My Two Favourite Cakes - what are yours ?

daisyroots_2

I've had some great ideas and cake recipies from the OS board, so in return I'm sharing my two current favourites

Got this from the Guardian - I usually use chocolate spread instead of making icing - even quicker:D

Quick Chocolate Cake

180g self-raising flour
60g good quality cocoa or melted chocolate (Green & Blacks or similar)
230 g caster or muscovado sugar
230g butter
5 eggs
1 tsp baking powder

And for the icing
180 icing sugar
60g cocoa or melted chocolate as before
85g butter
2 tbsp strong black coffee

Put all the cake ingredients into a bowl and beat until everything is thoroughly mixed. Empty into a greased cake tin and cook on 180c for about 20 minutes or until a knife comes out clean.

Mix the icing ingredients and put inside and on top of cake, decorate with anything that takes your fancy

My daughter is wheat intolerant, so when she comes I make this, and feign wheat intolerance because it is fantabulosa. It comes in two sizes, so I've started with quantities for the large one, then put those for the smaller version at the end. Let me know if this is confusing

Emily’s Polenta, Almond and Lemon Cake

450g (1lb) unsalted butter (12oz)
450g (1lb) caster sugar (12oz)
450g (1lb) ground almonds (12oz)
2 teaspoons good vanilla essence (1.5)
6 eggs (4eggs)
zest of 4 lemons (3)
juice of one lemon (two thirds)
225 (8oz) polenta flour (nearly 6oz)
1.5 teaspoons baking powder (1 teaspoon)
quarter teaspoon salt (a bit less)

- preheat oven to 160c/325F/Gas 3
- Butter 12 (or 8) inch cake tin and line with greaseproof
- Beat butter and sugar together till pale and light
- Stir in ground almonds and vanilla
- Beat in eggs, one at a time
- Fold in lemon zest and juice, polenta flour, baking powder and salt
- Spoon into prepared tin and bake for 45-50 minutes or till set
- Cake will be deep brown on top

I'm going to make one of these for my cousin and her family from Melbourne, who arrive on Sunday, but not sure which yet. Unless you have a better idea of a cake to make for a family of four, including two teenagers on their first visit to London ?

mumoftwo

My favourites are carrot cake and chocolate cake. Your cakes sound brilliant, I will copy the recipes.. Thanks

mum_2_1_boy

hello, what size tin do you use for the first recipe please?

daisyroots_2

mum_2_1_boy wrote: »

hello, what size tin do you use for the first recipe please?

The recipe does not give a tin size, but I use an 8" one. This makes quite a deep cake, and usually it needs more than the 20 minutes stated. I reckon it would be just as good in a 10" tin.

lil_me

Carrot cake and more carrot cake

Oh occasional coffee and walnut. No recipes as haven't made it myself yet, I cheat and get a friend to make me them

louise_1981

carrot cake and coffee and walnut both delish with a coffee

MRSMCAWBER

Hi there

Mine would have to be date and walnut .....ooh and the christmas cake recipe i use.... if i say so myself its stunning....super squidgy and addictive...

Crazychik

Mine would be my moist carrot cake, and then a good coffee sponge cake or walnut!

Fay

Mine would be this carrot cake http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/the-ultimate-carrot-cake-with-mascarpone-fromage-frais-and-cinnamon-icing,1663,RC.html
and a nigella chocolate cake from her book 'feast' which has chocolate icing on the top-served hot with vanilla ice cream, mmmmmmm.

daisyroots_2

Seems almost everyone likes Carrot Cake. I like it too, am going to try the Delia one recommended by Fay. I was convinced Chocolate Cake would be the most popular.

mrbadexample

Daisyroots, I think you are an ideal candidate for my birthday cake challenge.

There's a link to a lovely carrot cake recipe in the first post.