No-Bake Mini Heart Cakes

Ingredients

• 1 (16 oz) frozen poundcake, not thawed

      Icing

• 5 1/4 cup(s) (about 1 1/2 lbs) confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 cup(s) milk
• 3 tablespoon(s) light corn syrup
• 2 teaspoon(s) almond or vanilla extract
• Red liquid or paste (icing) food color
• Decorations: tubes of white, red and pink decorating icing, each fitted with round piping tip; red crystal sugar; and tiny candy hearts (available in many supermarkets, crafts stores and cake-decorating and party-supply shops)

Directions

1. Have ready 2-in. and/or 2 1/2-in. heart-shape metal cookie cutters.
2. Using a long, sharp knife, trim rounded hump off poundcake so top is flat. Trim crust off sides. Slice cake horizontally in half. Cut hearts from each half.
3. Put hearts 1 1/2 in. apart on a wire rack set on wax paper to catch drips.
4. Icing: Stir ingredients, except food color, in a bowl until smooth and as thin as maple syrup. Divide between 2 bowls; cover 1 bowl with plastic wrap. Tint icing in other bowl pink.
5. Spoon pink icing over half the cakes, completely covering tops and sides. Stir drips on wax paper into icing in bowl; cover airtight. Let icing set 30 minutes. Meanwhile repeat with white icing on rest of cakes.
6. Thin remaining pink and white icings with a little water as needed; give cakes a second coat. Let set at least 1 hour.
7. To decorate: With decorating icing, pipe designs and words on cakes as shown, or create your own designs. Add red sugar and candy hearts.

Basic Plain Sponge Cake

Ingredients

Serves: 8 

• 225g (8 oz) self-raising flour
• 225g (8 oz) butter, at room temperature
• 225g (8 oz) caster sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

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Method

Prep:20min  ›  Cook:25min  ›  Ready in:45min 

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C / gas mark 4.
2. Measure all the ingredients into a large bowl.
3. Mix all of the ingredients using a electric whisk.
4. Pour the mixture into 2 non-stick 7 inch (18cm) tins.
5. Place them in the oven till golden brown 15-25 minutes.
6. Cool on a wire rack before serving.

Easy banana cake

Ingredients

Serves: 10 

• 125g butter
• 150g caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 very ripe bananas, mashed
• 190g self raising flour
• 60ml milk

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Method

Prep:10min  ›  Cook:35min  ›  Ready in:45min 

1. Grease and line a 2lb loaf tin. Melt butter, sugar and vanilla in a saucepan over a medium heat.
2. Remove from heat and add the mashed bananas, mix well.
3. Add the egg, mix well.
4. Stir in the flour and the milk.
5. Pour into the prepared tin, sprinkle with a tablespoon of demerara sugar to give a crunch topping if liked.
6. Bake at 150 C fan oven (or 170 C regular, Gas mark 3) for 35 mins, until a skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool and enjoy!

The idea of ​​decorating a cake with ice cream cone

Orange and Almond Cake with Orange Syrup

Ingredients

Serves: 8 

• 2 oranges
• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cup caster sugar
• 2 cups almond meal
• 1/2 cup wholemeal flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• For the syrup
• 1 orange
• 1/2 cup caster sugar

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Directions

Preparation:45min  ›  Cook:1hour30min  ›  Ready in:2hours15min 

1. Preheat the oven to 170 degrees C. Grease and line a 20cm spring form cake tin.
2. Place the oranges in a saucepan, cover with cold water, bring to the boil and cook for 15 minutes. Drain and repeat. Coarsely chop and remove seeds.
3. Place the chopped oranges in a blender with a splash of cold water and pulse until smooth.
4. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and sugar with an electric beater until thick and pale. Add the orange, almond meal, flour and baking powder and fold to combine.
5. Pour the mixture into the cake tin and bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Set aside for 15 minutes to cool while you make the syrup.
6. To make the syrup: Finely grate the rind of the whole orange, then juice. Boil the rind for 5 minutes in a saucepan to soften, then drain and return to the pan. Add the orange juice and sugar and heat on low stirring constantly for about 3 minutes until the sugar dissolves and it becomes syrupy.
7. Gently poke holes all over the top of the cake with a skewer and then spoon over the syrup. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Apple Cake "Tatin"

Ingredients

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing the dish
1 1/4 Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced into 12 pieces
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar, divided
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Confectioners' sugar

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Generously butter a 9-inch glass pie dish and arrange the apples in the dish, cut side down.

Combine 1 cup of the granulated sugar and 1/3 cup water in a small saucepan and cook over high heat until it turns a warm amber color, about 360 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Swirl the pan but don't stir. Pour evenly over the apple slices.

Meanwhile, cream the 6 tablespoons of butter and the remaining 3/4 cup of granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, until light and fluffy. Lower the speed and beat in the eggs 1 at a time. Add the sour cream, zest, and vanilla and mix until combined. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt and, with the mixer on low speed, add it to the butter mixture. Mix only until combined.

Pour the cake batter evenly over the apple slices and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes, then invert the cake onto a flat plate. If an apple slice sticks, ease it out and replace it in the design on top of the cake. Serve warm or at room temperature, dusted with confectioners' sugar.

How to Marble a Cake

You will need

• 2 different colored cake batters for marbling
• A baking pan for your cake batter

• A large spoon
• A butter knife

• Place your colored cake batters near your baking pan. Take 1/3 of the first colored batter and scoop it with a large spoon into your pan in a down-up-down pattern. If you're using a small loaf pan (as shown here), use three large dollops of batter. If you're using a round tube or bundt pan, drop dollops of batter in the same pattern--down, up, down-- all the way around the pan.
• Take 1/3 of your second colored batter. Scoop a dollop of the batter into each of the empty spaces to create a rough checkerboard pattern on the base of the pan. 1/3 of your total batter should be used at this point.
• With the second 1/3 of the batter, create a second checkerboard pattern on top of the first. Alternate colors-- meaning, if a light colored square is on the bottom, put a dark colored square on top.
• Repeat the pattern for a third and final layer with all the remaining batter. You should have three checkerboard layers in your baking pan now.
• Take your butter knife and swirl it through the batter, making rounded vertical zig-zags from one side of the pan to the other.
• Wipe the excess batter from the knife. Repeat the swirling pattern in the opposite direction. If you're using a loaf pan, make long horizontal swirls. If you're using a round tube or bundt pan, swirl opposing zig-zags all the way around the pan to create a chain shaped swirl. Resist the urge to make lots and lots of swirls-- the more you swirl, the less the cake will look marbled, and the more it will look like a mish-mosh when you slice it.
• Now your cake is marbled and ready to bake! When it's baked, cooled, and sliced, you'll see nice, evenly marbled patterns similar to this:
• Beautiful! Yours will have its own unique variations. That's what make marble cake fun... you never know exactly what it will look like inside! :)

Couscous Cakes Recipe

Ingredients

2 cups cooked couscous, prepared according to package instructions and cooled
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 lemon, zested
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup mild mango chutney (Recipe Follows)

Directions

In a medium bowl, mix together the couscous, cilantro, egg, egg yolk, coriander, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture. Mix until combined.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Form 1/4 cupfuls of the mixture into 8 patties. Add 4 of the patties to the pan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes each side until golden. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining couscous mixture.

german chocolate cake recipe

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup(s) boiling water
• 4 ounce(s) German's Chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 2 cup(s) all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup(s) cocoa
• 1 teaspoon(s) baking soda
• 1 teaspoon(s) salt
• 2 cup(s) sugar
• 1 cup(s) (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 4 large eggs, separated
• 1 teaspoon(s) vanilla
• 1 cup(s) buttermilk
• Coconut-Pecan Filling

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Directions

1. Make batter: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Using a small brush, lightly coat two 9-inch cake pans with softened butter or vegetable-oil cooking spray. Dust with flour and tap out any excess. Set aside. In a medium heat-proof bowl, pour boiling water over German's Chocolate. Stir until smooth and set aside. In another medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, using a mixer set on medium-high speed, beat sugar and butter until very light, 1 to 2 minutes. Add egg yolks, one at a time, until well incorporated. Reduce mixer speed to low and add chocolate mixture and vanilla. Add flour mixture by thirds, alternating with buttermilk and ending with dry ingredients. Thoroughly clean mixer beaters. In a medium bowl, beat egg whites to soft peaks. Use a rubber spatula to gently stir a half cup beaten whites into batter. Fold remaining whites into batter.
2. Bake cake: Divide batter equally between pans and spread evenly. Bake on middle rack of oven until a tester inserted in center of each cake layer comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Use a knife to loosen cake from sides of pan and invert onto wire rack to cool completely.
3. Finish cake: Place 1 layer on a cake plate and top with 1/3 of our Coconut-Pecan Filling. Repeat with second and third layers and remaining filling. Serve or store in an airtight container at room temperature.

source: countryliving

Incredible Coconut Cake Recipe

Ingredients

• 5 eggs, separated
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 teaspoon coconut extract
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 2-1/4 cups cake flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 cups flaked coconut, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• FROSTING:
• 2 packages (one 8 ounces, one 3 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 2/3 cup butter, softened
• 4-1/3 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1-1/4 teaspoons coconut extract
• 2 cups flaked coconut, toasted

Directions

• Place egg whites in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 325°. In another large bowl, beat sugar, butter and oil until well blended. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in extracts.
• Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition. Stir in coconut.
• Add cream of tartar to egg whites; with clean beaters, beat on medium until stiff peaks form. Fold a fourth of the egg whites into batter, then fold in remaining whites.
• Transfer to three greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
• For frosting, in a small bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add confectioners’ sugar and extract; beat until smooth.
• Place one cake layer on a serving plate; spread with 1/2 cup frosting and sprinkle with 1/3 cup coconut. Repeat. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake; sprinkle with remaining coconut. Refrigerate for 2 hours before cutting. Store in the refrigerator. 

other models:

 

source: tasteofhome