
2 large eggs
25g sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract


Method 
1) Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.
2) Grease a 2 pint/ 1 litre pie dish with a little butter.
3) Spread each of the bread triangles, on both sides, with butter.
4)Cover the base of the pie dish with overlapping bread triangles.
5) Sprinkle over 2/3 of the sultanas, 2 tbsp of the demerara sugar with a little     nutmeg and cinnamon.
6) Repeat the last 2 steps using the remaining sultanas, nutmeg and cinnamon, until the dish has been filled.
7) Gently heat the milk and double cream in a saucepan - DO NOT BOIL.
8) In a large bowl beat the eggs with the sugar and vanilla extract until light, airy and pale in colour. Pour the warm milk over this mixture and continue beating until combined.
9) Pour the egg mixture over the bread. Gently press down the bread into the liquid. Sprinkle the remaining demerara sugar over the top. Leave to soak for 30 minutes.
10)Bake for 40-45 minutes until golden brown, well risen and the egg is set. Best served hot.
11) Finally .... ENJOY

Chocolate-Coffee Cupcakes

I made this recipe today for the first time by combining and editing several recipes that I found in a magazine. I used a basic chocolate cake recipe and swapped the milk for strong coffee.  I was lucky that it worked first time round and that I got the quantities of coffee correct. This is a very rich cake but extremely addictive (I may or may not have eaten 3 of them today).


I recommend using my recipe for a Chocolate-Coffee Buttercream recipe. http://12557keepcalmandbakeon.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/chocolate-coffee-buttercream.html


Serves 12

Ingredients

125g margarine

125g caster sugar

2 large eggs

125g self raising flour

25g cocoa powder

2 tbsp strong coffee

Method

1) Preheat the oven to 170 degrees C.

2) Cream together the margarine and butter until light and fluffy.

3) Crack the eggs into a mug and beat together lightly with a fork.

4) Sift the flour and cocoa powder into a bowl and mix together.

5) Beat the eggs, a little at a time, into the margarine and sugar.

6) Fold in the flour and cocoa powder mixture using a spatula or metal spoon, until completely combined.

7) Add the coffee and milk to the mixture and combine.

8) Fill the cupcake cases to 2/3 full and put in the oven for 12-18 minutes (depending on the size of the case). The cake will retain its shape when gently presses, if it is cooked.

9) Remove from the oven. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

10) Finally,  ENJOY.