NOTHING SWEETER

Hello mense. Hope you are all lekker! 

This week, I want to sweeten things up by honouring World Baking Day, which is celebrated this Saturday 17 May. 

I love cooking, but baking I find is something so so special. 

Bakes always add sweetness to any occasion or function and if there are bakes in your cake tin, teatime is a real treat. 

Baking to me is extremely therapeutic, I find it the perfect way to create and add that artistic flair. 

Alles moet mooi lyk – jy eet eerste met die oog! 

If you are new to baking, remember baking is all about quantities and ratios, it’s not like cooking where you can chop and change or just gooi in alles. 

Dry ingredients v wet ingredients matter, and these ratios are very important. 

When baking, I have a basic go-to recipe that just creates magic. It’s a basic cuppie cake recipe, but this recipe is so versatile. 

It can be used for cuppies, a round birthday cake, a slab cake. 

Add two tablespoons of cocoa and bake it as a chocolate cake or even add a splash of colour or sprinkles and its perfect for kiddies parties or to add colour to match your theme. 

To up your bakes to another level, double the recipe, add batter in little bowls and colour it differently. 

Bake it separately in the same size tins and put it together with icing in between and you will have the prettiest rainbow cake ever! 

But wait that’s not all, coming back to baking my basic cuppie recipe, bake it as cuppies allow it to cool completely and dip in it a red jelly or food colouring and you have the softest, fluffiest snowballs that’s perfect for teatime. 

Be sure to save this recipe, it’s definitely going to be your go-to baking recipe too. 

With all that being said, I’d like to end off on a not-so-sweet note. 

After years of whisking, baking, simmering and sharing deliciousness, my journey with Cooksister has come to an end but the awesomeness on this page and the stories will surely continue. 

I would like to thank you all for being part of my amazing journey over the years, allowing me to share my kitchen adventures with you and allowing me into your home. 

It’s been both a privilege and an honour, so until we meet again, continue to create magic, gather around a table of good food and make amazing memories. With a heart filled with love and gratitude, its bye for now.

For more recipes or baking and cooking inspiration, visit my website www.sprinklesandspice.co.za or visit my social media platforms on Instagram, Facebook or TikTok at Sprinkles and Spice by Farzana Kumandan.

Love your Cooksister

Farzana’s Basic Cuppies

Ingredients

2 eggs

¾ cups sugar

½ cup oil

1 tablespoon vanilla essence

1 ¼ cup flour

2 level teaspoons baking powder

½ cup milk

Method

In a mixing bowl, add the eggs, sugar, and whisk together until light and creamy. Add in the oil and vanilla essence and mix until well combined. Sift in the baking powder and flour. Add in the milk and mix until smooth and lump free. Transfer to cupcake liners and bake in a muffin tray. Add sprinkles before baking or bake without sprinkles and top with icing once its baked and cooled.  Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown or a toothpick comes out clean.

Chocolate Rolo Fudge Tart

Ingredients 

150g butter 

50g dark chocolate (I used Lindt 70%)

1 ¼ cup light brown sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla essence

¾ cup nestle cocoa

3 eggs

¾ cup cake flour

1 roll nestle Rolo chocolate. (Roughly chopped)

Method

Chop the butter and dark chocolate into tiny pieces. In a microwave-safe bowl, add the butter, dark chocolate and top with the sugar. Microwave for a minute on high power. Add in the vanilla essence and cocoa and stir until smooth. (If there are tiny pieces of butter or chocolate not melted, continue to stir until it is melted and the mixture is smooth). Add the mixture to your cake mixer, add in the eggs and whisk on high for 30 seconds. Add in the flour and whisk on a medium speed for 1-2 minutes. The mixture will resemble a soft cookie dough. Line a 24cm pie or tart dish with baking paper and grease spray. Press half your batter into the tart dish and sprinkle over the Rolo bits. Cover with the rest of the batter. Bake at 175 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Note not to overbake or you will have a firmer, more crisp texture. Dust with icing sugar before serving. Enjoy with a scoop of your favourite ice cream.

Banana Bread

Ingredients 

3 ripe bananas

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

½ cup oil

1 tsp vanilla essence 

2 cups flour

½ tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp bicarb 

Method

Add the banana and eggs to the blender, blend until smooth, frothy and creamy. Add the remaining ingredients and mix until smooth. Transfer to a large bread tin lined with baking paper. Level out and bake as is or add top with sliced banana or poppy seeds. Bake on the lower rack for 40-50 minutes at 180 degrees until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool, slice and enjoy.

Brownies

Ingredients 

140g melted butter 

3 eggs

¼ cup oil

1 cup flour

¾ cup cocoa

1 ¼ cup sugar

generous pinch of salt

1 level tsp baking powder

2 large slabs dairy milk chocolate 

Method

Melt the butter and allow it to be slightly cool. In a stand cake mixer or in a large bowl, add the eggs, oil, and butter. Whisk until smooth and fluffy. Add in the dry ingredients (except the chocolate) and mix until smooth and lump free.  Roughly chop half of the one slab chocolate into chunks and add a half cup of chocolate chunks to the brownie batter and mix with a spoon. Grease spray or line a small rectangle or square baking dish (roughly 20cm-25cm) with baking paper. Transfer the brownie batter and bake at 170 degrees for 25-35 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool and use the remaining chocolate to melt and add to the top. Enjoy as is or with a generous scoop of ice cream.

Chocolate Lamingtons

Ingredients

2 Eggs

¾ cups sugar

½ cup oil

1 tablespoon vanilla essence

1 ¼ cup flour

2 level teaspoons baking powder

½ cup milk

Method

In a mixing bowl, add the eggs, sugar, and whisk together until light and creamy. Add in the oil and vanilla essence and mix until well combined. Sift in the baking powder and flour. Add in the milk and mix until smooth and lump free. Transfer to rectangle baking dish lined with baking paper. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown or a toothpick comes out clean. Once completely cooled, cut into equal squares and dip into chocolate sauce, then roll in fine coconut.

Chocolate Sauce for Lamingtons

Ingredients 

2 tablespoons butter

2 cups boiling water

¼ heaped cup sifted cocoa

1 cup sifted icing sugar.

1 cup white sugar

Method

Mix all ingredients together until smooth. Once the cake is completely cooled, cut into equal squares and dip into chocolate sauce, then roll in fine coconut.