I was going to start this post by writing everyone loves banana cake but that’s so not true. My mum abhors bananas in any way, shape or form. The poor woman often peers hopefully into my cake tin when she comes over, only to firmly replace the lid when she discovers the baked good is banana cake/bread/muffin. Continue reading
You may already know I worship at the shrine of Donna Hay. My bible is Modern Classics Book 2 and it is a well-thumbed book. When a lovely friend at work announced she was leaving for an amazing job opportunity I knew a choc cake was in order. Continue reading
I may have mentioned that chocolate orange is my favourite sweet flavour combination. Maybe I was just thinking it. Either way, whenever I see a choc orange recipe I am all over it. These are lovely and so moreish – you will eat many. This is adapted from Simply Recipes. Continue reading
When it comes to breakfast I always choose savoury over sweet. I don’t *get* how people can eat muffins before noon and call it a meal. After making these ever-so-scrumptious sticky lemon buns with cream cheese frosting I almost understand the idea of a sweet breakfast. Continue reading
I want to be Donna Hay when I grow up. I love her recipes, her style, her gorgeous boutique in Sydney – everything. If the woman made Donna Hay label toilet paper I would buy it. Her ‘Modern Classics Book 2’ is on high rotation in my kitchen and like all of her recipes they never let you down. Continue reading
Queen Victoria’s memory lives on in this light-as-air concoction which is dressed with a simple dusting of icing sugar. It may not be trendy but it is divine: not overly sweet but just sweet enough. Like biting into a cloud… Continue reading
This fabulous baked custard tart was one of those recipes I stumbled across and just *knew* it would be in my baking future. It comes courtesy of the No Pinning Allowed blog, who named it Belgian Flan, a much more alluring name. If you want to see the original it is here: http://nopinningallowed.wordpress.com/2012/06/08/recipe-belgian-flan/ Continue reading
My love of choc chips in baked goods is well known so when I came across recipe for a chocolate cake with choc chips I was sold. I found the recipe on the allrecipes.co.uk site but the original didn’t specify how much milk so I had to guesstimate. I think I guessed correctly! This isn’t a fancy cake but I bet it will be gratefully received by your guests. Continue reading
Oh my, this is good. It isn’t often you can quote Homer Simpson in baking but his line in relation to his Flaming Homer cocktail, ‘fire made it good’, can definitely be applied here.
First step: vanilla cupcakes. I’ve been making these babies, courtesy of Australia Women’s Weekly’s ‘Quick Mix Cakes’ book, for yonks. They are one bowl, delicious, fail-proof and never last long! They are hardy enough to withstand being made by little helpers, too. I’ve tweaked the recipe.
As usual I dress my cupcakes with Donna Hay’s dark chocolate glaze which I have blogged about previously.
But here’s the trick: make the cupcakes, allow to cool completely before dressing with the choc glaze. Stud with mini marshmallows. Then, place under the grill [broiler] for a few seconds. Keep an eye on them cause the marshmallow will melt quickly. Eat. And eat and eat. Oh, baby…
CUPCAKES:
GATHER:
125g diced butter at room temperature
good splash vanilla
½ cup caster sugar
2 eggs
1 ½ cups self raising flour
½ cup milk
LET’S GET TO IT:
Preheat oven to 170C and line 2x 12 hole patty pans with liners.
Place everything in the bowl of electric mixer and blend until all combined and smooth.
Place in party pans and bake until golden 17-ish minutes.
Cool on wire racks.
Meanwhile, make the glaze:
Melt 150g best quality dark chocolate with ½ cup pouring cream in a small pan over low heat, stirring until melted and smooth. Stand for 20 minutes to thicken.
Spread thickly on cold cakes and immediately add mini marshmallows.
Place under a preheated grill until the marshmallows melt and bubble.
When I saw the post for iced VoVo tarts by the wonderfully named Frocks & Frou Frou blog I knew I would be making it sooner rather than later. Iced VoVos are an iconic Australian biscuit made by Arnotts: a shortbready biscuit base topped with raspberry jam, marshmallow & dessicated coconut. So sweet. So yum. So want one now…
Lilli from Frocks & Frou Frou made everything from scratch. I didn’t [except the strawberry jam which I had the fridge] but I imagine the homemade pastry would have added to the taste.
She also made the marshmallow topping from scratch but I was just too lazy. One day I will try her full recipe as her tarts looked so cute. If you want to check it out here it is: http://frocksandfroufrou.com/2012/04/iced-iced-vovo/
These are tiny but super, doper sweet. I could manage just one but my sugar junkie Miss 4 loved them as did her little friends. So maybe try these for a kid’s party – they will love them. Continue reading
the hungry mum 