Hello Everyone
With the icy days creeping we look for extra warmth and therefore tend to find ourselves having more teatime breaks with something sweet on the side.
There is nothing better than having a hot cup of coffee or tea with a slice of cake to warm you up on a chilly day. It is the simplest bakes that makes me happy.
A classic vanilla or plain cupcake baked to golden perfection is my favourite. This kind of cupcake comes with a charm of its own. It does not even need fancy icing or toppings.
I enjoy them as is or sometimes depending on my mood I add a sprinkle of 100’s and 1000’s on it before it goes in the oven just to give it a little pop of colour.
Another one of my favourite bakes is an old fashion Taystee wheat cake. It just brings back so many childhood memories and the taste remind me of my granny.
As a little girl I used to watch her get all the baking ingredients out and mix it together in a big bowl with a wooden spoon.
Sometimes she used a cup, other times she would just add in the ingredients or even used her hands to measure. She never used a recipe or timed the bake.
The smell of cake baking warmed up the home and by the time the cake was ready to come out of the oven, the table was set with a warm pot of tea served with a perfectly baked slice of grannie’s cake.
There are endless cake recipes available today, but the most treasures ones are the bakes that taste reminds you of a loved one and that has a thousand memories flooding back with each bite.
Tuesday we celebrated World Baking Day and this week I share a few of my favourite recipes for you to enjoy.
For more recipes or baking and cooking inspiration, visit my website www.sprinklesandspice.co.za or visit my social media platforms on Instagram @sprinklesandspicect or on Facebook @ Sprinkles and Spice by Farzana Kumandan.
Happy Cooking
Love, Your Cooksister
Classic Teatime Vanilla Sheet Cake
Recipe Credit by Farzana Kumandan @sprinklesandspicect
Ingredients
250g soft Butter
1 ½ cups castor sugar
4 eggs
2 tablespoon vanilla essence
3 cups flour
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ cups milk
Method
In a bowl sift the flour and baking powder.
In a separate large bowl whisk (with an electric beater or stand mixer) the butter and sugar until no sugar granules is visible and the batter is thick, light, and creamy.
Add the eggs and vanilla essence. Reduce to a low speed and gradually add and alternate the flour, baking powder and milk. Mix until its smooth and lump free.
Transfer to a large tray or rectangle baking dish (either grease sprayed or lined with baking paper)
Bake in a preheated oven on 180 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
(For cupcakes bake for 12-15 minute)
Once cooled spread a layer of Buttercream Icing and Top with your favourite Sprinkles
Easy Buttercream
Recipe Credit by Farzana Kumandan @sprinklesandspicect
Ingredients
250g soft butter (not melted)
4 cups sifted icing
1 tablespoon vanilla essence
Method
In a large mixing bowl, whisk (electric hand beater) the butter until light and creamy. Add the vanilla essence and icing sugar and beat until smooth.
Add in food colouring and mix until the colour is even. Spread an even layer over the cooled cake and top with sprinkles.
Banana Bread
Recipe Credit by Farzana Kumandan @sprinklesandspicect
Ingredients
70g soft butter
5 medium overripe bananas
1 egg
¾ cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla essence
Pinch of salt
½ tsp bicarb
1 ½ cups flour
Poppy seeds for the top
Method
Heat the butter and the chopped banana in the microwave for 40 seconds
In a large bowl, add the eggs, sugar, vanilla essence, salt and banana and butter. Mash everything together with a fork or handheld masher. Once mashed, thick and pulpy add the bicarb and flour and mix until a thick batter is formed.
Spray 2 foil bread tins and grease spray.
Half the batter and transfer to each foil container.
Sprinkle with Poppy seeds.
Bake in a preheated oven on 180degrees for 40-50 minutes until the top is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
Smash Chocolate Cake
Recipe Credit by Farzana Kumandan @sprinklesandspicect
Ingredients
3 eggs (Separated)
2 cups sugar
½ cup oil
1 cup buttermilk
1 ¾ cup self-rising flour
¾ cup cocoa
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarb
½ cup warm water mixed with 1 heaped tsp strong coffee
Method
Boil the water and mix ½ cup water with 1 tsp coffee. Allow to cool (water should be warm and not boiling hot)
Separate your eggs and whisk your egg whites until soft peaks, set aside.
In a separate bowl whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, oil, and buttermilk until its light and fluffy.
Add in the warm coffee, dry ingredients, and mix until smooth and lump free.
Lastly fold in your egg whites and mix until smooth.
Bake in a large black oven tray lined with baking paper on 170degrees for 20-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean (you want a thin layer so you can cut and half it to be sandwiched once cooled)
Once your cake has cooled, half and spread your bottom layer with ½ tin Nestle caramel treat, followed by ½ cup whipped fresh cream top with chocolate ganache.
The Perfect Chocolate Ganache
Recipe Credit by Farzana Kumandan @sprinklesandspicect
Ingredients
1 tin dessert cream
2 x 400g dairy milk chocolate
Method
Roughly chop or break the chocolate into tiny pieces
In a microwave safe bowl add the chocolate pieces and cover with the dessert cream.
Microwave on high for 2 minutes.
Remove from the microwave and stir.
Return to the microwave for 30 seconds.
Remove from the microwave, cover with a glass plate, and allow to melt for 2 minutes, then stir until smooth and lump free.
Snowball Cake
Recipe Credit by Farzana Kumandan @sprinklesandspicect
Ingredients
250g butter or full fat margarine (block)
1 cup Castor sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon Vanilla Essence
2 heaped cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
Apricot jam and coconut (for topping)
Method
Mix the butter and sugar until it is light and creamy.
Add in the eggs and vanilla essence and mix well.
Add in the dry ingredients and mix until it is smooth and lump free.
(You will have a thick batter)
Spoon into a medium sized, rectangle baking dish and bake on 180degrees for 25-30 minutes until cake is golden brown.
(Test to see that a skewer comes out clean)
Mix 3 teaspoons of boiling water with ¾ cup apricot jam and mix until it is smooth.
The jam should have a thick consistency, do not add extra water, it will be too runny.
Spread the Apricot jam over the hot cake immediately after it comes out of the oven.
Sprinkle a generous amount of coconut over the jam.
Switch off the oven and return the cake to the warm oven with the door slightly ajar, so the heat allows the sauce really to absorb and sink in.
Sprinkle over fine coconut and enjoy with a hot cup of tea.
Lemon Cake
Recipe Credit by Farzana Kumandan @sprinklesandspicect
Ingredients for the cake
3 Eggs
¾ cup soft butter
1¼ cups castor sugar
1½ cups flour
2 level teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon vanilla essence
1 tablespoon lemon juice
The zest of 1 lemon
Ingredients for the Icing Glaze
2 cups icing sugar
2-4 tablespoons milk
Extra lemon zest
Method for the cake
Whisk together the eggs, butter, sugar, and vanilla essence until light and fluffy.
Add in the flour, baking powder and mix until smooth and lump free.
Add in the lemon juice and lemon zest and stir with a spoon.
Transfer to a greased Bundt tin or medium sized baking dish and bake in a preheated oven on 180degrees for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Method for the Icing glaze
Mix the icing sugar and milk until the icing is thick and smooth.
Drizzle over the cooled cake and sprinkle over lemon zest.
Taystee wheat Cake
Recipe Credit by Farzana Kumandan @sprinklesandspicect
Ingredients
2 Eggs
250g Soft Butter
1½ cups sugar
1 ½ cups Taystee wheat
1 cup cake flour
1 heaped teaspoon baking powder
1 cup medium coconut
1 heaped teaspoon fine cardamom
1 ½ cups milk
White poppy seeds for sprinkling
Method
Cream the butter, eggs, and sugar until its light and fluffy.
Add in the cardamom, Taystee wheat, coconut, flour, and baking powder.
Add in the milk and stir until well combined.
Transfer to a greased medium sized rectangle baking dish and sprinkle with poppy seeds.
Bake in a preheated oven on 180degrees for 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.