Cherry, Almond and Chocolate Ghetto Fabulous Cake

Time to go BIG.

 

♬ 'Foundations' Kate Nash

WOW.

I love baking celebration cakes. A big cake always means something special.
 Imagine having a fat wedge of a slice with a cup of tea whilst chatting with friends or family, making all your worries disappear...for a few minutes.

Then it's time to bake or find more cakes!

 

I've been focusing my cakey sponge brain cells on making wedding cakes - Mita style.

 

Yes this means LOADS of colourful carnival looking cakes, chocolate volcanic explosions, and most importantly gold and glitter everywhere.

 

Today's cake is gluten free, moist, nutty and light.

 

Preheat your oven people, here's the how, what and when...

 

Ingredients:

Almond sponge bottom

100g gluten free plain flour

1tsp gluten free baking powder

30g ground almonds

100g unsalted butter

1 tsp almond essence

70g coconut palm sugar

2 medium eggs

20ml almond milk

 

Chocolate sponge middle

100g gluten free plain flour

1 tsp gluten free baking powder

30g sifted cocoa powder

100g unsalted butter

70g brown soft sugar

2 medium eggs

20ml almond milk

1 tsp almond essence

 

Chocolate meringue top

 3 medium egg whites

150g caster sugar

50g grated dark chocolate

1 tbsp cocoa powder sifted

 

Method:

▶ Preheat oven 180° c

Make bottom and middle sponges by thoroughly mixing all the ingredients I've listed under each sponge.
Pour into two sandwich tins with removable bases.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Keep both out to cool.

Meanwhile start whisking three egg whites in a DRY bowl to start on the meringue. Slowly add caster sugar until soft peaks form. Fold in cocoa and chocolate.
Reduce oven temperature to 140° c and bake in a lined sandwich tin for 40 minutes.

Raspberry jam
Flaked almonds

Choc butter cream
50g soya butter preferably Kerry pure dairy free
120g icing sugar
1 tbsp almond milk

Choc Icing
150g icing sugar sifted
30g cocoa powder
1 tbsp almond milk

Spread raspberry jam on vanilla sponge, chocolate butter cream on chocolate sponge and scatter flakes almonds. Sandwich together gently. To stick meringue on top of chocolate sponge make chocolate icing and spread on top of chocolate cake, gently put meringue on and spray gold.
Top with cherries dipped in remainder chocolate icing.

 

xxx

Superwoman Cupcakes

 

 

♬ 'A Perfect Contradiction' Paloma Faith

 

What a sexy cross section!

Men watch out... any woman who eats one of these will be full of more strength, energy and power!

 I've combined some super ingredients in these cakes making them guilt free, tasty and full of goodness. Plus who doesn't like Oreo's?  



 

Ingredients:

 

60g unsalted butter

150g coconut palm sugar

1 large egg

20g cocoa powder

75g gluten free plain flour

75g quinoa flour
20g oattbran

1 tbsp coconut flour

20g fresh/frozen blueberries

140ml low fat Koko coconut milk

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tbsp poppy seeds

1 orange zest

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 fresh banana

 Method:

▶ Preheat oven 180°c
Whisk butter, sugar and egg until pale and fluffy.
Stir through flours, bran, cocoa powder, blueberries, seeds, orange and lemon.
Pour milk in small amounts until a smooth chocolate batter is formed.
Add bicarbonate of soda then vinegar on top. Stir everything once more and scoop into twelve muffin cases.
Chop banana into small chunks and stick one in the middle of each muffin case.
Bake for twenty minutes, when you no longer see any bananas and they are well risen then they are done.

Leave to cool.
 

 

Frosting

1 large ripe avocado

1 tbsp coconut oil

100g  85% Green and Black's chocolate

Oreo's cut in half.

Maca powder

Chia seeds

Melt chocolate and coconut oil separately. Whisk together and dip Oreo halves in sauce. Freeze these for ten minutes.

Use the rest of the sauce by combining it with mashed avocado. Whisk well until all green lumps have gone and pipe on each cake.
Sprinkle maca powder and chia seeds.
Top with Oreo.

Remember don't beat yourself after treating yourself.

Not everyone can stay on top of eating healthy without wanting a chocolate bar or diving into cheeseburger every now and then.
Listen to your body.

 
XXX

 

RAFA CAKES

Todays sweet treat has been inspired by an awesome lady called Rafa. 

♬ 'Kala' MIA

 

The mixture for these cakes uses a genoise recipe.

A genoise sponge is really light, fat free and means lots of whisking to get mountains of air through the mixture.

When whisked over heat it goes through a 'ribbon stage' which means the mixture should fall back into the bowl like a ribbon.

 

Ingredients:

 

2 medium eggs

50g brown sugar

50g gluten free plain flour

20g quinoa flour

 

 

1 packet of raspberry jelly

1 tbsp Raspberry jam or marmalade

 

200g Green and Black's 85% chocolate

 

Method:

 

 ▶ Preheat oven 180°c

Make jelly night before following instructions on the packet, use vegan jelly if you prefer. Pour in a large baking tray and refrigerate - never freeze to speed up process.

 

In a glass bowl add eggs and sugar, put this over a small pot of boiling water and whisk. Do not take your eyes off it! Whisk for a solid five minutes until really pale and you get the ribbon effect.

Take off the heat immediately and stir through flours.

Pour small amounts in a 12 hole cake tin which has been lightly greased.

Bake for 15 minutes until slightly tanned and risen.

 

Melt chocolate and keep to one side.

Spread small amounts of jam on each cake base.

Using a very small scone cutter, cut out small discs of jelly and place on each base. This was quite messy, be gentle and maybe use a fish slice!

Pour over chocolate and scrape fork on top of each one to add a few lines.

Leave them to cool and set.

 

Check out some old school phat jaffa cupcakes and actual jaffa cakes I made ages ago on this wonderful blog.

 

Sending Rafa and Jaffa power your way.xx

 

 

 

Superfood Cupcakes

Chief cake taster Pasqual posing with a mini super food cake.

♬ 'I love your smile' Shanice

 

 

Super cakes hey. I am loving my super food week, I'm cooking loads more, incorporating as much veg and fruit throughout the day, feeling lighter and having more clarity.

 

Try these super cute, super sweet and healthy cakes. Even if you are not doing a super food week, these are nice to make for parties, birthdays and picnics.

Or anyone who likes alternative ingredients in cakes!

Ingredients:

 

150g gluten free plain flour

1tsp gluten free baking powder

50g quinoa flour

100ml Koko dairy free original coconut milk

1 tbsp chia seeds

1 tbsp linseeds

1 tbsp poppy seeds

50g chopped Green and Blacks 85% chocolate

1 ripe medium banana

20g pumpkin seed butter
30g unsalted butter

50g coconut palm sugar

1 medium egg

 

Frosting

100g Green and Black's 85% chocolate

Half ripe avocado mashed

1 tsp lemon juice

1tbsp coconut milk

Method:

▶ Preheat oven 180°c
Put flours (inc baking powder) seeds, banana, egg and sugar in a bowl and whisk.
Melt butter and add to the bowl with seeds and milk.
Whisk well until a thick batter forms. Stir in chopped chocolate.
Scoop into 12 cupcake cases or 20 mini cupcake cases.
Bake large cupcakes for 20 minutes and mini ones for 15 minutes.

I ran out of large cases this is why there are loads of mini cakes in case you're wondering..

Once risen and chocolate is bubbling through cakes, take out and leave to one side.

Frosting:
Melt chocolate and pour over thoroughly mashed avocado with lemon juice, add milk and whisk.
Pipe small amounts on each cake, top with extra banana and they can be eaten straight away.
This frosting will slightly harden but still tastes the same when it was soft.

xxx