Hello everyone!
After last week’s chocolate feast, I am still diving into December on a sweet note!
This week I head straight into summer by adding juicy fruit into our cake batter, making lekker summery fruity bakes.
If you have an excess amount of fruit and you are not adding them to your salad or making lekker icy cold mocktails, then use them to bake something lekker.
My plain cake recipe is a winner and works like a charm when wanting to add in fruit.
This recipe is so versatile you can use it for round cakes, a tray bake, loaf cakes or even muffins or cupcakes.
You can add in some lemon or orange rind if you prefer a zestier cake but if you are opting for something sweeter, add in some roughly chopped strawberries or a handful of blueberries for a divine, moist cake in no time.
Fruits are also easily adaptable when baking, you can use them fresh, overripe, or frozen depending on the dish you are making.
If you are not a zesty or berry fan and prefer something less tart on the tongue, try the granadilla cake, one of my all-time favourites.
The freshness and the fruity flavours added to the icing will have you thinking you’re eating a delicious creamy ice cream with cake!
If you have any leftover plain cake, add some jelly, custard, tinned or fresh fruit and make a festive trifle.
Nothing screams Christmas or festive season like a beautiful colourful trifle.
Give these recipes a go this holiday season, after all the proof is in the pudding!
Happy baking!
For more recipes or baking and cooking inspiration, visit my website www.sprinklesandspice.co.za or visit my social media platforms on Instagram @sprinklesandspicect or Facebook Sprinkles and Spice by Farzana Kumandan.
Love, your Cooksister
Lemon cake
Ingredients
3 eggs
¾ cup soft butter
1¼ cups castor sugar
1½ cups flour
2 level teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon vanilla essence
1 tablespoon lemon juice
The zest of one lemon
For icing glaze:
2 cups icing sugar
2 to 4 tablespoons milk
Extra lemon zest
Method
Whisk together the eggs, butter, sugar and vanilla essence until light and fluffy.
Add in the flour, baking powder and mix until smooth and lump free.
Add in the lemon juice and lemon zest and stir with a spoon.
Transfer to a greased Bundt tin or medium-sized baking dish and bake in a preheated oven on 180 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
For the icing:
Mix together the icing sugar and milk until the
Drizzle over the cooled cake and sprinkle over lemon zest.
Strawberries and cream cuppies
For the strawberries:
Cut up two punnets of strawberries. Sprinkle over two heaped teaspoons of sugar. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours or overnight.
For the vanilla cupcakes:
Ingredients
250g soft butter or full fat margarine (block)
1 cup castor sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla essence
2 heaped cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
Method
Mix the butter and sugar until it is light and creamy.
Add eggs and vanilla essence and mix well.
Add dry ingredients and mix until it is smooth and lump free. (You will have a thick batter)
Spoon the batter into the cupcake cups and bake on 180 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes until the cake is slightly golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
To assemble:
Once cupcakes are completely cool, slice them in the middle and add a generous spread of fresh cream.
Top with strawberries.
Close the top of the cupcake, drizzle some of the strawberry syrup and dust with icing sugar.
Enjoy!
Banoffee Tarts Cups
For the Biscuit cup base
Ingredients
250g of soft butter or margarine
1 small egg
½ cup castor sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
2½ cups sifted flour
1 level tsp baking powder
Method
Cream the butter, sugar, egg and vanilla essence until all the sugar is dissolved and butter is light, fluffy and creamy.
Add your flour and baking powder and mix until a soft dough is formed.
Transfer the dough to a glass bowl, cover the dough with clingwrap and rest in the fridge for 45 minutes, until the butter has firmed up.
For a stiffer dough you can add some extra flour when rolling out.
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface and cut out with a large round cookie cutter or use a large glass.
Your dough should be slightly thick and should be lifted up easily.
Spray a muffin pan with Spray and Cook and add your rounds, ensuring the sides are covered.
Bake your cups in a preheated oven on 180 degrees for 12-15 minutes.
For the filling
Ingredients
2 tins caramel treat
5 bananas
Lemon juice
250ml fresh cream
5 tablespoons icing sugar
2 flake chocolate bars
Method
Add the caramel treat to a large bowl and smooth it out with a spoon.
Slice your banana in round rings and dab over some lemon juice to ensure it does not brown.
Whip up your fresh cream and icing sugar until soft peaks are formed.
For assembling
Add a thick layer of caramel in your cooled cookie cup.
Add a layer of sliced banana
Pipe or spoon on some fresh cream
Lastly crumble on some crushed flake
Refrigerate until you serve
Lemon Meringue Cupcakes
Ingredients for the cupcakes
2 eggs
¾ cup sugar
½ cup oil
½ cup milk
2 teaspoons baking powder
1¼ cup flour
Method for the cupcakes
Mix ingredients together until smooth and lump free.
In a muffin tray, add cupcake liners and the cupcake batter to fill a ¼ cup only, not more. Set aside.
Ingredients for the lemon custard curd
1 tin condensed milk
3 egg yolks
½ cup lemon juice
2 drops yellow food colouring
3 teaspoons cornflour
Method for the lemon custard curd
Whisk the above together and set aside
Ingredients for the meringue
3 egg whites
½ cup castor sugar
3 level teaspoons cornflour
1 teaspoon white vinegar
Method for the meringue
In cake mixer, whisk egg whites on high until soft peaks form. Gradually add in the castor sugar, while you whisk. Add vinegar and cornflour and whisk until firm. Set aside.
For the cupcakes:
Preheat the oven to 175 degrees.
Bake the cupcakes for 10 minutes only.
Remove from oven and using the back of a teaspoon spoon, make a well in the centre of the cupcake. The cupcakes will be slightly under-baked.
Add in two to three teaspoons of the lemon custard and an extra teaspoon just to cover base of the cupcake.
Return to the oven and bake for eight minutes.
Remove from the oven and add a heaped teaspoon meringue on the cupcake. Smooth it out with the back of a spoon and fluff it up to peaks with a fork.
Return it to the oven and bake for 10 minutes on the lower part of the oven.
Serve immediately and be cautious because they’re addictive!
Granadilla cake
Ingredients for the cake
3 large eggs
¾ cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla essence
½ cup oil
1¼ cup + 1 heaped tablespoon flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ cup milk
2 granadillas
Method for the cake
Beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla essence until light and fluffy.
Add the oil and beat on a high speed until frothy.
Add flour, baking powder and milk and mix until well combined.
Add the granadilla and fold until mixed through.
Transfer to a small to medium baking dish and bake on 180 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Ingredients for the icing
125g soft butter (not melted)
2-2½ cups sifted icing sugar
2 granadillas
Method for the icing
Beat the butter until pale and creamy.
Add the icing sugar and beat on a high speed until thick and creamy.
Fold in 2 granadillas.
Spread the icing on the cooled cake and top with extra granadilla.
*I suggest using fresh granadilla for the recipe.
The store-bought granadilla pulp is sweetened and will result in the cake being too sweet.
dailyvoice@inl.co.za