Mincemeat cupcakes

Fed up with mince pies? Still have mincemeat left in the cupboard? Thanks to Becky, who suggested these festive cupcakes which can be enjoyed even by those not keen on a traditional "mincer"!

Incidentally, here in France children enjoy eating "galettes" in January in honour of the 3 Kings. These can either be in the form of frangipane tarts or wreath-shaped, crystallised sugar-topped sponge cakes. Inside each there's a "fève", in former times literally a broad bean, but nowadays a small figurine. Whoever finds the fève in their slice gets to wear the cardboard crown and be king for the day.

We think it's nice to keep an element of festiveness in our food during the cold, dark days of January.

• Makes: 12

• Prep time: 10 mins
  

• Cooking time: 22 mins

• Total time: 33 mins
  

• Skill level: Easy peasy
  

• Costs: Cheap as chips

Ingredients

Cupcakes

• 100g butter, unsalted
• 200g caster sugar
• 2tsp vanilla extract
• 240g plain flour
• 2tsp baking powder
• 4 eggs, medium
• 1 tsp cinnamon
  
• about 130g mincemeat (100 wasn't enough for us, but 200 made the cakes too moist!)
  

Frosting

• 75g icing sugar, sifted
• 1tbsp orange juice

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160°C/Fan 180°C/Gas Mark 4
2. Cream together the softened butter and caster sugar
3. Add the vanilla extract and mix well to combine
4. Add the eggs one by one beating well after each addition
5. Sift the flour and baking powder and add to the mixture folding until well combined
6. Stir in the mincemeat
7. Fill prepared cupcake cakes 2/3 full
8. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-22 minutes until well risen and golden
9. Allow to cool on a wire rack

To make the frosting:

1. Prepare the icing. Combine the orange juice with the sifted icing sugar
2. Drizzle over the top of each cupcake and serve.

Adapted from a Ruth Clemens recipe

Something for Santa....

For those who think making mincemeat is a foolish waste of time, we have to point out that it isn't available in France so we have no choice but to make our own. (The French don't get the concept of a mince pie although seem to eat them happily enough when they're offered). Having said that, it's very easy and by far nicer than the premade stuff, and also suitable for vegetarians.

The pastry is also so much richer and sweeter than a standard shortcrust. You just need to keep an eye on it when baking because it browns much quicker.

For the almond pastry (from a Great British Bake-Off Recipe):

225g plain flour
a pinch of salt
50 g ground almonds
85g icing sugar
175g butter, chilled and diced
1 medium egg yolk

Pulse all ingredients except the yolk together in a food processor. Add the yolk. If the pastry seems a bit dry, add cold water a teaspoon at a time. Chill for 15 mins before rolling out.

For the mincemeat (from a Mary Berry recipe):

175g currants
175g raisins
175g sultanas
175g dried cranberries
1 small cooking apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped
125g butter cut into cubes
50g slivered almonds
225g light muscovado sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp mixed spice
zest and juice of one lemon
200ml brandy, rum or sherry

Put all ingredients except alcohol into a large pan. Heat gently and allow the butter to melt, then simmer very gently, stirring occasionally for 10 mins. Allow to cool completely before stirring in the alcohol.

Bake the finished pies for 180C at 20 mins, but check regularly!

Happy Christmas to all our friends and family.

Blackberry and Apple Loaf

Thank you to Sarah in Alabama for some delicious cake recipes!

Serves 10

250g/9oz self raising flour

175g/6oz butter

175g/6oz light muscovado sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 rounded tbsp demerara sugar

1 small eating apple, unpeeled, coarsely grated down to the core

2 large eggs, beaten

finely grated zest of 1 orange

1 tsp baking powder

225g/8oz blackberries

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F, Gas 4). Butter and line the base of a 1kg/2lb loaf tin. Rub the flour, butter and muscovado sugar together to make fine crumbs. Reserve 5 tablespoons of this mixture for the topping and mix into it the cinnamon and demerara sugar. Set aside.

2. Mix the apple in with the eggs and the zest. Stir in the baking powder into the rubbed-in mixture, then quickly and lightly stir in the egg mixture. Don’t overmix.

3. Gently fold in three quarters of the berries. Spoon into the tin and level. Scatter the rest of the berries on top. Sprinkle over the topping and bake for 1 hour 20 minutes, testing with a skewer. After 50 minutes, cover loosely with foil. Leave in the tin for 30 minutes then cool on a wire rack.

Tip: Raspberries and tayberries could be used instead of blackberries. Frozen blackberries can also be used, but defrost them first and drain off any juice before adding to the mixture. This stops the cake becoming too soggy.

Apple and Cinnamon Cake

Serves 8-10

250g/9oz self raising flour

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder

100g/4oz light muscovado sugar (or light brown sugar)

175g/6oz sultanas or raisins

125ml/4fl oz sunflower oil

2 eggs, beaten

125ml/4fl oz apple juice

2 dessert apples (not peeled), grated

25g/1oz slivered or flaked almonds

icing sugar, for dusting

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F, Gas 4). Line a 23cm/9in round deep cake tin with baking paper. Sift the flour into a bowl with the cinnamon and baking powder, then stir in the sugar and sultanas. Make a well in the centre and stir in the oil, eggs, apple juice and grated apple until well mixed.

2. Pour the mixture into the tin, scatter with almonds, then bake for 40-45 minutes until firm in the centre or a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for about 5 minutes, then turn out and cool on a wire rack. Dust with icing sugar.

Tip: check on the cake after about 30 minutes, as I have found that this is usually about long enough, but it will depend on the oven.

Choc Crunchies

Serves 8-10

200g/8oz digestive biscuits

100g/4oz butter

3 tbsp golden syrup

2tbsp cocoa powder

50g/2oz raisins

200g/8oz dark (or milk) chocolate

1. Butter an 18cm/7in sandwich tin. Seal the biscuits in a strong polythene bag and bash into uneven crumbs with a rolling pin.

2. Melt the butter and syrup in a pan. Stir in the cocoa and raisins, then thoroughly stir in the biscuit crumbs. Spoon into the tin and press down firmly.

3. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Spread over the biscuit base and chill for about half an hour.

Tip: I have actually doubled the amount of chocolate (the recipe calls for 100g/4oz) as this amount gives a much better covering. The recipe says that this can be kept for up to a week wrapped in foil – but it never lasts that long!

Posted by Sarah Purvis

Fruited Banana Loaf

Serves 8-10

125g/4oz margarine, plus extra for greasing

250g/8oz self-raising flour

175g/6oz caster sugar

125g/4oz sultanas

60g/2oz walnuts, roughly chopped

125g/4oz glacé cherries, quartered, rinsed and dried

2 eggs, beaten

500g/1lb bananas, weight with peel, peeled and mashed (this equates to 2 bananas)

1. Grease the loaf tin and line the bottom with greaseproof paper. (I use a tin liner which works just as well).

2. Put the flour into a bowl, add the margarine, and rub in with the fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the caster sugar, sultanas, chopped walnuts, and glacé cherries, and mix well.

3. Add the eggs and mashed bananas and stir the mixture until well blended. Spoon in

to the prepared tin.

4. Bake in a preheated over at 160°C (325°F, Gas 3) for about 1 1/4 hours until well risen and firm to the touch. A fine skewer inserted into the middle of the loaf should come out clean.

5. Leave the loaf to cool slightly in the tin, then turn out on to a wire rack. Leave the loaf to cool completely before slicing and serving.

Tip: this is a great recipe for using up old bananas! Also, after about 45 minutes/1 hour check on the cake. If the top is looking nice and golden or light brown, cover it with some foil for the remaining cooking time to stop the top turning too dark or burning.

Posted by Sarah Purvis

fruity muffins recipe

Ingredients:

• 280g (2 cups) self raising flour
• 175g (1.5 cup) ground almonds
  
• 300g (1.5 cup) caster sugar
• 260g (1.5 cup) craisins (dried cranberries)
• 80ml (1/3 cup) olive or vegetable oil
• 225ml (1 cup) milk
• 2 eggs
• 2 small bananas, mashed
• 2 red apples, cored, quartered and finely sliced/ grated
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon caster sugar, extra

Method:

Preheat oven to 180°C and place paper cases in muffin tray (12 large or 18 cupcake size).
Sift flour into large bowl, add ground almonds, caster sugar and cranberries, mix well. In a glass jug, measure out oil, add milk and eggs, whisk to combine.
Pour liquid into dry ingredients, add mashed banana and mix until just combined. Spoon mixture into paper cases and press 2-3 slices of apple, skin up, into muffins.
Sprinkle with combined cinnamon and extra caster sugar. Bake for 20-25 minutes until a skewer inserted into the muffin comes out clean.

Notes:

If you need to hide the apple, peel, grate and add with the banana.

posted by Ann

Homemade scones

(Makes 8-10 scones)

Ingredients
225g/8oz self-raising flour
1tsp backing powder
Pinch salt
25g/1oz caster sugar
150ml/1/4 pint milk
1 egg ,beaten ,or plain flour ,for brushing or dusting

Preparation method
1. Pre-heat oven to 220C/420F/Gas 7.
2. Sift together the flour, backing powder and salt into a bowl.
Stir in the sugar, add the butter and rub quickly into the flour,
creating a fine breadcrumb consistency.
3. Add the milk, a little at a time, work in to a smooth dough.
4. This is now best left to rest for 5-15 minutes before rolling.
5. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured work surface until 2cm/
3/4in thick. Using a 5cm/2 in pastry cutter, cut the dough,
using one sharp tap and not twisting the dough as you cut.
Twisting the scone mix will result in an uneven rising.
6. Once cut, the scones can be either brushed with the beaten
egg for a shiny glaze, or dusted with the flour for a matt
finish.
7. Place the scones on the grease backing tray and bake in the
pre-heated oven for 10-12 minutes until golden brown. Allow
to cool slightly, and serve while warm.

Posted by Katherine

Lemon cream Tarts

(Makes 24 little tartlets or one 6 spring-form cake)

Crust

1 cup pecans
1 cup of raisins
(You can also add some dried blueberries to the crust if you have
them available)

Add pecans and raisins and process until finely chopped and
mixture starts to “stick” together. Press mixture in to spring form
pan or flexible (rubber) muffin forms.

Filling

1 cup macadamia nuts
1 Tbs nuts
Juice of 1 large lemon (You may need more than one)
Zest of lemon
Juice of 1/4– ½ large orange
½ cup agave nectar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbs water

Add all ingredients to vita-mix form and slowly blend using the
plunger to help mix the batter. Add agave or water to adjust
sweetness and consistency. The batter should be thick. Spoon out
into spring-form or muffins forms. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Posted by Katherine

Mars bar cakes

Mars bar cakes

Makes 1 x 20 cm round cake (approx 10-12 slices)

70g unsalted butter, plus more for greasing tin
3 tbsp golden syrup
6 mars bars (58g bars) chopped into small pieces
200g cornflakes

Method

1. Grease 1x20 cm sandwich cake tin and line the base with baking paper

2. Melt the butter and golden syrup gently in a heavy based saucepan over a very low heat, stirring continuously. Add the chopped mars bars and keep stirring until they have just melted. Remove from the heat and then gently fold in the cornflakes

3. Spoon the mixture into the tin, pressing it down to distribute it evenly. Allow it to cool and set completely before serving, which will take about 1 hour. Remove from the tin, peel away the baking paper and cut into slices. It will inevitably be very sticky. The cakes these will keep for three days in an airetight tin or wrapped inclingfilm and stored at room temperature.

Naughty but nice!

Sticky Gingerbread

From the Great British Bake-Off book. Delicious in small fingers with a cup of tea.

225g SR flour
1 tsp bicarb of soda
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground mixed spice
115g unsalted butter, chilled and diced
115g black treacle
115g golden syrup
115g dark brown muscovado sugar
275 milk (not skimmed)
1 medium egg beaten

A 900g loaf tin, about 26 x 13 x 7cm, greased and lined

Heat the oven to 180C/gas 4.

Spoon the treacle and syrup into a saucepan and heat gently until melted and runny but not hot. Leave to cool to lukewarm. Put the sugar and milk into another pan and heat gently, stirring well to dissolve the sugar. Leave to cool to lukewarm.

Sift the flour, bicarb, ginger, cinnamon and mixed spice into a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and rub into the flour mix until it looks like breadcrumbs.

Whisk the milk mix into the bowl, followed by the treacle mixture and the egg to make a smooth, thick batter, the consistency of double cream.

Poor into the tin and bake for about 45 mins. Wrap in foil and leave for at least a day before eating. It will get stickier the longer it is kept!

Pony Cake

The perfect birthday cake for the pony-loving little girl. Thanks to Emma for the great idea! All you need to do is make 2 rectangular chocolate sponges and stick them together with buttercream. If you're not confident cutting freehand, use a paper template. We then decorated with strawberry laces, silver balls and smarties.

Served 12 - 15.

Tip: "Birthday Cakes for Kids" by Annie Rigg has the perfect cake recipes which are tasty but solid enough to be cut into shape.

Toffee Apple Cake

A delicious cake for the autumn time!

200g dates, roughly chopped
200ml milk
250g butter, softened
280g self raising flour
200g soft brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
4 large eggs
1 tbsp mixed spice
2 tsp vanilla essence
3 small red apples
squeeze lemon juice
handful of toffees
icing sugar for dusting

Heat oven to 200C/gas 4.  Grease and line a 20cm x 30cm baking tray.  Put dates and milk into a saucepan and bring to a simmer.  Remove from the heat and set aside for 15 mins.

Whizz the date mixture to a smooth purée in a blender then scrape into a mixing bowl.  Tip in the butter, flour, brown sugar, baking powder, eggs, mixed spice and vanilla and set aside while you prepare the apples.

Quarter and core the apples and slice thinly, tossing in a little lemon juice.  Beat together the cake ingredients with an electric whisk until smooth then scrape into the baking tray.  Arrange the apple slices, overlapping in rows, on top of the cake.  Bake for 45-50 minutes until a skewer poked into the centre of the cake comes out clean.  Leave to cool.

Put the toffees in a pan with a good splash of milk and gently melt, stirring, until runny.  To finish dust the cake with icing sugar then drizzle the toffee sauce over the cake.  Cut to serve.

YUMMY!

From a BBC Good Food magazine recipe.

Delicious chocolate birthday cake!

Chocolate sponge cake cut and shaped with buttercream icing, and decorated with curly-wurly bars and sweets.

Send us your favourite birthday cake pictures!