Tea with Lemon Cake

I had a go at coming up with a new cake at the weekend that would combine a tea bread with a type of lemon drizzle cake. As it turned out it worked quite well, the cake is a bit crumbly but that means it's just best to have it in thick slices. :) Earl Grey tea seems to work well here with it's slightly perfumed, lemon flavour. However, if you really don't like Earl Grey you could substitute a regular blend.

Tea with Lemon Cake

225g Mixed dried fruit (sultanas, raisins, mixed peel etc)

1 Lemon

150ml Hot Earl Grey Tea

225g Self-raising flour

100g Soft, dark brown sugar

50g Soft margarine 

1 Egg

2 1/2 tbsp Icing sugar

Pinch salt

Method:

1. Make up some strong Earl Grey tea. While the tea is still hot mix it into the dried fruit in a small bowl. Grate in the zest of the lemon. Cover the bowl and leave over night to allow the fruit to absorb the tea.

2. The following day, preheat the oven to 180 C. Grease and line a 1lb loaf tin.

3. Cream together the margarine and sugar in a large bowl.

4. Add the mixed fruit (along with any remaining tea in the bowl), flour, salt and egg. Mix everything together well. You should end up with a mixture with a soft, dropping consistency.

5. Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf tin and level the surface with the back of a metal spoon.

6. Bake the cake for about an hour until browned, well risen and when a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. 

7. While the cake cooks, juice the lemon into a small jug or bowl and mix in the icing sugar. This makes the lemon glaze for the top of the cake.

8. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven pour over the prepared glaze. Return to the oven for a couple of minutes and then bring the cake out of the oven to cool, still in the tin, on a wire rack.

9. When the cake is completely cold run a knife around the edge of the tin and then turn out the cake onto a plate.

New name, new things!

Yep the name of the blog has changed. All the recipes are still here though! I've decided to start adding some reviews of my favourite cook books and books about food in between the recipes. I decided that the blog needed a new name that better reflected the change in content, it also hints some what more at my day job and my rather large cookery book collection (which I'm still very slowly adding to LibraryThing). I'm looking forward to sharing some of my favourite books soon. Watch this space.

Flapjack Fest

I did some baking last week when I was short of time so I settled on some easy flapjacks. I decided to add a bit of apple and spice to this batch. The result is a soft texture and a fruity taste. If you don't fancy the apple variation, I've included my usual recipe which gives a much crisper result and which is plain but delicious!

Apple, Sultana and Cinnamon Flapjack

4 oz Butter

1 oz Demerara sugar

1 oz Soft, dark brown sugar

2 tbsp Golden syrup

5 oz Porridge oats

1 oz Plain flour

1 Small apple, peeled, cored and diced.

2 oz Sultanas

1/2 tsp Ground cinnamon 

Pinch of salt

Method:

1. Grease and line a square 7-8" tin. Preheat the oven to 180 C.

2. Melt together the butter, sugars and golden syrup in a small pan over a low heat.

3. In a bowl, mix together all of the remaining ingredients.

4. Pour the melted butter mixture into the bowl and stir well.

5. Press the mixture firmly into the tin using the back of a metal spoon.

6. Bake for 25 - 35 minutes until nicely browned.

7. While the flapjacks are still soft when they come out of the oven, take a sharp knife and cut the flapjack into slices. Once completely cooled, turn out of the tin.

Best Flapjacks

4 oz Butter

2 oz Demerara sugar

2 tbsp Golden syrup

5 oz Porridge oats

1 oz Plain flour 

Pinch of salt

Method:

1. Grease and line a square 7-8" tin. Preheat the oven to 180 C.

2. Melt together the butter, sugar and golden syrup in a small pan over a low heat.

3. In a bowl, mix together all of the remaining ingredients.

4. Pour the melted butter mixture into the bowl and stir well.

5. Press the mixture firmly into the tin using the back of a metal spoon.

6. Bake for 25 - 35 minutes until nicely browned.

7. While the flapjacks are still soft when they come out of the oven, take a sharp knife and cut the flapjack into slices. Once completely cooled, turn out of the tin.

Banana Pecan Bread

I bought far to many bananas. The stage at which bananas reach a squishy sweetness makes them less good for eating but perfect for this banana pecan bread. The recipe has been changed over the years, originally it included walnuts and was made with all caster sugar. The pecans and soft brown sugar I think give an improved flavour. The vanilla is another addition not in the original recipe. This is a cake which can stand a lot of variation, different nuts, chocolate chips (although chocolate and banana is not usually one of my favourite flavour combinations) and spices such as cinnamon instead of the vanilla.

Banana Pecan Bread


Ingredients:
2 large, very ripe bananas
2 oz chopped Pecans
2 oz golden caster sugar
4 oz soft, light brown sugar
3 oz butter, softened
8 oz Self raising flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
1/2 tsp Vanilla essence
1-2 tbsp milk

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180 C. Grease a 1 1/2 lb loaf tin.
2. Cream together the butter and sugars in a large bowl until light and pale.
3. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs together with the vanilla essence.
4. Gradually beat the eggs into the creamed mixture. Don't worry if it curdles a bit.
5. Sift in the flour and baking powder and beat gently into the mixture.
6. Using a fork, mash up the bananas to a paste in a separate bowl.
7. Beat the banana paste and the pecans into the main mixture. Add enough milk to get the mixture to a dropping consistency.
8. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the top.
9. Bake the cake for 50 - 60 minutes until the top of the cake springs bake to the touch and a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
10. Leave to cool in the tin and then turn out. Serve in thick slices spread with butter.

One of your 5-a-day (almost!) fresh out of the oven! :)