100 Cakes and Bakes, page 4
Makes about 24
Cake tins needed: 2 x 12-hole mini-muffin tins
1 thin-skinned orange, washed
zest of 1 lemon
100g (4oz) caster sugar
1 large egg
100ml (3½fl oz) milk
50g (2oz) butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 level tsp baking powder
175g (6oz) self-raising flour
icing sugar, for dusting
Step one Preheat the oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/gas 6. Line the mini-muffin tins with paper cases.
Step two Cut the whole orange into chunks and remove any pips with the point of a knife. Process the orange in a food processor until finely chopped.
Step three Put all the remaining ingredients except the icing sugar into a mixing bowl and beat quickly with a wooden spoon until just mixed. Gently stir in the chopped orange.
Step four Spoon the mixture into the cases, filling them almost to the top. Bake for about 15 minutes, until well risen, golden and firm to the touch. Lift the paper cases out of the tin. Dust with icing sugar and serve while still warm.
For Mary Berry’s baking tips, go to www.mykitchentable.co.uk/authors/MaryBerry/bakingtips
Mini Jammy Cakes
These are usually made with the jam enclosed, but here they are left open so that the jam becomes nice and chewy. The cakes are best served warm.
Makes 24
Cake tins needed: 2 baking sheets
225g (8oz) self-raising flour
¼ level tsp ground mixed spice
50g (2oz) butter, softened
100g (4oz) caster sugar
1 large egg, beaten
3–4 tbsp milk
a little blackcurrant jam
a little granulated sugar, for sprinkling
Step one Preheat the oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/gas 6. Lightly grease the baking sheets.
Step two Measure the flour, spice and butter into a bowl and rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar.
Step three Mix the egg and milk together and stir into the mixture, adding only enough of the liquid to make a stiff dough. Divide the dough into about 24 pieces and roll each piece into a smooth ball.
Step four Using the handle of a wooden spoon, make a hole in the centre of each ball of dough and put about ¼ tsp jam into each one. Place the balls of dough – jam side up – onto the prepared baking sheets and sprinkle them with a little granulated sugar.
Step five Bake for about 10 minutes until the cakes are a pale golden brown. Lift them off the tray and allow to cool a little on a wire rack. Serve still warm.
Little Gems
Children love to help by putting their favourite sweets on top of these tiny cakes. This recipe makes 65 gems, which sounds like a lot, but they are very tiny as they are made in sweetie or petits fours cases.
Makes 65
Cake tins needed: 2 baking sheets
75g (3oz) butter, softened
2 large eggs
100g (4oz) self-raising flour
1 level tsp baking powder
75g (3oz) caster sugar
1 tbsp milk
for the icing
100g (4oz) sifted icing sugar
about 1 tbsp lemon juice
small sweets, to decorate
Step one Preheat the oven to 180°C/Fan 160°C/gas 4. Arrange about 65 petits fours cases on the baking sheets.
Step two Measure all the cake ingredients into a bowl and beat well until thoroughly blended. Spoon scant teaspoonfuls of the mixture into the cases, being careful not to overfill.
Step three Bake for 15–20 minutes until well risen and pale golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
Step four To make the icing, measure the icing sugar into a bowl and add enough lemon juice to give a spreading consistency. Spoon a little on top of each cooled gem and spread out with the back of a teaspoon. When the icing has almost set, top with a sweet.
Fast Flapjacks
These flapjacks are crunchy and traditional. Take care not to overbake them, as they can become hard and dark.
Makes 24
Cake tin needed: a 30 x 23cm (12 x 9in) traybake or roasting tin
225g (8oz) butter
225g (8oz) demerara sugar
75g (3oz) golden syrup
275g (10oz) porridge oats
Step one Preheat the oven to 160°C/Fan 140°C/gas 3. Grease the tin.
Step two Melt the butter in a large pan along with the sugar and syrup, and then stir in the oats. Mix well and then turn into the prepared tin and press flat with a palette knife or the back of a spoon.
Step three Bake for about 35 minutes or until pale golden brown. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 10 minutes. Mark into 24 squares and leave to finish cooling in the tin.
To make Chocolate Chip Flapjacks (in photo), leave the mixture to cool, after stirring in the oats in step 2. Stir in 100g (4oz) plain chocolate chips, then turn into the prepared tin and follow the remainder of the method for the above recipe.
To make Muesli Flapjacks, replace 175g (6oz) of the porridge oats with your favourite muesli, then follow the recipe above. Leave to cool for 10 minutes, then mark into 16 oblongs and leave to finish cooling in the tin. If you like a lot of raisins add 25–50g (1–2oz) extra when you make the flapjack mixture.
Apricot Swiss Cakes
Traditionally a red jam is used for the centre of these cakes, which are buttery and very delicious but apricot jam makes a lovely alternative.
Makes 12
Cake tin needed: a 12-hole bun tin
225g (8oz) butter
75g (3oz) sifted icing sugar
200g (7oz) self-raising flour
50g (2oz) cornflour
to finish
a little apricot jam
icing sugar, for dusting
Step one Preheat the oven to 180°C/Fan 160°C/gas 4. Place fairy cake cases into the bun tin.
Step two Soften the butter in a large bowl. Add the icing sugar and beat well until really soft and fluffy. Stir in the flours and mix until smooth. Spoon the mixture into a large piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle. Pipe circles of the mixture into the base of each paper case until all the mixture is used up.
Step three Bake for 15–20 minutes or until pale golden brown. Remove the paper cases from the tin and cool the cakes on a wire rack.
Step four Put a small amount of apricot jam onto the centre of each cake. Dust lightly with sifted icing sugar.
Traybakes and loaf cakes
The Very Best Shortbread
Coffee and Walnut Traybake
Cherry and Almond Traybake
Ginger and Treacle Spiced Traybake
Banana and Honey Teabread
Pineapple and Cherry Loaf
Lemon Drizzle Traybake
Borrowdale Teabread
Pineapple and Sultana Cake
Iced Apricot Fruit Loaf
Sultana and Orange Traybake
Date and Chocolate Loaf
Bakewell Tart Traybake
Devonshire Apple Cake
Bara Brith
Sultana Malt Loaves
Basic All-in-one Sponge Traybake
Iced Chocolate Traybake
Chocolate Chip and Vanilla Marble Cake
Family Fruit Teabread
Banana Loaf
Classic Sticky Gingerbread
Coffee Fudge Squares
Courgette Loaves
The Very Best Shortbread
For a really good shortbread it is essential to use butter. I like to use semolina as well as flour to give the shortbread crunch, but you can use cornflour or ground rice instead.
Makes 30 fingers
Cake tin needed: a 30 x 23cm (12 x 9in) traybake or roasting tin
225g (8oz) plain flour
100g (4oz) semolina
225g (8oz) butter
100g (4oz) caster sugar
50g (2oz) flaked almonds (optional)
25g (1oz) demerara sugar, for dusting
Step one Preheat the oven to 160°C/Fan 140°C/gas 3. Lightly grease the tin.
Step two Mix together the flour and semolina in a bowl or food processor. Add the butter and sugar and rub together with your fingertips until the mixture is just beginning to bind together. Knead lightly until the mixture forms a smooth dough.
Step three Press the dough into the prepared tin and level it with the back of a spatula or a palette knife, making sure the mixture is evenly spread. Prick all over with a fork, sprinkle over the flaked almonds if using, and chill until firm.
Step four Bake for about 35 minutes or until a very pale golden brown. Sprinkle with demerara sugar and leave to cool in the tin for a few minutes, then cut into 30 fingers. Carefully lift the fingers out of the tin with a palette knife and finish cooling on a wire rack. Store in an airtight tin.
To make Orange Shortbread, add the zest of one large orange to the mixture.
Glacé cherries, dried apricots and sultanas make delicious additions to shortbread, but the biscuits then need to be eaten on the day of making as they soon become soggy with the moisture from the fruit.
Have you made this recipe? Tell us what you think at www.mykitchentable.co.uk/blog
Coffee and Walnut Traybake
Coffee and walnuts go particularly well together, but you can use other nuts for this recipe if you prefer.
Makes 12 squares
Cake tin needed: a 30 x 23cm (12 x 9in) traybake or roasting tin
225g (8oz) butter, softened
225g (8oz) light muscovado sugar
275g (10oz) self-raising flour
2 level tsp baking powder
4 large eggs
2 tbsp milk
2 tbsp coffee essence
75g (3oz) chopped walnuts
for the icing
75g (3oz) butter, softened
225g (8oz) sifted icing sugar
2 tsp milk
2 tsp coffee essence
walnut halves
Step one Preheat the oven to 180°C/Fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease the tin then line the base with non-stick baking parchment.
Step two Measure all the cake ingredients into a large bowl and beat until well blended. Turn the mixture into the prepared tin and level the surface.
Step three Bake for 35–40 minutes or until the cake has shrunk from the sides of the tin and springs back when pressed in the centre with your fingertips. Leave to cool in the tin.
Step four To make the icing, beat together the butter, icing sugar, milk and coffee essence. Spread evenly over the cold cake using a palette knife, then decorate with the walnut halves and cut into pieces.
If you like, you can use instant coffee powder instead of coffee essence: mix 2 tsp with 2 tbsp of water.
Cherry and Almond Traybake
In season, you can use fresh stoned cherries instead of glacé, but you must then eat the cake up quickly: it won’t keep as well because it will be moister.
Makes 12 squares
Cake tin needed: a 30 x 23cm (12 x 9in) traybake or roasting tin
225g (8oz) red or natural glacé cherries (or 450g/1lb of sweet black cherries, stoned)
275g (10oz) self-raising flour
2 level tsp baking powder
225g (8oz) butter, softened
225g (8oz) caster sugar
zest of 2 lemons
75g (3oz) ground almonds
5 large eggs
25g (1oz) flaked almonds
Step one Preheat the oven to 180°C/Fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease the tin then line the base with non-stick baking parchment.
Step two Cut the cherries into quarters, put them in a sieve and rinse under running water. Drain well then dry thoroughly with kitchen paper.
Step three Measure all the remaining cake ingredients, except the flaked almonds, into a large bowl and beat for 1 minute to mix thoroughly. Lightly fold in the cherries. Turn into the prepared tin and sprinkle over the flaked almonds.
Step four Bake for about 40 minutes or until the cake has shrunk from the sides of the tin and springs back when pressed in the centre with your fingertips. Leave to cool in the tin, then cut into pieces.
For Mary Berry’s tips on how to line a baking tin, go to www.mykitchentable.co.uk/authors/MaryBerry/liningtins
Ginger and Treacle Spiced Traybake
Treacle can be difficult to weigh accurately, as it tends to stick to the scale pan. Weighing it on top of the sugar overcomes this problem.
Makes 15–20 pieces
Cake tin needed: a 30 x 23cm (12 x 9in) traybake or roasting tin
225g (8oz) butter, softened
175g (6oz) light muscovado sugar
200g (7oz) black treacle
300g (11oz) self-raising flour
2 level tsp baking powder
1 level tsp ground mixed spice
1 level tsp ground allspice
4 large eggs
4 tbsp milk
3 bulbs of stem ginger from a jar, finely chopped
for the icing
75g (3oz) icing sugar
3 tbsp stem ginger syrup from the jar
3 bulbs of stem ginger from a jar, finely chopped, to decorate
Step one Preheat the oven to 180°C/Fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease the tin then line the base with non-stick baking parchment.
Step two Measure all the ingredients for the traybake into a large bowl and beat until well blended. Turn the mixture into the prepared tin, scraping the bowl with a plastic spatula to remove all the mixture. Level the surface gently with the back of the spatula.
Step three Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until the cake has shrunk from the sides of the tin and springs back when pressed in the centre with your fingertips. Leave to cool in the tin for a few minutes then turn out, peel off the parchment and finish cooling on a wire rack.
Step four To make the icing, sift the icing sugar into a bowl, add the ginger syrup and mix until the icing is smooth and has a spreading consistency. Pour the icing over the cake, spread it gently to the edges with a small palette knife and sprinkle with the chopped stem ginger to decorate. Allow the icing to set before slicing the traybake into pieces.
This traybake freezes very well un-iced, and in fact improves with freezing.
Banana and Honey Teabread
This teabread has quite a pale colour even when cooked, because of the thick pale honey used. It is a very good way of using up over-ripe bananas.
Cake tin needed: a 900g (2lb) loaf tin
225g (8oz) self-raising flour
¼ level tsp freshly grated nutmeg
100g (4oz) butter
225g (8oz) bananas
100g (4oz) caster sugar
zest of 1 lemon
2 large eggs
6 tbsp thick pale honey
for the topping
2 tbsp honey
nibbed sugar or crushed sugar cubes, for sprinkling
Step one Preheat the oven to 160°C/Fan 140°C/gas 3. Grease the tin then line the base with non-stick baking parchment.
Step two Measure the flour and nutmeg into a large bowl and then rub in the butter using your fingertips, until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Step three Peel and mash the bananas and stir into the flour mixture, along with the sugar, lemon zest, eggs and honey. Beat well until evenly mixed, then turn into the prepared tin and level the surface.
Step four Bake for about 1¼ hours or until a fine skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cover the teabread loosely with foil during the end of the cooking time if it is browning too much. Leave to cool in the tin for a few minutes then turn out, peel off the parchment and finish cooling on a wire rack.
Step five To make the topping, gently warm the honey in a small pan, then brush over the top of the cold teabread. Sprinkle with the nibbed sugar.
Pineapple and Cherry Loaf
This cake would make a lovely present for someone with a sweet tooth. Remember that it is important to keep it in the fridge as it is very moist, and could go mouldy if left in a tin in a warm kitchen.
Cake tin needed: a 900g (2lb) loaf tin
175g (6oz) red or natural glacé cherries
227g (8oz) tin pineapple rings or chunks in fruit juice
150g (5oz) butter, softened
100g (4oz) light muscovado sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
200g (7oz) self-raising flour
225g (8oz) sultanas
Step one Preheat the oven to 160°C/Fan 140°C/gas 3. Grease the tin then line the base with non-stick baking parchment.
Step two Cut the cherries into quarters, put in a sieve and rinse under running water. Drain well. Drain the pineapple, reserving 2 tbsp of juice, and roughly chop; dry the pineapple and cherries thoroughly with kitchen paper.
Step three Measure the softened butter, sugar, eggs and flour into a large mixing bowl and beat for about 2 minutes until smooth. Fold in the sultanas, pineapple and cherries, along with the reserved pineapple juice. Turn into the prepared loaf tin.
Step four Bake for 1¼–1½ hours or until the loaf is well risen, golden brown and shrinking slightly from the sides of the tin. Leave to cool in the tin for a few minutes then turn out, peel off the parchment and finish cooling on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Lemon Drizzle Traybake
This really is our top favourite. It is always moist and crunchy. The cake needs to be still warm when the topping is added so that it absorbs the lemon syrup easily, leaving the sugar on top. Do allow the cake to cool a little though – if it is too hot, the syrup will tend to run straight through.
Makes 30 squares
Cake tin needed: a 30 x 23 x 4cm (12 x 9 x 1½ in) traybake or roasting tin
225g (8oz) butter, softened
225g (8oz) caster sugar
