This recipe I am sharing with you today is for a wonderfully moist and delicious golden layer cake filled and frosted with a lush and rich chocolate frosting.
When I worked at the Manor this was the Birthday cake that I had to make for the Mister every year on his Birthday. It was his favourite cake, the only difference being that I had to use an American golden yellow cake mix to bake it for them, rather than from scratch as that was what they were used to.
I will tell you right now, that cake isn't a touch on how good this one is. This is many, MANY times better.
It is a recipe I adapted from a cookery book by America's Test Kitchen, entitled "The Complete Cooking for Two Cookbook."
Yes, you read that right. This recipe is intended for only two people . . . I think they would have to be two really greedy people however because I think you could easily get 6 delicious slices from it.
The cake is moist and so delicious. Not too sweet and a perfect golden colour. It uses cake flour, which is not something we can get over here. I made my own cake flour. To do that I weighed out the flour, removed a tablespoon and then replaced the tablespoon I removed with 1 tablespoon of cornflour (corn starch). It worked very well.
Its a bit of work in that you have to beat one of the egg whites separately with some of the sugar until stiff and glossy.
All of the dry ingredients and the remaining sugar get whisked together in a bowl.
Melted butter, oil, egg yolks, buttermilk, and vanilla are whisked together and then are beaten into the dry ingredients and then the egg white is folded into that mixture.
You will need two six inch round layer cake tins. When I had divided the batter between the tins and baked the cake (which doesn't take very long) I was a bit surprised as I thought the layers would be quite a bit thicker.
But trust me when I say that when you layer them together with that rich frosting they are just thick enough.
That frosting . . . oh my, my . . . it is lush and very rich, and beautifully chocolaty and creamy! Almost like a mousse!
It is very rich, which is why I think that you would get six slices of cake from this instead of four. If you could eat a quarter of this cake in on sitting, I would be amazed!
This was just perfect. Not too big. Not too small. Just right.
Golden Layer Cake with Chocolate Frosting
Yield: 2
A beautifully moist yellow layer cake with a lush chocolate frosting, perfectly sized for two people. You will need two round six-inch layer cake tins. Alternately you could bake in a small loaf tin, but timings will need to be revised slightly
ingredients:
For the cake:
- 2 large free range egg yolks, plus one large white, room temperature
- 100g caster sugar (1/2 cup)
- 105g cake flour (3/4 cup)
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/8 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 80ml buttermilk (1/3 cup)
- 3 TBS unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 TBS vegetable oil
- 3/4 tsp vanilla
For the frosting:
- 170g milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips (6 ounces)
- 200g unsalted butter softened (14 TBS)
- 86g icing sugar (2/3 cup)
- 56g cocoa powder (not drink mix) (1/2 cup), sifted
- 175g golden syrup (1/2 cup, corn syrup)
- 1 tsp vanilla
instructions:
How to cook Golden Layer Cake with Chocolate Frosting
- Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter two six inch round cake tins and line the bottoms with baking paper. Set aside.
- Beat the egg white with an electric mixer until it gets foamy. Continue to beat until it softly mounds, then slowly beat in 2 TBS of the sugar until glossy stiff peaks form. Set aside.
- Whisk the egg yolks together with the buttermilk, melted butter, oil and vanilla until smooth.
- Sift the flour, baking powder, soda and salt together in a bowl. Stir in the remaining sugar. Stir in the egg yolk mixture and mix until almost combined. Stir in 1/3 of the egg white, then carefully fold in the remaining egg white until there are no longer any white streaks. Divide between each baking tin. Tap each tin gently on the counter once to release any air bubbles.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 16 to 18 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the centre should come out clean with only a few moist crumbs.
- Let sit in the tins for 10 minutes before tipping out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Carefully peel off the paper and discard. Cool completely before frosting.
- To make the frosting, melt the chocolate chips in a bowl in the microwave at 30 second intervals on high, stirring each time, until melted and smooth. Set aside to cool somewhat.
- Whip the butter, sugar, sifted cocoa powder, and salt together until smooth. Beat in the corn syrup and vanilla, then beat in the melted chocolate chips until smooth and creamy.
- Put a small dollop of icing in the middle of a small plate. Top with one layer of the cake. Spread with about 1/3 of the frosting. Top with the other cake layer and Spread 1/3 of the frosting on top. Spread the remaining frosting evenly around the edges.
- Cut into wedges to serve.
Now that I have made one cake, small sized I think I can play with the recipe a bit and adapt it to other flavours, etc. Watch this space!
I wanted to share a recipe with you today for a fabulously quick and delicious meal salad for those times when you are a bit short on time, but still wanting to serve something fabulously tasty, nutritious and healthy for your family! This Wild Alaska Salmon & Warm Vegetable Salad delivers on all three counts. Not only is it nutritious and healthy, but it is also delicious!
I have used canned Wild Alaska Salmon for this dish. Canned Alaska Salmon is a great store-cupboard ingredient to have on hand for all sorts and it really shines in this quick and easy recipe.
Alaska, which is the 49th State, is located in the very far North West extremity of North America Sparsely populated it is one of the world's largest seafood exporters. If it were a country, it would rank as the ninth-largest seafood exporter, by value and seventh in terms of volume.
Seafood is Alaska's most valuable renewable resource and It is the state's second largest industry behind oil/gas, in terms of generated labour.
As you can see, commercial fishing and seafood processing are vitally important for rural and coastal communities in the state, which is sparsely populated, accounting for roughly a third of all private sector employment!
In a world where sustainable resourcing of fish is incredibly important seafood from Alaska is not only sustainable, but wild and completely natural. Fish from Alaska swim wild in the icy North Pacific Ocean waters. This freedom to swim and the fish's natural diet help to create a superior taste and texture, making for a firmer, fitter and more vibrant fish.
With no artificial colouring, preservatives, pesticides or GMOs, wild Alaska Seafood live in some of the cleanest waters in the world.
It is also completely sustainable, so you can feel good about purchasing Alaska Seafood. When the state was founded in 1859, it was written into their constitution that their fish "be utilised, developed and maintained on the sustained yield principle." In Alaska "Sustainable" applies not only to the fish, but also to the local communities, but the fishermen and women as well as the economic return. All pretty positive things!
There are many nutritional benefits to eating wild Alaska Seafood. Not only is it an excellent source of lean protein, but it is also rich in important vitamins and minerals including amino acids, selenium, vitamins E, C, D, and A. Eating this complete high-quality protein builds and maintains lean body mass, helps to regulate your metabolism and builds stronger muscles which can result in greater mobility, strength and dexterity. This really is the protein choice of champions!
Containing zinc, iron, selenium and calcium Seafood from Alaska is also packed with healthy Omega-3 fatty acids which are essential to the human body. DHA and EPA help to ensure a healthy heart, brain, immune system, vision nerve cells and gums.
Alaska plays home to five different types of wild salmon:
- King Salmon which is sold in Waitrose over the Christmas period either as a side or fillets.
- Sockeye Salmon which has the widest range of availability in the UK and can be found smoked, chilled or canned.
- Coho Salmon which is available smoked and as fillets
- Keta Salmon which is available chilled as fillets, strips and smoked.
- Pink Salmon which is available canned or as frozen fillets.
Every species of salmon found in Alaska is filled with healthy Omega-3 fatty acids DHA & EPA. Wild Alaska Sockeye is the most abundant salmon in the UK to buy and is renowned for its vibrant red flesh. 85g of Wild Alaska Sockeye contains 23g of protein, 730mg of Omega-3s and 4.7g of fat. As you can see it packs a real nutritional punch!
Wild Salmon is the perfect addition to and can help to maintain a rich diet. Its high in protein and low in fat which is the perfect combination for training sessions. The high levels of Omega-3 fatty acids help with the recovery of joints and muscle soreness, allowing the body to train for longer periods of time and at a higher intensity.
Wild Alaska Salmon & Warm Vegetable Salad
Yield: 4
For a healthy, flavour-packed salad that's made in just moments, you can't beat this easy recipe. Its delicious!
ingredients:
- 1 X (418g) or 2 (213g) cans of red or pink wild Alaska Salmon (14 3/4 oz or 2 X 7.5 oz)
- 3 TBS olive oil
- 2 shallots, peeled and sliced
- 12 cherry tomatoes, halved
- 250g (9-oz) roasted peppers in brine, drained
- 175g (6-oz) grilled artichokes in brine or oil, drained
- 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
- 2 TBS lemon juice
- 1 tsp wholegrain mustard
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 X bag rocket, watercress, and spinach salad leaves (about 4 cups)
instructions:
How to cook Wild Alaska Salmon & Warm Vegetable Salad
- Drain the salmon, discarding the liquid. Remove any skin and bones, if wished, and break the salmon into large chunks with a fork.
- Heat 1 TBS of the olive oil in a frying pan and add the shallots. Cook gently for a couple of minutes, then add the cherry tomatoes, peppers and artichokes, tossing them together as they cook for about two minutes, to warm them through.
- Whisk together the remaining olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice and mustard. Season with salt and pepper.
- Share the salad leaves between 4 plates. Gently stir the salmon chunks through the vegetables, and then divide between the plates Drizzle with the dressing and serve at once.
NOTES:
Cook's Tip: If you're not keen on artichokes, use mushrooms instead.
Canned salmon was often on the menu when I was growing up and when I was bringing up my own family. Not only was it a very convenient store cupboard ingredient, but it was filled with lean, high-quality protein, which as a mum was very important to me.
Canned Salmon from Alaska contains both Sockeye (red salmon) or Pink Salmon. A 213g can (7.5-oz) contains:
- 43g of protein
- 16g Vitamin D
- 0g Carbohydrates
It is available in two forms: skin & bone included, or skinless and boneless. The benefits of skin & bone salmon are that it falls apart easily and it is full of calcium, which is good for building and maintaining healthy bones and teeth. A 213g can of skin & bone salmon contains a full 240mg of calcium. It also helps with cardiac muscle protection, weight managemnt, the prevention of kidney stones and dental care. This is a benefit that skinless & boneless cans don't have.
Alaska seafood is widely available in all the major supermarkets in the UK, including Waitrose, Tesco, Sainsbury's, ASDA, Morrisons, Iceland, Aldi and Lidl.
- Alaska Salmon is found in fillets (chilled and frozen), canned and smoked,
- Alaska Pollock is sold in frozen fillets by most supermarkets including Ocado and Iceland.
- Canned Salmon from Alaska is sold by John West, Princes and many own brand labels.
Both wild salmon and pollock can be cooked from frozen.
Post sponsered by Alaska Seafood
My Todd really loves King Prawns. I don't cook them for him often enough. I confess, I can't eat them due to an allergy, but every once in a while I do cook some for him and he thoroughly enjoys them I have to say.
We get beautiful King Prawns from the people at Seafresh Quality Foods. Seafresh is an on line fish monger which sells quality fish, seafood,
poultry and meat. I have always been incredibly impressed with both
their product and their delivery service! I have never had a bad experience. You can read about my first experience here!
Today I gave them somewhat of a Spanish flair with a recipe I adapted from the Delicious magazine website. It was meant to be used as a romantic starter for two people for a celebratory dinner.
Todd enjoyed them as a main with some brown rice. I didn't cook the sauce down as much as the original recipe called for so I would have plenty of sauce to spoon over his rice.
The smokiness comes from the use of smoked paprika, or Pimentón which is its proper name. It is a really fabulous ingredient with a lovely smoky flavour and is most often used in Spanish Cooking. It is what helps to give Spanish Chorizo its fabulous colour and flavour.
What are the origins of Spanish Paprika or Pimentón?
Paprika is made from ground, dried red chile peppers originally from the Americas. So important is paprika to Spanish cooking and so demanding are the Spanish of quality paprikas that there are Denominations of Origin (D.O.) for paprika. One of the D.O. is located in Murcia, a province on the Southeastern coast of Spain, between Almeria and Alicante. (Ariana is from Alicante.) The other and more famous is La Vera, which is located in Cáceres, Extremadura, southwest of Madrid. Both of these areas are warm and dry in the summer, which makes them perfect for growing peppers.
It is widely believed that Christopher Columbus brought it back to Spain from the Americas. There are three varieties of Pimentón.
- Pimentón Dulce or Sweet Paprika: Round red peppers make this mild, light orange paprika.
- Pimentón Agridulce or Medium Hot Paprika: Longer, dark red pepper make a medium-hot paprika.
- Pimentón Picante or Hot Paprika: Made from any of several different types of long red peppers.
The one I used today is Pimenton De La Vera. Calidad: Picante, which means it is fairly hot. Todd likes spicy things. Myself, not so much, which is just as well because I was making these for Todd.
I can see where the dish would make for a romantic starter for two, with its bright colour and bold flavour . . . the squeezing of the lemon wedges over top . . . crusty bread to mop up all the juices.
There are two cloves of garlic in it so you do want to be sharing it with your partner if you are doing this as a romantic dinner so that you both smell like garlic, lol.
The sauce itself, takes about half an hour to make, but once the sauce is done, it goes rather quickly.
The prawns cook in 3 to 4 minutes. Any longer and you risk them turning rubbery. For a romantic meal you can make the sauce ahead of time and then just reheat and add the raw prawns a few minutes before you want to serve them.
As well as garlic, there is onion and a quantity of chopped fresh coriander, very Spanish I would say. Cilantro is another name for Coriander. If you are not fond of it, and I know many are not . . . you could use fresh flat leaf parsley.
Smoky Tomato & Garlic Prawns
Yield: 2
This was touted as a great starter for a romantic dinner on the Delicious site. Todd enjoyed it as a delicious main with some brown rice on the side. This was very quick and easy to make.
ingredients:
- 2 TBS extra virgin olive oil, plus more to drizzle
- 1 medium brown onion, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1/2 tsp smoked Spanish paprika (pimenton)
- 400g tin of chopped tomatoes, in tomato juice, undrained (14 1/2 ounces)
- splash of balsamic vinegar
- pinch of sugar
- 125g raw king prawns (1/4 pound)
- handful of fresh coriander, washed and chopped (cilantro)
- salt and black pepper to taste
- lemon wedges to serve
- sliced green chilies to serve (If you like things hot)
instructions:
How to cook Smoky Tomato & Garlic Prawns
- Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and cook gently over low heat, for about 10 minutes, until softened but not coloured. Add the garlic and smoked paprika. Cook and stir for a further 3 to 4 minutes until very fragrant. Add the tomatoes, vinegar and pinch of sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer and then cook over low heat, stirring often, until the tomatoes have reduced and the sauce is rich and thick. Taste and season with salt and pepper as required. Stir in the raw prawns. Stir around in the sauce to coat and cook for a further 3 to 4 minutes, just until pink. Stir in the chopped coriander along with a drizzle of olive oil. Scatter with the sliced chilies (if using) and serve with wedges of lemon to squeeze over top. Crusty bread goes well to mop up all of that delicious sauce.
What I really love about their King Prawns from Seafresh is that they are responsibly sourced and quick frozen individually. I can take out as
many or as little as I want, which makes them very handy to use and
ideal for us as we are a small family. Also because only Todd eats
them, I can take out just enough for him to enjoy without having to thaw
out the whole pack. They are also shelled and
de-veined at the source, so, once defrosted, you can just cook them
without any messing
about.
Another thing that I love about these is that Todd really feels special when I cook something like this just for him. That makes me happy!
A few things about Seafresh:
- Same Day dispatch on orders received before 1 PM.
- All packages are carefully hand packed.
- Free delivery on orders above £50, £8 on orders below that amount.
- Responsibly and sustainably sourced.
- Air Blast Frozen at source within 4 hours of being caught.
- Wide variety to choose from.
Follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Note - Although I was gifted with product free of charge for the purposes of review, I was not required to write a positive review in exchange, nor would my integrity allow me to recommend anything if I did not truly like it. Any and all my opinions are my own entirely.
I've been cooking and sharing recipes online for about 18 years now. I have shared my love of food and recipes on a variety of sites throughout the years, some of which no longer exist.
I discovered very early during my online journey that people really love food and recipes and that I had plenty to share. My blog in its current form has been going for about 10 years now.
Throughout that time I have shared well over 3000 recipes with you. That's a lot of food and a lot of cooking and a lot of tastiness. I thought it would be fun today to share some of my all time favourites with you!
Perhaps some of them are also yours, or maybe you have missed some. In any case there is sure to be something here for everyone.
Creole Chocolate Cake. This is one that I shared with you back in August of last year on my Birthday. This is my all time favourite chocolate cake for several reasons.
It could be the incredibly moist chocolate sponge, or maybe the date caramel nut filling, combined with that rich whipped cream. Don't get me started on the sour cream chocolate ganache frosting. Its just a winner from the outside in and back out again!
Classic Fruited Scones. I love doing tutorials and this one I did on the classic British fruited scone is on of the favourites that I have done.
These scones always turn out light and flaky and go so wonderful with some clotted cream, jam and of course a nice hot cuppa.
BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger Skillet Macaroni. This was a favourite of ours for many years and many Missionaries have enjoyed eating it at our table. A couple of years ago I decided to add some BBQ Sauce to my old standard and took it from wow to WOWSA!
Bacon, ground beef, cheese and a delicious sauce combined with cooked macaroni for a dinner that everyone is sure to want seconds of.
Baby Gem Salad with a Blue Cheese Vinaigrette. I could eat this every night of the week. Crisp baby lettuces, with a wonderfully tangy vinaigrette, plenty of cheese and sharp spring onion. I could eat this and nothing else, truth be told. It is that good.
Crispy Tortilla Eggs. With crisp cheese filled tortillas on the bottom, a perfectly fried egg on top and some sriarcha sauce, green tabasco and spring onions.
I once ate these three times in one week. Yes, they are that good!
Basic Roast Chicken. Of all the roast chickens, this one is the best in my opinion. Nothing
is more comforting than a delicious dinner of Roast Chicken and
vegetables. Crisp skin on the outside, and succulent, flavourful, tender
and juicy meat on the inside.
This is my way of achieving just that.
Lemon and Garlic bring out the best in chicken. The three just go
together like peas and carrots!
Blackberry Pie Bars. Picture this . . . a buttery shortbread cookie type of base . . .
topped with fresh blackberries . . . topped with a rich sour cream
filling . . . and a final topping of the shortbread mixture, crumbled
this time . . .
Cabbage Soup with Cheese. My goodness but this is tasty. Just perfect for these cooler autumn
nights when one has been out and about in the chill. Makes a sturdy
lunch, and a delicious light supper, especially when accompanied with
some crusty bread or homemade scones!
Canadian Dutchies. These sultana studded glazed and yeast raised Doughnuts are a bit of a Canadian
Institution! Not as hard to make as you might think. You can easily
double and make more.
Cardamom & Coffee Bundt Cake. This beautiful cake is an adaptation of the Perfect Pound Cake recipe found
in Rose Levy Bernbaum's Cake Bible. Its rich, dense and delicious with a
wonderful cardamom batter swirled with a tasty coffee and cocoa swirl.
This is a cake that gets better tasting with each day that passes.
That's only ten for you to be getting on with. There are ever so much more. Just a tiny taste today. Enjoy!
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