Almond and Orange Cake

I notice that of late I have been baking using almonds more than my norm. I don't know why but I am hooked to almond at the moment. While in the office working and one of those days that hit me, I decided to destress myself by browsing the web on my lunch break and came across this recipes by Michel Roux Jr. Honest, I never heard of him and this is the first time I heard his name.

However after going through the ingrdients and the cooking method, I notice that this is an easy cake to bake and sound fail proof. Also I have most of the ingredients in my cupboard, therefore decided to have a go.

My verdict: easy to bake even for beginner and most important it is a moist and  delicious cake. Here are the ingredients:

Ingredients:

• 50g plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 200g castor sugar
• 250g unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tbsp grated zest of orange
• 4 medium eggs
• 80 ml freshly squeeze orange juice
• 60g brown sugar
• 1 tbsp marmalade
• handful of almond flakes, toasted

Method:

Preheat oven to 180c/160c for fan oven. Butter a 20cm rounds cake tin.

Sift flour, baking powder and sugar and then add in the ground almonds.

Whisk the butter with the orange zest until pale, then add the eggs one at a time. Fold in the dry ingredients with a metal spoon. Pour the mixture into the cake tin and bake in the preheat oven for 45 minutes or until cooked.

Meanwhile make a syrup by boiling the orange juice with the brown sugar. Leave to cool. Once the cake is cooked, prick several times with a skewer to the base and pour on the cooled syrup. Leave the cake to cool completely before brushing on a little warmed marmalade and sprinkling it with a few toasted, almond flakes.

Lovely served with orange segments marinated in a generous splash of whisky and a little demerara sugar.

Orange Chiffon Cake

Ahhhh chiffon.....light and soft and fluffy. Guess this is where the cake gets its name. This chiffon cake is so soft, light and fluff and I can eat the whole cake by myself...hehehe
The fail factor for this cake is very high and every chiffon gurus out there will thell you their recipes are better than the other. So how does one choose the right recipe to use. For me the recipe with a some Idiot proof Orange Chiffon cake does it :)

Ingredients:

• 4 large egg yolks
• 70g sugar
• 50g corn oil
• 50g fresh squeeze orange juice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 70g plain flour, sifted
• zest of 2 oranges

Meringue:

• 30g sugar
• 4 egg whites
• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
• 8g corn starch

Method:
Preheat the oven to 180c/160c for fan oven

Beat the egg yolks and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the oil, orange juice and vanilla extract and mix until well combine. Fold in flour and orange zest, mix well until the batter become sticky.

To make the meringue: Combine sugar and corn flout and set aside.
Beat the egg whites and cream tartar until foamy. Add half of the sugar and corn flour mixture and continue to beat for a few minutes. Add the remaining sugar and corn flour mixture and continue to beat until the egg whites are glossy and stiff peaks form.

Add one third of the meringue into the egg yolk mixture and fold in lightly. Add again another one third and fold in and continue with the remaining meringue and fold to incorporate completely. Do not over fold as you do not want to loose the air in the meringue.

Pour batter into an ungreased chiffon/angel tube pan. Bake for 50-55 minutes. When the cake is domne, remove from the oven and turn it over, leaving it to cool completely. Once the cake is cool, carefully run a knife around the side of the cake to loosen it before serving.

Raspberry And Almond Cake

How I love this simple cake!!!!!. They go so beautifully with coffee or tea and the would be on a rainy day.
Raspberries and almond are meant to be together. Just like marriage in heaven. Either eaten as it is, or warm in the microwave and serve with greek yogurt or creme fraiche as dessert.
I am using a 26x16cm oblong tin, lined with baking paper. Here are the ingredients.

Ingredients:

• 175g butter, softened
• 175g self raising flour, sifted
• 175g sugar
• 3 medium eggs
• 125g ground almond
• 175g raspberries, may use the frozen too
• 2 tbsp milk
• 2 tbsp flaked almond
• icing sugar for dusting

Method:
Heat oven to 180c/160c for fan.

Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs one at a time. and mix well. Fold in the sifted flour, ground almonds and milk. Mix until well combine. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin.

Scatter the raspberries over the surface and press down lightly into the cake mixture. Sprinkle over the flaked almonds.

Bake in the centre of the oven for 40-45 minutes. Check with a skewer to make sure the middle of the cake is cooked. If not return to the oven coveted with foil for another 5-10 minutes.

Leave to cool in the tin before cutting. Cut into 15-18 squares and dust with icing sugar before serving.

Bouquet of cupcakes

After a much waiting and busy preparing my colleague daughter finally celebrate her 21st birthday. Been asking me to bake her some cupcakes for her birthday. I can't decide until the last minutes after hinting after hinting I finally agree to bake the cakes.

I have not get her any present nor card so I decided to make her a bouquet of cupcakes, my usual special :) and decide to change the icing colour to pink as it is her favourite colour beside lilac.

Banana crepe cake with walnut butterscotch

A friend recently updated her facebook with a picture of a cake called crepe cake. I never heard about such cake. In fact she also posted a picture of the cake and it just fascinated me as it has layers and layers of this thin look a like pancake. This cake also reminded me of  the Indonesian Layer Cake or Kek Spekok as it's called. Because of  this my curiosity makes me went onlike and google about this cake. I found a few recipes but after reading the recipes I find that this one is the best among all (source from smittenkitchen.com but I have modified some of the measurement). You  have your 5 a day and still able to enjoy the cake. Deeeee-lish!!!!
Oh by the way, it will be easier if you use nonstick pan. And always remember the first or second piece will always go in the trash.

Ingredients:

Banana crepes

• 60g butter, melted and cool slightly, add extra for greasing pan
• 1 large ripe banana, about 180g
• 1 cup of milk
• 3/4 cup plain flour
• 30g light brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg

Cream cheese yoghurt filling

• 225g cream cheese, well softened
• 11/2 cups plain Greek yoghurt
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Walnut butterscotch topping

• 3/4 cup whipping cream
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 25g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup chopped walnut, toasted
• 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt or to taste

Method:
Make the crepe batter: Blend the banana in a food processor until totally smooth. Add in the melted butter and blend again. Add in the remaining ingredients and blend until they are combined. Transfer batter, which will look pretty thin, to a bowl or a large measuring jug ( will be easier later as it has a spout), cover with clingfilm and chill for at least an hour, preferably overnight. This batter can keep up to two days. When you remove the batter, it will seem surprisingly thick. Stir it before using to mix up all the ingredients again.

Cook the crepe: Heat a medium nonstick pan or a crepe pan over a medium-high heat. Once heated, brush the pan lightly with melted butter. Pour 1/4 cup  batter into the pan, swirling it until it evenly coats the bottom and cook, undisturbed, till the bottom is golden abd the top is set. This takes about 2-3 minutes. Flip the crepe and cook it for 30 seconds on the other side before transferring it to a plate to cool. Repeat with the remaining batter. You can stack your crepes and they will not stick together.  Let the crepes cool completely.

Making filling: Whip the cream cheese until fluffy, then beat in yoghurt, 1/2 cup at a time. When well combine, add sugar and vanilla extract and continue to blend until rich and fluffy, just another minutes.

Assemble crepes: Lay the first crepe on a cake plate or serving platter. Spread with 2 tbsp of the yoghurt-cream cheese filling. Repeat with all but the last remaining crepe, which should be stached but has no filling on top as it is the lid.

Make walnut butterscotch: Combine the cream, brown sugar and butter in a pan over medium-high heat. Bring to boil ( as above 1st picture), then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally inh the begining and more frequently as it reduce and thickens. You will know when it's done when it becomes thick and smells toasty. Stir in the vanilla and salt, then walnuts. Immediately pour over stack of filled crepes, nudging the butterscotch to the edges with a spoon- if it goes over the edge so be it.

Serve immediately or keep in the fridge until ready to serve. Crepe cake keeps for up to 3 days.