Sour Cream Cinnamon Cake, with a Cinnamon Drizzle

This is a lovely recipe that I found in a very old book many years ago. So easy to make and made in minutes. I bought myself a natty plain ring tin a couple of weeks ago and have used that, but you could also use a loaf tin, or a 7” round one. Ring tins [bundt] as very easy to decorate and even easier to slice. I just cannot understand why we do not use them more often.

Pre heat your fan oven to 150C and prepare you choice of tin. With a ring tin, I grease well and toss around some extra flour, tapping out any left over.

10 fl oz Sour Cream [300ml]

9 oz caster sugar

2 large eggs

9 oz plain flour

1 teaspoon mixed spice

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 level teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and caster until very thick and very pale. Add the slackened Sour Cream. Sift in the remaining dry ingredients and mix well. Tip into your prepared tin and bake for about 55-60 mins.

While it is cooling on a rack, make up some icing to drizzle using a little icing sugar and ½ teaspoon cinnamon, along with a little water. Drizzle over generously and dot with some chopped nuts of your choice if you wish, or/and some cinnamon sugar.

Absolutely scrummy, so moist.  Piece of cake too.

Whiskey Infused Fruit Loaf

I love fruit cakes and it never ceases to amaze me that just by tweaking the ingredients, you get a different cake. I have posted many fruit cake recipes since I started my Blog/page and I do hope you will enjoy this one. The perfect indulgence. Great sliced with some butter slathered on it!!!! Clotted cream as well.

You will need a 2lb loaf tin, lightly oiled and lined along the long side, hanging over the edge to help you lift it out. Start off the day before, with the fruit…..

In a medium mixing bowl, add:

½ pint very hot strong black tea

8 oz soft dark brown sugar

Stir until the sugar has dissolved then add:

10 oz sultanas

6 oz currants

4 fl oz whiskey

Cover with a plate and leave [at least] overnight, stirring occasionally.

Pre heat your fan oven to 150C

2 medium eggs, beaten

8 oz plain flour

1½ teaspoons baking powder

1 - 2 teaspoons mixed spice [your choice]

runny honey for the top

Next day - in the bowl, add the dry ingredients and mix well. Add the beaten eggs and tip the whole lot into your prepared tin.

Bake for about an hour. Brush runny honey over the top while still hot in the tin, then after ten minutes cool on a rack.

Just delicious, so moist. 

Cheesy Ham and Bacon Cake

A great picnic standby, now that summer is here! Better still eaten warm with a salad. So versatile and easy. No Cornish elements to this, I am afraid but I did use Davidstow cheddar!

Grease then line the long sides [hanging over to help lift it out] of a non stick 2lb loaf tin.

Pre heat your fan oven to 160C

The cake is done in stages. Prepare each stage before making the “cake”.

In a frying pan, lightly fry until soft:

3 oz finely chopped bacon

1 med-large onion, finely chopped

[I used a teaspoon of chilli infused oil, to add a little extra depth of flavour]

Set aside for a mo to cool.

In a measuring jug, whisk together:

4 large eggs

4 fl oz white wine

4 fl oz sunflower oil

sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

In a bowl, place:

12 oz plain flour

1 teaspoonful baking powder

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

6 oz chopped ham [I used a chunky offcuts pack from Aldi]

5 oz grated mature cheddar

Tip the cooled bacon and onion into the flour and cheese. Mix well, then beat in eggy mixture.

Make sure everything is well combined and tip into your prepared tin and bake for about 1 hour.

Just yummy. Easily halved if you want to make a small cake in a 1lb tin. You may need to reduce the baking time a little though.

After I made this, I took it along for afternoon tea at the Friday Bridge Club I attend. It did go down well!

PARMESAN AND RED ONION FOCACCIA with thyme

Making focaccia is a piece of cake. Dead easy and great to pull apart and share. I wish I could tell you there is a Cornish element to this recipe, but unfortunately not. But is is great to have a change now and then. Good with Davidstow cheddar though!!!! And balsamic to dip with more olive oil.

I do recommend using a mixer with a dough hook, but by hand is ok if you use an oiled surface, but the dough is fairly wet.

In a large bowl, place:

12 oz strong white bread flour

1 teaspoon easy bake yeast [use a proper measure]

1 teaspoon sea salt

a generous amount of fresh ground pepper

1 tablespoon fresh grated parmesan

Mix well. Add:

9 fl oz warm water

2 tablespoons olive oil

Knead for ten minutes [use an oiled surface if doing by hand, it is a wet dough so try not to add any more flour. A dough scraper is handy]. Put the dough to rise in a warm spot, covered with cling film to keep it warm and cosy until doubled in size. About an hour or so.

Meanwhile:

1 large red onion, quartered, then sliced thinly. Place a generous tablespoon of olive oil in a small fry pan and over a medium heat lightly cook the onion until it just starts to soften, tossing it well, so it is completely covered in the oil, about 2-3 mins. Set side to cool.

Oil a baking sheet - I use my mermaid 1” high pan, 12 x 8 “. Take your dough and shape and stretch out to fit the baking sheet. Cover it once more with oiled cling film [spray is handy for this] and prove again for about an hour until double in size.

Pre heat your fan oven to 200C

Chop about a half tablespoon each of fresh thyme and rosemary leaves.

1 fl oz olive oil for drizzling

½ teaspoon sea salt [I love to use sea salt flakes]

Poke your finger gently in the top of the dough to make little dents all over, if not too soft. Evenly spread the cooled onion over the top, then sprinkle with the fresh rosemary and thyme. Drizzle the oil over the top and sprinkle over the sea salt flakes.

Bake for about 25 mins. The smell is absolutely amazing.  Lift and cool on a wire rack then cut into squares or better still, serve whole so folk can tear.

I just love yeast cookery!!! If doubling, bake on two separate baking sheets.