Blueberry cake

I usually opt for the simplest cake recipes, as I’ve said before (often) (TOO often, sigh regular readers – and if you’re not sighing, regular readers, you should be). The simpler, the better. My most favourite cake recipes are one-bowl affairs where fussy sifting and beating and careful folding and so on do not figure in the instructions.

But this time, in a dramatic departure from my usual modus operandi, the recipe involves fussy separating, AND beating, AND sifting, AND careful folding AND plenty of elbow grease. Sounds disgusting, doesn’t it, especially the elbow grease? If you usually make use of an electric egg beater, you can safely omit the elbow grease, but the rest of the dramatic departure method still holds good. Don’t say you haven’t been warned. And don't ask why I went for the dramatic departure. I still can't believe I chose a recipe where I had to whip the egg whites by hand... 

Anyway, after seeing the finished cake, I thought that the procedure had been fussy for no real reason… but on reflection (and after tasting), I think it resulted in a lighter, fluffier, higher rising cake – especially considering that the cake tin I’d used had seemed a bit too big for the amount of batter involved.

And what a delicious cake it was, too.

Recipe for: Blueberry cake

Ingredients:
2 eggs, separated
1/4 cup + 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter/margarine, softened
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups flour
1 tbsp flour to coat berries
1 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup milk
1-1/2 cup fresh blueberries
cinnamon sugar for topping

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180C.

2. Beat egg whites until it forms soft peaks.

Beat in 1/4 cup of sugar.

3. In another bowl, cream margarine/butter.

Add salt, vanilla, and remaining sugar gradually.

4. Add egg yolks and beat until creamy.

5. Mix flour with baking powder.
Add alternately to creamed mixture with milk.

6. Fold in beaten egg whites.

7. Turn out half the batter into an 8" round pan that has been sprayed with Pam.
8. Coat the blueberries with 1 tablespoon of flour,

then add half of the berries to the batter in the pan, as far as possible spacing them out evenly without letting them touch the edges of the pan.

9. Pour in the remaining batter over the berries, then sprinkle the rest of the berries over the top.
10. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar over the top of the batter.

Bake in the oven for about an hour or so, or till a cake tester inserted in the centre comes out clean.

11. Let the cake remain in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack.

Serve warm with a cup of coffee or tea.


RECIPE: BLUEBERRY CAKE

Ingredients:
2 eggs, separated
1/4 cup + 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter/margarine, softened
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups flour
1 tbsp flour to coat berries
1 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup milk
1-1/2 cup fresh blueberries
cinnamon sugar for topping

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180C.
2. Beat egg whites until it forms soft peaks.
Beat in 1/4 cup of sugar.
3. In another bowl, cream margarine/butter. Add salt, vanilla, and
remaining sugar gradually.
4. Add egg yolks and beat until creamy.
5. Mix flour with baking powder.
Add alternately to creamed mixture with milk.
6. Fold in beaten egg whites.
7. Turn out half the batter into an 8" round pan that has been sprayed with Pam.
8. Coat the blueberries with 1 tablespoon of flour, then add half of the berries to the batter in the pan, as far as possible spacing them out evenly without letting them touch the edges of the pan.
9. Pour in the remaining batter over the berries, then sprinkle the rest of the berries over the top.
10. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar over the top of the batter. Bake in the oven for about an hour or so, or till a cake tester inserted in the centre comes out clean.
11. Let the cake remain in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack. Serve warm with a cup of coffee or tea.

Blueberry nectarine cake

“Perfectly ripe nectarines – ready to eat now” is what the label on the package said. HA! The nectarines were anything but perfectly ripe… and unless you like your tongue twisting itself into a knot while your eyes do the Lalita Pawar squint, they most certainly were NOT ready to eat “now” or any time in the near future. Man, were they sour or what!

So there were these four nectarines taking up valuable fridge space and not getting any riper for being in there… and I had to do something with them before I forgot about them. Naturally, the first thing that came to mind was “CAKE”. To my husband’s mind, that is, not mine.

To add to the nutrition quota of fresh fruit cake (and thereby pay lip service to the "healthy" aspect), I threw in a cupful of blueberries left over from a previous muffin making day.

I have only one thing to say about the cake – actually, it’s Pete’s thing I’m going to say because I don’t want to sound like I’m praising my own effort – “It’s sensational”.

I think that about covers my opinion, too.

Recipe for: Blueberry nectarine cake

Ingredients:
1 cup butter/margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1/3 cup cream/milk
1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
4 tbsp flaked almonds
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup fresh blueberries
2 large nectarines, chopped

Method:
1. Beat butter/margarine until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy.

2. Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until the yolk disappears.

3. Add vanilla, beating just until blended.

4. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, stirring well.

5. Add cream/milk and stir it in, then beat the batter fo 2 minutes till well blended.

The batter will be fairly thick.

6. Gently fold in nectarines and blueberries. Pour batter into a deep 8" round cake pan.

7. Sprinkle the flaked almonds evenly over the top, then press them in lightly. Not ALL the way in, but just enough that the batter rises over the edges when the cake is in the oven.

8. Bake at 180°C for 40 minutes or so, until a wooden pick inserted in centre comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack.

Serve warm. For a decadent option, serve warm with vanilla-flavoured double cream.

Note: For the best taste, warm every subsequent cake slice for 20-30 seconds in the microwave before serving.

RECIPE: BLUEBERRY NECTARINE CAKE

Ingredients:
1 cup butter/margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1/3 cup cream/milk
1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
4 tbsp flaked almonds
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 large nectarines, chopped
1 cup fresh blueberries


Method:
1. Beat butter/margarine until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy.
2. Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until the yolk disappears.
3. Add vanilla, beating just until blended.
4. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, stirring well.
5. Add cream/milk and stir it in, then beat the batter fo 2 minutes till well blended. The batter will be fairly thick.
6. Gently fold in nectarines and blueberries. Pour batter into a deep 8" round cake pan.
7. Sprinkle the flaked almonds evenly over the top, then press them in lightly. Not ALL the way in, but just enough that the batter rises over the edges when the cake is in the oven.
8. Bake at 180°C for 40 minutes or so, until a wooden pick inserted in centre comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack. For a decadent option, serve warm with vanilla-flavoured double cream.
Note: For the best taste, warm every cake slice for 20-30 seconds in the microwave before serving.

Apple pie muffins

I call these “apple pie muffins” not because they use cinnamon or smell of apple pie – okay, they DO smell of apple pie because of the spices but that’s beside the point – but because they literally have apple pie filling in them. Bramley apple pie filling from a tin, to be precise. Pete had been asking me to make these muffins, but I’d been stalling as I didn’t think his suggestion would work out.

Wet apple pie filling in the middle of a muffin, I thought, would make them soggy after baking, so I offered to make apple muffins using chopped-up apples in the batter. But no, he didn’t want chopped-up-apple muffins, although (he hastened to add) those were pretty good the last time I’d made them. He wanted apple-pie filling IN the muffins, as filling.

So, since I could see no graceful way out of it, I made the muffins as specified, with apple pie filling plopped into the centre (and topped with a little more batter - my idea).

To my genuine surprise, the apple pie filling didn’t make the muffins soggy in the centre. The idea actually worked out really well, although next time I will add some cinnamon powder to the apple pie filling to freshen its rather bland taste. Well, it was tinned filling after all, not fresh.

The bottomline, though, is that Pete’s idea was a yummilicious success – and for that, hats off to him.

Recipe for: Apple pie muffins


Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter/margarine
1/3 cup sugar
4 tbsp cream
2 eggs
1 cup self-raising flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon/mixed spice
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tin ready-made Bramley apple pie filling

Method:

1. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar till fluffy.

2. Beat in the cream.


3. Beat in the eggs one at a time.


4. Lightly fold in the flour and baking powder.


5. Add the mixed spice/cinnamon and vanilla and stir till the wet and dry ingredients are just mixed. The batter should be thick.


6. Place paper muffin cases in a muffin pan, and add the dough into each case by the rounded tablespoonful. Take a small spoon and make a dip in the middle of the dough.


7. Now place a teaspoonful of the apple filling in the dip, then a tsp of the dough on top of the filling.

Continue till all the cases are filled.


8. Bake the muffins at 180C for 20-25 minutes, testing after 20 minutes to see if they are cooked. The muffins should be golden on top.


9. Remove the tray from the oven and let the muffins cool. Serve warm.


RECIPE: APPLE PIE MUFFINS

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter/margarine
1/3 cup sugar
4 tbsp cream
2 eggs
1 cup self-raising flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon/mixed spice
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tin ready-made Bramley apple pie filling

Method:

1. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar till fluffy.
2. Beat in the cream.
3. Beat in the eggs one at a time.
4. Lightly fold in the flour and baking powder.
5. Add the mixed spice/cinnamon and vanilla and stir till the wet and dry ingredients are just mixed. The batter should be thick.
6. Place paper muffin cases in a muffin pan, and add the dough into each case by the rounded tablespoonful. Take a small spoon and make a dip in the middle of the dough.
7. Now place a teaspoonful of the apple filling in the dip, then a tsp of the dough on top of the filling. Continue till all the cases are filled.
8. Bake the muffins at 180C for 20-25 minutes, testing after 20 minutes to see if they are cooked. The muffins should be golden on top.
9. Remove the tray from the oven and let the muffins cool. Serve warm.

Eggless banana almond fruitcake

My husband loves fruitcake in all forms – heavy and dense, light and fluffy, dry and crumbly, with exotic dried fruit or just with currants, with nuts or without, egg-free or eggful, fancy or homely, buzzing with alcohol or completely teetotal… you name it, he’ll eat it. Of course it goes without saying that he prefers fruitcake that's well-made to one that's second-rate... but in a pinch he'll eat the second-rate one too. In general he can be as nutty as a – pardon me for this – fruitcake when it comes to this variety of cake. Me, on the other hand… I can take fruitcake or leave it. It’s marginally more “take it” if it’s got nuts in it that cut the sweetness of all the dried fruit, so I usually add some to most fruitcakes I make.

And because Pete mostly doesn’t mind how his fruitcake turns out, as long as it’s not turned to coal, I feel free to experiment without worrying about “what ifs” like “what if the cake’s heavy like a brick”, or “what if it’s so crumbly that you choke on fruitcake dust”, and so on. (I’ve even made fruitcake with dark chocolate that needs to see the light of day at some point.)

Anyway, this cake combines the best of what Pete likes (dried fruit) with the best of what I like (banana) with some dried sour cherries (bought in the YewYessYay, naturally) thrown in for that “exotic” touch. The addition of mashed overripe bananas was a touch of genius if I do say so myself, because the flavour it gave the fruitcake – helped by the addition of cardamom powder – was luvverly. It was almost like an Indian fruitcake, if there is such a thing. If there isn’t, there is now.

The cake keeps well and stays moist at room temperature (under cover, that is, not left open to the elements) for at least a week that I can vouch for. We both think it tastes gorgeous too – let me put it this way, we’re all three made for each other because if he’s nutty about banana fruitcake, I’m bananas about nutty fruitcake, and the fruitcake is bananas and nuts anyway. See what I mean?

Recipe for: Banana almond fruitcake



Ingredients:

2 medium overripe bananas, mashed well
1-1/2 cups plain flour or wholewheat cake flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
1/4 tsp ground cardamom seeds
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup Splenda 1/4 cup sugar
2 cups dried fruit (I used currants, dried sour cherries, chopped mixed citrus peel)
1/4 cup almond slivers
1 cup + 2 tbsp milk (or as needed)
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 1/2 tsp baking powder

Method:

1. Sift the flour and spices together with the Splenda, sugar and salt. 2. Add the dried fruit



and the dried cherries, mix them into the flour.



3. Make a well in the flour-fruit mix, then add the almond slivers and the mashed banana.



Mix again.

4. Add milk little by little, mixing as you go.



The batter should be thick. It is the correct consistency when it drips slowly off the back of a spoon. Mix in more milk if it's too thick, to get it to the right consistency,



5. Pour the batter into an 8" square or round pan sprayed with Pam or greased with butter.



Bake at 180C for about an hour, or till the cake tests done. Start checking at the 45-minute mark as different ovens work differently. 6. Remove the cake tin from the oven, and let the cake sit in the tin for 10 minutes.



7. Unmould the cake onto a wire cooling rack and let cool completely. This cake stays good at room temperature for a few days.

RECIPE: EGGLESS BANANA ALMOND FRUITCAKE

Ingredients:

2 overripe bananas, mashed
1-1/2 cups plain flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cardamom seeds
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup Splenda
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups dried fruit (currants, dried sour cherries, chopped mixed citrus peel)
1/4 cup almond slivers
1 cup + 2 tbsp milk (or as needed)
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp baking powder

Method:

1. Sift the flour and spices together with the Splenda, sugar and salt.
2. Add the dried fruit and the dried cherries, mix them into the flour.
3. Make a well in the flour-fruit mix, then add the almond slivers and the mashed banana. Mix again.
4. Add milk little by little, mixing as you go. The batter should be thick. It is the correct consistency when it drips slowly off the back of a spoon. Mix in more milk if it's too thick, to get it to the right consistency,
5. Pour the batter into an 8" square or round pan sprayed with Pam or greased well with butter. Bake at 180C for about an hour, or till the cake tests done. Start checking at the 45-minute mark as different ovens work differently.
6. Remove the cake tin from the oven, and let the cake sit in the tin for 10 minutes.
7. Unmould the cake onto a wire cooling rack and let cool completely. This cake stays good at room temperature for a few days.

Choc chip banana bread

So, sometimes I can be quite slow at picking up on things – like the fact that chocolate chips in banana bread really do work quite well. I guess since I’m not overly crazy about chocolate, I've not bothered to try banana bread recipes that specified chocolate. This time I added the semi-sweet chocolate chips because they were just past their best-by date and any more time on the shelf would have only seen 'em off into the rubbish bin. The choc chips added moistness to the bread (an unexpected plus) – or at least I think they did. The bread might have been moist anyway because the bananas I used were almost at the liquid stage of ripe.



Anyhow - Pete loved the banana bread (he’s not much of a fan of this, most other times), and I found the choc chips in it surprisingly nice too. Who knew that chocolate and bananas would work well together...! (apart from the millions of others who’ve already tried and tested and written about the combination, that is.)

Recipe for: Choc chip banana bread



Ingredients:

2 cups flour (I used 1 cup AP and 1 cup wholewheat)
1-1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
4 overripe bananas
3/4 cup sugar
4 tbsp unsalted butter/margarine, melted and cooled
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cups mixed nuts, chopped (I used walnuts, pecans and brazils)
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180C/350F and lightly grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan.

2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt.

3. Mash 2 bananas with a fork in a small bowl. They should be a bit lumpy.



4. In another bowl, whisk the remaining bananas and sugar together till well combined.



5. Add the melted butter/margarine, eggs, and vanilla and beat well.



Stir in the reserved mashed bananas.

6. Add the mashed bananas to the flour and mix till just incorporated.



7. Fold in the nuts and the chocolate chips



then pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin.



Bake for about 45 minutes or so (but start checking after 30 minutes), until the loaf is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean.



8. Cool the bread in the pan for 10 minutes or so, and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.