Showing posts with label Cake. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cake. Show all posts
I have a delicious quick bread recipe to share with you today! No yeast required, just simple store cupboard ingredient, put together in a simple and tasty way. No waiting for the bread to rise. No faffing about with special equipment!
Just mix, spread into the pan and bake.
I love quick breads. They are a real favorite around here to enjoy with a hot drink. They also make great sandwiches to serve at tea parties, sliced thin and spread with cream cheese or butter.
This Brown Sugar Quick Bread recipe is especially delicious. Sweetened and flavored only with brown sugar, it goes together quickly and easily. It is made with staple ingredients and can be put together and be baking in the oven in in not much more than five minutes of time.
You don't even have to crack out the stand or hand mixer. It can all be done with a whisk and a spoon.
I am a person who loves to enjoy my quick breads, slice thin and spread with softened butter. I enjoy them warm. I enjoy them cold. Simply put, I just plain enjoy them, and this tasty version is one of my favorites. From my Big Blue Binder, this is a simple quick bread recipe that I have had for a very long time. Handed down to me from a friend a long time ago. Enjoy!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE
BROWN SUGAR QUICK BREAD
Pretty simple everyday baking cupboard staples.
- 1 cup (200g) soft light brown sugar, packed (The cup should hold the shape of the sugar when dumped out.)
- 2 cups (250g) plain all-purpose flour, unsifted (Spoon into the measuring cup and level off with a straight edge.)
- 1 TBS Baking Powder (I like to use aluminum free as I have a sensitivity to aluminum. That is all I can taste.)
- 1/2 tsp salt (I used fine sea salt.)
- 1 large egg (The equivalent in the U.K. is a medium sized egg.)
- 1 cup (240ml) whole milk (You can use semi skim if that is all you have, but I do not recommend using no fat milk.)
- 1/3 cup (80ml) vegetable oil (I used light olive oil.)
HOW TO MAKE
BROWN SUGAR QUICK BREAD
This is as simple as mixing the combined dry ingredients and the combined wet ingredients together, scraping the batter into a prepped pan and baking!
- Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/gas mark 4. Butter an 8 by 4-inch loaf tin and line with baking paper if desired. (I like to add some paper so that I can lift it out easily when done.)
- Whisk the brown sugar, flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl. Set aside. (I use a wire whisk to do this.)
- In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, egg and vegetable oil until well combined. (Again, I use a wire whisk to do this.)
- Stir in the dry ingredients just to combine. It will not be smooth and lump free, but there should be no obvious dry streaks of flour. (I do this with a wooden spoon. Do NOT overmix.)
- Spread in the prepared loaf tin. Use a knife and make a cut down through the center along the length of it. (This makes a nice crack in the top. It is an optional step.)
- Bake in the preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes until done. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean and the top should spring back when lightly touched.
- Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before lifting out to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store in an airtight container.
WHAT IS A QUICK BREAD??
A quick bread is a type of bread that does not use yeast as a leavener. Instead, it will use baking powder or baking soda, or a combination of the two.
They come in both sweet and savory versions, as well as in loaf and muffin shapes. Think Banana Bread or Bran Muffins. Both are what is known as quick breads.
Baking Powder Biscuits or Scones are also known as quick breads.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
HOW LONG WILL THIS QUICK BREAD KEEP?
This bread will keep for up to 5 days stored at room temperature in an airtight container or wrapped in clingfilm. Alternately you can keep it in the refrigerator, tightly wrapped for up to a week. Bring to room temperature before serving.
CAN THIS BE FROZEN?
This bread can absolutely be frozen. It will keep, tightly wrapped, for up to three months in the freezer. I wrap it in plastic cling film first and then in aluminum foil. Bring to room temperature before serving.
CAN I ADD CHOCOLATE CHIPS, NUTS OR DRIED FRUIT?
For sure! White, milk, or semi-sweet chocolate chips make an excellent addition. Alternately, you can add chopped toasted walnuts or pecans. Raisins or dried cranberries or blueberries make another excellent addition.
Want to spice it up? Simply add cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg or all three to the brown sugar/flour mixture when putting the loaf together. I wouldn't add any more than 1 tsp altogether.
HINTS AND TIPS
FOR QUICK BREAD SUCCESS
If you follow my hints and tips there is no reason why you can't bake a really great quick bread successfully!
1. Make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature unless otherwise specified.
2. Use the best quality ingredients that you can afford and at your disposal.
3. Whisk all of the dry ingredients together in one bowl and your wet ingredients together in another bowl/beaker before combining together.
4. Combine the wet and dry ingredients together quickly and do not over mix. They need only be combined until the dry ingredients are evenly moistened without any large pockets or streaks of dry ingredients.
5. Do not over combine the dough. A light hand is preferable. A few lumps are perfectly okay and quite acceptable. Over combining yields a tougher bake.
6. Spoon into your baking pan/tin as soon as possible after combining in order to gain the maximum lift from the leavening used.
A FEW OTHER
QUICK BREADS YOU MIGHT ENJOY
CRANBERRY, NUT & ORANGE BREAD - Adapted from a beloved vintage cookbook, this is a timeless quick bread that is bursting with tart cranberries, crunchy toasted walnuts, and the bright zest of fresh orange. Yeast free, no waiting, just mix, bake and enjoy!
CHEESE & PEPPER BREAD - Not all quick breads need to be sweet! This is a savory quick bread that goes wonderfully with soups or hearty stews or sliced thin for elegant tea sandwiches spread with Boursin or cream cheese. It is rich with sharp cheddar cheese and flecked with coarse black pepper. A no-fuss loaf that delivers big flavor with minimal effort!
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Yield: one 8 by 4-inch loaf
Brown Sugar Quick Bread
Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 60 MinTotal time: 1 H & 5 M
Delicious and easy to make, this is a quick bread that everyone is sure to love. The brown sugar gives it a lovely almost caramel flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (200g) soft light brown sugar, packed
- 2 cups (250g) plain all-purpose flour, unsifted
- 1 TBS Baking Powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup (240ml) whole milk
- 1/3 cup (80ml) vegetable oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/gas mark 4. Butter an 8 by 4-inch loaf tin and line with baking paper if desired. (I like to add some paper so that I can lift it out easily when done.)
- Whisk the brown sugar, flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, egg and vegetable oil until well combined.
- Stir in the dry ingredients just to combine. It will not be smooth and lump free, but there should be no obvious dry streaks of flour.
- Spread in the prepared loaf tin. Use a knife and make a cut down through the center along the length of it. (This makes a nice crack in the top. It is an optional step.)
- Bake in the preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes until done. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean and the top should spring back when lightly touched.
- Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before lifting out to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store in an airtight container
This content, written and photography, is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.
Thanks for visiting! Do come again!!
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I know it's not long since Christmas has passed and I still have Christmas cake in the cake tin, but I was wanting something different with my hot drink today. It's been snowing all day and I just wanted to sit down with a hot drink and a piece of cake and watch the snow fall.
I did not want heavy fruit cake, however. I wanted something much lighter. I also did not want a cake that was going to be hanging about for any more than a day or two.
When I discovered this cake on Your Home-Based Mom, it looked perfect! Sized just for two people. Easy to put together. Not complicated.
I adapted it to reflect British/European measures so that it could be easily baked on both sides of the pond. I baked it in a 5 by 7-inch shallow casserole dish, which worked out very well. I dare say a 7-inch square dish would also work. I would not go much larger than that or you will have a flat cake.
It is supposed to be the right size for two people, and it is, if you are hearty eaters. I think it cuts better into four servings, which means you can enjoy it on the first day and then again, a second day. It's up to you! In any case, it is so delicious it won't be hanging around for very long in the cake tin! There is no waste here!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE CINNAMON SWIRL CAKE FOR TWO
Just a few simple ordinary baking cupboard ingredients. There is nothing out of the ordinary here.
For the cake:
- 3/4 cup (94g) all-purpose plain flour
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 cup + 2 TBS (90ml) whole milk
- 2 TBS beaten egg
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 2 TBS butter, melted
For the cinnamon filling:
- 1/4 cup (57g) butter, softened
- 1/4 cup (50g) soft light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 TBS plain all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
For the glaze:
- 1/2 cup (65g) icing sugar, sifted (confectioners, powdered)
- 1 TBS whole milk (may not need it all)
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
To measure the flour if using cups, spoon into the cup and level off with the flat edge of a knife. I used unbleached flour. I also used kosher salt as that is what I have in the house.
Whole milk because all I have is whole milk. You will not need all of one egg beaten, only 2 TBS of it. Don't be tempted to use the whole egg or your consistency will be off. You want a sturdier cake batter to stand up to the cinnamon filling/swirl.
You can use more or less cinnamon in the filling, according to your own taste. I found 2 tsp right for me. The original recipe called for 1/4 TBS. I couldn't be bothered to figure out how much that was. Perhaps 1 1/2 tsp?
Do let the cake cool before glazing it or the glaze will just run off of the cake.
HOW TO MAKE CINNAMON SWIRL CAKE FOR TWO
This was very simple to make, using the one bowl method for the cake batter. I used a small ceramic casserole to bake mine in (5 by 7 inches in size.) I would not go much larger than that.
Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter a baking dish that is 5 by 7 inches in size (should hold 3 cups or 1 1/2 pints). Set aside.
Measure the ingredients for the cake into a bowl in the order given and beat together until smooth. Spread this batter into the prepared baking dish.
Stir the ingredients for the cinnamon filling together until smooth and amalgamated. Drop by tsp over the top of the cake batter. Using a round bladed knife swirl the cinnamon mixture into the cake, cutting through lengthwise and crosswise.
Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Leave to cool until just warm, then lift out to a serving platter.
Whisk all of the glaze ingredients together until smooth, using only enough milk to give you a drizzle glaze.
Drizzle the glaze over the cake decoratively and leave to set before cutting into squares to serve alongside your favorite hot beverage.
This was a lovely little cake. It was filled with loads of pockets of the sweet cinnamon mixture, which gets all gooey when it is baked into the cake. Mine did take longer to bake than the original recipe and I have reflected that in the recipe. I am not sure if it was my oven or the size of my pan.
In any case this was delicious. It was purported to serve two, but I think that you can easily get four normal servings from this tasty cake. I enjoyed with a hot cup of orange spiced herbal tea. What a treat this was!
If you are a smaller family or are a fan of small batch cakes, then you might also be interested in the following delicious offerings!
ANGEL FOOD CAKE FOR TWO - This is quite simply my favorite small-batch cake. It is light and fluffy and every bit as delicious as a regular sized angel food cake. Low in fat and beautiful served with fresh berries and cream.
7-UP SHEET CAKE (SMALL BATCH) - There is no leavening in this recipe. Instead, it relies on the carbonation of the 7-Up soda to give it lift. It has a beautiful texture and flavor. Tender and moist, it is delicious. Glazed with a tangy lime-flavored glaze and beautiful served with fresh fruit.
Yield: 2 with leftovers
Cinnamon Swirl Cake for Two
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 45 Min
All the flavors of your favorite cinnamon rolls except in cake form. This is perfect served with a hot drink. Delicious!
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 3/4 cup (94g) all-purpose plain flour
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 cup + 2 TBS (90ml) whole milk
- 2 TBS beaten egg
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 2 TBS butter, melted
For the cinnamon filling:
- 1/4 cup (57g) butter, softened
- 1/4 cup (50g) soft light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 TBS plain all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
For the glaze:
- 1/2 cup (65g) icing sugar, sifted (confectioners, powdered)
- 1 TBS whole milk (may not need it all)
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter a baking dish that is 5 by 7 inches in size (should hold 3 cups or 1 1/2 pints). Set aside.
- Measure the ingredients for the cake into a bowl in the order given and beat together until smooth. Spread this batter into the prepared baking dish.
- Stir the ingredients for the cinnamon filling together until smooth and amalgamated. Drop by tsp over the top of the cake batter. Using a round bladed knife swirl the cinnamon mixture into the cake, cutting through lengthwise and crosswise.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Leave to cool until just warm, then lift out to a serving platter.
- Whisk all of the glaze ingredients together until smooth, using only enough milk to give you a drizzle glaze.
- Drizzle the glaze over the cake decoratively and leave to set before cutting into squares to serve alongside your favorite hot beverage.
Thanks for visiting! Do come again!!
If you like what you see here, why not consider signing up for my newsletter and/or subscribing/following me on Grow. You can also bookmark my recipes via the Grow platform. Check out the heart on the right hand side of the screen.
Also, if you have not checked out my YouTube Channel yet, do give it a gander. I would really appreciate it, and if you want to subscribe that would be even more appreciated! Thank you so much! It is not really fancy like some people's channels. I am very much learning as I go along, but what you get is authentic at least! There is nothing fake there! No filters, bells or whistles. Filmed in real time and unedited!
I stumbled onto this recipe for the French Laundry's Apple Kuchen on Pinterest the other day. It led me to a page called An Inspired Cook. It looked really delicious. I was very keen to try it with the new red fleshed Sweet Tart Applies I had bought.
The French Laundry is a very upscale restaurant in California. It holds three Michelin Stars and serves nothing but a tasting menu, which changes every day. On average a meal eaten there can cost upwards of $390 per person. Much too rich for my budget, although if I won the lottery, I might be tempted.
In any case this cake recipe promised me a tiny taste of what I could expect. I am not sure how entirely authentic it is, but a gal can dream.
It is a cake in the European sense of a cake, which means that it is not overly sweet and has a lovely dense crumb. Some moisture and sweetness are added from the use of apple slices which are poked down into the batter in a "spoke" fashion prior to baking.
This makes for a very impressive presentation. I have included a recipe for a lush vanilla custard sauce to serve with it. This is completely optional. If you don't wish to go to the trouble you could also serve it with a dollop of whipped cream, or a scoop of good vanilla ice cream.
This is a cake that everyone will enjoy. I promise you!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE "FRENCH LAUNDRY'S" APPLE KUCHEN
(with custard sauce)
You only need a few store cupboard baking ingredients for this lovely cake. It really is that simple.
For the cake:
- 6 TBS (86g) butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup (144g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 cups (187g) plain all-purpose flour, unsifted
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup (120ml) whole milk
- 1 - 2 fresh apples, peeled, cored and cut into thin wedges (I used red fleshed sweet tart apples)
- 1 TBS sugar mixed together with 1 tsp ground cinnamon
For the sauce:
- 4 cups (950ml) whole milk
- 4 large egg yolks (or 5 medium)
- 2/3 cup (125g) caster sugar
- 1/4 cup + 3/4 TBS (57g) cornstarch (corn flour)
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
For real success, make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature. This will help to prevent the cake batter from curdling when you beat everything together. If I know I am going to be baking a cake, I will usually take all of the things I am going to need out of the refrigerator about an hour before I start.
I use whole milk and salted butter. It is all I keep in my house. I don't have a problem with either one.
I used red fleshed Sweet Tart apples. I buy them at my local Spurr's Farm Market. It is a variety unique to them. It is the same apple that I used to make my applesauce. You can use any apple you wish. Do not cut them into really thick slices.
You can freeze your egg whites to use for making meringues or even a Pavlova. They really do freeze very well. Just make a note on the outside of your freezer container as to how many egg whites it contains.
HOW TO MAKE FRENCH LAUNDRY'S APPLE KUCHEN WITH CUSTARD SAUCE
As impressive as this cake looks when it is done, it is really a very simple cake to make and to bake.
Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/gas mark 4. Butter a 9-inch round springform pan and dust lightly with flour, tapping out any excess flour.
Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy with an electric mixer. Beat in the egg until creamy.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together. Add this mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with the milk, making three dry and two wet additions.
Spoon the batter into your prepared pan, smoothing over the top evenly. Arrange the apple slices in the top of the cake, spoke fashion, beginning at the center of the cake.
Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar evenly over top of the cake.
Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until well risen, golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (Mine took an additional 10 minutes.) (Leave to cool in the pan before removing.)
Make the custard while the cake is baking. Whisk the egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch together in a medium sized saucepan until it is smooth, thick and yellow.
Heat the milk in the microwave just until bubbles appear around the edges. Do not let it boil.
Slowly whisk the milk into the egg/sugar/cornstarch mixture, whisking constantly, until all of the milk has been added.
Place over medium high heat and cook, stirring constantly, with a whisk until the custard has simmered for a few minutes and thickened up to the desired consistency. It should coat the back of a metal spoon. Place a piece of plastic cling film over the top to help prevent a skin from forming.
Serve the cake slightly warm and cut into wedges with the warm custard for pouring over top. (I did dust the top of my cake with icing sugar for presentation purposes.)
This was quite a sturdy cake with a moist crumb. Very European I felt both in texture and taste. Not overly sweet as North American cakes tend to be. I like that. The apples add a nice touch of sweet/tart and of course there is the cinnamon sugar sprinkled over top.
My apples did not soften overly much and retained a bit of a bite. If that is not something you enjoy, you may want to partially cook them (briefly poach) and leave them to cool before adding them to the cake. Pat them dry before adding.
I chose to make my own custard sauce, rather than the one which was with the original recipe. It is rich and indulgent and goes very well with the cake and the fruit.
If you are fond of cakes with fruit in them, you might also enjoy the following offerings! I can promise you they are delicious as well!
SPICED PLUM CAKE - This is a beautiful cake . . . filled with the lovely flavors of cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom. Sliced plums are arranged on top of the cake prior to baking and they become almost jammy when done, tart and sweet at the same time. The cake and fruit together are beautiful. Serve cut into wedges with lashings of pouring cream for a real taste treat.
PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN BUNDT CAKE - Deliciously impressive to look at. Pineapple rings and cherries are arranged in a sweet sauce, in a beautiful pattern, in the bundt pan prior to adding the cake batter. (I show you how. It's very easy.) Baked to perfection it is quite simply beautiful to look at and is delicious cut into wedges and served with whipped cream spooned over top.
RECIPE HERE
Yield: One 9-inch cake
"French Laundry's" Apple Kuchen with Custard Sauce
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 45 MinTotal time: 1 Hour
A beautiful European style cake, which is not overly sweet. Decorated and filled with sweet slices of apple and served cut into wedges with a sweet custard sauce. This is an impressive dessert that belies the simplicity of its preparation. Make the cake first. You can make the custard while the cake is baking and keep it warm.
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 6 TBS (86g) butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup (144g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 cups (187g) plain all-purpose flour, unsifted
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup (120ml) whole milk
- 1 - 2 fresh apples, peeled, cored and cut into thin wedges (I used red fleshed sweet tart apples)
- 1 TBS sugar mixed together with 1 tsp ground cinnamon
For the sauce:
- 4 cups (950ml) whole milk
- 4 large egg yolks (or 5 medium)
- 2/3 cup (125g) caster sugar
- 1/4 cup + 3/4 TBS (57g) cornstarch (corn flour)
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/gas mark 4. Butter a 9-inch round springform pan and dust lightly with flour, tapping out any excess flour.
- Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy with an electric mixer. Beat in the egg until creamy.
- Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together. Add this mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with the milk, making three dry and two wet additions.
- Spoon the batter into your prepared pan, smoothing over the top evenly. Arrange the apple slices in the top of the cake, spoke fashion, beginning at the center of the cake.
- Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar evenly over top of the cake.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until well risen, golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (Mine took an additional 10 minutes.)
- Make the custard while the cake is baking. Whisk the egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch together in a medium sized saucepan until it is smooth, thick and yellow.
- Heat the milk in the microwave just until bubbles appear around the edges. Do not let it boil.
- Slowly whisk the milk into the egg/sugar/cornstarch mixture, whisking constantly, until all of the milk has been added.
- Place over medium high heat and cook, stirring constantly, with a whisk until the custard has simmered for a few minutes and thickened up to the desired consistency. It should coat the back of a metal spoon. Place a piece of plastic cling film over the top to help prevent a skin from forming.
- Serve the cake slightly warm and cut into wedges with the warm custard for pouring over top. (I did dust the top of my cake with icing sugar for presentation purposes.)
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com
Thanks so much for visiting! Do come again!
If you like what you see here, why not consider signing up for my newsletter and/or subscribing/following me on Grow. You can also bookmark my recipes via the Grow platform. Check out the heart on the right hand side of the screen.
Also, if you have not checked out my YouTube Channel yet, do give it a gander. I would really appreciate it, and if you want to subscribe that would be even more appreciated! Thank you so much! It is not really fancy like some people's channels. I am very much learning as I go along, but what you get is authentic at least! There is nothing fake there! No filters, bells or whistles. Filmed in real time and unedited!
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