Marbled Chocolate Ring Cake

Even if this cake tasted disgusting (which it didn't might I add), it looks spectacular and is perfect for any special occasion. I got the funky cake tin in TK Maxx for under €10 - WIN! 

Preheat the oven to 180^°C - Be sure to grease and line the tin with strips of baking paper to prevent the cake sticking.

Sponge

225g butter
225g caster sugar
4 large eggs
225g self-raising flour
2 tsp baking powder
1.5 tbsp cocoa powder
1.5 tbsp hot water

• blend the cocoa and water to create a paste.
• to a large bowl, add all the remaining ingredients and whisk until blended. 
• spoon half the mixture, using a teaspoon into the bottom of the tin.
• mix the cocoa paste with the remaining cake mixture and repeat the previous stage until its all used up.
• swirl the mixtures together with a small knife and level out the top.
• bake in the oven for approximately 40 minutes until well risen and springs back when touched. 
• leave the cake to cool in the tin before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Icing

150g plain chocolate

2 tbsp water

100g butter

50g milk chocolate

• to make the icing, melt the chocolate, water and butter in a bowl over a saucepan of hot water.
• pour over the cake and leave to cool for 1 hour (leave the icing to cool a little so it 'sticks' to the cake better)
• to decorate, melt the milk chocolate over a pan of hot water and spoon into a plastic sandwich bag/piping back, cut of a corner and drizzle over the cake. 
• yum yum yum!

♥ ♥

Wendy

XO

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Foodie Festival - Battersea Park

With thanks to Easy Food Magazine, we were lucky enough to win two tickets to the Foodie Festival in Battersea Park, London. We attended the event on Saturday the 17th of August. All going well we will return next year! There were so many things we would have loved to sample but there is only so much you can do in one day. However, everything that we did taste was delicious and I look forward to trying more next year. :)

5am Breakfast 

Hawaiian Jump Juice 

On the Birmingham to London Train - you can't beat M & S!

Battersea Park 

The Pigs Head was behind that Bamboo Wall

We didn't try this but it looked amazing!

Live Music 

Rum Punch - so Fruity & Delicious!

Masterchef

Kevin tried out a few of the local beers - all got a thumbs up!

I can't walk by coffee ice-cream!! 

Excellent Burritos & Guacamole

This is the one I had - too good for words.. 

Kevin's Hog Roll (From the Pig above - crackling & all!)

Cycling around London - we visited Buckingham Palace

Back at Birmingham Airport for the 9.30pm Flight back to Dublin - & it turns out 'Pret' make lovely Soy Lattes!

♥ ♥

Wendy

XO

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March - Victoria Sponge Cake

Who doesn't love a good Victoria Sponge Cake? Fresh cream and jam (next time I'll make the jam too!) Preheat the oven to 180^°C and grease two 8 inch sandwich tins.

Just a little flat ;)

Sponge

225g butter

225g caster

4 large eggs

½ tsp vanilla extract

225g self-raising flour

Filling

8 tbsp jam

200ml cream, softly whipped

• cream together the butter and sugar, until light and fluffy.
• beat in the eggs one by one and add the vanilla.
• fold in the flour with a large metal spoon
• bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
• once cooled, sandwich the cakes with jam and whipped cream.

January - Coffee Victoria Sponge

This was a really quick and fun way to make a coffee cake! Preheat the oven to 160^°C and line 2 tins with greaseproof paper. 

Melting icing...again

Sponge

4 Eggs 

Soft Margarine

Self-raising flour

2 tbsp instant coffee granules

• Weigh eggs in shells, weigh out the same amount of margarine, sugar and flour.
• Cream the margarine and sugar until light and fluffy, whisk in the eggs, sieve flour into the mixture.
• Mix the coffee with 1 tbsp of hot water and fold into the mixture.
• Spoon into prepared tins and bake for 25 minutes.

Icing

300g icing sugar

2 tbsp instant coffee granules

15g butter, melted

Walnut halves (or coffee chocolate beans - nom!)

• Sieve the icing sugar into a bowl, mix the coffee with 3 tbsp of boiling water add to the icing sugar with the butter.
• Once the cake is cooled ice (ice baby...) and decorate your cake.

PS - I wish I was better at icing cakes 

Lemon and Lime Cake

This is one of my favourite cakes to bake - the lime gives it a little extra 'zestyness' :) Preheat the oven to 180◦C and grease your tins and line the bottoms. (It’s easier to use two – less cooking time, and if you have a divider http://www.kitchencookware.ie/baking/cake-decoration/cake-leveler/ you can divide it in four, you can get them cheap in ikea too)

Sponge

250g unsalted butter, soft

250g caster sugar

4 eggs

250g self-raising flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

1-2 tbsp. Milk

1 tbsp. Lemon juice (heat them in the microwave before juicing)

1 tbsp. Lime juice

The zest of a lemon

The zest of a lime

• Put the butter, caster sugar and zest into an electric mixer and cream together for 7 minutes.
• Add the eggs, one by one and mix for 2 minutes at a time.
• Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl and add it to the mix until it’s all incorporated.
• Add the milk and juices and mix for a further minute.
• Divide between your baking pans and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes (may take longer depending on oven/how wet the mixture is).
• Remove when ready and leave to cool a while before taking them out of the tins to cool fully.

Lemon and Lime Syrup

50g golden caster sugar

50ml water 

¼ tsp. Lemon juice 

¼ tsp. Lime juice

• For the syrup, heat the sugar and water in a pan. Bring to the boil slowly, stirring well until the sugars dissolved. Remove from heat, cool and then add the juice.
• Pierce the cake with a skewer and pour over the syrup (use a little teaspoon).

Icing

125g unsalted butter, the softer it is the easier it is to make

350g icing sugar

50ml between remainder lemon and lime juice 

•  For the icing, cream the butter and juices together for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
•  Add the icing sugar and blend for a further 2 minutes.
• When icing the cake put a really thin layer on first to stop the crumbs ruining your icing, then decorate.

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