All-in-one chocolate cake recipe - Recipes - BBC Good Food

Loving this recipe....

All-in-one chocolate cake recipe - Recipes - BBC Good Food

• 175g self-raising flour , sifted
• 3 tbsp 70% cocoa powder
• 175g unsalted butter , completely softened
• 175g golden caster sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 3 eggs
• 1-2 tbsp milk
• 300ml pot double cream

• 100g butter , cubed
• 100g dark chocolate , chopped plus extra to decorate

1. Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Butter and base-line 2 x 18cm sandwich tins. Take 3 tbsp flour from the full flour amount and put it back in the bag - the cocoa powder will make up the difference.
2. Put all the cake ingredients (not the double cream) in a large bowl and beat them together with an electric whisk until you have a creamy mixture. Add a little milk if the mix is too stiff - it should fall easily from a spoon. Divide the mixture between the prepared tins and level the surfaces of the cake mixtures. Bake on the same shelf in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until the sponge springs back when pressed. Cool for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack, peel off the base paper and cool completely.
3. To make the icing, melt the butter and chocolate together in a microwave, or in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir well, then leave until it's cool enough to spread easily and will run a little.
4. Whip the cream and use it to sandwich together the cakes. Spread chocolate ganache over the top of the cake, letting some run over the edge. Decorate with chocolate curls.

Change the flavour: White chocolate and rapsberry

Omit the cocoa and leave the flour at 175g. Stir a handful of white chocolate chips into the mix before baking. In the icing, swap dark chocolate for white, melt it without the butter and fold it into 150g half-fat mascarpone instead. Add a layer of fresh raspberries to the filling.

Change the flavour: Millionaires' caramel

Add 1 tbsp extra cocoa powder to the cake mix, swap the cream filling for dulche de leche or carnation caramel.

Change the flavour: Chocolate & orange

Make the cake mix and add the zest of 2 oranges and a handful of dark chocolate chips. Add the zest of an orange and a little icing sugar to the whipped cream

Dark chocolate

Lulu prefers to use ordinary dark chocolate, which has a little added sweetness, for this kind of icing - you can use 70% chocolate, but you may need to sweeten the icing with a little sugar if it tastes very strong and bitter.

Per serving

711 kcalories, protein 6.3g, carbohydrate 49.7g, fat 55.4 g, saturated fat 32.2g, fibre 1.3g, salt 0.67 g

Lovely cupcakes for your lover!

Cupcake Decorating for Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is the perfect time of year to brush off your dusty apron and get baking some cupcakes for your sweets! It’s all about the love and thought behind your baked works of art, so why not try something new? Your loved ones will love you just as much if your culinary creations are photo worthy– and I’ll bet they will still taste amazing!

Here are some of my favorite Valentine cupcake decorating ideas.

Get inspired!

What a simple touch….tie a ribbon around the base of your cupcake for some festive flair! This cupcake has no icing, instead it is dusted with powdered sugar.

This sweet cupcake design if simple enough for anyone, have your kiddos help you! Simple decorate your cupcakes with conversation hearts! For a yummy cupcake recipe visit Bakerella, she is the cupcake goddess behind this creation!

Again, a simple ribbon tied around the cupcake is such a simple touch. The roses on top of these cupcakes were made by rolling colored fondant. Check out Bakerella for the simple cupcake decorating steps and make them yourself!

I hope you feel inspired to whip up some sweets this valentines day! What do you plan on making for your loved ones?

via Cupcake | Cupcake Decorating for Valentine’s Day | Thoughtfully Simple.

Lavender Fairy Cupcakes

The recipe is from Cakes and Bakes, a cookbook .

The cupcakes were really good - a nice subtle lavender essence that went well with the sugary honey. The gooey frosting was a nice complement to the cakes. A good one to try if you want a new-ish type recipe and happen upon some edible lavender!

Ingredients:
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1/4 c. honey
1/2 c. unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 eggs, beaten
1 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. finely chopped lavender flowers
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/4 c. self-raising flour, sifted
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar, sifted
Silver dragees and lavender flowers, for decorating

Preheat your oven to 200c.

Place 12 paper cupcake liners in a muffin pan.

Place the sugar, honey, and butter in a bowl and cream together until fluffy.

Gradually beat in the eggs. Stir in the milk, lavender, and vanilla extract. Carefully fold in the flour.

Divide the mixture between the cupcake liners and bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes, or until well risen and golden.

The sponge should bounce back when pressed.

A few minutes before the cakes are ready, sift the powdered sugar into a bowl and stir in enough water or milk to make a very thick frosting.

When the cakes are baked, transfer to a wire rack, leave to cool for a few minutes then place a blob of frosting in the center of each one, allowing it to run across the cake.

Decorate with lavender flowers and silver dragees. Serve cakes as soon as they are cool.

The Ultimate Cup Cake!

The ultimate cup - cake! 5 minute chocolate cake in a Mug! Not my recipe I must admit - I found it on another blog and tried it, fell in love and am now addicited.

I feel I should pass it on...
4 tbsp flour
4 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp cocoa
1 egg
3 tbsp milk
3 tbsp oil
1 small splash vanilla extract
1 Large coffee mug

Above is the original recipe - but it is better if you add a few broken up squares of good quality dark chocolate - this makes it lovely and rich!

Mix dry ingredients in a large mug. Add eggs and mix well, Pour in the milk and oil and mix throughly. Add vanilla extract and mix in.

Pop in microwave for 3 mins @ 1000watts - the cake will rise over top of mug - don't panic it is supposed to. Allow to cool a little if you can bear the wait, tip onto plate if you fancy it or just eat direct from the mug....mmmmm!

Thank you E.Lee - i think i love you!

Thanks to you for your fab recipe:
http://baconconcentrate.blogspot.com/2009/02/most-dangerous-chocolate-cake-recipe.html

Joys Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

The Best Chocolate Buttercream Icing

adapted from Delilah Bakery

1 1/2 cup (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup cocoa powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

4 cups powdered sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/4 cup milk

1 cup heavy cream

2/3 cup Ovaltine

Cream together butter, cocoa powder and salt. Butter mixture will be very thick.

Turn off the mixer, scrape down the sides of the bowl and add powdered sugar.

Turn mixer on low and mix in powdered sugar while adding milk and vanilla extract.

As the sugar incorporates, raise the speed of the mixer to beat the frosting. Beat until smooth.

In a 2 cup measuring glass, stir together heavy cream and Ovaltine.

Turn mixer speed to medium and pour cream mixture into frosting in a slow, steady stream, until you’ve reached your desired consistency.

You may not need the full amount of Ovaltine and cream.

Top your cakes and cupcakes with this and sit back and listen to the appreciation! Yummy!

http://www.joythebaker.com/blog/2008/06/the-best-chocolate-buttercream-frosting/

Check out her recipe for the cupcakes! Sooo delicious!

Nigellas Easy Victoria Sponge Recipe

I use this recipe for lots of different cakes! Yes you can do a Victoria sponge but you can also add different icing and add colours and cocoa if you want to change – just play around with it and you will see it so versatile and really delicious – and the best thing is that it is very easy to make!

Ingredients
275g each of self raising flour, castor sugar, butter (very, very soft)
5 eggs
2 tps baking powder
2 tsp vanilla extract
2-3 tbsp milk
Preheat oven to 200*C

Add butter and sugar to mixer, cream. Alternate a couple of spoonfuls of flour and 1 egg until all added. add baking powder.

Add vanilla extract and milk until consistency of a thick batter. It is very difficult to go wrong with this recipe – but just be aware it doesn’t rise that much, so don’t panic.

Pour into cake tin (silicone is best) and bake in oven @ 200*c for 15-20 mins. Then turn down oven to 180*c and bake for a further 35-45 mins. you will probably need to cover with foil near the end to stop the cake burning. the 1st time you make this in your be careful as we know how ovens differ! Keep an eye on it and reduce heat a little if you think it is too hot!

Leave to cool in cake tin for a while then turn out onto a wire rack. Leave until completely cool, to ice however you choose.

You can do the traditional Victoria sponge (the way the WI would do it) with only jam in the middle and icing sugar sprinkled on top (as above).
Or add jam and buttercream to the middle.

You can use the ready made icing and just roll it out, spread a layer of apricot jam over the cake and place the icing on top, trimming away the excess or cover in buttercream icing then add a cake topper! Easy! You can choose any character or even a photograph!

Original recipe from nigella lawson, How to be a domestic goddess! – this book is full of great recipes!