Strawberries and cream cheesecake

Serves 6-8

Begin this recipe a day ahead

250g shortbread biscuits

100g unsalted butter

4 gold-strength gelatine sheets

500g cream cheese

395g can sweetened condensed milk

300ml thickened cream

200g white chocolate, melted, cooled

2x250g punnets strawberries

1/2 cup caster sugar

1 vanilla bean, split lengthways, seeds scraped

Grease and line a 23cm springform cake pan.  Place the biscuits in a food processor and process to fine crumbs.  Add the melted butter and process to combine.   Press into the base of the pan and chill for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, soak gelatine in cold water for 5 minutes (check packet instructions).  

Process cream cheese and condensed milk in food processor until smooth.

Heat 100ml cream in a saucepan over low heat.  Squeeze gelatine leaves to remove excess water, then add to the warmed cream.  Stir off the heat until the gelatine dissolves.

Stir cream mixture into cheese mixture.

Beat remaining cream with electric mixers to form soft peaks.  Fold into the cream cheese mixture with the cooled chocolate.  

Pour over the base.  Chill overnight until set.

Hull and halve the berries.  Place sugar, vanilla bean and seeds, 1/3 cup water in a heavy based saucepan over low heat, stirring to dissolve sugar.

Simmer, without stirring for 5 minutes or until the mixture thickens slightly.  Add berries and cook for a further 1 minute.  

Cool completely, then pour over cheesecake just before serving.

Haslett’s Banana Bread

4 oz butter
4 oz caster sugar
8 oz SR flour
3 overripe bananas, mashed (the blacker, the better)
vanilla essence
3 eggs
approx 8 Tb milk
Optional: sultanas, apple, walnut, lemon

Cream butter and sugar.

Add eggs, banana, flour.

Add milk to right consistency - wet, but not runny.

Add goodies - sultanas, apple, walnut, squeeze lemon.

Bake 180 degrees for 40 minutes.

Graduation chocolate rasberry dessert cake

Serves 8-10

185g (6 oz) butter
185g (6 oz) dark chocolate, chopped
3 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1.5 cups caster sugar
1 cup plain flour
2/3 cup self-raising flour
1/2 cup almond meal
1 cup rasberries

Place butter and chocolate in a saucepan over low heat and stir until melted, then cool slightly.
Place eggs, vanilla extract and sugar in a bowl and beat until mixture is light and thick. Fold through flours, almond meal, chocolate mixture and half the rasberries.
Pour mixture in a 20cm (8 inch) round cake tin lined with baking paper. Sprinkle over remaining rasberries.
Cook for 180 degrees (350 F) oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until top of cake is firm to touch. Cool cake before cutting, and serve with strong espresso, extra rasberries and thick cream.

Grublover comment
The rasberries give a delicious moistness and flavour to chocolate cakes. Divinely decadent. One of the girls made it on our graduation vacation and I had to have the recipe.

Anderson Fresh Date and Pecan Cake

4 egg whites
230g sugar
150g fresh dates
75g dried apricots
100g pecans or walnuts

Chop all ingredients into large pieces.

Beat egg whites until stiff.

Gradually add sugar.

Add dates, apricots, pecans.
Fold together and spoon into buttered 20cm tart tin.

Bake at 170 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

Remove from oven.
Run a knife around collar and cool.
Remove collar.

Top with 300ml stiffly whipped cream (optional).

Danny's Birthday Orange and Almond Meal Cake

2 whole oranges, washed
6 eggs
250g almond meal
250g white sugar
1 tsp baking powder

Preheat oven 180 degrees.
Boil oranges for 2 hours (can do the night before).
Take them out of the water, cut open and remove pips.
Put oranges whole in blender and whizz.
Beat 6 eggs in separate bowl.
Add almond meal, sugar, oranges, baking powder.
Mix or beat thoroughly.
Bake 1 hour in 180 degree oven.
Cake tin around 22cm (standard size).
Dust with icing sugar.

Serve with greek yoghurt and strawberries.

Baked White Chocolate Cheesecake

Base
250g Arnott’s Nice biscuits (or digestives)
120g butter, melted

Filling
375g cream cheese, softened
82g (1/3 cup plus 1 tsp) caster sugar
3 large eggs (min weight 59g)
185g white chocolate, melted
225g (3/4 cup plus 2 Tb) sour cream
1/4 tsp vanilla extract (1/2 tsp natural vanilla essence)

Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celcius (If you have a fan-forced oven preheat to 145 degrees Celcius).

Line the base of a 20cm or 21cm springform cake pan with baking paper. Grease or line the sides.

Finely crush biscuits in a blender/food processor. Combine crushed biscuits with melted butter and firmly press mixture into the base and sides of the prepared tin. Refrigerate while preparing filling.

Using a food processor or electric mixer, beat cream cheese with sugar. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl as you are mixing. When mixture is smooth, beat in eggs one at a time.

Quickly stir sour cream into melted white chocolate, stirring until smooth. Add to cream cheese mixture along with the vanilla. Beat until ingredients are combined.

Pour filling over biscuit base and bake for about one hour. Leave cheesecake at room temperature for one hour then cover and refigerate for several hours, or until cold and set.

When ready to serve cut with a hot, dry knife. Enjoy!

Grublover comment:
This white chocolate cheesecake has a creamy, smooth consistency. Because it is so rich it is nice to serve with a fruit coulis and ice cream.
To make a white chocolate and rasberry cheesecake, pour half of the filling over the base, sprinkle with 150g of rasberries, then pour the remaining filling over the rasberries and bake.

Moist Pear Cake…recipe by Dana Kelly

In the base of 8 inch tin, 3 large pears, ripe, quarterd and cored.
Pour over 2 oz of melted butter.

4 eggs
1/4 cup fine sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup flour 1/3 cup SR flour
1 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon mixed spice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
50 gram melted butter, cooled
1/4 cup syrup
1/2 cup milk, or less as required

Melt butter and syrup, leave to cool (add some milk)
Sift flour, bicarb, spices, pinch of salt, leave.
Combine eggs sugar, vanilla in heat proof bowl, place over saucepan gentle simmer water (make sure does water does not touch bowl).
Beat 6-7 mins elec beater, or til pale & thick, until double in bulk approx.

Remove from heat, continue to beat for 3 mins.
Use large metal spoon, gently fold into flour mix.

Then mix in butter mix gently.

Pour over pears in tin. Bake for 180C (350F) for 25-30 mins (but can take longer).

Leave to cool in tin for 15 mins before turing out onto rack.

Dana Kelly

Christmas Cake Recipe…recipe by Eve Clarkson

500g brown sugar
500g butter
2 kg mixed fruit
125g walnuts
125g SR flour
375g Plain flour
10 eggs
2 flat teaspoons mixed spice
1/2 cup sherry
1 teaspoon almond or vanilla essence
Blanched almonds and red cherries for garnish

Soak mixed fruit in sherry while rest of ingredients prepared.

Preheat the oven to 150 degrees Celcius

Cream butter and brown sugar until light in colour.
Add the eggs one at a time. Stir in the mixed fruit, sherry and essences.
Stir in the flours and spice and fold into the mixture with the walnuts.

Line cake tines , base and sides with brown paper then glad bake (this enables the cake to cook slowly and evenly). Leave extra extending above the top of the tin.

This makes 10 cakes the size of large tuna tins, or 2 smaller cakes.

Decorate with cherry and blanched almonds.

Cook small cakes for 1 hour and larger for 2 hours ­ test with skewer and remove from overn when skewer clean.

Cool in the tins. When cool pour over 1-2 tablespoons of brandy (or you could try Ouzo for a different effect)

Wrap in glad wrap to keep if made in advance to Christmas.

Crunchy Blueberry Muffins

Makes 8 large muffins, or 16 mini muffins





1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1 cup fresh blueberries

Topping
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 200 degrees C. Grease muffin cups or line with muffin liners.
Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, salt and baking powder. Place vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup. Mix this with flour mixture. Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups right to the top, and sprinkle with crumb topping mixture.

To Make Crumb Topping: Mix together 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Mix with fork, and sprinkle over muffins before baking.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until done.

Grublover comment
These muffins are so delicious and the crumb topping just makes them all crunchy mmmmmmm. Great for breakfast.

Transformers Cake *Optimus Prime*

Fondant
60g vegetable shortening (copha)
2 Tb lemon juice (for a chocolate cake use 2Tb water and 1 tsp vanilla)
2 Tb water
750g icing sugar

Place shortening, lemon juice and water in a saucepan.

Heat gently, stirring until shortening has melted.

Sift 250g icing sugar into the pan. Stir continuously over low heat.

Once sugar has dissolved stop stirring. As soon as the mixture starts to boil remove it from the heat.

Gradually add enough of the remaining sugar to form a soft paste. Mix until mixture is smooth.

Dust a work surface lightly with icing sugar and knead fondant until it is no longer sticky. Add more icing sugar until fondant is firm.
Stir fondant in an airtight container so it doesn’t dry out.

Working with Fondant
It is quite difficult working with fondant the first time. Here are some tricks we picked up:
- roll the fondant on baking paper. When you have got the desired thickness place the cake on top of the fondant and then curl it up the sides. This saves you picking the fondant up as it will break if you try to do so.
- ‘Patch’ up any bits that crumble off or split with a finger dipped in water.
- If you are adding colour do it when you add the first round of icing sugar - it will be much easier.

Making Optimus Prime
Winny and I made optimus for Dan’s 26th birthday.
First we baked two square chocolate malteser cakes, and one rectangle butter cake.
We cut the malteser cakes into three and then stacked them two high, joining them with a choc malteser butter icing. We then covered them in blue fondant.

We cut the third strips into squares to make the feet and again joined them with butter icing, and covered them in blue fondant.

To make the cab we covered the butter cake in red fondant.

We decorated it using butter icing coloured in grey and black (made with black food dye) butter icing, and silver balls.

Marshmallow headlights, oreo tyres.

We made the logo out of fondant and decorated it with piped black icing.

I feel sick now from eating too much icing….

Lemon Semolina Syrup Cake

250g butter
1 Tb lemon rind
1 cup caster sugar
3 eggs, separated
1 cup SR flour
1 cup semolina
1 cup yoghurt


Lemon syrup
1 cup caster sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 180C and grease and line a 20cm baking tin.
Cream the butter, rind and sugar.
Add the egg yolks, one at a time.
Fold in the flour, semolina and yoghurt.
In a separate bowl beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold this into the cake mixture.
Spoon into the baking tin, and cook for approximately 50 minutes.
When the cake is cooled, make the lemon syrup.
To make it put the lemon juice and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar is dissolved, and bring to the boil.
Once it has come to the boil, simmer for another 1-2 minutes and then take off the heat.
Pierce the cake all over with a skewer and pour the syrup over the top so it drizzles through the cake, making it really sticky and delicious and moist.

Grublover comment
This cake is really easy to make and delicious. You can try substituting the lemon for orange for something different.
Serve with thickened cream.

Nigella’s Chocolate Malteser Cake

For the cake
150g soft light brown sugar
100g caster sugar
3 eggs
175ml milk
15g butter
2 Tb horlicks (malt powder)
175g plain flour
25g cocoa, sieved
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

For the icing
250g icing sugar
1 tsp cocoa
45g horlicks (malt powder)
125g soft unsalted butter
2 Tb boiling water
2 x 37g packets maltesers

Take all of the ingredients out of the fridge so that they come to room temperature (though it’s not so crucial here because you’re heating the milk and butter and whisking the eggs). Preheat the oven to 170C. Butter and line two 20cm loose bottomed sandwich cake tins with baking paper.

Whisk together the sugar and eggs while you weigh out the other ingredients; I use a freestanding mixer for this.

Heat the milk, butter and horlicks powder in a saucepan until the butter melts, and it is hot but not boiling.

When the sugar and eggs are light and frothy, beat in the hot Horlicks mixture and then fold in the flour, cocoa, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda.

Divide the cake batter evenly between the two tins and bake in the oven for 25 minutes, by which time the cakes should have risen and will spring back when pressed gently. Let them cool on a rack for about 5-10 minutes and then turn out of their tins.

Once the cakes are cold, you can get on with the icing. I use a processor because it makes life easier: you don’t need to sieve the icing sugar.

Put the icing sugar, cocoa and Horlicks in the processor and blitz to remove lumps. Add the butter and process again. Stop, scrape down, and start again, pouring the boiling water down the funnel with the motor running until you have a smooth buttercream.

Sandwich the cold sponges with half of the buttercream, then ice the top with what is left, creating a swirly top rather than a smooth surface.

Stud the outside edge, about 1cm in, with a ring of Maltesers, or use them to decorate the top in any way you want.

Grublover comment
This cake is absolutely delicious and works every time. The mixture is really wet so don’t be alarmed or add more flour when you are pouring it into the tins.
I like to make this into mini cupcakes for birthdays. Cook them in muffin cases at 170C for about 10-15 minutes and decorate each cupcake with some icing and a malteser.
The recipe was taken from Nigella Lawson’s fabulous book ‘Feast’.

Hollis’ Decadent Double Chocolate Cheesecake

Crust:
1 cup crushed chocolate biscuits (I use 1-1½ package Oreos, filling removed
3 tbsp butter, melted

Filling:
3 x 250g package Philadelphia cream cheese, softened
¾ cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
90g white chocolate, melted
90g semi-sweet chocolate, melted
2 tbsp (30mL) raspberry schnapps liqueur, optional

Ganache Glaze:
¾ cup (175mL) cream
180g semi-sweet chocolate

For crust, combine crumbs and butter; press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan. Bake at 180°C for 10 minutes. (Then preheat oven to 220°C).

In food processor or with electric mixer, blend cream cheese with sugar.
Add eggs, one at a time, blending well after each. Add vanilla.

Remove half of batter to another bowl. Stir melted white chocolate and liqueur into this portion. To remaining batter, blend in melted semi-sweet chocolate.
Pour chocolate batter into crumb-lined pan; spread evenly.

Spoon white batter carefully on top, spread evenly. Bake at 220°C for 10 minutes; reduce heat to 120°C and bake for 30 minutes longer, or until centre of cake is just barely firm.

Remove from oven and run knife around sides. Let cool completely before removing from sides of pan.

To make the ganache, bring cream to a simmer over low heat in a small saucepan. Add chocolate and stir until melted and smooth. Spoon over cake. With metal spatula, spread to cover top, allowing some to run over edge to cover sides. Garnish as desired.

Grublover comment
Hollis says: I usually decorate it with marbled white chocolate or shards of chocolate or something similar. It looks really glam if you make those chocolate leaves out of white & dark chocolate..

Claire's Favourite Orange and Poppyseed Cake

4 eggs
250g butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups plain flour
1 jar of masterfoods poppyseed
1 teaspoon of bicar soda
1 cup sour cream
5 teaspoons of vanilla essence

Cream sugar and butter. Add eggs one at a time while still beating. Add poppy seed. Beat in soda and sour cream.
Fold in flour and vanilla.
Bake at 180C for 1 hour.
Dust with icing sugar when cool.

Grublover comment
This cake is delicious and pretty much a winner with everyone. Serve it with some thickened cream mmmmmm.
I love making these into little cupcakes - cook for about 20 minutes instead and turn the oven down to 170C
Orange: Instad of vanilla add rind of 2 oranges and juice of 1 orange - you may
need a little extra flour if mixture is too wet
Lemon: You could also make it a lemon and poppy seed cake as another alternative

Passionfruit Sponge

4 large eggs
170g caster sugar
½ tsp natural vanilla extract
60g cornflour
60g self-raising flour

passionfruit curd
3 tsp lemon juice
1/3 cup passionfruit pulp (about 2 passionfruit)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten
75g unsalted butter, chilled, chopped
80g caster sugar

Passionfruit icing
125g icing sugar, sifted
20g unsalted butter, softened
2 tbs passionfruit pulp (about 1 passionfruitr)
1 cup pure thin cream, whipped, kept chilled

Put passionfruit curd ingredients in a heatproof bowl.
Sitr continuously over a pan of simmering water for 25-30 minutes until the curd is glossy, easily coats the back of a spoon, and holds a trail when you run a finger through I t. Strian and cool slightly, then refridgerate for 3 hours or until completely cold and thickened.

Preheat the oven to 180. Lightly grease two deep, round 20cm cake pans and line the bases with baking paper.

To make the sponge beat eggs, sugar and vanilla using beaters on high for 8-10 minutes until sugar has dissolved and mixture is pale and creamy. It should hold a ‘ribbon’ shape when drizzled from the beaters back into the bowl.
Sift the flour and cornflour together 3 times to ensure it is well aerated. Sift flours over the egg mixture and gently but quickly fold into the mixture until just combined. Don’t overmix or you will beat out the air.

Carefully divide batter between prepared pans.
Bake, without opening oven door, for 20 minutes, or until the cake is well risen and browned on top and have slightly shrunk away from t he edge of the pan.
Cool in pans on a wire rack for five minutes, then trurn out onto the rack to cool completely

To make the icing, combine icing sugar, butter and 1.5 Tb passionfruit pulp in an electric mixer on low speed until smooth. If needed, add remaining pulp, a teaspoon at a time, until the icing is of a smooth, flowing consistency.
Ice the bottom (flat side) of one cake with a palette knife or spatula – let it run down the sides a little if you like. Then leave it till it has set.
When ready to serve, spread the other sponge cake with the passionfruit curd, then top with the whipped cream. Place the iced cake on top and serve immediately.

Carrot Cake with Lime Marscapone Icing

Preparation 20 minutes, Cooking 60 minutes








280g butter, softened
1 and 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown soft sugar
5 large eggs, separated
juice and zest of 1 orange
1 and 1/4 cups SR flour, sifted
1 slightly heaped teaspoon baking powder
1 cup ground almonds
1 cup chopped walnuts, plus a handful for serving
1 heaped teaspoon ground cinnamon
a pinch ground cloves
a pinch ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 carrots, peeled and coarsley grated

Lime mascapone icing
250g cream cheese
125g mascarpone
1/2 cup icing sugar, sifted
juice and zest of 2 limes
a handful of walnuts, chopped
a handful of chocolate coated brazil nuts, smashed or chopped

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Grease and line a 23cm square cake pan (see grublover comment)
Beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
Beat in the egg-yolks one by one.
Add the orange juice and zest.
Stir in the sifted flour and baking poweder, and add the almonds, walnuts, spices and carrot.
Whisk the egg-whites with a pinch of salt until stiff, then fold them into the cake mix.
Scoop mixture into the cake pan and bake for about 60 minutes until golden and risen.
Leave the cake to cool in the tray for 10 minutes, then flip it out onto a rack and leave until cool.

Lime Icing
When the cake is completely cool, make the icing by mixing all the ingredients.
Spread over the top of the cake, then sprinkle with the walnuts and brazil nuts before serving.

Grublover comment
I don’t have a 23cm tin so I used a 20cm tin and had enough mixture leftover to make a small loaf cake as well - this is great if you need a cake for a party, and you can still leave some at home for a midnight snack!

Nigella's Chocolate Honey Bee Cake

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 3 hours
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Makes 12 serves



Cake:
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, broken into pieces
1 1/3 cups soft light brown sugar
2 sticks soft butter (1 stick = 113g so about 230g)
1/2 cup honey
2 eggs
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon bicarbonate soda (baking soda)
1 tablespoon cocoa
1 cup boiling water

Sticky Honey Glaze:
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup honey
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

Bees:
1 ounce yellow marzipan
12 flaked almonds

Special equipment: 9-inch springform tin

Take whatever you need out of the refrigerator so that all ingredients can come to room temperature, and while that’s happening, melt the chocolate from the cake part of the ingredients list in a good-sized bowl, either in the microwave or suspended over a pan of simmering water. Set aside to cool slightly.
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees (350 degrees F), and butter and line a 9-inch (23 cm) springform tin.

Beat together the sugar and soft butter until airy and creamy, and then add the honey.
Add 1 of the eggs, beating it in with a tablespoon of the flour, and then the other egg with another tablespoon of flour. Fold in the melted chocolate, and then the rest of the flour and baking soda. Add the cocoa pushed through a tea strainer to ensure you have no lumps, and last of all, beat in the boiling water. Mix everything well to make a smooth batter and pour into the prepared tin. Cook for up to 1 1/2 hours, though check the cake after 45 minutes and if it is getting too dark, cover the top lightly with aluminium foil and keep checking every 15 minutes.

Let the cake cool completely in the tin on a rack.

To make the glaze, bring the water and honey to a boil in a saucepan, then turn off the heat and add the finely chopped chocolate, swirling it around to melt in the hot liquid. Leave it for a few minutes, then whisk together. Add the sugar through a sieve and whisk again until smooth.

Choose your plate or stand, and cut out 4 strips of baking paper and form a square outline on the plate. This is so that when you sit the cake on and ice it, the icing will not run out all over the plate. Unclip the tin and set the thoroughly cooled cake on the prepared plate. Pour the glaze over the cold honey bee cake; it might dribble a bit down the edges, but don’t worry too much about that. The glaze stays tacky for ages (this is what gives it its lovely melting gooiness) so ice in time for the glaze to harden a little, say at least an hour before you want to serve it. Keep the pan of glaze, (don’t wash it up), as you will need it to make the stripes on the bees.

Divide the marzipan into 6 even pieces and shape them into fat, sausage-like bees’ bodies, slightly tapered at the ends.

Using a wooden skewer, paint stripes with the sticky honey glaze left in the pan from icing the cake. About 3 stripes look best, and then very carefully attach the flaked almonds at an angle to make the bees’ wings, 2 on each one. They might snap as you dig them into the marzipan bodies, so have some spare. I’m afraid to admit, I also like to give them eyes by dipping the point of the skewer in the glaze and thence on the bees: they look more loveable with an expression, which is somehow what the eyes give them, but then this is where the Disney effect comes in. If a more imperial dignity is required, forgo the dotting of the eyes and present this as your Napoleonic Chocolate Cake.

Grublover comment:
I made this cake for my friends birthday on the weekend and it was easy and an absolute winner. The bees are so much fun to make and not too difficult. I made it on Sunday and it stored really well - birthday was not until tuesday and it was rich and delicious and moist. I didn’t put the bees on until the last minute in case they sunk in or got discoloured. Serve with some cream or icecream. It would be really nice to make them as cupcakes too.

Sour Lemon Cake

Serves 8-10

125g (4 oz) butter
3/4 cup caster sugar
1.5 Tb grated lemon rind
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1.5 cups SR flour
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup lemon juice

Place butter, sugar and lemon rind in bowl of an electric mixer and beat until light and creamy.
Add eggs to mixer and beat well.

Fold flour, sour cream and lemon juice through mixture.

Immediatley place mixture in a greased and lined 20cm (8 inch) square cake tin and bake in a preheated oven 180 degrees (350 F) oven for 40 minutes or until cake is cooked when tested with a skewer.

Cut cake into wedges and serve warm with cream.

Grublover comment
This is one of my favourite cakes, it is so deliciously tart and the sour cream adds a nice errr sour element...mmmm

Graduation chocolate rasberry dessert cake

Serves 8-10

185g (6 oz) butter
185g (6 oz) dark chocolate, chopped
3 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1.5 cups caster sugar
1 cup plain flour
2/3 cup self-raising flour
1/2 cup almond meal
1 cup rasberries

Place butter and chocolate in a saucepan over low heat and stir until melted, then cool slightly.
Place eggs, vanilla extract and sugar in a bowl and beat until mixture is light and thick. Fold through flours, almond meal, chocolate mixture and half the rasberries.
Pour mixture in a 20cm (8 inch) round cake tin lined with baking paper. Sprinkle over remaining rasberries.
Cook for 180 degrees (350 F) oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until top of cake is firm to touch. Cool cake before cutting, and serve with strong espresso, extra rasberries and thick cream.

Grublover comment
The rasberries give a delicious moistness and flavour to chocolate cakes. Divinely decadent. One of the girls made it on our graduation vacation and I had to have the recipe.

Easy and Delicious Fairy Cupcakes

This cupcakes are really easy and can be decorated many different ways to suit different occasions…

Ingredients
125g butter, softened
3 eggs
1 and 1/2 cups SR flour
2/3 cup caster sugar
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Method
Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
Place all the ingredients in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth.
Spoon into 12 paper cases inside a cupcake tin.
Bake for 20 minutes or until cooked through.
Decorate when cool.

Icing
125g butter, softened
1 cup icing sugar
1 Tbsp milk
splash vanilla extract
2 drops food colouring

Beat the butter with the sifted icing sugar and milk, add the vanilla and food colouring.
Spread over the cupcakes.

Decorating…
You can do all sorts of decorations.
Use your imagination…