CAKE RECIPES

Ultimate chocolate cake

INGREDIENTS

• 200g good quality dark chocolate , about 60% cocoa solids
• 200g butter , cut in pieces
• 1 tbsp instant coffee granules
• 85g self-raising flour
• 85g plain flour
• 1⁄4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 200g light muscovado sugar
• 200g golden caster sugar
• 25g cocoa powder
• 3 medium eggs
• 75ml buttermilk (5 tbsp)
• grated chocolate or curls, to decorate 

FOR THE GANACHE

• 200g good-quality dark chocolate , as above
• 284ml carton double cream (pouring type)
• 2 tbsp golden caster sugar 

Method :

1. Butter a 20cm round cake tin (7.5cm deep) and line the base. Preheat the oven to fan 140C/conventional 160C/ gas 3. Break the chocolate in pieces into a medium, heavy-based pan. Tip in the butter, then mix the coffee granules into 125ml/4fl oz cold water and pour into the pan. Warm through over a low heat just until everything is melted - don't overheat. Or melt in the microwave on Medium for about 5 minutes, stirring half way through.
2. While the chocolate is melting, mix the two flours, bicarbonate of soda, sugars and cocoa in a big bowl, mixing with your hands to get rid of any lumps. Beat the eggs in a bowl and stir in the buttermilk.
3. Now pour the melted chocolate mixture and the egg mixture into the flour mixture, stirring just until everything is well blended and you have a smooth, quite runny consistency. Pour this into the tin and bake for 1 hour 25- 1 hour 30 minutes - if you push a skewer in the centre it should come out clean and the top should feel firm (don't worry if it cracks a bit). Leave to cool in the tin (don't worry if it dips slightly), then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
4. When the cake is cold, cut it horizontally into three. Make the ganache: chop the chocolate into small pieces and tip into a bowl. Pour the cream into a pan, add the sugar, and heat until it is about to boil. Take off the heat and pour it over the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.
5. Sandwich the layers together with just a little of the ganache. Pour the rest over the cake letting it fall down the sides and smoothing to cover with a palette knife. Decorate with grated chocolate or a pile of chocolate curls. The cake keeps moist and gooey for 3-4 days. 

 

Nutrition Per Serving:

541 kcalories, protein 6g, carbohydrate 55g, fat 35 g, saturated fat 20g, fibre 2g, sugar 40g, salt 0.51 g 

 

Birthday Cake with Hot Pink Butter Icing

 

Ingredients

For the cake:

nocoupons

• 18 tablespoons (2 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3 cups sugar
• 6 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 8 ounces (about 1 cup) sour cream, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 lemon, zested
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

For the frosting:

nocoupons

• 3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3 pounds confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 9 tablespoons milk
• 3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 14 drops pink food coloring (rose petal shade)
• Pink and white candy, for decorating

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter and flour a 9-inch cake pan, a 6-inch cake pan, and a 3-inch cake pan.

To make the cake, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. On medium speed, add the eggs, 2 at a time, then the sour cream, vanilla, and lemon zest, scraping down the bowl as needed. Mix well. Sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir just until smooth. Finish mixing by hand to be sure the batter is well mixed. Proportionately divide the batter between the 3 cake pans. Smooth the tops with a spatula, and bake as follows: the 9-inch pan for 45 minutes, the 6-inch pan for 35 to 40 minutes and the 3-inch pan for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean in each cake. Cool in the pans to room temperature.

For the frosting, cream the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the confectioners' sugar, milk, and vanilla extract. Mix on low speed for 1 to 2 minutes, until thickened. Add the food coloring and turn the mixer off. Using a spatula, fully incorporate the color into the frosting.

Frost each cake separately, saving some frosting for decoration. Chill the cakes before stacking.

Place the 9-inch cake on a plate. Center the 6-inch cake on top of the 9-inch cake. Center the 3-inch cake on top of the 6-inch cake.

For the decoration, pipe or spoon the remaining frosting around the base of each cake and around the top edge of the 3-inch cake. Finish decorating with the pieces of candy.

 Irish Cream Chocolate Mousse Cake

Ingredients for Mousse:
4       lg. eggs
1/3    c. sugar
12     oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
1-1/2 c. chilled whipping cream
1/4    c. Irish cream liqueur

Whisk eggs and sugar in large metal bowl. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water) and whisk constantly until candy thermometer registers 60°F, about 5 minutes.

Remove bowl from over water. Using electric mixer, beat egg mixture until cool and very thick, about 10 minutes.

Place chocolate in top of another bowl over simmering water; stir until melted and smooth. Remove bowl from over water. Cool to luke warm.

Combine cream and Irish cream liqueur in medium bowl; beat to stiff peaks. Pour luke warm melted chocolate over egg mixture and fold together. Fold in cream mixture. Cover and chill until set, at least 4 hours or overnight.

Ingredients for Cake:
6    lg. eggs
3/4 c. plus 2 tbsp. sugar
2    tbsp. instant espresso powder or coffee powder
      pinch of salt
1    c. all purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 9-inch diameter springform pan with 2-3/4 inch high sides. Line bottom with parchment paper. Using electric mixer, beat eggs, sugar, espresso powder and salt in large bowl until mixture thickens and a slowly dissolving ribbon forms when beaters are lifted, about 8 minutes. Sift 1/3 of flour over and gently fold into egg mixture. Repeat 2 more times (do not overmix or batter may deflate).

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool cake completely in pan on rack.

Run small sharp knife around pan sides to loosen cake. Release pan sides. Turn out cake. Remove pan bottom. Peel off parchment. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Wrap cake in plastic and chill.

Ingredients for Syrup:
2/3 c. sugar
5    tbsp. water
5    tbsp. Irish whiskey

Combine sugar and water in small saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and bring to boil. Remove from heat. Mix in whiskey. Cool. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.)

Assembly:
Using serrated knife, cut cake horizontally into 3 layers. Place bottom cake layer on platter. Brush with 3 tablespoons syrup. Spread 2 cups mousse over. Top with second cake layer. Brush with 3 tablespoons syrup. Spread 2 cups mousse over. Top with third cake layer, cut side down. Brush with 3 tablespoons syrup. Spread remaining mousse over top and sides of cake. Refrigerate cake while preparing chocolate bands.

Chocolate Bands:
2  14-1/2 x 3-inch waxed paper strips
4  oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
1  tbsp. plus 1 tsp. solid vegetable shortening

Line large basket sheet with foil and set aside. Place another large sheet of foil on work surface; top with waxed paper strips, spacing apart. Stir chopped semisweet chocolate and vegetable shortening in heavy, small saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Pour half of melted chocolate down center of each waxed paper strip.

Using metal icing spatula, spread chocolate to cover strips evenly and completely, allowing some chocolate to extend beyond edges of paper strips. Using fingertips, lift strips and place on clean foil-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate just until chocolate begins to set but is still very flexible, about 2 minutes.

Remove chocolate bands from refrigerator. Using fingertips, lift 1 band from foil. With chocolate side next to cake, place band around side of cake; press gently to adhere (band will be taller than cake). Repeat with second chocolate band, pressing onto uncovered side of cake so that ends of chocolate bands just meet (if ends overlap, use scissors to trim any excess paper and chocolate). Refrigerate until chocolate sets, about 5 minutes. Gently peel off paper. Refrigerate cake.

Decoration:
1  c. mini chocolate chips
1  red rose or other flower

With a warm, sharp knife, trim chocolate bands to about 1/4 inch higher than the cake. Using the palm of your hand, sprinkle chocolate chips around the edge of the cake to form a border. Sprinkle a few chips around the center. Decorate with a red rose tied with a ribbon. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Keep refrigerated.

Confetti Cake

Ingredients

• 1 1-pound box angel food cake mix
• 1/4 cup colored candy sprinkles
• FROSTING INGREDIENTS AND DECORATIONS:
• 2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
• 8 teaspoons cold water
• 2 cups whipping cream (unwhipped)
• 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Colored sprinkles
• 2 decorative cake sprays (available at party stores)
• Wire star garland (available at party stores)
• 1 sheet of shiny or metallic colored paper (for year star)
• Marker
• Tape

X

Instructions

1. Follow the directions on the cake mix box, but just before pouring the batter into the tube pan, add the sprinkles.
   
2. Mix them quickly and gently with as few strokes as possible and pour the batter into the pan immediately. If you mix and pour too slowly, the colors may bleed and color the surrounding batter.
   
3. Make the frosting right before you plan to apply it so that it doesn't set. For best results, apply the frosting, sprinkles, and decoration no more than an hour before serving.
   
4. Combine the gelatin and water in a small saucepan.
   
5. Let it stand until thick.
   
6. Set the pan over low heat, stirring constantly until the gelatin dissolves.
   
7. Don't let it boil, as that would reduce the gelling power of the gelatin.
   
8. Remove the gelatin from the heat. While it cools a bit, combine the cream, sugar, and vanilla extract in a bowl.
   
9. Whip them with an electric mixer until the mixture thickens slightly.
   
10. Gradually pour the liquid gelatin (don't let it set) into the whipped cream mixture and continue to beat at slow speed until blended. Then whip it at high speed until it's stiff and peaks form when you lift the beaters.
    
11. Frost the completely cooled cake with a generous, fluffy layer, making swirls and peaks as you go.
    
12. Add confetti (colored sprinkles) and the sparkly year decoration. (Tip: We applied the sprinkles to the sides of the cake by lightly tossing them against the frosting. After we stuck our store-bought metallic sprays entwined with a star garland into the cake, we cut a 2-inch star out of paper, wrote the year numerals on it, and taped it to the sprays.) Store the cake in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

 

Fruit Schaum Torte

 

The beauty of this wedding cake is that you can use almost every fruit you can imagine. Among the wedding cake recipes, the schaum torte is the simplest cake to bake.

Ingredients • Eggwhites (8 to 10 eggs) • A tablespoon of vinegar (white) • A tablespoon of vanilla extract • A pinch of salt • 3 cups of sugar • Slices of your choice of fruits • Whipped Cream Baking Directions 1. Mix eggwhites, vinegar and the vanilla in a bowl at a medium speed. Continue beating until it thickens or a soft crowning is formed. 2. Gradually add the sugar (about a tablespoon at a time) at a high speed setting and continue until the tops become taut and silky. 3. Grease a springform pan and pour the mixture in. Spread it evenly and bake at 300 degrees Fahrenheit or 149 degrees Celsiusfor approximately an hour or until lightly browned. 4. Remove the cake from the pan and transfer it to a wire rack to cool or let the meringue fall 5. Top the cake with whipped cream and fruits. 6. Refrigerate the cake when there are leftovers.   Tips: • Before putting the batter in the oven, make sure to taste it first. Adjustments can then be made if the cake will turn out to be too sweet or bland after it is baked. • Brush the fruits with honey (optional) for the fresh and glazed look. Glazed plum cake

Ingredients

• 200g softened butter , plus extra for greasing
• 8 red or purple plums
• 140g golden caster sugar , plus 1 extra tbsp
• 3 eggs , lightly beaten
• grated zest 1 large lemon
• 175g self-raising flour
• 6 tbsp milk
• 85g blanched almonds , chopped (the pieces should be quite big)
• 6 heaped tbsp redcurrant or plum jelly
• 2 tbsp cassis (blackcurrant liqueur) or port 

1. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Butter a 23cm springform tin, line base with greaseproof paper and butter the paper. Halve, stone and slice the plums.
2. Beat butter and sugar (minus the extra tbsp) until pale. Beat in eggs, then zest. With mixer on low, beat in flour and milk. Stir in almonds and spoon into the tin.
3. Lay the plum slices on top of the batter, overlapping them in circles. Sprinkle with the extra sugar and bake for 55 mins-1 hr. Let it cool in the tin for 15 mins.
4. Remove cake from tin and stand on a rack. In a small pan, melt the redcurrant jelly with cassis and 2 tbsp water until reduced to a syrupy glaze, about 5 mins.
5. Brush the melted jelly all over the cake. It will seem like a lot, but a thick glaze looks good. Leave to set before serving (best eaten within 2 days). 

 

Christmas Cake Recipe – Delicious Special Indian Plum Cake 

 

In India, Christmas cakes are an essential part of every household during Christmas, whether you are a Christian or belong to some other religion. This is an excellent and perfect Chritsmas Cake Recipe to use. You can use the recipe to bake a plum cake that is yummy and soft. Once you bake and serve it, people will not be able to avoid eating it. To enable the cake to mature properly and to improve its shelf life, you need to last of all add brandy to the cake. Don’t forget to visit recipes site for more delicious  Christmas cake recipes. Ingredients:

• 16 oz raisins
• 16 oz dates
• Candied fruits, orange and lemon
• 1 cup peel
• 1 cup gold rum
• 2 cups cashew nuts
• 4 cups all purpose flour
• 3 teaspoon baking powder
• 16 oz butter
• 4 cups sugar
• 1 cup sugar to make caramelized syrup
• 12 eggs
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg powder
• 1 teaspoon cloves powder
• 1 teaspoon dry ginger powder
• 3 teaspoon salt
• 4 teaspoon pure vanilla essence

Cooking Process: Cut all the fruits and coat them with 3 teaspoons of flour. Now, add rum to the fruits and mix it till it blends in. Keep this mixture overnight to plump up the fruits. Next, crush the nuts into smaller parts. Remember to take out the eggs and butter from the fridge to bring them to room temperature. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degree F. Now, prepare the caramelized sugar. To do so, pour 1 cup of sugar and 2 tablespoon of water into a saucepan and allow it to boil over high flame, but do not stir this mixture at all. When the sugar caramelizes, spin the saucepan once or twice. The caramel will be ready in 7 minutes and the color of the caramel will be cherry colored. At this point, remove from the gas and pour 1 cup of water into it. You need to blend the water into the caramel to dissolve it. Next, measure and sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl. Blend butter in a large bowl, and then mix the four cups of sugar with the butter till the mixture turns creamy in texture. Take and whisk the eggs. Now, add the caramel syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and dry ginger powder to this. Salt and vanilla essence also needs to be added. Blend everything together properly. Also, mix in the flour mixture and with a spatula fold it in. At this point, the candied fruits and nuts have to be blended into the batter. Prepare the cake tin by buttering it and then lining the tin with parchment or brown paper. Pour the cake mixture into the tin and let it bake for 1 hour. Check the cake by pricking a fork into it, to see whether it is baking properly. If the cake is not ready, then allow it to bake for another 10 to 15 minutes. When the cake is ready, remove from the oven and let cool on a cooling rack. Insert a fork into the cake and pour about 3 to 4 tablespoons of brandy into the cake. Brandy improves the taste of the cake. When the cake is totally cool, cover it with wax paper and aluminum foil. Store it in the refrigerator until you are ready to eat it.