Cakes and Puddings Archives - Page 3 of 46

Persian Love Cake

2|02|2024

There are so many stunning versions of the Persian Love Cake with different ingredients and presented in various different styles floating around the Internet. My version is simple, delicious, fragrant of rose and cardamom and looks like the the perfect valentine’s day celebration cake. By that what I mean is, it will steal the heart of the taster. How pretty is that double shade of pink!

I’ve used almond meal in the batter to keep things simple. By all means use a mix of pistachio and almond meal if you’d like. The flowers on top of the cake are a mix of fondant and gum paste. Fresh rose flowers can be used instead, just make sure to cover the stems with baking paper or foil before placing them onto the cake.

I was meant to post this recipe last week but I had a mishap with my phone and lost the recipe that was stored in my ‘Notes’. All is well now though I had to purchase another Iphone as the earlier one coudn’t be revived. Utterly thankful to icloud for having most of my data intact. I have learnt that you just can’t take your mobile phone for granted like I did. I mean, can you imagine not having it for a day!! Besides the social apps, messages etc I coudn’t set an alarm, look at the weather (if you lived in Sydney, you get what I mean) can’t see your doggie camera, can’t track your kids. I could go on!

The great thing is my Iphone looks a lot like the Persian Love Cake. So perfect for the season 🙂

I’m a huge fan of rosewater so you’ll find many recipes on the blog like the Rosewater Coconut Cake.
If you’re a fan of these flavours my new Cookbook also has many easy one-layer cakes with these ingredients.

Persian Love Cake
Makes a 7 inch round cake

Cake
1 cup (125 g) self raising flour
1/2 cup (51 g) almond meal
1 tsp powdered cardamom
½ cup (114 g) unsalted butter, room temperature, roughly chopped
3/4 cup (150 g) castor/granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tbsp rosewater
1/4 cup (60 ml) Greek yoghurt
1/4 cup)60 ml) milk

Rose cream cheese glaze
4 oz (113 g) cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 (57 g) cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tsp rosewater
1 cup (120 g) icing/confectioner’s sugar
Tiny hint of pink food gel colouring

Garnish
Edible dried rose petals
7-8 Chopped pistachios
Fresh or sugar rose flowers

Make the cake : Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Grease the base and sides of an 7-inch (20-cm) round pan with 3-inch (8-cm) height and line the base with baking paper.

In a medium bowl place the mix together flour, almond meal and cardamom.

In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gently fold in the flour mixture, rosewater, yoghurt and milk until well combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 50-60 mins or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove the pan from the oven. Leave it aside for 10 minutes, then gently run a blunt knife around the edges to loosen the cake. Carefully turn it onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the cream cheese glaze, while the cake is cooling : Place the first 4 ingredients into a small bowl and mix until smooth and the glaze is flowing. If it’s too thick, add a few drops of milk. If too thin, add more sugar. Once you have the desired consistency, add the food colour and mix until well blended.

Assemble : Once the cake has cooled, drizzle with glaze allowing some of it to fall down the edges. Leave the cake aside for 15-20 minutes for the icing to set. Once the icing has become firm, decorate with edible rose petals and pistachios.

Eggless Chocolate Cake

24|01|2024

This is the most delicious, moist and easy eggless chocolate cake recipe that is made basically by throwing in all the ingredients into a bowl. The chocolate decorations may look complex and seem like a lot of work but actually they’re just melted chocolate made to set in different molds. I used these.

With valentine’s day around the corner, I was looking for an excuse to use my heart shaped cake pan that was gathering dust. If you don’t have one, just use a 7 inch round cake pan. If you want to keep things simple, feel free to top the cake with raspberries or strawberries. The cake underneath is so rich and divine, it could be eaten on it’s own.

Eggless Chocolate Cake
Makes a 7 inch round cake

1 cup (125 g) self raising
3/4 cup (150 g) castor/granulated sugar
1/4 cup (22g) dutch processed cocoa
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup (120 ml) oil
1/2 cup (120 ml) water
1/4 cup (60 ml/g) Greek yoghurt
1/4 cup (60 ml) milk

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
1/4 cup (57 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
4 oz (115 g) cream cheese, room temperature
1½ cups (180 g) powdered sugar
2 tbsp (11 g) Dutch-processed cocoa

Make the cake : Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease the base and sides of a 7-inch (18-cm) heart shaped pan and line the base with baking paper.

In a medium bowl, place the self-rising flour, baking soda, sugar and cocoa. Mix together to combine. Make a well in the centre and add the oil, water, yoghurt and milk. Fold until combined (don’t over mix).

Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan. Bake for 60-65 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle of a cake comes out clean.  Remove the cake from the oven. Leave it aside for 10 minutes, then gently run a blunt knife around the edges to loosen the cake. Carefully turn it onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the cream cheese frosting: Using a hand mixer or an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and the butter together until smooth and creamy. Add the sugar, 1/2 cup (60 g) at a time, beating after each addition until smooth. Add the cocoa powder and beat till well blended.

Assemble : Place the cooled cake on a cake stand or plate. Spread the cream cheese frosting over the top of the cake. Fill up a piping bag fitted with a star tip with the frosting. Pipe swirls to form a border around the cake. Decorate with chocolate decorations or berries.

If you like rich chocolate desserts check out this Chocolate Tart

Hazelnut Cake with Cinnamon

30|07|2023

I may have decorated the cake a bit much but it’s really a divine tasting hazelnut cake insfused with powdered cnnamon and decorated with a cinnamon buttercream. The colours are misleading but aren’t they eye catching? One would associate browns and creams with this sort of cake but I love surprises and thought of this cake as a delicious surprise.

The buttercream can be skipped altogether and the cake can be drizzled with chocolate ganache or a dusting of cinnamon sugar. I think the nuttiness and coarse texture of a hazelnut cake and the smell of cinnamon is a mind blowing combination.

Do you like your cakes to look classic and indicative of the ingredients or do you like to play around with the appearance?

If you love cinnamon flavoured cakes, dont forget to check out this Cinnamon cake with apple rosemary buttercream.

Hazelnut Cake with Cinnamon
Makes a 7 inch (18 cm) round cake

½ cup (114 g/1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup (220 g) light or dark brown sugar
2 eggs
½ cup (51 g) hazelnut meal
1 cup (125 g) self-rising flour
1 tbsp (8 g) powered cinnamon
½ cup (120 ml) milk

Cinnamon Buttercream
1/4 cup (114 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups (240 g) icing/powdered sugar
1 tsp powdered cinnamon
1 tbsp (15 ml) milk
1-2 drops teal gel food coloring

Make the hazelnut cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Spray the base and sides of a 7-inch (18-cm) round cake pan and line the base with baking paper.

In a large bowl, beat together the butter and brown sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Fold in the hazelnut meal, flour, cnnamon and milk in alternating batches, until combined. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth out the surface with a spatula.

Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Remove the pan from the oven. Set it aside for 10 minutes, then gently run a blunt knife around the edges to loosen the cake. Carefully turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the cinnamon buttercream: In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the powdered sugar, a little at a time, beating constantly until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as and when required. Add the cinnamon and milk, and beat until smooth

Assemble : Place the cake on a cake stand or serving plate. Using a piping bag fitted with an open star nozzle, pipe a border of the buttercream onto the top of the cake. Decorate with sugar or fresh edible flowers.

Banana and Peanut Butter Loaf with Raspberries

16|05|2023

Banana and peanut butter are a classic flavor combination that just works. Whether it’s in a smoothie, on toast, or in a sandwich, the two ingredients complement each other perfectly. But have you ever tried them in a loaf of bread? If not, then you’re in for a treat!

The peanut butter adds a rich, nutty flavor that complements the sweetness of the bananas. The banana and peanut butter loaf or bread is moist and tender, with a slightly dense texture that is perfect for toasting and slathering with butter, if you wanted to skip the frosting. The juicy raspberries add a lovely contrast that is a delight to eat.

The frosting is rich and smells so good because it’s mostly peanut butter.

The banana and peanut butter loaf is a must-try for anyone who loves this classic flavor combination. It’s easy to make, satisfying, and downright delicious. So next time you have some ripe bananas on hand, give this recipe a try and enjoy the sweet, nutty goodness of home made banana bread.

If you love loaf recipes, don’t forget to checkout this Orange Loaf with fresh cream and pineapple curd.

Banana and Peanut Butter Loaf with Raspberries
Makes an 8 by 4 inch loaf

1/2 cup (114) g unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter (I used smooth)
3/4 cup (150 g) granulated/caster sugar
2 eggs
4 medium over-ripe bananas mashed
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 (120 ml) cup milk
2 cups (250 g) self-raising flour
1/2 cup (62 g) raspberries (fresh or frozen)
1/2 cup (62 g) fresh raspberries, to decorate

Peanut butter frosting

1/4 cup (57 g) unsalted butter
1/2 cup (120 g) smooth peanut butter
1 cup (200 g) powdered/icing sugar
1 tbsp (15 ml) milk (more if required)

Method : Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease the base and sides of an 8 x 4 inch rectangluar loaf pan that is 3 inch deep and line the base with baking paper.

In a large bowl, beat together the unsalted butter, peanut butter and granulated sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the mashed banana and vanilla extract. lemon zest and passion fruit puree. Alternately fold in the flour and the milk, and stir until just combined. Fold in the raspberries.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan. Bake for 65 to 75 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean.

Remove the loaf from the oven. Set it aside for 5 minutes, then carefully turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the peanut butter frosting : In a medium-sized bowl, beat together the butterand peanut butter until smooth, about 2 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure that the mixture is evenly mixed. Beat in the powdered sugar, a little at a time, until well incorporated. Add the milk and beat until you have a smooth frosting.

Assemble : Once the loaf has cooled down to room temperature, pipe or spread peanut butter frosting over the top. Decorate with fresh raspberries.