Porter Cake No 2

I posted Porter Cake No 1 in early 2015, so that is seven years ago! Check it out on my Blog! It is a wonderful cake, and it uses currants, as most old traditional Cornish cakes do. Doesn’t time fly? I came across this different version in my old scrap book, so thought I would give it a try. But take note - the cake needs to rest and mature for 10-12 days before tucking in. Hey ho. Must be done. I used Lidl’s Porter*, just £1.09 for a large bottle. My husband drank the left over!

You will need a 7 inch spring form cake tin, greased and lined, pre heat your fan oven to 150C

4 oz softened butter

4 oz soft light brown sugar [or dark]

2 large eggs

8 oz plain flour

½ teaspoonful baking powder

1 teaspoonful mixed spice

¼ pint [5 fl oz] Porter*

6 oz each of sultanas and raisins

the grated zest of a lemon

In a medium mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar, then beat in the eggs one at a time with a small amount of flour with each. Fold in the floor, bp and spice then add the Porter [or Guinness], mixing well, then finally stir in the zest and fruit.

Tip into your prepared tin and level off. Bake for about 1½ hours, then cool in the tin. When cold, pierce all over the top of the cake with a fine knitting needle or similar. Spoon over some more Porter, then allow to dry for half an hour.

Wrap in parchment and foil [I am a fan of parchment lined foil, available in Lakeland] then after a week, unwrap and pour over more Porter, if you wish. Wrap again before munching a few days later.

Well I never, how yummy. Enjoy

Note: The smell when you unwrap is just wonderful. 

Penzance Cake

I am not sure why I have never posted this cake before. So many fruit cakes I suppose and this is another, that looks very rocky! A nod to the landscape nearby perhaps? But the top does resemble a large rock cake. Best made a few days before cutting, it is very delicious, with only the honey as a sweetener and I love the combination of currants and stem ginger. Very Cornish!

You will need an 8 inch spring form cake tin, greased and lined. Pre heat your fan oven to 150C

1 lb Self Raising flour

2 teaspoonfuls of ground cinnamon

4 oz softened butter

1 lb currants

3 oz finely chopped mixed peel

3 oz finely chopped stem ginger

3 large eggs

3 fl oz of runny honey

3 fl oz of whole milk

In a large mixing bowl, place the flour and spice, then add the butter and rub in until it resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in all the fruit. Place the honey and milk in a jug warm in a microwave for a few seconds, Mix well. Add the beaten eggs to the flour mix then stir in the  warmed milk and honey.

Tip into your tin and bake for about 1½ hours but check after 70 mins and turn down if necessary if browning too much.

Cool in the tin for half an hour before turning out onto a rack. 

Note: I like to add a splash of brandy to the mix, or rather add it to the currants the night before. A large splash in fact. The fruit will soak it up.

Quite different from the usual fruit cakes, as it uses the rubbing in method, but nonetheless, very good. We will have another fruit cake next week!

 

 

Applesauce Bake

As requested and promised, I trawled through my old books and made this super easy, moist, very yummy, traybake.  You do need a firmer apple with which to make the applesauce as a cooker eg Bramley, will be too runny. I used Grannys, which I find are a good allrounder.

The day before, peel and chop the apples then add a small amount of sugar and gently cook down - I used a  microwave for ease of use. It does not matter if there are small pieces of apple left. Then chill overnight and if there is any liquid in the bottom of the basin, discard it. You need a firm applesauce.

You will need a 8 inch square traybake tin, well greased and the bottom lined with parchment, hanging over the long sides. Pre heat your fan oven to 160C

10 oz plain flour

5 oz soft light brown sugar

1 heaped teaspoonful ground cinnamon [more if you wish]

a level teaspoonful each of baking powder and bicarbonate of soda

pinch of salt

Place the above in a medium mixing bowl and mix well to combine. Now add:

1 large egg, whisked

3 fl oz sunflower or light olive oil

4 oz plain Greek yogurt

7-8 oz firm applesauce

1 teaspoonful vanilla extract

Mix well and tip into your prepared tin. Bake for about about 35-40 mins, until firm to the touch.

Cool in the tin for a short while, then lift out onto a rack using the long ends. When cold, cut into squares. Just delicious!! The flavour is just amazing.

Carrot and Honey Cake

You all know I love making cakes with veggies and I have posted my fave carrot cake before, found in an old 1970s Kenwood mixer book. This is very different and I must say I love the combinations of Honey, and Ground Almonds added to the veg. I might have to change my mind……

You will need a 7 inch spring form cake tin, greased and lined and your fan oven pre heated to 140C

4 oz softened butter

2 oz soft light brown sugar

2 oz runny honey

3 large eggs

8 oz plain flour

2 teaspoonfuls baking g powder

6 oz carrots, grated

4 oz sultanas

3 oz ground almonds

the grated zest and juice of an orange.

In a medium bowl, cream the butter, sugar and honey until light and fluffy, then add the eggs one at a time, along with a little flour if needed. Fold in the rest of the flour and the bp. Mix well then add the carrot, fruit, ground almonds, zest and juice. Tip into your prepared tin and bake for about 1½ hours, until firm to the touch. You may need ten more mins. Cool in the tin for a short while then turn out onto a rack to wait while it cools before tucking in! I turned it down to 130C after an hour.

Delicious and so moist. You could add a cream cheese topping, but personally I do not think it needs it.