The Good, The Bad, The Ugly!

I bet you are wondering if Rosie has lost her marbles. Fear not my friends, my marbles still are chinking around in my brain, well I hope so, *giggle*.

I will first start with the word ugly; this is just how I looked last Saturday. My ongoing back condition had raised its ugly head once again, and here was I walking like the hunchback of Notre Dame. I definitely had that distinctive hunch, lent over walking and it wasn’t a pretty sight, it did verge on the ugly! I am taking things slowly and each day as it comes with my back once again.

Bad, well this word came into play because Mr. R. (hubby) had promised me a treat with his - YES HIS – credit card, to a kitchen and home ware store last weekend! You see, because of the Notre Dame experience above, I did not have the pleasure of hammering his credit card; who me, no, not I, how could do such a thing – my lips are sealed *cough*....... Let’s see what this weekend brings *wink* *wink*.

Now for the GOOD, the lovely Katie over at Katiecakes had her first Blog Giveaway, I am SO thrilled and SO excited to tell you that I won!! I was totally shocked and taken back to learn this news; I had to pinch myself to see if it was true! The Giveaway is a gorgeous baking book from Harry Eastwood, Red Velvet and Chocolate Heartache. I have been yearning to own this book since it first came out! Katie asked which unusual ingredient you have, or would like to bake with and how you would use it. This is my answer; my ingredient would have to be beetroot because I have been pondering on making a red velvet cake without all the red colouring. Hopefully the beetroot would stain the sponge enough and with veggies included it’s got to be healthy don’t you think ???

Thank you Katie SO much, I am extremely honoured and thrilled to be receiving this awesome book! If you have not visited Katie’s Blog yet, I fully recommend a visit as you are definitely missing out on such a treat of fantastic baked goodies.

*Phew*, now let us catch our breaths after all this news!!

I thought I would offer you a simple but delicious little bake today. This cake would be ideal to serve as a pudding with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream or even my favourite, lashings of custard. It has a seam of squidgy cherry conserve running through, (much akin to a jam-filled doughnut), the light fluffy almond sponge, with a little crunch from the flaked almonds scattered over the top. In my opinion, it has much of the distinctive flavours of a Cherry Bakewell cake and just as every bit as scrumptious.

Cherry and Almond Cake

Makes a 900g (2 lb) Loaf cake

Ingredients
175g (3 oz) softened butter
150g (5 oz) caster (superfine) sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 – 6 tbsp milk
150g (5 oz) self -raising (self- rising) flour
100g (4 oz) ground (almond meal) almonds
6 tbsp cherry conserve
20g (¾ oz) flaked almonds
Icing sugar to dust

You will need a 900g (2lb) loaf tin – greased with a little butter and lined with baking parchment.

Method

Preheat the oven to 160°C/fan oven 140°C/325°F/Gas mark 3. In a large bowl beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add a little at a time of the beaten egg to the mixture until fully incorporated. Beat in the vanilla extract and 4 tablespoons of the milk. Fold in the flour and ground almonds with a spatula. If the mixture appears a little too thick, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of milk and incorporate it into the mixture until well combined. Spoon half the mixture into the loaf tin and level off with a spatula. Spoon over the cherry conserve leaving a gap all around the edges. Spoon the remaining mixture of the cherry conserve to cover and level off with a spatula. Scatter the flaked almonds over the top. Place in the preheated oven to bake for 1 hr - 1 hr 15 minutes or until golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the tin for 15 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Remove the baking parchment and dust with icing sugar.

Lastly, cut yourself a slice of this magnificent cake, and then sit back, relax and enjoy.

Going Bananas with Fruit!

I must apologise to you my dear readers for my lack of blogging this last week or so! As I mentioned we were on holiday and had some lovely days out, we went to the seaside and could not have had better weather. A couple of day trips out to idyllic villages with stone cottages and little streams running through and weeping willow tree branches touching the water and moving gently to the flow.

On the agenda also was strawberry picking, well hubby did the picking due to my back problems. We ended up with a few punnets full of sweet ripe fruit, as a result, I made some wonderful strawberry conserve to savour for when the weather turns cold into autumn and winter. A spoonful of this conserve on homemade bread will remind me of a perfect summer’s day! We also made a visit to a local farm where they sell their own produce, I came away with bunches of beetroot – oh yes with still dirt on them ready to scrub and cook. A huge marrow to peel and stuff with mince beef, just how my mum used to make it when I was a child. Potatoes, again with dirt on them and oh boy did they taste good when washed peeled and cooked, it must be the Lincolnshire soil they are all grown in! I was let loose in a home and wear store, *I’m in heaven, I’m in heaven*, where they had beautiful cake stands, elegant cups and saucers, in fact everything you could imagine for an avid cook/baker. Hmmmm, oh yes I did come away with a few little items to add to my little repertoire of things!

Overall, it was a lovely break, which must have lead to my lack of mojo for baking of late. I hope I have rectified things with you with this gorgeous fruity banana bread. I had six very overripe bananas that need attention in some form or shape, a lovely bag of mixed berries consisting of blueberries, cranberries and golden sultanas and a few glace cherries. Well, the fruit all worked beautifully together and the taste of this banana bread is sublime. I doubled up the quantities of each ingredient and made two fruity banana breads. You could cut one and give one to your friend or even freeze one if it lasts that long! I certainly will be baking this combination of fruits in my banana bread again.

Fruity Banana Bread

Makes one 900g (2lb) loaf

Ingredients
200g (7 oz) self-raising flour
3 large very ripe bananas
Grated zest of 1 lemon
75g (3 oz) dried ready to eat apricots, chopped
50g (2 oz) mixed dried fruit berries (blueberries, cranberries, golden sultanas)
25g (1 oz) glace cherries, chopped
2 large eggs
125g (4½ oz) caster sugar
100g (4 oz) butter, softened

You will need a 900g (2 lb) loaf tin, greased with a little butter and lined with baking parchment.

Method

Preheat the oven to 170°C/fan oven 150°C/325°F/gas mark 3. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy in appearance. Add one egg at a time and beat into the mixture until fully combined. Add the dried fruit and lemon zest and fold through the mixture. Mash the bananas and fold through the mixture. Sift the flour into the mixture in the bowl and carefully fold in. Place all the mixture into the prepared tin and gently level the top with a spatula. Bake for about 1 hour in the preheated oven, but check after 50 minutes to see if it is ready. The banana bread is ready when a skewer inserted into the centre comes out completely clean. Leave in the banana bread in the tin to cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before turning out to cool completely. When cold peel away the baking parchment. Keeps well stored in an airtight tin for up to 5 days.

Lastly, pour yourself a lovely hot cup of tea and cut a slice of fruity banana bread. Relax and enjoy the world go by whilst you take pleasure in your little slice of banana nirvana!

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting ~ Sweet & Simple Bakes Monthly Baking Event.

The first of the month means time to present ‘Sweet and Simple Bakes Monthly Baking Event’. I presented a tried and tested recipe this month of a “Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting”. Carrot cake has to be one the best classical cakes around, and I have never found anyone yet who refuses a slice. The use of carrots has been included in many sweet recipes in Britain since medieval times. There are many recipes for carrot cake, but for me this has to be one of my family favourites! You could exchange the sultanas for raisins and walnuts for pecan nuts it really is a forgiving cake that does not mind a few little tweaks here and there. The wet ingredients added to the dry ingredients and mixed together in this bake makes for yet another sweet and simple bake. The cream cheese frosting finishes off the cake a treat. However, the frosting maybe omitted if you so wish and served plain. I have seen little fondant carrots adorn tops of cakes and they do look fantastic or for simplicity a few sprinkles of choice or walnut halves, work just as well for me.

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Serves 12

Ingredients
180g (6½ oz) self-raising (self-rising) flour
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
Pinch of salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
½ tsp mixed spice (Pumpkin pie spice)
2 eggs
150 ml (5 fl oz) vegetable or sunflower oil
200g (7 oz) soft light or dark brown sugar
300g (11 oz) grated carrots
100g (4 oz) sultanas
75g (3 oz) walnuts, chopped (optional)
Cream Cheese Icing
75g (3 oz) cream cheese
75g (3 oz) softened butter
125g (4½ oz) icing sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
For Decoration
Sprinkles or walnut halves - optional

You will need a 13cm x 23cm (5 in x 9 in) loaf tin, oil and line the loaf tin with greaseproof paper.

Method

Preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F/Gas mark 2. Sift all the dry ingredients into a bowl and leave aside. Beat the eggs in a large bowl, now add the oil, brown sugar, grated carrot, sultanas and chopped walnuts. Stir in all sifted dry ingredients and bring the mixture together with a wooden spoon. Turn into the prepared tin, smooth the top of the mixture and bake in the oven for 1 – 1¼ hours or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out on a wire rack to cool completely.

To make The Cream Cheese Icing: Beat the cream cheese and butter together in a bowl until combined. Add the vanilla extract, icing sugar and mix to combine. Using a palette knife, spread the icing evenly over the top of the cooled cake. Add the sprinkles or walnut halves if desired. Served cut into slices.

Note: I would advise you to store this cake in a cool place due to the cream cheese icing.

Lastly slip into the sublime world of Carrot Cake and eat your heart out on a slice or two....mmmmmmm....

*I have submitted this post via scheduled posting to ensure the correct posting date due to holidays; we have prearranged plans for a day trip.*

Don’t worry folks; I will be back for posting the round-up tomorrow (2nd August) on Sweet and Simple Bakes Blog, please do call by and view our S&SB bakers creations. If you would like to join in our monthly bake, we would be most delighted to have you join in and bake with us – everyone is welcome!

Tang-talising The Senses

After the richness of the little Baileys chocolate muffins below, I thought I would bake a citrus lemon loaf cake this time around to share with you. Adding a streusel topping to this loaf cake would make a change from a normal lemon sponge. It worked out beautifully in taste and texture with the lemon flavour not overtly over powering.

However, if you prefer a sharper zing of lemon, I would then suggest adding a little lemon juice to the sponge or lemon extract to increase the lemon flavour with the lemon zest. This cake is delightful sliced and served with a hot cup of tea mid afternoon when those sugar levels seem to drop a little, and little pangs of hunger set in.

Lemon Streusel Loaf Cake

Ingredients

For The Lemon Sponge
125g (5 oz) softened butter
2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
165g (5½ oz) caster sugar
2 large eggs
110g (4½ oz) plain (all-purpose) flour
75g (3 oz) self-raising flour
60ml (2 fl oz plus 2 tsp) milk
Lemon Streusel Mixture
40g (1½ oz) caster (superfine) sugar
40g (1½ oz) plain (all-purpose) flour
30g (1 ¼ oz) butter, chopped into squares
2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
2 heaped tbsp flaked almonds

You will need 13cm x 23cm (5in x 9in) loaf tin, greased and lined with baking parchment, extending the paper 2cm (¾ in) over the sides.

Method

Preheat the oven to 160°C/fan oven 140°C/325°F/Gas mark 3.

Firstly, make the lemon streusel, place the sugar and flour into a small bowl. Rub the butter in with your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs and then stir in the lemon zest and flaked almonds.

For the lemon sponge, in a mixing bowl beat the butter, sugar and lemon zest together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time beating in after each addition until fully combined. Sift the two flours together and then fold into the mixture alternately with the milk in two batches. Place the mixture into the loaf tin, smoothing the top with a spatula. Sprinkle the lemon streusel mixture evenly over the top. Bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave the loaf to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool with crumble side upper most. Serve cut into slices.

Lastly relax, serve yourself a slice of this cake with a lovely cup of tea and sit back in admiration of what you have baked.

Chocolate Orange Drizzle Loaf Cake ~ Sweet and Simple Bakes Monthly Baking Event.

The first of the month means time to present ‘Sweet and Simple Bakes Monthly Baking Event’. It was my turn to choose a tried and tested recipe this month. I presented a recipe that I have been baking for years and a huge favourite of my family “Chocolate Orange Drizzle Loaf Cake”. This loaf cake has three elements to it but I assure don’t let that put you off as it remains a sweet & simple bake. The first element is the orange sponge loaf the second being the wonderful orange drizzle and thirdly a topping of chocolate. I know this is such a classic combination of flavours that never cease to lose their appeal. This would make a great teatime cake cut into slices and served with a lovely cup of tea – perfect!

Chocolate Orange Drizzle Loaf Cake

Ingredients

For The cake
175g (6 oz) softened butter
175g (6 oz) caster (super fine) sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
Finely grated zest of 2 oranges
175g (6 oz) self-raising flour, sifted
2 tbsp milk
For The Orange Syrup
Juice of 1 orange
100g (4 oz) granulated sugar
For The Topping
50g (2 oz) dark chocolate or milk chocolate – your choice
Sprinkles of choice (optional)

You will need a 900g (2 lb) loaf tin – greased with a little butter and lined with greaseproof paper or non-stick baking paper.

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan oven 160°C/350°F/Gas mark 4.

In a mixing bowl, add the butter and sugar and beat together until light and fluffy in appearance. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat well until fully incorporated. Add the orange zest, flour and milk and fold in gently with a spatula or large metal spoon. Turn into the prepared tin, smooth the top of the mixture and bake in the oven on middle shelf 35 -45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin. When cool make little holes in the cake with a skewer, (this is important for pouring the syrup onto the cake to ensure the syrup soaks in fully.)

For The Orange Syrup

Put the orange juice and granulated sugar into a pan and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil and boil for a couple of minutes. Pour over the top of the cake. When all the juice has soaked in, carefully remove the cake from the tin.

For The Topping

Melt the chocolate by placing a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Once the chocolate has melted, pour over the top of the cake. Either smooth the top over with a spatula or make a little pattern with the prongs of a fork. Add sprinkles if desired, leave chocolate to set before cutting into the cake.

Lastly slip into the sublime world of chocolate orange drizzle passion, and eat your heart out on a slice or two.......mmmmmmmm.....

Please do call by Sweet and Simple Bakes, view our round-up of our other bakers; also, if you would like to join in our monthly bake, we would be most delighted to have you join in and bake with us – everyone is welcome!

White Chocolate, Strawberry, Banana Bread

I am eager for further blue skies and sunny days, fluttering carelessly along balmy breezes, butterflies showing off their magnificent colours in my garden attracted by a buddleia shrub. To me this suggests summertime where P.Y.O. (pick your own) strawberries are literally in abundance just down the road from me. I love to incorporate strawberries in bakes and desserts as much as possible, not forgetting a good few jars of strawberry conserve. P.Y.O. strawberries are just perfect for this and one or two may just slip into my mouth just to taste for ripeness, you understand! *Giggle*

This leads me onto my recent bake that I can’t wait to share with you! I’ve had this idea for a while now to include white chocolate and strawberries in banana bread. You can imagine just how moist the crumb is from the mashed banana and speckled throughout with white chocolate and slices of strawberries. For me it is perfect served just as it is, on the other hand, take it to another level for that utter luxuriousness and serve a slice spread with strawberry conserve, softly whipped cream and a few sliced strawberries dusted over with icing sugar.

White Chocolate, Strawberry, Banana Bread

Serves 10 -12

Ingredients
275g (10 oz) plain flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
100g (4 oz) brown sugar
100g (4 oz) caster sugar
100g (4 oz) butter, softened
2 eggs
120 ml (approx 4½ fl oz) sour cream
½ tsp vanilla extract
3 medium bananas, peeled and mashed
150g (5 oz) ripe strawberries, hulled and chopped
100g (4 oz) white chocolate chunks or chips

You will need 13cm x 23cm (5in x 9in) loaf tin, lightly buttered and lined with parchment paper.

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/350°F/Gas mark 4. Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder together in a large bowl. Add both sugars and the softened butter, using your finger tips rub the butter in until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. In another large bowl, whisk the eggs, sour cream, and vanilla extract together. Add the mashed bananas, chopped strawberries and white chocolate chunks. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet mixture. Gently but thoroughly bring all the ingredients together with a wooden spoon, and then pour into the prepared loaf tin. Smooth the top, and bake in the preheated oven for 1 -1¼ hours or until a skewer interested into the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing from the tin and leave to cool on a wire rack.

Do I have you salivating at the prospect of dipping your fork into a slice of sweet nectar? Don’t just take my word for just how good this tastes; this is a definite bake that needs to be recreated, sliced and eaten as you drift away on a cloud to nirvana!

Whisky Fruit Loaf

I thought I would make a fruit loaf that would incorporate a little of my homemade Seville marmalade that I made this year. I do enjoy a slice of fruit loaf occasionally with a good hot cup of tea in the afternoon, especially at a weekend when the family are around.

This loaf is such a ‘piece of cake’ *sorry for the pun* to make and just involves warming a few fruits up in a sauce pan and incorporating the rest of the ingredients, couldn’t be more simple than that. No one would ever suspect just how easy it is and that can be our little secrete should you make this fruit loaf and serve it to your family and friends! It really is a lovely fruit loaf with that hint of whisky; of course the whisky can be omitted from the recipe but in my opinion it really gives this fruit loaf an overall edge on flavour.

Whisky Fruit Loaf

Makes 1x 2lb loaf

Ingredients
75g (3 oz) raisins
60g (2½ oz) currants
75g (3 oz) sultanas
50g (2 oz) butter
100ml (3½ fl oz) water
60g (2½ oz) soft brown sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp ground mixed spice
25g (1 oz) flaked almonds
50g (2 oz) mixed peel, chopped
175g (6 oz) self-raising flour, sieved
2 tbsp marmalade
50g (2 oz) glace cherries, chopped
2 tbsp whisky
¼ tsp orange extract (optional)

You will need a 900g (2 lb) loaf tin, greased with butter and lined with baking parchment.

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan160°C/350°F/Gas mark 4.

Put the raisins, currants, sultanas, butter, water and brown sugar into a large saucepan. Heat slowly until the butter has melted completely. Take the pan of the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes. Add the beaten eggs, sieved flour, spice, marmalade, cherries, peel, almonds, whisky and orange extract if using. Mix thoroughly together. Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf tin. Bake for 1 hour in the preheated oven or until the cake is a golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave the cake in the loaf tin to cool for at least 30 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

This cake should keep well if stored in an airtight tin wrapped in foil. It can be served sliced and served plain or spread with butter for afternoon tea.

Lastly cut a slice and sit back with a lovely cup of hot tea and savour your delightful homemade bake!