baking

pavlovs_dog

after my prolific session on sunday (made a loaf of bread, a banana loaf/cake and made and decorated happy birthday/mothers day cake). i seem to have got the hang of it very quickly, and have so gone baking crazy! (much to the family's delight )

what i was thinking of doing was having another prolific cake day (make a few at the same time) to then slice and freeze, to be used as and when required.

was just wondering if anyone had any recipes or cake freezing hints and tips they would like to share?

we're an adventurous lot, and will try almost anything, but we are going through a big thing for fruit cake/loaf etc, so if people have different ideas along those lines that would be great.


the marble sponge i made on sunday was a great success, thinking my next few attempts may include a victoria sponge, chocolate and coffee cake, carrot cake....


also, if i was to make scones/rock cakes/HM biscuits - would these freeze successfully?

r.mac_2

PD - In my experience victoria sponges freeze well, as do tea loaves/banana loaves etc. I would freeze these whole though, or at most, cut in half. Sometimes they can go a little crumbly when defrosted, but still taste great!

I wouldn't freeze an iced cake - and it's a quick and easy addition to make afterwards anyway.

I have never managed to freeze scones without them turning into rock hard, heavy lumps. But that could be just my baking!!!!

let us know how you get on. I am now feeling inspired.

bugs

Never frozen cakes but I do often make large quantities of Scotch pancakes and grill them. No problems with sticking together, and no need to defrost, just put them under the grill as you would with "bought" ones.

Most biscuits will keep well for up to a month in a good airtight tin. So they tell me, I've never had a chance to find out! You could also look for "refrigerator biscuits" - you make a roll of dough, which you can keep in the fridge for a week or so, or slice, and put in the freezer.

Rock cakes and scones are generally thought to be best fresh, I suppose the lack of butter is to blame, they are pretty quick to make and cook compared to real cakes so I do - bit of a mess with the doughy fingers and washing up, but worth it.

Galtizz

bugs wrote:

You could also look for "refrigerator biscuits" - you make a roll of dough, which you can keep in the fridge for a week or so, or slice, and put in the freezer.

There was a recipe for these by Anthony Warrell Thompson in the lastest Good Food mag (3 copies for £3 on the grabbit board, mag sub thread) I'll see if I can find it and post it.

furrypig

Galtizz wrote:

There was a recipe for these by Anthony Warrell Thompson in the lastest Good Food mag (3 copies for £3 on the grabbit board, mag sub thread) I'll see if I can find it and post it.

Galtizz hope you manage to find it as it sounds divine!

Galtizz

pavlovs_dog wrote:

we're an adventurous lot, and will try almost anything, but we are going through a big thing for fruit cake/loaf etc, so if people have different ideas along those lines that would be great.

Have a look at this thread:
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=11894
2 great malt loaf type recipes on here

pavlovs_dog wrote:

we're an adventurous lot, and will try almost anything,

How adventurous?? Are you brave enough to try Chocolate Beetroot cake or Tomato soup cake? recipe is here:
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=4156

I have tried the beetroot one and it is really nice, not beetrooty at all.

Carrot cake and courgette cake here:
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=3990

pavlovs_dog

well firstly, thanks for your replies

r.mac - do you think that thicker slices would help with this at all? the idea is that if its just lying around the kitchen, people eat it because they feel they NEED to eat it before it goes off. i was hoping that by freezing things, we could it is "as required" rather than because we feel we "need" to.


galtizz - if i dont tell them whats in it, they wont be none the wiser!!! and if it doesnt go down well, i'll know not to make it again.

have a recipe for tomato soup cake in the depths of my inbox somewhere (campbells soup email me with recipe ideas). shall dig it out

Caz2_2

Hi
I make 4 packups every morning so i'm always baking, cakes, buns bread pasties etc.
For buns I use 8oz of butter, 8oz golden caster sugar, a few drops of proper vanilla essence ( 9 quid a bottle but lasts forever) 4 eggs and 8oz of self raising i do it in processer making sure each ingrediant is well mixed before adding next. when done i top with dairy milk chocolate. this makes 24 buns i freeze half of them. For chocolate cake this mixture makes 2 cakes (skintflint) I add cocoa in with other ingrediants before cooking and just enough so it looks like its got chocolate in. for filling i put 4oz of butter in processor and whiz then add 8oz of icing sugar-whiz and add about a spoonful of milk ( evaporated milk gives it a luxury taste)-thats filling then dairy milk choc on top bit and any topping on that, that is bogof like smarties, mini eggs etc. for scones if you make them big enough they freeze well. Coffee cake- same as above but mix coffee powder with a small amount hot water and let it cool before adding. Best is orange or lemon using the peel chopped very small to the above. In my experience the vanille essence, golden granulated sugar and a nice topping makes them go fast.
Good luck and get cooking.

foreverskint

posted a recipie on page 23 of march grocery challenge thread, for my apple & pear cake,. can't copy it to hear cos I don't know how.
can't vouch for it's freezer qualities as it rarely lasts a day in this house, but i can't see any reason why it wouldn't freeze.

Make scones with buttermilk and no eggs for a lighter scone and better freezer quality.

You can also make the scone mix up to the add liquid stage. keep the rubbed in mix in the fridge in a sealed plastic container,(for uo to a week) and when you fancy some add buttermilk and bake. I make up to 2lb of flour 40z butter and then use a 1/4 at a time.

enjoy

aycor

ideas on this thread for your baking as well good luck
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=27778&page=1&pp=10

pavlovs_dog

Try this for a lovely homemade cake that also includes fruit for the children.

6 oz S.R Flour
1 tsp baaking powder
6 oz sugar
6 Oz Butter or Marg
3 Eggs
2 apples chopped & peeled
tin of pear halves
hand full of walnuts or sultananas
1-s teaspoons mixed spice.

put all ingredients into bowl except for the fruits and nuts.

Mix with mixer/ processor or wooden spoon, stir in the apples and nuts/dried fruit.

Pour into a 9 x 11 inch tin. Arrange pear halves on top and bake at 160 c for about 1 hour.

This can also be sprinkled with chopped nuts mixed with sugar to make it extra special, but not so good for the teeth.

Delicious served hot or cold and especially nice with lidls walnut icecream

all credit to foreverskint for the recipe, it sounds gorgeous!!!!


im feeling so inspired and motivated thanks to you guys, im really looking forward to this now.

i know there's nothing nicer than fresh cake for special occasions, but i think this is the perfect solution for day to day use- ideal for lunch boxes or a snack with a cuppa.