Baking Cakes on a Budget

Fredula

Mmm thanks guys. Some of the recipes sound amazing, especially the tea soaked raisins one - I'm going have a crack at that one next week! I've decided to go for marble cake this week as I have some cocoa powder in the cupboard and as little one will be helping me, I figured start off with something relatively easy.

I had apples in my fruit bowl which were about 3 weeks old and starting to sag, so I made it into a lovely oaty apple crumble tonight - very pleased, as I've never cooked one before!

I get my ingredients from Tesco but I do buy the 85p stuff as opposed to branded and I usually buy the unsalted own brand butter, but I will have a look at prices when I do my next shop.

YORKSHIRELASS

I always buy the cheapest flour, margarine and eggs that I can find. Dried fruit can be expensive but I buy mixed dried fruit in Lidl or Aldi which is good value. My kids love dried apricots but they are so expensive, as are things like glace cherries.

Scones are good - and easy. They dont keep for ages but you can easily pop a batch in the oven while you are cooking something else. My kids love a buttered scone for supper with some fruit. Try making cheese scones for a change.

I agree a tea loaf is a great choice. I usually soak the fruit overnight and it never fails me. It keeps for ages and freezes well too.

The Bero book is a good place to start for ideas. I think you can get it online nowadays.

Oh and biscuits, these are cheap to make too!

p00

weigh 3 eggs ( I buy Aldi £1.35 for 15)7

use same weight SR flour (cheapest), sugar and Stork or similar

Mix well

Fairy cakes or loaf cake

Gas mark 4 between 10 and 25 minuted depending if its fairy cakes or bigger.

Add any flavouring ie lemon, cocoa, vanilla essence, fruit, that you have or nothing and it is delicious.

xxp00

kerri_gt

Iceland do 6 free range large eggs for £1 too.

skintmum2012

Don't hold me to it that this is really cheap as I have not made it yet it's one my mum has made with the children however it's so so filling you could serve it after a light dinner and it would fill people up http://www.flora.com/flora/tasty-and-healthy-recipes/cake-recipes/carrot-cake.aspx
I plan to make it hopefully this week.

gayleygoo

Sugar tends to be cheaper in poundshops or cheapy shops than supermarkets. I get chocolate from Lidl and use tesco value for lots of things as well. I get eggs from a local free range hen-keeper and they work out at 12p each so I don't mind using a few in a recipe. Maybe you could see if there's anyone near you who sells them cheaply? For me, butter is the most expensive thing, nearly £3 a block now. It gets expensive to bake several times a week! It's worth it though, as long as it doesn't burn too badly...

A plain Victoria cake is a favourite here I vary it using different toppings and fillings, e.g. buttercream, icing, jam, coconut and soft fruits all work well. I also make marmalade cake which is basically a Victoria sponge with marmalade in it. For each egg in the recipe, add 1 tbsp marmalade once the cake batter is mixed (so 2tbsp marmalade for a 2-egg cake, 3 tbsp for a 3-gg cake etc). I brush the top of the cake with warmed marmalade, then ice it when cool. I use lemon and orange juice to make up the icing but it's good with plain icing too.

Busymumofthreeplusdog

I buy Supermarket own value brand butter, usually abound 99p a pack, it's grand in baking and tastes nice on toast too!

lilrahi

phizzimum wrote: »

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...

Can you use malt vinegar?

phizzimum

lilrahi wrote: »

Can you use malt vinegar?

yes that's what I use, just ordinary brown vinegar

grumswifie

Mine is the easiest of them all.....

1 cup of currants
1 cup of fresh hot tea
1 cup of sugar
2 cups of self raising flour

Soak currantsdin the hot tea for an hour or so. Mix everything together pour into a lined 2lb loaf tin and bake for 55mins at 180c.
Perfect. Sliced with butter, food for the sole