Initial bakes
It was our first meet of the year. All our members were tasked with baking something that started with their first initial - either the name of the bake or an ingredient within it.
Below you'll find a selection of some of bakes from our first meeting. Have a read and get some inspiration for your next creation!
Date, Honey and Walnut Cake
225g self-raising flour
½ tsp ground cinnamon
175g softened butter
100g light muscovado sugar
3 tbsp clear honey
2 eggs, beaten
2 medium, ripe bananas, about 250g/9oz total weight in their skins
100g stoned dates
50g pack walnut pieces
Preheat the oven to 160C/Gas 3/fan oven 140C. Line the base and long sides of a 900g/2lb loaf tin with greaseproof paper, buttering the tin and paper.
Tip the flour, cinnamon, butter, sugar, 2 tablespoons of the honey and the eggs into a large mixing bowl. Mash the bananas and chop the dates (kitchen scissors are easiest for this) and add to the bowl. Beat the mixture for 2-3 minutes, using a wooden spoon or hand-held mixer, until well blended.
Spoon into the prepared tin and level the top. Scatter the walnut pieces over. Bake for 1 hour, then lightly press the top – it will feel firm if cooked. If not, bake for a further 10 minutes.
Cool for 15 minutes, then lift out of the tin using the paper. When cold, drizzle the remaining honey over. Cut into thick slices.
Madelines' made by Madeline
100g caster sugar
2 medium eggs
100g plain flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
100g melted butter
1 lemon (juice and zest)/1tsp vanilla extract
chocolate - optional extra
Preheat oven to 200 Celsius
Melt the butter in the jug in the microwave
Whisk together the eggs and sugar until light and frothy
Add in other ingredients and lightly mix. Let the mixture sit for 20 mins
While the mixture is resting, prepare the Madeline tray by brushing moulds with melted butter
Once rested, spoon carefully into moulds - do not overfill
Bake in the over for 8-10 mins - when ready the Madelines will be golden around the edges and have risen in the middle. Check with a skewer that they are cooked
Rest in tray for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack
As an extra, drizzle some chocolate on the top but leave the underside plain.
Banana Cake
4oz margarine
6oz light brown sugar
2 bananas
2 eggs beaten lightly
8oz self raising flour
1tsp baking powder
2tbsp milk
Cream together margarine and sugar
Mash bananas and add to the margarine mixture
Add eggs and milk
Sieve and fold in flour and baking powder
Add milk and stir in
Bake for 30-40 minutes at 180 Celsius
Raspberry and Chocolate Banana Loaf
115g butter
150g light brown sugar
2 eggs
80g plain Greek yogurt
4 very ripe bananas mashed
1 tsp vanilla extract
250g plain flour
1 tsp bicarb of soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
135g milk/dark chocolate chips
150g raspberries halved and tossed in 1 tblsp of flour
Set over to 170 Celsius and prepare loaf tin with either a tin liner or grease lightly
Cream the butter and sugar together
Add 1 egg at a time and mix well
Beat in a banana, yogurt and vanilla until well mixed
Mix the dry ingredients together and add to the wet mix slowly until well combined
Gently fold in the raspberries and choc chips
Spoon into the loaf tin and bake for 60-65 minutes (Rachel needed 90 mins) - around the 30 minute mark cover loosely with tin foil so the top doesn't burn
Cut when cool, can freeze for 3 months
Nigella's Devils Food Cake
50g/2oz best-quality cocoa powder, sifted
100g/4oz dark muscovado sugar
250ml/8fl oz boiling water
125g/4½oz soft unsalted butter, plus some for greasing
150g/5oz caster sugar
225g/8oz plain flour
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 free-range eggs
For the frosting
125ml/4fl oz water
30g/1oz dark muscovado sugar
175g/6oz unsalted butter, cubed
300g/10oz best-quality dark chocolate, finely chopped
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Line the bottoms of two 20cm/8in sandwich tins with baking parchment and butter the sides.
Put the cocoa and the dark muscovado sugar into a large bowl and pour in the boiling water. Whisk to mix, then set aside.
Cream the butter and caster sugar together in a separate bowl, beating well until pale and fluffy; I find this easiest with a freestanding mixer, but by hand wouldn’t kill you.
Stir the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda together in another bowl and set aside for a moment.
Dribble the vanilla extract into the creamed butter and sugar – mixing all the while – then crack in one egg, quickly followed by a scoop of the flour mixture, then the second egg. Keep mixing after each addition.
Incorporate the rest of the flour mixture little by little, then finally mix and fold in the cocoa mixture, scraping the bowl well with a spatula.
Divide this fabulously chocolatey batter between the two prepared tins and put in the oven for about 30 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Take the tins out and leave them on a wire rack for 5-10 minutes, then turn the cakes out and set aside to cool.
As soon as the cakes are in the oven, get started on your frosting. Put the water, muscovado sugar and butter into a pan over a low heat until melted.
When this mixture begins to bubble, take the pan off the heat and add the chopped chocolate, swirling the pan so that all the chocolate is hit with heat, then leave for a minute to melt. Once melted, whisk until smooth and glossy.
Set the frosting aside for about one hour, whisking now and again – when you’re passing the pan – by which time the cakes will be cooled, and ready for the frosting.
Set one of the cooled cakes, with its top side facing downwards, onto a cake stand or plate, and spread with about one-third of the frosting. Top that with the second cake, regular way up, and spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides, swirling away with your spatula. You can go for a smooth look, but I never do and probably couldn’t.
Apple Pie Oatmeal Cookies
1 cup (100g) instant oats (measured correctly & gluten-free if necessary)
¾ cup (90g) whole wheat or gluten-free* flour (measured correctly)
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
⅛ tsp salt
2 tbsp (28g) coconut oil or unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup (120mL) agave
1 cup (125g) finely diced red apple (about 1 medium)
Whisk together the oats, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the coconut oil or butter, egg, and vanilla. Stir in the agave. Add in the flour mixture, stirring just until incorporated. Fold in the apple. Chill for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 325°F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Drop the cookie dough into 15 rounded scoops onto the prepared sheet, and flatten slightly. Bake at 325°F for 13-15 minutes. Cool on the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack
Apple Crumble Cupcakes
320g eating apples cored
Juice of 1 lemon
20g self raising flour sifted
1 tsp baking powder
1tsp ground cinamon
125g light brown sugar
2 medium eggs
100g unsalted butter melted
For the crumble:
50g plain flour
25g unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes
15g light brown sugar
Preheat the oven to 180 Celsius . Line a muffin tin with muffin cases
Make the crumble - put the flour into a large bowel and using your fingertips rub in the butter until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar and put to one side
Grate the apples into a large bowl and mix in the lemon juice. Add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and sugar.
Put the eggs and melted butter in a jug and lightly beat together
Combine the wet and dry and stir with a spatula until just combined. Divide the mixture between the paper cases then sprinkle the crumble on top of each cake.
Bake for 25 minutes until lightly golden and risen. leave to cool for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely
Honey Flapjacks
200g/7¼oz unsalted butter
200g/7¼oz demerara sugar
200g/7¼oz honey
400g/14¼oz porridge oats
50g/1¾oz nuts, dried fruits or glacé ginger, chopped or desiccated coconut (optional)
You will also need a 20cm x 30cm (8in x 12in) cake tin, greased
Put the butter, sugar and honey in a saucepan and heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Add the oats and nuts, fruit, ginger or coconut, if using, and mix well.
Transfer the oat mixture to the prepared cake tin and spread to about 2cm (¾in) thick. Smooth the surface with the back of a spoon. Bake in a preheated oven at 180C/350F/Gas 4 for 15-20 minutes, until lightly golden around the edges, but still slightly soft in the middle. Let cool in the tin, then turn out and cut into squares.
Here are some of the other great bakes of the evening...
Thanks to all the new and old members who attended the first meeting. Feel free to subscribe to the mailing list for this blog - that way you'll be notified when a new post is uploaded.
I hope to see lots of you at the next meeting!