Victoria Sponge This is my best version of a Victoria sponge recipe; I think there are at least a couple of similar versions in here, but this one is better.
Preheat oven to 180C fan/200C.
3 eggs, room temperature, weighed in the shell (I assume 200g) 200g unsalted butter, soft (20-25C); same weight as the eggs 200g caster sugar 200g self raising flour 1 tsp baking powder 0.
From Baking With Granny
Date And Walnut Cake 225g dates, chopped (best not medjool, they are too squishy) 1 tsp baking soda (aka bicarbonate of soda or sodium bicarbonate) 85g butter, melted 85g caster sugar 120ml water, hot (or tea) 1 egg 85g walnuts (use walnut halves and roughly chop them) 225g self raising flour Put the dates, bicarb, butter and sugar in a large bowl and pour over the hot water.
The first thing I need to say is that canelés are very easy to make, and have a simple list of ingredients. That is, perhaps, the surprising part. The second is rather more obvious, which is that they are delicious.
Canelés Ingredients 250ml milk (NOT skimmed sugar water) 25g butter (unsalted) pinch of salt 0.5 tsp vanilla 2 tsp dark rum 50g plain flour 125g caster sugar 1 medium egg plus 1 egg yolk This quantity is just right for a single silicone mould of 18 miniature canelés (or 8 large canelés, but I only have the small mould).
Kugelhopf I’ve been making kugelhopf/gugelhopf for years. It’s an enriched leavened dough, like a plain brioche or pannetone, always made in a ring shaped (toroidal) mould. I like it as a simple, but rather different, type of coffee cake.
From Saveur.
85g raisins 2 tbs kirsch 80g + 330g bread flour 7g dried yeast 240ml milk 16g caster sugar - maybe more? 6g salt (linked recipe says 18g, seems a lot!
Christmas Cake This is a rich fruit cake, suitable for use as a Christmas cake. This is the basic recipe that I have used for family Christmas for quite a few years (although I don’t make this every year).
The same basic recipe is in Delia’s Book of Cakes, and online. I’ll add some notes on my personal alterations at the bottom.
Ingredients 450g currants 175g sultanas 175g raisins 50g glacé cherries, rinsed & chopped 50g candied peel, chopped (“dried mixed fruit”, 900g can be used instead or the last five ingredients) 3 tbs brandy (100ml), or any brown spirit (brandy, rum, whisky) 225g unsalted butter 225g soft brown sugar 4 eggs 225g plain flour 0.
Manor House Fruit Cake There are many attempt to imitate the Mr Kipling’s Manor House Fruit Cake; this is mine.
225g self raising flour 110g butter 110g caster sugar 1 tsp mixed spice 225g mixed dried fruit (with or without peel; I prefer with) 5 tbs milk 1 egg Demerara sugar Set oven to 180C.
Mix flour and butter to breadcrumbs (best done in a food processor, but rubbing in by hand is traditional).
Quick Crumb Coffee Cake Originally from America’s Test Kitchen.
Makes two 23cm cakes, each serving 6 - 8. The recipe claim that the batter will bake unevenly in a large pan, but that hasn’t been my experience; it may depend on pan versus oven size. The advantage of the two cake tin method is that you could freeze one before baking.
Ingredients Topping 65g light brown sugar 65g granulated sugar (or use caster, or all light brown sugar) 50g all-purpose flour 60g unsalted butter, softened 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon 115g pecans or walnuts, chopped coarse Cake 425g plain flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon ¼ teaspoon salt 440ml sour cream 200g light brown sugar 200g granulated sugar 3 large eggs 105g unsalted butter, melted and cooled Method Heat the oven to 180C, and grease two 23cm cake pans.
Ingredients: Streusel 30g/1 oz butter 60g/2 oz plain flour 60g 2 oz Demerara sugar Rub the butter and flour together, then stir in the sugar. You can do this by hand or in a food processor.
Ingredients: Cake 110g/4 oz butter 110g/4 oz caster sugar 110g/4 oz self-raising flour 2 large eggs In a food processor pulse the butter, sugar and flour; a few short pulses should be sufficient.
New York Times Plum Torte New York Times Original Plum Torte.
Ingredients 150 - 200g (.75 - 1 cup) sugar 115g (.5 cup) butter 2 eggs 120g (1 cup) plain flour 1 tsp baking powder pinch of salt 24 halves of plums (400 - 500g) 1 tbs sugar 2 tsp - 1 tbs lemon juice 1 tsp cinnamon - topping Method Heat oven to 175C/350F.
Burnt Basque Cheesecake Originally from La Viña, San Sebastian, I took this recipe from Bon Appetit, which is reasonably close to the original.
Uses a 25cm (10”) springform pan (I only have a 9" pan, which takes a few minutes longer to cook).
2 lb/900g cream cheese 1.5 cups/300g sugar 6 large eggs 2 cups/480ml heavy cream 6g/1 tsp kosher salt 1 tsp vanilla extract 1/3 cup/40g plain flour Heat oven to 400F/205C.