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250g (9oz) chopped walnuts
For the chocolate glaze
90g (3oz) icing sugar, sifted
30g (1oz) cocoa powder
4 tbsp warm milk
One 25cm (10in) Bundt pan or ring mould
1. To make the cake, preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F), Gas mark 3. Grease the Bundt pan with butter and set aside.
2. Using a freestanding electric mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand-held electric whisk, beat the butter and sugar for about 5 minutes on medium speed until light and creamy. Lower the speed and add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition and mixing until just incorporated. Gradually add the icing sugar, mixing well. Add the flour, cocoa, vanilla and walnuts and mix until just combined.
3. Scrape the batter into the Bundt pan and smooth the top. Bake for 55–60 minutes. The cake will not be done in the centre, but will be dry on top and separated slightly from the sides of the pan. Remove from the oven and let stand in the pan on a wire rack for 1 hour. Loosen from the sides gently with a spatula after 1 hour and allow to cool in the pan for a further hour. If you take the cake out of the pan too early, it can fall apart. Remove from the pan by inverting the cake onto the rack, then cool completely.
4. To make the glaze, combine the glaze ingredients in a small bowl and beat with a whisk until smooth.
5. While the cake is still on a wire rack, place a sheet of greaseproof paper or a large plate under the rack to catch the drips. Spoon the glaze over the top of the cake, letting it drip down the sides. Let stand to set the glaze, then transfer carefully to a cake plate to serve.
Upside-down Pear Cake
We suppose you could use apples instead of pears, but pears work so well with the sponge and look like jewels when you turn the cake out on to your serving plate.
Makes one 23 x 32cm (9 x 13in) cake, to slice as desired
For the caramelised pears
6 large, ripe pears, peeled, cored and quartered lengthways
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
40g (1½oz) unsalted butter
80g (3oz) caster sugar
130ml (4½fl oz) Kentucky bourbon or whiskey
For the cake
195g (7oz) plain flour
1½ tbsp ground ginger
1½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp grated nutmeg
½ tsp salt
160g (5½oz) unsalted butter
75g (2½oz) dark muscovado sugar
4 large eggs
170g (6oz) pure cane molasses, such as Meridian
3 tbsp boiling water
1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
One 23 x 32cm (9 x 13in) tin
1. Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F), Gas mark 4. Line the tin with non-stick baking parchment.
2. To make the caramelised pears, mix the pears with the lemon juice. In a large frying pan, melt the butter and sprinkle with half the caster sugar. Put the pear quarters into the pan. Cook for about 5 minutes until brown on one side. Turn and cook for a further 5 minutes until the other side is brown. With a slotted spoon, carefully remove the pear quarters and set aside to cool slightly.
3. Add the bourbon and the rest of the caster sugar to the pan and cook and stir frequently for about 5 minutes until the mixture becomes syrupy. Pour this syrup into the baking tin and tip the tin to spread evenly over the bottom of the tin.
4. Start to arrange the pears from one corner so that they cover the bottom of the tin and are facing the same way, with the tapered ends lying in the same direction. Set aside.
5. To make the cake, sift together the flour, spices and salt in a bowl.
6. Using a freestanding electric mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand-held electric whisk, cream the butter and sugar together for around 5 minutes on a medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, on a lower speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Only beat until just incorporated. Add the molasses and beat for a few moments longer to mix.
7. In a small bowl, add the boiling water to the bicarbonate of soda and set aside. Add half the flour mixture to the creamed mixture on low speed. Then add the water and bicarbonate of soda and the rest of the flour mixture and mix until well incorporated. It will look like the mixture has split, but that is correct.
8. Scrape the mixture into the tin on top of the arranged pears and bake for 25 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 165°C (325°F), Gas mark 3 and bake for 10–15 minutes longer. The top should bounce back when lightly touched. Cool in the tin for 1 hour, then run a knife around the edges of the cake. Place a tray over the top of the tin and carefully (but quickly) turn upside down.
Cupcakes (#u15bb9328-d6e7-5932-ba1e-950d99e2b600)
Grape Jelly Cupcakes
Blue Hawaiian Cupcakes
Bananas Foster Cupcakes
Pumpkin Chai Cupcakes
Tomato Soup Cupcakes
Pink Champagne Cupcakes
Toasted Marshmallow Cupcakes
Chocolate Chip ‘Cupcakes’
Honey Cornbread Cupcakes
Mint Julep Cupcakes
Grape Jelly Cupcakes
Grape jelly in the USA is a seedless preserve or jam made from Concord grapes. This is hard to find in the UK, but using a purple grape juice will simulate the flavour.
Makes 12 cupcakes
For the cupcakes
2 large egg whites
60g (2oz) unsalted butter, softened
½ tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
160g (5½oz) caster sugar
185g (6½oz) plain flour
1½ tsp baking powder
60ml (2fl oz) whole milk
60ml (2fl oz) water
For the filling
120ml (4fl oz) water
120ml (4fl oz) purple grape juice
3 tbsp cornflour
¼ tsp salt
110g (4oz) caster sugar
4 tbsp fresh lemon juice
30g (1oz) unsalted butter
For the frosting
1 large egg white
160g (5½oz) caster sugar
45ml (1½fl oz) purple grape juice
One 12-hole deep muffin tin, 12 paper muffin cases and two piping bags
1. To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F), Gas mark 4, and line the muffin tin with the paper muffin cases.
2. Using a freestanding electric mixer with the whisk attachment or a hand-held electric whisk, whisk the egg whites until stiff. Set aside.
3. Again, using the mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand-held electric whisk, cream the butter, salt, vanilla and sugar together for around 5 minutes on a medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
4. Sift together the flour and baking powder into a bowl and add to the creamed mixture a third at a time, alternating with the milk and water. Scrape down the sides of the bowl after each addition and mix until smooth. Fold in the beaten egg whites by hand.
5. Scoop the mixture into the paper cases until three-quarters full. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cupcakes are golden brown and bounce back when lightly touched. Leave to cool slightly before removing from the tin and placing on a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
6. Whilst the cakes are baking, make the filling. Heat the water and grape juice in a saucepan on medium-low heat. Do not allow to boil. Combine the cornflour, salt and sugar in a small bowl and add to the grape juice and water. Cook over a low heat, whisking all the time, until thick. Once thick, add the lemon juice and butter and whisk briskly until well blended. Allow to cool completely.
7. To make the frosting, mix all the ingredients together in a small heatproof mixing bowl. Put the bowl over a pan of simmering water and beat with an electric whisk for 8–10 minutes until the mixture holds a peak. Remove from the heat and continue beating until the mixture is thick enough to spread.
8. Once the cupcakes are completely cool, use a sharp knife to make a hollow in the centre of each, approximately 2cm (¾in) in diameter and 3cm (1¼in) deep. Retain the cut-out piece of sponge.
9. Spoon the filling mix into a piping bag and fill the hollows in the cupcakes, then pop on the removed top. Pipe any extra filling on top.
10. Put the frosting into another piping bag with a nozzle of your choice and pipe it in a spiral motion, making sure you cover all the sponge. Repeat until all your cakes are complete.
Blue Hawaiian Cupcakes
When we’re not drinking kitschy Blue Hawaiian cocktails from a big plastic pineapple-shaped cup (complete with paper cocktail umbrellas!), we’re baking and eating them in boozy cupcake form. You can use any orange-based liqueur such as Triple Sec, Cointreau or Grand Marnier if you don’t have or can’t find Blue Curaçao.
Makes 12 cupcakes
For the cupcakes
425g (15oz) tin pineapple rings, in juice
2 tbsp water
215g (7½oz) caster sugar, plus 2 tbsp extra
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
40ml (1½fl oz) dark rum
