Baking Cakes on a Budget

pinkparrott

We do a large chocolate loaf cake each week, usually bake when oven is already on on a Sunday,
I use 100g bar sainsburys value dark choc- about 30p
100g stork or supermarkets own brand cooking Marg about 35p worth
225g SR four - I use wholemeal but value white would be cheaper
100g sugar
2 eggs - I pay £2.50 a dozen so about 40p
2\3 tbsp milk

I add either , 1tsp vanilla extract, 1tsp orange extract or a couple of mashed bananas or whatever i've got around.
This makes a 2lb lost cake which does my dh and 2 kids age 5 & 8 and methe oddbit a slice eachday till thurs or Fri.
So prob costs less than £2 ,we often "ice " with melted value white choc 30p or 1\2bar of cake covering which is about 60p s packet,
I often do muffins with frozen fruit too or a sticky ginger cake.

I find probably not much cheaper ,but mine taste better (after a day wrapped in foil often more moist) and I know what's in them plus the kids like helping and their bigger than ones bought in the shop.
So easy to whip one up whilst cooking once you,'ve got in to the habit

busiscoming2

Buy the cheapest flour you can find, usually less than 50p.

I use a basic sponge mix and add in whatever I have available and make as either a loaf cake or separate buns.

Various flavourings include: grated carrot, orange, banana, bits of chocolate, cocoa powder, dessicated coconut and sultanas or mixed fruit.

meritaten

banana 'bread' is gorgeous and not too expensive to make.
you do need a loaf tin though, but these can be purchased quite cheaply and will last years.

The recipe is from 'The Shirley Goode Kitchen' I have made one change.

you need
8oz self raising flour
1 level teaspoon baking powder
3oz butter or hard margarine
3oz granulated sugar
1 egg
I heaped dessertspoon of Apricot jam (I substitute a tablespoon of Golden Syrup, but you COULD use honey if you like).
2 -3 very ripe bananas mashed, (I save them in freezer if I just have the odd one or two, until I have enough to make this - it doesn't matter much if you use 4 bananas).

Sift flour and baking powder. cream butter/margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. beat in the egg and a tablespoon of flour. mix the rest of the ingredients in briefly. don't overmix.
put into a greased and floured 1lb loaf tin and bake at gas 4, 350f for about 45 mins. until a cocktail stick inserted in middle of cake comes out 'clean'. you may need to cover the cake with foil after about 30 mins in oven to stop it browning too much.
cool.
its called a 'bread' but its definitely cake! spongy in texture but delish on its own or spread with butter or jam.

skintmum2012

I love bread pudding cheap and the kids love it to and its very filling

meritaten

me too skintmum - but I have been trying for years to replicate my nanas recipe - I have no idea how she managed to make it firm but light and it was so flavoursome - yet I know she rarely used anything but mixed spice or cinnamon.
What is your recipe? could you post it please?

scaredy_cat

add the zest of a lemon to the sponge mix, then when cooked and still warm, !!!!! the top and spoon over a mix of the juice from the lemon mixed with a tablespoon of sugar - lemon drizzle! or mix the lemon juie with icing sugar for a white icing.

you can do the same with and orange.

lushlifesaver

meritaten wrote: »

banana 'bread' is gorgeous and not too expensive to make.
you do need a loaf tin though, but these can be purchased quite cheaply and will last years.

The recipe is from 'The Shirley Goode Kitchen' I have made one change.

you need
8oz self raising flour
1 level teaspoon baking powder
3oz butter or hard margarine
3oz granulated sugar
1 egg
I heaped dessertspoon of Apricot jam (I substitute a tablespoon of Golden Syrup, but you COULD use honey if you like).
2 -3 very ripe bananas mashed, (I save them in freezer if I just have the odd one or two, until I have enough to make this - it doesn't matter much if you use 4 bananas).

Sift flour and baking powder. cream butter/margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. beat in the egg and a tablespoon of flour. mix the rest of the ingredients in briefly. don't overmix.
put into a greased and floured 1lb loaf tin and bake at gas 4, 350f for about 45 mins. until a cocktail stick inserted in middle of cake comes out 'clean'. you may need to cover the cake with foil after about 30 mins in oven to stop it browning too much.
cool.
its called a 'bread' but its definitely cake! spongy in texture but delish on its own or spread with butter or jam.

Mmm sounds lush, definitely trying this is week as I have three bananas starting to look very sorry for themselves!

Frugalsod

Fredula wrote: »

I have bought 1.5kg SR flour, I already have plain flour and baking powder (not sure I have bicarb) - the eggs and butter I buy every week anyway, but I'm not sure if it will just increase spends.

You literally have everything you need to make a Victoria sponge. You can jazz it up by making it with different jams or fillings.

phizzimum

It's the butter and eggs that can make baking expensive. For everyday family baking I like recipes that use sunflower oil instead of butter. It's also much quicker than beating in the butter! I also substitute a tablespoon of vinegar for one egg.

Adding grated veg makes cakes moist and a tad healthier. Carrots are cheap all year, but in the summer I make beetroot or courgette cake when the allotment is in full production.

This is my fave carrot cake recipe as it's so quick ( especially if you have a food processor to grate the carrots). It's a combo of several recipes I've picked up from the boards...

8oz self raising flour
1/2 tsp spice of choice (cinnamon or ginger or garam masala)
4oz sugar (Demerara is nice if you have it)
5oz grated carrot (no need to peel before you grate it, just wash)
1 egg
1 tablespoon ordinary vinegar
1/4 pint sunflower oil
2 tablespoon milk

Mix it all together and put in a lined cake tin. 180c for 40mins for a cake or make muffins and cook for less time - about 20 mins.

A lot of my friends love my cake - they have no idea it has vinegar and garam masala in it! If I told they'd prob think I was joking...

lizalloareds

pinkparrott wrote: »

We do a large chocolate loaf cake each week, usually bake when oven is already on on a Sunday,
I use 100g bar sainsburys value dark choc- about 30p
100g stork or supermarkets own brand cooking Marg about 35p worth
225g SR four - I use wholemeal but value white would be cheaper
100g sugar
2 eggs - I pay £2.50 a dozen so about 40p
2\3 tbsp milk

I add either , 1tsp vanilla extract, 1tsp orange extract or a couple of mashed bananas or whatever i've got around.
This makes a 2lb lost cake which does my dh and 2 kids age 5 & 8 and methe oddbit a slice eachday till thurs or Fri.
So prob costs less than £2 ,we often "ice " with melted value white choc 30p or 1\2bar of cake covering which is about 60p s packet,
I often do muffins with frozen fruit too or a sticky ginger cake.

I find probably not much cheaper ,but mine taste better (after a day wrapped in foil often more moist) and I know what's in them plus the kids like helping and their bigger than ones bought in the shop.
So easy to whip one up whilst cooking once you,'ve got in to the habit

Do you melt the choc or just throw it in, how long do you bake it for and what temp?