Showing posts with label Baking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Baking. Show all posts
I am really excited to be able to bring this latest recipe to you today of a truly traditional Vintage Cake. Traditional Genoa Cake is a cake that I always enjoyed when I was living in the UK.
You could buy small bars of it at the grocery store and it was one of my favorites. It is a brilliant testimony to the love that the British have for fruited types of cakes. This is a cake that is filled with an abundance of sweet sultanas, glace cherries, almonds and mixed peel, but which is not as rich as a Christmas Cake.
I adapted the recipe from one that I found in the book Vintage Cakes by Jane Brocket. I have several of Jane's books. This is one of my favorites. It is stuffed full of lovely Vintage cake recipes, many of which could be considered heirloom recipes.
Her book The Gentle Art of Domesticity is another favorite of mine. As is another one called Cherry Cakes and Gingerbeer. I actually knit myself a tea cosy, black and colorful striped from the first book. It was one of my favorite things that I had in the UK. I should knit myself another one sometime.
I hold a great love and affection for British Cakes. They are much sturdier than North American Cakes. Most are meant to be enjoyed with a hot cup of tea. In fact dessert cakes there are usually called Gateaux.
Genoa cake is the country cousin to the sophisticated traditional fruit cake, which is what you will see in most homes for Christmas. A Genoa Cake is more of an every day cake. The kind of cake that is at home on any tea table. Sturdy, buttery, crumbly, and stuffed with an abundance of dried fruit.
One thing that I loved most about British Cakes, aside from their sturdiness, is that they are not usually as sweet as North American cakes. And this is not a really sweet cake for sure. It doesn't need to be as the abundance of fruit in it more than makes up for any lack of sweetness.
The recipe hails from Victorian times. It was then, and is now, light, soft, crumbly and has an abundant crunchy topping of sweet Demerara sugar. (I believe it is called Turbinado sugar in North America.) I can promise you it is totally delightfully moreish!!!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE TRADITIONAL GENOA CAKE
Most of the ingredients are pretty simple and ordinary. If you cannot get glace cherries, you can use maraschino cherries. Just make sure you dry them really well.
- 1 2/3 cup (250g) sultana raisins
- 3/4 cup (150g) glace cherries, washed and halved
- 1/2 cup (75g) mixed candied peel
- 1/3 cup (50g) flaked almonds
- the finely grated zest of one lemon
- 2 TBS rum or brandy (I used orange juice and some rum extract)
- 1 cup (230g) butter, softened
- 1 cup +3 TBS (230g) caster sugar
- 4 large free range eggs
- 2 cups (230g) self raising flour
- demerara sugar to sprinkle on top
I just use salted butter and indeed the recipe does not make any suggestion of using unsalted butter. I only have salted in the house. There is no addition of salt to the recipe either.
Caster sugar is a type of granulated sugar commonly used for baking in the UK. It is much finer than their regular granulated sugar. I find that the granulated sugar here in Canada at least is quite comparable and not as coarse as the British granulated sugar, so it works fine.
I use organic unrefined golden granulated sugar.
If you can get the candied peel that you dice yourself, so much the better, but here where I live I have to make do with the already chopped candied citrus peel. Every year I say I am going to make my own and every year I forget!
You can easily make your own self raising flour. For every cup (140g) of flour whisk it together with 1 1/2 tsp of baking powder and 1/4 tsp of salt. I usually make my own flour up 4 cups worth at a time and store it in my cupboard, ready to use for cakes such as this.
HOW TO MAKE GENOA CAKE
This is a really simple cake to make. It does require rather a long time to bake, so make sure you plan on baking it when you are going to be home for at least a few hours!
Preheat the oven to 325*F/160*C/gas mark 3. Butter an 8-inch round deep cake tin and line the bottom and sides with baking parchment.
Measure the fruits and almonds into a bowl. Add the grated lemon zest and the brandy or rum. Set aside to macerate.
Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Fold in the flour and the macerated fruits gently and thoroughly with a large metal spoon. Spoon into the prepared baking tin and level the surface off with the back of the spoon. Sprinkle the top generously with demerara sugar.
Bake for 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours until the surface of the cake is golden brown and is slightly cracked. A skewer or toothpick inserted in the center of the cake will come out clean.
Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool in the tin completely before turning out.
This is a lovely cake and one of my favorites. If you are expecting a light, fluffy, spongy North American style cake. This is NOT your cake. You will be disappointed.
But if you are like me and you really enjoy a buttery crumbly cake that goes well with a hot cuppa, then, like me, you best prepare yourself to fall in love. This cake is for YOU! I find it is one of those cakes that (properly stored) gets better and better with each day that passes!
If you love traditional tea time bakes then you are sure to love these delicious bakes:
LEMON & PISTACHIO CAKE - This is a lovely moist, and buttery cake, filled with crunchy pistachios and lemon, and topped with luscious candied lemon and lime slices and of course, some more crunchily addictive pistachio nuts.
MIDNIGHT FEAST WORTHY CHERRY CAKE - This cherry cake is well worthy of sharing. Cut into thick slices . . . buttery and moist, studded with plenty of glace cherries . . . and topped with a sweet drizzle glaze icing and the crunch of toasted flaked almonds.
Yield: 10
Traditional Genoa Cake
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 1 H & 45 MTotal time: 2 Hour
This is a traditional every day kind of a fruit cake. Studded with plenty of sultana raisins, glace cherries, mixed peel and almonds, there is also plenty of lush buttery batter between the fruits. Perfect served with a hot cup of tea.
Ingredients
- 1 2/3 cup (250g) sultana raisins
- 3/4 cup (150g) glace cherries, washed and halved
- 1/2 cup (75g) mixed candied peel
- 1/3 cup (50g) flaked almonds
- the finely grated zest of one lemon
- 2 TBS rum or brandy (I used orange juice and some rum extract)
- 1 cup (230g) butter, softened
- 1 cup +3 TBS (230g) caster sugar
- 4 large free range eggs
- 2 cups (230g) self raising flour
- demerara sugar to sprinkle on top
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325*F/160*C/gas mark 3. Butter an 8-inch round deep cake tin and line the bottom and sides with baking parchment.
- Measure the fruits and almonds into a bowl. Add the grated lemon zest and the brandy or rum. Set aside to macerate.
- Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Fold in the flour and the macerated fruits gently and thoroughly with a large metal spoon. Spoon into the prepared baking tin and level the surface off with the back of the spoon. Sprinkle the top generously with demerara sugar.
- Bake for 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours until the surface of the cake is golden brown and is slightly cracked. A skewer or toothpick inserted in the center of the cake will come out clean.
- Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool in the tin completely before turning out.
Notes
Genoa Cake keeps well for 4 to 5 days if wrapped in grease-proof paper or foil and stored in an airtight container.
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Hello. My name is Marie and I am a peanut butter-aholic. I love peanut butter. I love it in savory goods and curries. I love it in sweet baked goods.
I love (close your eyes if you are British) peanut butter and jam sandwiches. I love peanut butter and cheese crackers. Peanut Butter. Peanut Butter. Peanut Butter. I could not live without it. I am so glad that I do not have a peanut allergy. That would be awful.
Each one holds 2 kg. (about 4 1/2 pounds.) So now you know just how much I love Peanut Butter.
My sister Cindy stopped by yesterday on her way to get the oil changed in her car and she brought me two of her freshly baked peanut butter cookies. I enjoyed one in the afternoon. Oh my goodness! It was fantastic.
I had the other one before I went to bed.
As soon as I ate the first one however, I just had to message her and ask her for the recipe. She was quite happy to share it with me. I am not kidding when I tell you they are fantastic.
The full recipe makes about 4 dozen of the most deliciously scrumptious peanut butter cookies you could ever want to enjoy. Crisp and filled with loads of peanut butter flavor. Yummy. Yummy. Yummy.
Of course I did not need 4 dozen cookies and so I downsized the recipe to make just 2 dozen cookies. I have already eaten two. Yes. I am a glutton. I am hoping and praying that I can leave it at that! For today anyways!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE CINDY'S PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES (SMALL BATCH)
Again, simple store cupboard baking ingredients.
- 1/2 cup (120g) butter
- 1/2 cup (90g) peanut butter
- 1/2 cup (100g) soft light brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1 large free range egg
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 1/4 cups (175g) plain all purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp baking soda (bicarbonate)
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
Let it be noted, I always bake by weight. It is much more accurate. A cup is not always a cup. Cups can vary in their sizes greatly. An Australian cup is not the same as a North American cup.
You might pack more into a cup than another person by measuring it into the cup improperly. There are all sorts of reasons why a cup might be a whole lot different for each person who is baking with them.
Grams never change. Grams are always grams. Weight never fluctuates. It is always consistent, meaning you always end up with a consistent bake.
It is very easy to pick up a set of digital scales and they are not all that expensive. I would not be without one. I will get off my soap box now.
I used ordinary smooth Kraft brand peanut butter for my cookies. I think my sister used crunchy. Any commercial brand will work. I am not sure about the natural peanut butter, not having used it. Ever.
I also just use salted butter. I always just use salted butter with very few exceptions. I find it is much easier to keep and use just one kind of butter in my home and I will cut back on the salt required in a recipe instead.
I use organic granulated sugar, which hasn't been bleached, but this is a personal preference. Ordinary granulated sugar will work. I use normal light brown sugar. In the UK I used to use Muscovado sugar, which has a higher molasses count, but I have not seen that here in Canada.
HOW TO MAKE CINDY'S PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
They are quite simple to make. I use a cookie scoop to scoop out mine. If you don't have a cookie scoop, then use a spoon to scoop out about 1 1/2 TBS and roll into a ball, placing the balls evenly spaced on the cookie sheet.
Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/gas mark 4. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment. Set aside.
Cream together the butter and peanut butter until combined and then cream in both sugars.
Beat in the vanilla and egg.
Sift the flour, soda, baking powder and salt together and stir this combination into the creamed mixture until well combined.
Using a cookie scoop, scoop onto the baking sheet, leaving at least 2 inches in between each cookie to allow for spreading.
Pop into the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes until set and golden brown on the bottoms.
Leave to cool on the cookie sheet for about 5 minutes before scooping off onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Repeat until you have used up all the cookie dough. Store any baked cookies in an airtight container.
As I said, I like to use a cookie scoop. This is for several reasons. One, it is less messy than using your hands to roll the cookie dough into balls.
Two, you get uniform sized cookies. All of your cookies will be the same size and shape.
There is no need to press these peanut butter cookies down with a fork. They will spread out evenly and perfectly without that extra step and I love the crackle look baking them this way gives to the tops of them.
They are one very attractive cookie.
This is one very delicious peanut butter cookie. Just sweet enough. If you use crunchy peanut butter you will have little bits of peanut in the cookies. I used smooth. My sister used crunchy, I adored them both.
They are crispy edged and chewy middled. In short, they are the perfect peanut butter cookie. I hope you will give them a go!!
PEANUT BUTTER BLONDIES - This is what you get when a dessert bar collides with a jar of peanut butter and a bag of peanuts. Simply scrumptiously addictive. This small batch recipe makes six incredibly moreish cookie bars.
SALTED CARAMEL PEANUT BUTTER SNACK CAKE - Flavored beautifully with peanut butter and brown sugar. The use of buttermilk in the batter makes for an exceptional cake. The brown sugar also adds to the moist crumb. Topped with a gorgeous salted caramel frosting.
Yield: 2 dozen
Cindy's Peanut Butter Cookies (small batch)
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 12 MinTotal time: 22 Min
This recipe for peanut butter cookies is one I got from my sister. I small batched it to yield just 24 delicious moreish peanut butter cookies!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (120g) butter
- 1/2 cup (90g) peanut butter
- 1/2 cup (100g) soft light brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1 large free range egg
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 1/4 cups (175g) plain all purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp baking soda (bicarbonate)
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/gas mark 4. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment. Set aside.
- Cream together the butter and peanut butter until combined and then cream in both sugars.
- Beat in the vanilla and egg.
- Sift the flour, soda, baking powder and salt together and stir this combination into the creamed mixture until well combined.
- Using a cookie scoop, scoop onto the baking sheet, leaving at least 2 inches in between each cookie to allow for spreading.
- Pop into the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes until set and golden brown on the bottoms.
- Leave to cool on the cookie sheet for about 5 minutes before scooping off onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Repeat until you have used up all the cookie dough.
- Store any baked cookies in an airtight container.
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One of my absolute favorite cookies are oatmeal cookies. I love them chewy in the middle with crisp edges. I love them crispy through and through. I love them filled with raisins, or filled with nuts, or chocolate chips, or all three! I JUST LOVE OATMEAL COOKIES, any which way I can get them.
I was perusing Pinterest one day last week and discovered this recipe for Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars on a blog called Tastes Better From Scratch. They looked and sounded delicious!
They are like oatmeal cookies, but in bar shape. No fussing about with scooping or dropping onto baking sheets. You just make the dough, press it into a baking tin, bake and then cut into squares.
I am all for easy. And these looked incredibly easy. I didn't want a full 9 by 13 inch baking pan of them however. With only me in the house, I just can't handle that much when it comes to sweets, especially dangerously delicious ones.
When God was handing out willpower he must have run out of it by the time he got to me. Because I have no willpower when it comes to certain things. Potato chips, French fries, cookies, cakes, etc. If it is bad for you, I don't seem to have the power to resist it.
In short, it is dangerous for me to have things like this in the house in any huge quantity. I can handle a small amount, and do give what I can away to family or friends. What am I doing in this job! I should get danger pay! LOL
I do like to bake something tasty at the weekend as a treat however. Its something I have done for years and years. I knew I had to bake these delicious looking bars and so I decided to cut the recipe in half and then share them with my family.
A joy shared is a joy doubled right? I knew nobody would be complaining!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE BARS (SMALL BATCH)
Simple every day baking ingredients.
- 1/2 cup (120g) butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100g) soft light brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 large free range egg
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 cup (105g) plain all purpose flour
- 1 cup (80g) old fashioned oats
- 1 cup (180g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
Just use regular butter for these. I only ever really have regular butter in the house. If you are afraid that they will be too salty (I can promise you they are not) then leave the salt out of the recipe, or cut it down. I think you need at least a little bit of salt.
A little bit of salt helps to enhance the flavor of sweet things.
I always use free range eggs and pure vanilla extract. I started using organic sugar when I moved back to Canada. My sister uses organic and I liked it. Its unbleached and tastes nice. I buy it in big bags from Costco.
I also use the chocolate chips that you can buy at Costco, Kirkland brand. They are the best. Nice and chocolatey.
I always use large flake natural oatmeal when I am baking. Don't be tempted to use quick oats or instant oats. You want oats with a tooth for these. Call me quirky, but I also only keep large flake natural oatmeal in my house as well.
You can't beat them for their wholesome, toothy, nutty flavor!
HOW TO MAKE OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE BARS
Nothing could be easier. Mix, spread, bake, cool and cut. Yummy!
Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter an 8 inch square baking tin and line with baking paper, leaving an overhang for ease of removal.
Cream together the butter and both sugars with an electric hand whisk until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
Sift together the flour, soda, baking powder and salt. Stir this into the creamed mixture, combining well. Stir in the oats and the chocolate chips.
Press the mixture into the baking tin, leveling everything off as best as you can.
Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown. Leave to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before lifting out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Cut into squares when completely cold.
Do make sure you allow them to cool completely before you cut them into bars or squares. They cut so much neater.
These are incredibly moreish. Crispy edges, chewy middles. Buttery. Loaded with sweet chocolate chips. Loads of wholesome nuttiness from the oats. It really doesn't get much better than this.
If you are a fan of the cookie bar then you will probably also love these!
GINGER CREAM BARS - A cake type of bar very reminiscent of gingerbread, but chewy, with crisp edges. Incredibly moist as well with a lush buttercream frosting. Spiced just right!
MAGIC COOKIE BARS - This is a small batch recipe for your favorite magic cookie bars. Ingredients are simply layered in a tin and baked. Buttery cookie crumb base, toasted pecans, three kinds of chocolate chips (semi-sweet, white and peanut butter), flaked coconut and sweetened condensed milk. Incredibly moreish!
Yield: 12 squares
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars (small batch)
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 40 Min
Thick, chewy, buttery and incredibly moreish. Need I say anything else? These are perfect.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (120g) butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100g) soft light brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 large free range egg
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 cup (105g) plain all purpose flour
- 1 cup (80g) old fashioned oats
- 1 cup (180g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter an 8 inch square baking tin and line with baking paper, leaving an overhang for ease of removal.
- Cream together the butter and both sugars with an electric hand whisk until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
- Sift together the flour, soda, baking powder and salt. Stir this into the creamed mixture, combining well. Stir in the oats and the chocolate chips.
- Press the mixture into the baking tin, leveling everything off as best as you can.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown. Leave to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before lifting out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Cut into squares when completely cold.
Thanks so much for visiting! Do come again!
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