Every have one of those days? I had such a day today. This morning I decided I was going to bake Mary Berry's Coffee Victoria Sponge Cake. I love her recipes and I adore any cake that is coffee flavored.
I had spectacular failure, which doesn't normally happen with me. I was standing at the sink doing dishes and I heard a kind of a popping noise behind me.
I turned around thinking that the kittens had finally gotten to the stage where they can jump on the countertop. (Yikes!) I am not looking forward to that stage!
It was not the cats. I had no idea (at that time) what the noise might have been. So I finished the dishes and went to check on my cake layers only to discover they had fallen.
Mystery solved.
I have never had that happen before. I have never had a cake fall so spectacularly that it actually made a noise when it happened! Have you?
I have had cakes fall, just not that I had actually heard the moment it happened. They are still edible, but I will have to find another use for them. I was thinking perhaps a type of tiramisu trifle of sorts?
We shall see. In any case the episode left me without anything to really show you today in the baking arena. On the weekends I like to highlight baking recipes because I know people have more time to bake on Saturday and Sunday.
I don't know about you, but I, personally, happen to like a bit of cake or a cookie at the weekend. Maybe a pie. I don't eat a lot dessert-wise during the week, but at the weekend, I like to splurge a bit.
I decided to update this older post for a Cinnamon Drizzle Cake that I baked and shared almost 10 years ago now. I hope you will forgive me for repeating myself.
Some things do bear repeating however, and this tasty loaf cake is one of them.
This recipe is for an amazingly moist cinnamon cake, baked in a loaf tin. It smells heavenly when its baking, just a small warning there.
While its baking you make a maple and cinnamon drizzle syrup, which you spoon over the warm cake when it comes out of the oven. Making it even moister and more cinnamony.
I have oodles of recipes on here, so many that often things get hidden and never discovered. This cake is one of my hidden gems.
So delicious that I felt it bore repeating. Just in case some of you had missed it the first time around. And I wager that is more than a few of you.
This is a simple cake to make. A quick and easy cake to make. But, don't let its simplicity fool you into thinking that it isn't something special, because it really is!
I am a proponent of the simple things in life. I have always felt that it is the simple things in life which bring us the most joy and meaning, and this cake is guaranteed to bring you and your family plenty of joy!
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO MAKE CINNAMON DRIZZLE CAKE
Simple, simple simple. I bet you have everything in the kitchen right now.
For the cake:
butter (I use regular lightly salted butter)
caster sugar (you can use regular granulated sugar here in North America)
dark muscovado sugar (you can use dark brown sugar)
free range eggs (I always use free range)
self rising flour (I give instructions in the recipe notes on how to make your own)
ground cinnamon (I like Saigon)
For the drizzle:
maple syrup (don't use pancake syrup, use only pure maple syrup)
cinnamon sticks (one cinnamon stick broken in half)
water (just from the tap will do)
HOW TO MAKE CINNAMON DRIZZLE CAKE
Incredibly easy to make, this is bound to become a favorite. I always begin by preheating my oven and buttering my pan. You will need a 9 by 4 inch loaf tin for this cake. Line it with paper and then butter the paper.
Once you have done that you can start mixing the cake together. Just a tip here, when I am making cakes I like to have everything, all my ingredients, at room temperature unless otherwise specified. I find this gives you the best results.
You will need to cream the butter and both sugars together. Sometimes brown types of sugars can be lumpy. If you like you can push it through a sieve to remove the lumps, or you can press them out with your fingertips.
When we were children we loved to come across a lump of caramelized brown sugar in our cakes and cookies. It was like finding candy. As a baker, I don't want that to happen, so I do try to take out any lumps.
Once you have done this you can beat in the eggs, a bit at a time. The reason we do this is so that the mixture doesn't curdle. If you find that your mixture is curdling, just beat in a spoonful of the flour needed for the recipe.
That is guaranteed to get rid of any curdles.
The cake does use self raising flour. Sometimes that can be a bit hard to find, but I tell you in the recipe notes how to make your own. Its really very easy.
You will want to sift your flour together with the cinnamon so that the cinnamon is evenly distributed. Once you have done that you can fold the flour into the beaten mixture using a large metal spoon.
I just use a large serving spoon or a dessert spoon. You want to fold the flour in using a cutting motion. This is so that you don't lose any of the lift from the air you have beaten into the batter.
Fold it in only until no dry streaks remain.
Then you can spoon it into your prepared loaf tin, smoothing over the top. Bake as per the recipe. While it is baking you will want to make the syrup for spooning over the top of the warm cake.
Just combine all of the drizzle ingredients in a saucepan and heat gently until you can smell the cinnamon, then set it aside and keep it warm on low until you take your cake out of the oven.
Once you have the cake out of the oven, then drizzle the cinnamon syrup over the cake a bit at a time letting it absorb as you go along until you have used it all up. Leave the cake to cool in the tin completely before removing it.
I did dust the top of mine with some icing sugar and used the "spent" cinnamon sticks as a garnish. I thought it looked quite pretty, but that's just me.
You can enjoy it cut into thick slices as is, or if you are like me and you can't resist it, a bit of softened butter on this goes a lovely long way. Mmmm . . . . Easy to make and bake. Smells and tastes good. Works for me!
Cinnamon Drizzle Cake
Yield: 8
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 40 MinTotal time: 55 Min
Moist and lightly spiced with cinnamon with a scrummy cinnamon/maple drizzle which is poured over the warm cake, soaking in and making it even more delicious!
Ingredients
For the Loaf:
- 3/4 cup (175g) butter, softened
- 1/3 cup (85g) of caster sugar (1/3 cup)
- 7 TBS of dark muscovado sugar (can use dark brown sugar)
- 3 large free range eggs, beaten
- 1 heaped tsp of ground cinnamon
- 1 1/4 cups (175g) of sifted self raising flour (see note on how to make your own)
For the drizzle:
- 1/2 cup (120ml) of pure maple syrup
- 1 large cinnamon stick broken in half
- 3 TBS water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C180*C./350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter a 9 by 4 inch loaf tin and line with parchment paper. Butter the paper.
- Cream the butter and both sugars together until light and creamy. (You may have to rub the muscovado sugar with your fingers first to break up any lumps)
- Beat in the eggs, a little bit at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Sift together the flour and cinnamon. Gently fold this into the creamed mixture with a large metal spoon, using a cutting motion, until all is well amalgamated and no dry streaks remain.
- Spoon into the prepared loaf tin, smoothing the top over.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the cake is risen and springs back when gently touched on the top, or a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- While the cake is baking, about 5 minutes before the cake is done, combine all the drizzle ingredients in a small saucepan and gently heat until it all smells nice and cinnamon-like. Remove the cinnamon stick and set aside for the moment.
- Pour the drizzle syrup over top of the warm cake, allowing it to soak in as you pour. Allow to cool in the pan completely, before turning out onto a serving plate. If desired you may decorate with the cinnamon stick pieces, but do remove before serving. Cut into slices to serve.
Notes:
It is very easy to make your own self rising flour. For every 1 cup (140g) you need, add 1 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/4 tsp salt. I usually make this up 4 to 5 cups at a time and store it in a tightly covered container in the cupboard.
Ham and Cheese Braid. I am in love. Not only is this sandwich bread/ braid use only four ingredients, but it is also incredibly delicious!
Yes, you heard that correctly. ONLY FOUR INGREDIENTS. Four ingredients and about half an hour of your time, and you and your family can be enjoying this tasty hot sandwich too!
I had some leftover ham that needed using up and I had also bought some refrigerated crescent dough, which needed using.
I don't know why I do it, but, every time they put that stuff on offer at the grocery store, I end up bringing home one or two cans! Its inevitable.
I can't remember the last time I actually rolled it into crescent rolls. I most always use it for something else. It is actually a pretty handy store cupboard refrigerated ingredient to have on hand!
I use it for all sorts. I have filled them with just about everything under the sun. My Pumpkin Pie Rollups are really popular around here this time of year. So are my Reuben Roll Ups.
To be honest you can fill refrigerated crescent rolls with just about anything and come up trumps! Seriously!
These Cherry Croissants are a real favorite of mine. Cherry Pie filling stuffed into a crescent roll, baked in a muffin cup and then drizzled with an almond drizzle frosting.
I mean, what's not to LOVE about that!
Today I had a quantity of leftover cooked ham to use up. I went searching online and found this delicious recipe on Plain Chicken.
Not only did it look quick and easy to make, but it included a lot of my favorite things. Ham. Cheese. Honey Mustard. A triune of amazing flavors that go together really well.
I also just happened to have everything I needed in my refrigerator. So it was a go from the start!
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO MAKE HAM & CHEESE BRAID
Not a lot really.
- Refrigerated Crescent Roll Dough
- Cooked baked ham
- Grated cheese
- Honey mustard
Its simple really.
There are other things you could use rather than the crescent roll dough as well. Ready rolled all butter puff pastry would work very well as would your favorite baking powder biscuit recipe.
You can find mine here. It would work beautifully. Just roll it out into a rectangle and proceed as per the recipe states. It is the same with the puff pastry.
Its my mom's baking powder biscuit recipe, which does make rather a lot, so if you decide to use that, shape and cook half of the recipe as biscuits (which you can freeze to enjoy another time) and half as this tasty braid.
HOW DO YOU MAKE HAM & CHEESE BRAID
Its really simple to make these. As simple as one two three. I like to start by making the filling.
You begin with already cooked ham. You can either use leftovers from a ham dinner, or you can start with cooked ham you have bought in the shops. You need to cut it into small cubes or pieces.
If you are using leftover cooked ham, cut the ham into slices about 1/3 of an inch thick. Stack the slices and then cut through the stack into strips. Then cut the stacked strips into smaller pieces crosswise. (I hope that made sense.)
Pop this into a bowl and add the grated cheese and honey mustard, mixing it all together well. Start preheating your oven now.
Now you need to unroll your croissant dough. I do this right on a piece of baking paper on a baking sheet. You will note that there are already cut separations and perforations in the dough.
Press these closed with your finger tips until you have a solid sheet. (They may fall apart a bit anyways when baking, but not to the detriment of the bake.)
Eyeball the rectangle of dough and visually divide it into thirds lengthwise. Spoon the ham filling down the center third of the dough. It will look like a lot.
Personally I took the cue from Plain Chicken and reserved a bit of it to spoon on the top at the end. As you can see from the photos, it looks really scrumptious that way.
The other two thirds of the pastry rectangle is what will be used to braid over top of the filling. Snip the dough almost all the way to the filling on either side of it.
Make about ten strips on each side, ending about 1/2 inch away from the actual filling. You want each strip to be at least 1 inch in width. The next part is the fiddly part, but even that is fairly easy.
I say fiddly, but it really isn't and there is no right or wrong way to do it. Gently pull the strips up and over the filling to cover it, one at a time and criss crossing them with the strips on the other side.
Just as if you were doing a braid, or plait as it is called in the UK. Don't tug on them too hard as you don't want them to tear. The important thing is that you reasonably cover the filling so that it doesn't ooze out all over the place.
That's it. You have shaped it and now it is time to bake it. (Don't worry if you have reserved some for topping, you don't add that until just before the bake is finished.)
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the oven, adding the additional ham cheese mixture (if using) for the last five minutes of the bake.
Its done when the cheese has melted, the filling is hot and the pastry is flaky golden brown.
Oh my but this was some tasty. It would make a fabulous lunch served with hot cups of soup, or as a snack on game nights.
You could also add a bit bits to it if you were really keen, like chopped spring onions. But I can promise you it is pretty tasty just as it is.
I really hope that you will want to make this tasty bake. I can already see all sorts of applications for this idea. Tuna melt. Hot chicken salad. Roast beef and cheese, etc. As you can see my wheels are turning in overtime!
Delicious!
Ham & Cheese Braid
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 35 Min
Quick, easy to make and using only 4 ingredients. This is a great way to use up leftover ham. Its delicious!
Ingredients
- 1 can of refrigerated crescent rolls
- 1 1/2 cups (225g) cooked ham, chopped
- 2/3 cup (80g) shredded medium cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup (60g) honey mustard
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375*F/190*C/gas mark 5. Have ready a baking sheet which you have lined with baking paper.
- Stir the ham, cheese and honey mustard together in a bowl. Set aside.
- Open your can of crescent rolls. Unroll the rolls lengthwise on the baking sheet. Do not separate into individual rolls. Leave whole.
- Press together any seams or perforations so that you have one solid sheet.
- Spoon the ham/cheese/mustard mixture down the center of the sheet of dough. (reserve some to spoon on the top if desired)
- Cut the sheet into strips down each side of the dough, leaving about 1/2 inch clear next to the filling.
- Pull each strip up and over the filling alternately to cover, creating a braided pattern.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. If you reserved some filling to spoon on top, remove from the oven at 20 minutes, spoon the filling over top and return to the oven for a further 5 minutes.
- It is done when the cheese has melted, everything is heated through and the pastry is golden brown.
Notes:
If you don't have crescent roll dough a sheet of all butter puff pastry works well. Also in the UK you can use Ready Rol refrigerated Croissant dough. Alternately you can use your favorite recipe for baking powder biscuits. Use one that makes 8 to 10 biscuits.
This old fashioned potato side dish has been a favorite in my family for many, many years. My grandmother made it for her family and my mother made it for us. My own children also enjoyed it.
Of course like any of these dishes, each generation adds something into the mix. I strongly suspect in my grandmother's day it was just the corn, milk, potatoes, onions and seasoning.
Mom always added a bit of summer savory to the mix. I no longer do that myself, but I do like to add some cheese to the layers.
Basically it is just creamed corn, sliced potato, and sliced onion layered in a baking dish with some flour and cheese, as well as seasoning between the layers.
A bit of milk is poured over top and then the whole lot is baked in the oven until the potatoes are tender. I also like to add a layer of buttered cracker crumbs on top.
I am a person who likes a bit of crunch on things like this. You can't beat buttered cracker crumbs, although I have also been known to use bread crumbs as well when I didn't have any crackers.
I love that crunchy buttery topping and my family did as well. When this was on the menu, my children were very happy campers!
I loved it because I could make the dish as large or as small as I needed it to be, depending on how many mouths there were sitting around the table. Its very easy to amp up or amp down. A lot of these old recipes are!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE CORN AND POTATO SCALLOP
Simple store cupboard ingredients. I love recipes like this. Simple ingredients put together in a most delicious way!
- potatoes
- onions
- grated cheese
- whole milk
- salt and black pepper
- creamed corn
- all purpose flour
- buttered cracker crumbs
Unlike regular scalloped potatoes, there is no need to make a cream sauce on top of the stove. This simple recipe leaves that step out.
Instead the creamed corn, milk, cheese and flour work together in this tasty dish to make a creamy sauce.
HOW TO PREPARE THE VEGETABLES FOR CORN AND POTATO SCALLOP
Generally speaking one large potato and a small onion will be all you need for every two to three people. I like to use a russet type of potato. I do peel both the potato and the onion.
Once you have your potato peeled, cut it in half lengthwise and then cut each half crosswise into thin slices, each resembling a half moon.
The onion is treated the same way. Peel, cut in half lengthwise and then cut in half crosswise into half moons.
HOW TO MAKE CORN AND POTATO SCALLOP
Once you have your vegetables all prepped it is as simple as just layering things up in your casserole dish. Its not difficult at all.
The size of the casserole dish you use will depend on how many people you are feeding and how many potatoes you are using. Today I was making a small-batch which would feed only two to three people.
I used a 2-cup (1-pint) round Pyrex casserole dish which has a lid. Butter the dish really well. (This makes clean up a lot easier.)
I start by spreading about 1/4 of the can of creamed corn in the bottom of the dish. Onto that I put a layer of potatoes. I tend to do this in concentric circles, beginning at the outer edge.
Next I add a layer of onion. I always separate the half moons of sliced onion into separate bits. I just scatter some of these over top, and then dollop on another 1/4 of the can of creamed corn.
I season with some salt and pepper and sprinkle on a bit of flour and some grated cheese. Not a lot of any one thing, but just enough so that you know it is there. If you don't want to use cheese, you can dot with butter.
The cheese/butter works with the flour and cream corn to make a sauce when it bakes. I just keep repeating the layers until everything is used up, ending with some cheese on top if I can. Over that I scatter the buttered cracker crumbs.
It works out to 4 layers of creamed corn and three of everything else, if that makes sense. Once you have everything layered in you add some milk.
How much milk you need depends on how much you have in the dish and the size of your dish. I use the tip of a knife to move things around a bit so that the milk can get right down to the bottom of the dish.
You do not want anymore than 1/3 of the casserole dish filled with milk, unless you want a mess at the end. (Milk doubles in volume when heated!) Cover tightly and bake until the potatoes are tender and everything is bubbling away.
You can remove the cover for the last five to ten minutes of baking so that the cracker crumbs get all nicely browned and crispy. That's it!
This is such a simple homey dish. It wouldn't win any beauty contests, but I can tell you it would probably come first place in a taste contest because it is extremely delicious.
I can't think of anything that wouldn't go with this. Yesterday I had it with some roast ham, but it is just as good with chicken, or pork, lamb, fish, etc. Its just plain good eating no matter what!
I really hope you will make it! I used the smaller can of cream corn yesterday. When I make it for a larger group I use a large can, maybe even more depending.
I don't personally think there is such a thing as too much cream corn, but then again, I have been known to eat it with a spoon, cold and fresh out of the tin. 😆 Yes, I am that person!
Corn and Potato Scallop
Yield: 2 - 3
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 45 MinTotal time: 1 Hour
This old fashioned side dish is an old family favorite. You can multiply it very easily to serve more people if you wish. Its delicious, easy to make and goes with just about any protein you can think of!
Ingredients
- 1 large potato, peeled
- 1 small onion, peeled
- 1 can of creamed corn (you may not need it all)
- 2 TBS flour to sprinkle
- salt and black pepper
- grated cheddar cheese to sprinkle (about 4 TBS)
- a handful of buttered cracker crumbs
- milk as needed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter a small (2 cup/1 pint) deep glass baking dish.
- Cut the potato in half lengthwise and then cut into thin half-moons cross-wise. Do the same with the onion.
- Place 1/4 of the creamed corn in the bottom of the casserole dish. Top with 1/4 of the potatoes and the onions. Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with 1/2 TBS flour and 1 TBS of the cheese. Repeat 3 times until you have all layered in the dish.
- Pour the milk over top, using the tip of a knife to move things around a tiny bit in order to allow it to get down to the bottom. Do not fill more than 1/3 of the baking dish with milk. Scatter the buttered cracker crumbs on top and then cover tightly with a lid.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour until the potatoes are soft and everything is bubbling. Uncover and allow to brown for about 10 minutes.
- Remove and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Notes:
You may want to place the casserole dish on a baking tray just in case it bubbles over in the oven. Also, I sometimes start this in the microwave to help it cook quicker. About 6 minutes on high, and then pop into the oven as above. It should be done in 35 minutes or so.
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