Marmalade and Cardamom Drizzle Cakes

This is something I've been playing around with for a while, but the bitterness of the marmalade and the aromatics of the cardamom in these cakes work really well together, with quite a grown up flavour. I used some gorgeous little silicone flower moulds I got from my aunty for these, added a real special twist!

Ingredients:

Cake:

6oz self raising flour
6oz caster sugar
6oz marg
1.5tsp baking powder
3 eggs
Zest and juice of 2 oranges
Ground seeds from approx 15-20 cardamom pods
1 heaped tbsp marmalade

For the drizzle:

2 heaped tbsp marmalade (I used some without rind - your choice)
Zest and juice of 1 orange

Makes 12 mini cakes or 1 large tray bake
180oC oven

Method:

1. Combine all of the cake ingredients and mix into a smooth batter
2. Grease the tins/moulds you're using, and fill with the batter
3. Bake for 20-25 mins for mini cakes or 30-35 mins for a larger cake, until golden brown and coming away from the edges of the tin
4. Whilst the cakes/cake are baking, heat the ingredients for the drizzle in a pan and boil rapidly for 5 mins
5. When the cake is ready, remove from the oven and pour over the drizzle and leave the cake to cool completely
6. Once cool, remove and serve, easy!
This is great with a coffee for elevenses, or with custard as a dessert. It'll keep for 2/3 days in an airtight tin.

Happy Baking!

The Baking Ginger x

Sourdough Starter Care

I was recently given some sourdough starter as a housewarming present - I'm stll experimenting with the best loaf recipe to use it in, but James Morton's basic recipe seems to work fairly consistently if you're looking for one to try.

My first attempt... need to work on the crumb

In terms of looking after your starter, it's dead easy! I keep mine in a kilner jar in the fridge and feed it once a week, usually on a Saturday as that's when I tend to bake.

So, for it's weekly feed:
- 100g starter (use the rest for a loaf, give to a friend, or discard)
- 100g flour (I use breadflour as it's what I have the most of)
- 100g water

Mix the above together, then leave to stand (uncovered) for a few hours at room temperature until it's bubbling again. Then back into the kilner jar for another week, or until you need to use it.

Simple!

Happy Baking,

The Baking Ginger x

Hot Cross Buns

This recipe is taken straight from Mr Paul Hollywood, so it's safe to say it's been thoroughly tested! These Hot Cross Buns are deliciously soft, making them the perfect treat to celebrate Easter with; they're definitely worth the effort!

Hot Cross Buns

Makes 15

Ingredients:

300ml full-fat milk
50g butter
500g strong white  bread flour
1 tsp salt
75g caster sugar
1 tbsp sunflower oil
7g sachet fast-action yeast
1 egg, beaten
75g sultanas
50g mixed peel
zest 1 orange
1 apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped
1 tsp ground cinnamon

75g plain flour, plus extra for dusting

3 tbsp apricot jam

200oC fan oven/220oC other ovens

Method:

1. Bring the milk to the boil, then remove from the heat and add the butter. Leave to cool until it reaches hand temperature. Put the flour, salt, sugar and yeast into a bowl. Make a well in the centre. Pour in the warm milk and butter mixture, then add the egg. Using a wooden spoon, mix well, then bring everything together with your hands until you have a sticky dough.

2. Tip on to a lightly floured surface and knead by holding the dough with one hand and stretching it with the heal of the other hand, then folding it back on itself. Repeat for 5 mins until smooth and elastic. Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with oiled cling film and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hr or until doubled in size and a finger pressed into it leaves a dent.

3. With the dough still in the bowl, tip in the sultanas, mixed peel, orange zest, apple and cinnamon. Knead into the dough, making sure everything is well distributed. Leave to rise for 1 hr more, or until doubled in size, again covered by some well-oiled cling film to stop the dough getting a crust.

4. Divide the dough into 15 even pieces. Roll each piece into a smooth ball on a lightly floured work surface. Arrange the buns on one or two baking trays lined with parchment, leaving enough space for the dough to expand. Cover (but don’t wrap) with more oiled cling film, or a clean tea towel, then set aside to prove for 1 hr more.

5. Mix the flour with about 5 tbsp water to make the paste for the cross – add the water 1 tbsp at a time, so you add just enough for a thick paste. Spoon into a piping bag with a small nozzle. Pipe a line along each row of buns, then repeat in the other direction to create crosses. Bake for 20 mins on the middle shelf of the oven, until golden brown.

6. Gently heat the apricot jam to melt, then sieve to get rid of any chunks. While the jam is still warm, brush over the top of the warm buns and leave to cool.

These are best eaten lightly toasted with lots of salted butter, although they're also delicious cold - still with generous amounts of butter!

They'll keep for 3/4 days in an airtight container; to refresh them you can sprinkle with a little water and put in a warm oven for 10 minutes.

Happy Baking!


The Baking Ginger xx

Pecan and Maple Syrup Bundt Cake

This is a really delicious recipe, adapted from Nigella Lawson's cake, perfect for Autumn!

Ingredients:

Cake:

- 300g plain flour
- 125g unsalted butter/marg
- 150g caster sugar
- 1 tsp bicarb of soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 eggs
- 250ml creme fraiche

Filling:

- 75g plain flour
- 30g butter
- 250g pecans (roughly chopped)
- 200ml maple syrup
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp mixed spice

Bundt tin
Butter for greasing
Oven 180oC fan

Method:

1. First make the filling; mash the flour and butter together with a fork until it looks like breadcrumbs. Add the remaining filling ingredients and mix into a lumpy paste
2. For the cake mix; cream the butter and sugar together, then add 1 of the eggs and beat
3. Add half the flour and beat
4. Add the other egg and beat again
5. Add the flour, bicarb and baking powder and mix
6. Finally add the creme fraiche - you'll end up with quite a stiff cake batter
7. Put half of the cake mix into the greased bundt tin, then push the mixture up the sizes of the tin to make a channel all the way around the tin
8. Put the pecan filling into the channel in the cake mix
9. Cover the pecan filling with the remaining cake mix
10. Bake in the centre of a preheated oven for approx 40 minutes until golden brown and coming away from the edges of the tin
11. Once baked, leave to cool in the tin for 30 mins, then turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
12. To serve, dust with icing sugar

This cake looks great once sliced into, to show off the pecan filling.

Delicious with a hot cup of tea after an Autumn walk!

Happy Baking,

The Baking Ginger x