5 minute cake

You will need:

2 tablespoons self raising flour

2 tablespoons caster sugar

2 tablespoons cocoa

1 egg ( white only )

2 tablespoons milk

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Icing (Ready made)

1 large coffee mug

Steps
Step 1:    Measure out all of your ingredients.
Step 2:    Add dry ingredients (Self-raising flour, caster sugar and cocoa) to mug, and mix well. Then add the egg white, milk and oil, and mix. Lastly - add the chocolate egg to the mixture, pushing it right into the middle of the mug.    
Step 3:   Place the mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 800 watts (this should be the setting 'high' on most microwaves). The cake may rise over the top of the mug, but this is normal!
Step 4:  Take out of microwave. Get an adult to help you do this as the mug will be hot! Tip mug onto a plate and the cake will slide out of the mug.
Step 5:   Decorate your cake with icing and anything else that's tasty!          

                                                        

Gluten Free Cookies

ingrediants

1-1/4 cups packed brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon gluten-free vanilla extract

1/4 cup egg substitute

2-1/4 cups gluten-free baking mix

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

How to make it

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1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F ( 190 degrees C).

2.Prepare a greased baking sheet.

3.In a medium bowl, cream butter and sugar.

4.Gradually add egg substitute and vanilla while mixing.

5.Sift together gluten-free flour mix, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

6.Stir into the butter mixture until blended.

7.Finally, mix in the chocolate chips.

8.Using a teaspoon, drop cookies 2 inches apart on a prepared baking sheet.

9.Bake in a preheated oven for 6 to 8 minutes or until light brown.

10.Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks.

Decadent Chocolate Cake

ingredients

175g/6oz  Cream Plain Flour
75g/3oz Plain Chocolate (min. 70 % cocoa solids)
200g/7oz Butter
175g/6oz  Golden Caster Sugar
3 Large Eggs
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
100g packet  Ground Almonds
2 tablespoons Cocoa (sieved)
2 tablespoons Milk
1 teaspoon Vanilla Essence

For Chocolate Cream

142ml carton Cream
175/6oz Plain Chocolate (min. 70% cocoa solids)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas 5. Lightly grease and base line a 23cms/9" deep sandwich tin.
2. Break the chocolate into a heatproof bowl. Add 25g/1oz of the butter and stand bowl over a pan of hot water until chocolate has melted.
3. Meanwhile put the remaining butter, caster sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder, ground almonds, cocoa, milk and essence into a large bowl and beat until smooth and creamy.
4. Add the melted chocolate and gently stir into the mixture. Transfer to the prepared tin and level the top.
5. Bake for about 40 minutes until risen and the surface feels firm to the touch. Remove from oven. Allow to sit in tin for about 5 minutes, then, transfer to a wire tray to cool.
6. Make the chocolate cream by heating the cream until just bubbling around the edges. Add the chocolate and gently stir over a low heat until melted. Remove from heat.
7. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool and begins to set.
8. Slice cake horizontally and use half the icing to sandwich the cake.
9. Spread remaining icing on top and sides of cake.
10. Serve with raspberries, cream or crème fraiche.

Notes:

Do not cool icing in fridge, it will loose its shine!
Mixture may be divided between 2 heart shaped tins or sandwich tins to make a layer cake!
Cake can be made a few days in advance and wrapped in greaseproof paper, then iced just before serving!

carrot cake

carrot cake 

ingredients

• 250g unsalted butter, softened
• 250g light brown soft sugar
• 5 large eggs, preferably free-range or organic, separated
• zest and juice of 1 orange
• 170g self-raising flour, sifted
• 1 slightly heaped teaspoon baking powder
• 100g ground almonds
• 100g shelled walnuts, chopped, plus a handful for serving
• 1 heaped teaspoon ground cinnamon
• a pinch of ground cloves
• a pinch of ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• 250g carrots, peeled and coarsely grated
sea salt

for the lime mascarpone icing:
• 100g mascarpone cheese
• 200g full-fat cream cheese
• 85g icing sugar, sifted
• zest and juice of 2 limes

method

  This carrot cake is an exceedingly good cake made all the more pleasing by the twist of lime mascarpone icing. It’s delicious, it works and it’s better than any other carrot cake I’ve tried. I would normally bake this in a square or round cake tin, but for the picture I used a lovely old loaf tin and it came out looking gorgeous..Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. Grease and line a 22cm-square cake tin or a round equivalent with greaseproof paper. Beat the butter and sugar together by hand or in a food processor until pale and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks one by one, and add the orange zest and juice. Stir in the sifted flour and baking powder, and add the ground almonds, walnuts, spices and grated carrot and mix together well. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff, then gently fold them into the cake mix. Scoop the mixture into the prepared cake tin and cook in the preheated oven for about 50 minutes until golden and risen. You can check to see if the cake is cooked by poking a cocktail stick into it. Remove it after 5 seconds and if it comes out clean the cake is cooked; if slightly sticky, it needs a bit longer, so put it back in the oven. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn it out on to a rack and rest for at least an hour. Mix all the icing ingredients together and spread generously over the top of the cake. Finish off with a sprinkling of chopped walnuts.   

Bloomin' Brilliant Brownies

servings
20

 

ingredients

• 250g unsalted butter
• 200g dark Fairtrade chocolate

(70% cocoa solids), broken up
• optional: 75g dried sour cherries
• optional: 50g chopped nuts
• 80g cocoa powder, sifted
• 65g plain flour, sifted
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 360g caster sugar
• 4 large free-range or organic eggs
• optional: zest of 1 orange
                            • optional: 250ml crème fraîche

method

Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Line a 25cm square baking tin with greaseproof paper. In a large bowl over some simmering water, melt the butter and the chocolate and mix until smooth. Add the cherries and nuts, if you’re using them, and stir together. In a separate bowl, mix together the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder and sugar, then add this to the chocolate, cherry and nut mixture. Stir together well. Beat the eggs and mix in until you have a silky consistency.Pour your brownie mix into the baking tray, and place in the oven for around 25 minutes. You don’t want to overcook them so, unlike cakes, you don’t want a skewer to come out all clean. The brownies should be slightly springy on the outside but still gooey in the middle. Allow to cool in the tray, then carefully transfer to a large chopping board and cut into chunky squares. These make a fantastic dessert served with a dollop of crème fraîche mixed with some orange zest.
Pour your brownie mix into the baking tray, and place in the oven for around 25 minutes. You don’t want to overcook them so, unlike cakes, you don’t want a skewer to come out all clean. The brownies should be slightly springy on the outside but still gooey in the middle. Allow to cool in the tray, then carefully transfer to a large chopping board and cut into chunky squares. These make a fantastic dessert served with a dollop of crème fraîche mixed with some orange zest.

bloomin' brilliant

brownies