Wed, 15 June 2016
Why not make your Dad feel extra special this Father's Day by baking him something delicious for dessert? Whether it's an indulgent chocolate cake, or a more health conscious Lemon and Poppy Seed Loaf, Baking Queen Catherine Leyden has the perfect recipe for both!
DECADENT CHOCOLATE CAKE
INGREDIENTS:
175g/6oz Odlums Cream Plain Flour
75g/3oz Plain Chocolate (Min 70% cocoa solids)
200g/7oz Butter
175g/6oz Shamrock Golden Caster Sugar
3 Large Eggs
1 Teaspoon Odlums Baking Powder
100g Packet Shamrock Ground Almonds
2 Tablespoons Cocoa (sieved)
2 Tablespoon Milk
1 Teaspoon Goodall's Vanilla Extract/Essence
For Chocolate Cream
142ml Carton Cream
175/6oz Plain Chocolate (Min 70% cocoa solids)
METHOD:
1. Preheat oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas 5. Lightly grease and base line a 23cms/9" deep sandwich tin.
2. Break the chocolate into a heatproof bowl. Add 25g/1oz of the butter and stand bowl over a pan of hot water until chocolate has melted.
3. Meanwhile put the remaining butter, caster sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder, ground almonds, cocoa, milk and essence into a large bowl and beat until smooth and creamy.
4. Add the melted chocolate and gently stir into the mixture. Transfer to the prepared tin and level the top.
5. Bake for about 40 minutes until risen and the surface feels firm to the touch. Remove from oven. Allow to sit in tin for about 5 minutes, then, transfer to a wire tray to cool.
6. Make the chocolate cream by heating the cream until 'just' bubbling around the edges. Add the chocolate and gently stir over a low heat until melted. Remove from heat.
7. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool until it begins to 'set'.
8. Slice cake horizontally and use half the icing to sandwich the cake.
9. Spread remaining icing on top and sides of cake.
10. Serve with raspberries, cream or crème fraiche.
TIPS:
• Do not cool icing in fridge, it will loose its shine!
• Mixture may be divided between 2 heart shaped tins or sandwich tins to make a layer cake!
• Cake can be made a few days in advance and wrapped in greaseproof paper, then iced just before serving!
LEMON AND POPPY SEED LOAF
**This cake in high in fibre and low in fat***
INGREDIENTS:
125g/4oz Odlums Coarse Wholemeal Flour
125g/4oz Odlums Cream Plain flour
2 tsp of Odlums Baking Powder
2 tbsp Poppy Seeds
75g/3oz Shamrock Golden Caster Sugar
3 tbsp Rowse Honey
3 Eggs
Rind of 2 Lemons
125g Carton Natural Yoghurt
100ml Sunflower Oil
To Glaze:
2 tbsp Rowse Honey (slightly warmed)
Juice of 1 lemon
METHOD:
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4.
2. Grease and base line a 900g/2lb loaf tin.
3. Mix the flours, baking powder and poppy seeds in a bowl.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk the sugar, honey, eggs, rind, yogurt and oil together.
5. Pour the mixture onto the dry ingredients and mix well.
6. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for about 50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the loaf comes out clean.
7. When the cake is baked, remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for about 10 minutes. Then transfer to a wire tray to cool.
8. Meanwhile mix the lemon juice and honey together and use to glaze loaf (while slightly warm), if liked.
