CAKE HEAVENWWW.FOODHEAVENMAG.COM SEPTEMBER baking heaven 31
Double
chocolate cake
SERVES 8
For the chocolate frosting
185g (6½oz) cream cheese, softened
125g (4½oz) butter, softened
½ tsp vanilla essence
½ tsp peppermint essence
960g (2lb) icing sugar, sifted
60ml (2fl oz) hot water
125g (4½oz) dark cooking chocolate,
melted
For the cake
60g (2oz) butter, softened
3 free-range eggs
300g (10½oz) plain flour
1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp salt
185ml (6½fl oz) milk
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark
- Grease two 20cm (8in) round
sandwich tins and dust with flour.
2 To make the chocolate frosting, beat
together the cream cheese, butter and
essences, blending well. Beat in half the
icing sugar, then add the remainder,
alternately with the hot water.
3 Add the melted chocolate and mix
until smooth.
4 To make the cake, mix the butter with
2 cups of the chocolate frosting. Add the
eggs, one at a time, and beat for 1 minute.
5 Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and
salt, then stir into the creamed mixture
alternately with the milk, beginning and
ending with the dry ingredients.
6 Spoon into the prepared tins and bake
for 30-40 minutes. Turn out onto a wire
rack to cool.
7 Sandwich the cooled cakes together
with a little of the remaining frosting, or
use jam.
8 Decorate the cake by spreading the
rest of the frosting over the top.Technicolour
dream cake
SERVES 10-12
For the cake
300g (10½oz) plain flour
½ tsp salt
4 tsp baking powder
200g (7oz) unsalted butter, very
soft
400g (14oz) sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 free-range eggs, separated
225ml (8fl oz) milk
For each of the three layers
of icing
15ml (1 tbsp) fresh fruit purée,
strained (we used raspberry,
quince, turmeric and strawberry)
30g (1oz) unsalted butter, softened
150g (5½oz) icing sugar
lemon juice or vanilla extract
1 Preheat the oven to 160°C/Gas Mark
- Grease 2 x 23cm (9in) cake tins and
line them with baking paper.
2 In a large bowl, sift together the flour,
salt and baking powder and set aside.
3 Cream the butter and sugar until
fluffy. Add the vanilla, then the egg
yolks one at a time, mixing well after
each addition. Add half the milk and mix
well. Add half the flour mixture and
combine. Repeat with the remaining
milk and flour.
4 Whisk the egg whites in a separate
bowl until soft peaks form. Stir a third of
the egg whites into the cake mixture to
lighten the batter, then fold in the
remainder, taking care not to knock out
too much air in the process.
5 Carefully spoon the mixture equally
into the tins and bake in the oven for
45-50 minutes, or until a skewer
inserted into the centre comes out
clean. Leave to cool for 10 minutes
before taking out of the tins and letting
them cool completely on a wire rack.
6 Split each layer in two and place the
bot tom of one on a cake stand. Slather
with your favourite buttercream icing
flavours, then continue to stack up the
layers. The top layer looks great with
buttercream icing or royal icing that
drizzles down the sides. Top with
fresh fruit.Taken from LEON
Happy Baking by
Claire Ptak and
Henry Dimbleby,
published by Conran
Octopus (£16.99).
Photography by
Steven Joyce.Recipe taken from
Margaret Fulton's
Baking Classics by
Margaret Fulton,
published by Hardie
Grant (£16.99).