This is one of those recipes that ballooned. It was supposed to be a simple lemon sandwich cake. Then it turned into a quadruple lemon layer cake and then I pulled it back to a less exuberant lemon layer cake. I’m happy with it at three tiers high. Four tiers would have been showing off. READ MORE
I want to talk about marriage. I know, I know. You just want me for my coconut buttercream recipe – just scroll down, go on, do it. But just in case you’re intrigued, well, I got to thinking recently about what makes a marriage. Look, it’s not like I’m some expert. I’ve only been married for 7 years and I reckon we’ve argued for a good year of it. What do I know? READ MORE
Summer is coming so it’s time for a lemon and coconut cake. If coconut isn’t your thing then make a simple buttercream filling instead. I’ve kept the coconut away from the main cake as I know some folks aren’t keen on it. I however am a coconut fiend.
This recipe first appeared on ITV’s This Morning. You can find a video of the recipe being made here as well as the full recipe.
I like classic. Classic is good. It suits me.
I have tried over the years to go for other looks but they don’t work for me, not at all. I tried to be a goth but the black hair washed out my whiter than white skin, my blushing red cheeks betraying the ghostly look. I tried the layered cheesecloth hippy look but it didn’t suit my curves; hippy clothes love a snake hip. I went big for the glamour 1950s look in my 20s but I felt like a cartoon character, wiggling and wobbling like Betty Boop – a caricature of who I really am.
And the Working Girl business woman look felt so scratchy and uncomfortable, all control tights, no VPL thongs and tight waistbands. And I don’t especially like jogging gear, too clingy, those man-made fibres. And so I find myself resigned to the fact I really do love the classic look. I simply can’t apologise for it anymore. Give me a breton top, a pair of good jeans, some slip on shoes and a blazer and suddenly the rosy cheeks don’t look so silly and the curves are smoothed down by the long line of the jacket and the waist band doesn’t hurt. And best of all no one expects me to do any press ups or feel the burn.
Here’s the cakey version of my signature look.
One year ago: Lemon animal biscuits and Oatmeal & fudge cookies and 5 ways with the humble Victoria sponge
Two years ago: Octonauts cupcakes and Walnut, fudge and fleur de sel biscuits
Three years ago: Mutter paneer and Hot cross biscotti
Lemon drizzle loaf
Ingredients:
Grease and line a loaf tin with greaseproof paper. Use whatever size tin you have to hand, for a larger pan the bake time is usually less as the cake is less thick. For a smaller tin the bake time is usually longer. You’re looking for the edges of the cake to be pulling away from the sides and for a skewer to come out of the centre clean.
Preheat the oven to 170C. Check the rack is in the centre of the oven. Cream the margarine/butter with 175g caster sugar until really light and creamy. Takes about 4 minutes in a stand mixer. Add the beaten egg gradually, dribble by dribble. Then add the zest and the milk. Worry not if the mixture curdles. Fold in the flour with a metal spoon, pour into your tin, level with the back of a spoon and bake for about 40 minutes until golden on the top and a skewer comes out clean from the middle.
Leave to cool slightly on a wire rack still in the tin and then make the sugar syrup by heating the juice of 3 lemons with 50g of caster sugar for about 2 minutes until the sugar dissolves and is just starting to bubble away. Poke lots of holes in your cake with a skewer and pour the syrup over the top, being careful not to let it all seep down the sides and drizzle the bottom of your cake only.
NB: The picture is of an un-drizzled loaf.
Yesterday I was on QVC again talking about the wonder that is Kitchenaid. The ‘theme’ of the show was versatility I try and theme each show but I do wonder whether this is just for my own personal amusement or if it’s any help at all. Having spent more time blogging and on social networks that I have on TV I still find the whole one sided process of TV alien. There’s rarely real time feedback from the viewer. Yesterday a lovely lady called in – it made my day! But of the thousands who watch you just don’t know what they’re all thinking. That is until you post the pictures of what you’ve made on Facebook and some kind soul tells you your ice-cream cake looks like mushrooms. Honesty can be overrated.
Anyway, here’s a very simple recipe for a Victoria sponge cake and then five ways you can dress her up or down. Think of her as your little black dress of a cake. And if you do try the cherry Bakewell ice-cream version then I assure you, the filling does not in any way taste like fungi like.
All comments gratefully received. I love reading them.
One year ago: Octonauts cupcakes and Walnut, fudge and Fleur de Sel cookies
Two years ago: Mutter paneer and Hot cross biscotti
Victoria sponge
Makes 1 large cake
Ingredients:
Mix all the ingredients together using the flat beater until light and creamy – takes about 4 minutes and should look like whipped double cream when done. Pour into two greased and lined round tins and bake in a preheated oven at 180C/Gas 4 for 20 – 25 minutes until well risen and golden brown. A toothpick should come out of the centre clean when done. Cool on a wire rack and remove from the tins once you’re able to stand the heat.
Way no. 1 – Traditional buttercream filling with sweeties on top
Use the flat beater to cream the butter until soft and light – about 4 minutes. Then add the icing sugar spoon by spoon, mixing on a low speed until all incorporated, add the extract. Then beat on high for 7 minutes until the buttercream looks like mousse – flecked with air bubbles, then use to sandwich the cakes together. Place more buttercream on the top and add sweeties! I used Smarties and a plain tipped open nozzle to pipe the centre and topping. Oh and a couple of tablespoons of jam looks and tastes great too.
Way no. 2 – Cherry Bakewell ice-cream cake
Add a teaspoon of almond extract to the cake mixture if you wish. Take the morello cherries and mix through the ice-cream with the flat beater – then pop back in the freezer to re-solidify. Spread the cake with the cherry conserve then add the ice-cream carefully. Add the second layer of cake and then mix the icing sugar with a little lemon juice to a stiff paste and pour over the cake. Cover with flaked almonds and serve immediately!
Way no. 3 – Amaretto coffee after dinner cake
Brush the sponge layers with the coffee amaretto mixture and then whisk the double cream on a medium speed with the wire whisk until just holding peaks. Sandwich the sponge together with cream then top with more cream and chocolate sprinkles.
Way no. 4 – Banoffee cake
Whisk the double cream on a medium speed with the wire whisk until just holding peaks. Sandwich the sponge together with the caramel, then a layer of banana slices and then a layer of cream. Repeat on the top. Add chocolate shavings and serve immediately.
Way no. 5 – Lemon drizzle curd cake
Add lemon zest to the cake mixture if you wish. Heat the lemon juice and the sugar in a small saucepan until all the sugar has dissolved and the sugar syrup is bubbling – takes about 2 minutes. Allow to cool and then brush over one layer of the sponge. Then use lemon curd to sandwich together, add whipped double cream if you like and then add the second layer of cake. Add more lemon sugar syrup and top with double cream and a teaspoon of lemon curd watered down to a pouring consistency (like single cream) and drizzled in circles over the cream. Use a toothpick to pull the circles out like a spiders web if you wish.
Lemon drizzle is one of my favourite cakes to eat and make. A very good friend of mine doesn’t like lemon related sweet treats and I have to say, when I found out, she went down in my estimations slightly. I just don’t understand.
Lemon drizzle seems to be divided into two camps; those with a crunchy topping and those without. I prefer those without, the drizzle of my dreams is soft, tart and saturated in lemon sugar syrup without leaving crystals of sugar on the top. Here’s how I do it:
Ingredients:
175g margarine/soft butter
175g caster sugar
3 eggs beaten
zest of 3 lemons BUT NOT THE PITH!
3 tbsp whole milk
175g self raising flour
juice of 3 lemons
50g caster sugar
Grease and line a 20 x 20cm tin with greaseproof paper. I line like this. Use whatever size tin you have to hand, for a larger pan the bake time is usually less as the cake is less thick. For a smaller tin the bake time is usually longer. You’re looking for the edges of the cake to be pulling away from the sides and for a skewer to come out of the centre clean.
Preheat the oven to 170C. Check the rack is in the centre of the oven. Cream the margarine/butter with 175g caster sugar until really light and creamy. Takes about 4 minutes in a stand mixer. Add the beaten egg gradually, dribble by dribble. Then add the zest and the milk. Worry not if the mixture curdles. Fold in the flour with a metal spoon, pour into your tin, level with the back of a spoon and bake for 20 – 25 minutes until golden on the top and a skewer comes out clean from the middle.
Leave to cool slightly on a wire rack still in the tin and then make the sugar syrup by heating the juice of 3 lemons with 50g of caster sugar for about 2 minutes until the sugar dissolves and is just starting to bubble away. Poke lots of holes in your cake with a skewer and pour the syrup over the top, being careful not to let it all seep down the sides and drizzle the bottom of your cake only.
Then (now this is the important bit), lay out a large piece of foil, then on top of it a large piece of greaseproof paper – they need to be big enough to use as wrapping paper for your cake. Pick your drizzle cake up by the greaseproof paper it sits on in the tin and move to your wrapping paper. Then wrap your cake carefully, using the foil to fold the edges over. Leave the cake to cool like this. The heat of the cake and the lemon sugar syrup combine to create the most moist, zingy lemon sponge. Just the way I like it.
Holly Bell 