Showing posts with label cinnamon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cinnamon. Show all posts

Monday, 10 February 2014

Simple Winnie the Pooh Honey Cake Recipe


Winnie the Pooh Honey Cake Recipe


I like cake moulds. In fact, I love them. I have a growing collection that is filling up my baking cupboard faster than I can remember what I even have anymore. Upon such realization, I decided to take a look and remind myself of all the different moulds that had not seen the light of the oven in some time, and discovered many wonders that have now been queued for use.
One such mould was my Disney Winnie the Pooh face cake mould that I received from the Disney's Cakes & Sweets magazine collection (a collection, I might add, that has provided me endless hours of entertainment, providing adorable recipes and even more adorable and good quality baking gifts!).


Look how happy he is to see you!



 I used to love Winnie the Pooh when I was growing up, and still own a vast collection of books and soft toys that I have kept in his honour (and could not bring myself to throw away!). I always loved his unfathomable happiness in his oh-so-simple life, and the endless curiosity and kindness he had for the most everyday things. Childish I know, but I believe there is something that adults especially can learn from such a basic lesson. One such thing he loved most of course, was honey!And so in honour of Winnie's love, I decided to make his cake a honey cake!




I may have filled it a little too much.. !


I did a bit of research into honey cake recipes as I had only attempted honey cupcakes before and although I could have easily adapted this for a bigger cake, I preferred to research into simple but delicious looking honey cake recipes that seemed appropriate for the mould. Another lesson I learned too however, was to not be lazy and overfill the mould.. because it will overflow drastically! (This did however provide a delicious little deformed splodge of a cake that served as a taste test!).

If you've never felt the excitment of pulling away a mould.. I highly suggest you change this.




An overflow of cake is normal and is actually better than not rising enough so don't worry if yours seems to be double the cake that you intended. With the additional cake, use a sharp knife to cut across the top of the mould, following the moulds edge, until you're left with a mould which is filled with cake but does not have any overflowing the edges.


And voila!


This recipe was adapted from NetMums' honey cake recipe, using only 8 everyday ingredients this produces a moist but dense cake packed full of sweet honey and cinnamon flavours!



Ingredients




For the Cake:

120g Butter
2 Tbsp Caster Sugar
3 - 4 Tbsp Honey (I used Spanish Forest)
2 Eggs (Beaten)
200g Self-Raising flour
1 to 1 and 1/2 Tsp Cinnamon
1 to 2 Tbsp Water


For the Icing:

 60g Icing Sugar
1/2 Tbsp Honey
Water (as needed, approx. 1 to 2 Tsp)


Directions

  •  Preheat an oven to 180C.
  • Grease a Winnie the Pooh cake mould or your chosen cake tin. 
  • In a large bowl, combine butter, sugar and honey.
  • Beat in the eggs.
  • Fold in the flour and cinnamon and mix, adding water as necessary until the mixture is smooth but not too liquid.
  • Bake for approx. 30 to 40 mins (until golden and springy to the touch).
  • To make the icing, place the icing sugar in a mug or small bowl and add water until it is slightly more liquid than a glaze icing.
  • Mix in the honey until it is well combined and drizzle over the cake.
Tips & Serving Ideas

  • Serve with cream or honeycomb ice cream. 
  • Fold in some raisins or sultanas into the sponge, or place decoratively on top.
  • Decorate with chopped honeycomb pieces, nuts, flaked almonds or try your hand at making some fondant bees!
  • Sprinkle over some gold edible glitter.
  • Alternatively, you could cover the cake in marzipan and/or fondant (be sure to add in his eyes and nose!).


     
Cara X 

Tuesday, 28 January 2014

Honey, Apple & Apricot Crumble


Apple & Apricot Crumble


Brrrr! The festive season may be over, but the weather is still a winter blizzard it seems. It would seem that all over the globe people have been complaining over the neverending cold, wet and windy weather, so here's a little recipe that is sure to comfort and warm you up for the hard cold nights ahead! This recipe is my sweet and sugary version of a traditional apple crumble recipe, so if you don't have a big sweet tooth (like me!) you may want to use a little less sugar. (Though we both know that's not going to happen..!)


Home cooking at it's best!


Ready in approx. 40minutes, this winter warmer is jam packed full of homely and comforting flavours that you and your friends and family are sure to love. 


You can just about smell the apples through the screen can't you...


Ingredients

4 to 5 Large Apples
20 Dried Apricots
55g Granulated Sugar (or caster)
30g brown demerara sugar (or any similar brown, such as muscovado)
50 to 60ml Water (boiled)
2 tsp Honey (I used Spanish Forest, though any honey will do!)

For the crumble:

115g Self-Raising Flour
110g Brown Demerara (or muscovado)
60 to 80g Butter
2 tsp Cinnamon
1 to 2 tsp Nutmeg

Directions

  • Grease a baking tray and preheat an oven to 180
  • Peel, core and chop apples into chunks.
  • In a large saucepan, combine apples, water and both sugars, cooking over a low to medium heat (covered) for approx. 10 mins (until apples are soft and cooked).
  • For the crumble, combine flour, sugar and butter in a large bowl.
  • Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
  • Rub in the cinnamon.
  • When apples are near done, add in the honey and apricots and stir.
  • Place apple mixture into a tray and spread evenly.
  • Sprinkle the crumble over the apples evenly and press down until top is fairly even.
  • Sprinkle the nutmeg on top, along with some cinnamon and brown sugar if you wish.
  • Bake for approx. 25 to 30 mins (until browned on top).

Tips & Serving ideas

  • This dish is best served hot with cream, ice cream or custard!
  • Try adding fruits such as peaches, raisins and sultanas.
  • Instead of honey, try golden, maple or agave syrup!



Cara X


Wednesday, 22 January 2014

Welsh Cakes Recipe

Authentic Welsh Cakes Recipe

Being Welsh, the family have always loved these native cakes as a treat, especially on cold wintery nights! Although a little like scones, they are lighter, and smaller, and have a more fruity and baked flavour. While scones seem (to me anyway!) more of a Spring dessert, I have always associated Welsh Cakes with Winter and the very beginning of Spring (due to March 1st being the patron St.David's national day!). Speaking to those from other countries, I've been surprised to find not only that they were not familiar with the dessert (of course every country have their takes on different desserts) but that they were not very aware of the country of Wales in itself. In these cases, that's when I get my spatula out and start cooking up some of these babies! For March 1st this year, why not have a go yourself at making these delicious fruit cakes and see for yourself? You might just find yourself eating 2 or 3...or 6.


Ingredients


230g Self-Raising Flour
120g Butter 
85g Granulated Sugar
1 Medium Egg
A Handful each of Raisins/Sultanas
A few splashes of Milk (as needed)
Optional;
Mixed Spice
Cinnamon
Nutmeg

Directions

  • In a large bowl, rub the flour into the butter using your fingertips until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs.
  • With a spoon, combine the sugar.
  • Whisk in the egg and add the dried fruit.
  • Combine the mixture, firstly with a spoon, until it begins to collect together. Use your hands to form a dough ball. (If the mixture is too dry, add a little milk. If it is too wet, add more flour).
  • Roll out the dough with a rolling pin onto a floured surface to about 1/4 to 1/2 an inch in thickness.
  • Using a cookie cutter, cut out rounds until all the dough is used up.
  • Grease a griddle or frying pan with butter and heat on a medium heat (a too high temperature will cause the cakes to burn on the outside without cooking on the inside).
  • Place 4 to 5 cakes on the pan and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side (until brown) before flipping. (It is helpful here to flip alternatively to evenly cook the cakes without burning the outside).
  • Cook until the outside is brown or slightly black in colour (Many people like these best when slightly burnt.. as do I!).
  • Dust with icing sugar before serving.
Tips & Serving ideas

  • These are delicious warm or cold, but are best when warm!
  • Serve with butter and/or jam.
  • For an autumn and comforting feel, you can add some cinnamon, nutmeg or mixed spice to the mix to give it a little something extra! (In this case, I prefer them with some sliced banana and honey!)

Cara X