Chocolate Orange Cake Ingredients

For the chocolate orange cake

• 1 Seville orange
• 100g plain chocolate, broken into pieces
• 3 free-range eggs
• 200g caster sugar
• 80g soft brown sugar
• 240ml sunflower oil
• 25g cocoa powder
• 250g plain flour
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• Orange candied peel, to decorate

For the chocolate ganache

• 225g plain chocolate, broken into pieces
• 200ml double cream

Method:

To make this chocolate orange cake, grease and line the base of a 23cm/9in round springform cake tin.

Leave the skin of the orange on, and pierce it with a skewer (right through). Cook the pierced orange in boiling water for 30 minutes until soft. Whizz the whole orange in a food processor until smooth; let it cool.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water or in the microwave for 2 minutes on High, stirring after 1 minute. Let it cool.

In a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs, sugar and oil. Gradually beat in the puréed orange, discarding any pips, then stir in the cooled melted chocolate. Sift in the cocoa, flour and baking powder. Mix well and pour into the tin. Bake in the centre of the oven for between 30 and 40 minutes, or until the cake springs back when lightly pressed in the middle. (I found that this cake could dry out easily, so check it after 20 minutes and cover with foil if it looks like it’s browning too much.) Allow to stand for 10 minutes in the cake tin, then turn it out on to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the chocolate ganache: put the chocolate into a heatproof bowl. Bring the cream to the boil and pour over the chocolate. Leave for around 2 minutes, then stir until smooth. Set aside until firm enough to spread over the cake – which can take up to 1½ hours.

Transfer the cooled chocolate orange cake on to a serving plate. Using a palette knife, swirl the ganache over the top. Decorate with strips of candied orange peel, and then sit back and enjoy a big slice with a mug of delicious coffee!

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Chocolate, Brandy and Ginger Cheesecake Ingredients

For the base

• 100g (4oz) ginger biscuits
• 50g (2oz) unsalted butter
• 25g (1oz) demerara sugar

For the chocolate, brandy and ginger cheesecake

• 100g (4oz) plain chocolate (I recommend using 40 per cent cocoa solids minimum)
• 1½tsp of vegeset (or 15g (½oz) of powdered gelatine)
• 3tbsp cold water
• 2 large eggs, separated
• 50g (2oz) caster sugar
• 100g (4oz) full-fat soft cheese
• 150ml (¼pint) soured cream
• 4tbsp brandy
• About 25g (1oz) fresh ginger, finely chopped

For the cheesecake decorations

• 150ml (¼pint) pouring double cream, whipped
• Chocolate curls
• A few slices of stem ginger

Method:

To make this chocolate, brandy and ginger cheesecake, grease a 20cm (8in) loose-based cake tin or a springform tin.

Put the biscuits into a plastic bag and crush finely with a rolling pin. Melt the butter in a medium-sized pan. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the biscuit crumbs and sugar. Press into the prepared tin and leave to set.

To make the chocolate, brandy and ginger cheesecake filling, melt the chocolate gently in a bowl set over a pan of hot water, stirring occasionally. Allow to cool slightly.

Sprinkle the vegeset or gelatine over the measured water in a small bowl and leave for 10 minutes to ‘sponge’. Stand the bowl in a pan of gently simmering water until the vegeset/gelatine has completely dissolved. Leave to cool slightly.

Beat together the egg yolks, sugar and cheese in a large bowl. Add the soured cream and cooled chocolate. Stir in the dissolved vegeset/gelatine. Whisk the egg whites until frothy and fold into the cheese mixture along with the brandy and chopped fresh ginger. Pour onto the biscuit base and chill in the fridge to set.

When the chocolate, brandy and ginger cheesecake is set, carefully remove it from the tin before decorating with the whipped cream, chocolate curls and slices of stem ginger.

Enjoy!

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Bees Knees Honey Cake Ingredients

For the honey cake

• 150g unsalted butter
• 120g dark brown sugar
• 175g honey
• 200g plain flour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 1stp ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary leaves
• 2 eggs

For the honey cake frosting

• 125g cream cheese
• 60g soft unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 550g icing sugar

Method:

To make this bees knees honey cake, preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. Grease and line with baking parchment an 8 inch cake tin.

Combine the butter, sugars and honey in a saucepan over a low heat, bring to the boil and gently simmer until all of the butter and sugar is dissolved. You should end up with a thick, glossy, dark liquid. Transfer into a mixing bowl and leave this to cool for at least 15 minutes.

Mix the eggs into the butter-sugar-honey mix (this is why you want to make sure the mix is cool – otherwise it’ll cook your eggs!), until you get a smooth batter.

In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients – the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and rosemary leaves. Mix thoroughly.

Slowly incorporate the liquid mix into the dry mix, stirring until you get a glossy mixture.

Pour into your tin and bake for 35-45 mins, or until a skewer comes out cleanly. Leave it to cool in the tin before turning out (if you take it out of the tin too soon, it may start to split!).

For the frosting, beat the cream cheese and butter in a bowl, add the lemon juice, and then gradually at the icing sugar, until it’s of spreading consistency.

Decorate however you like – I always grate orange zest on top, and add some lavender flowers.

This bees knees honey cake serves 8-10 people (or fewer hungry people!).

Enjoy!

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Neapolitan Cake Ingredients

For the strawberry/vanilla layers

• 75g (2.5oz) unsalted butter, softened
• 210g (7.5oz) plain flour
• 255g (9oz) caster sugar
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• &fract12; tsp salt
• 220ml (7.5fl oz) whole milk
• 2 large eggs
• 30g (1oz) strawberry milkshake powder
• Pink food colouring
• 2-3 tsp vanilla extract

For the chocolate layer

• 100g (3.5oz) plain flour
• 1.5 tbsp cocoa powder
• &fract12; tsp baking powder
• &fract12; tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 75g (2.5oz) caster sugar
• 1 tbsp black treacle
• 1 egg
• 75ml (2.5fl oz) sunflower oil
• 75ml (2.5fl oz) milk (whole or semi-skimmed)

For the neapolitan decoration

• 1 x 250g block of unsalted butter
• 400g (12-16oz) icing sugar
• Pink food colouring (optional)
• 70-100g (3.5oz) milk chocolate buttons
• 70-100g (3.5oz) white chocolate buttons
• 70-100g (3.5oz) strawberry chocolate buttons (I found these in the baking department in Tesco)

Method:

To make the strawberry/vanilla layers of this neapolitan cake, preheat the oven to 170°C/fan oven 150°C/325°F. Line two 7-inch cake tins with greaseproof/parchment paper, and grease with a little butter.

Mix the butter, sugar, baking powder and salt together until they form a crumb-like consistency. Much easier to use an electric whisk! Separate this equally into two bowls.

In a jug, mix together half of the milk, one egg and the vanilla extract. Gradually add to one of the bowls of mixture, whilst beating it, to form a smooth batter. Mix in a little pink food colouring. The cake will lose some of the colour when it cooks, so make it slightly brighter than you want it to end up, but don’t go crazy! You’re aiming for a pastel pink colour once it’s cooked.

Wash out the jug, then use it to mix together the remaining milk, egg and all the milkshake powder. Add to the other bowl of mixture using the same method as the vanilla one. Spoon the mixture into the two tins and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the sponge bounces back when lightly touched.

Leave to cool slightly, then remove from the tins and leave to cool on a cooling rack.

To make the chocolate layer of this neapolitan cake, preheat the oven to 170°C/fan oven 150°C/325°F. Line a 7-inch cake tin with greaseproof/parchment paper – no need to grease this one.

Sift the dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl, then add the rest of the ingredients. Beat for 2 minutes

Pour into the tin (it is a runny mixture!) and bake for 20 minutes, or until a cocktail stick inserted into the cake comes out clean

To decorate this neapolitan cake, make butter-cream by softening the butter in a large mixing bowl and gradually sifting and stirring in the icing sugar. Try not to turn the whole kitchen white like I did!

If your mixture gets too thick, stir in 1tbsp boiling water. Keep tasting, and stop adding the icing sugar when it is sweet enough for your tate. You’ll use lots of icing sugar – remember, you need enough to make a three tier cake!

Take the greaseproof paper off of all the cake layers. Place the chocolate layer onto a cake board. Spread a thin layer of buttercream on the top, then add the vanilla layer. Spread a thin layer of buttercream on the top, then add the strawberry layer

Cover the cake with most of the remainder of the buttercream, remembering to do the sides evenly so that buttons will stick. Save a bit of buttercream to decorate the top, if desired.

Add chocolate buttons to the edges of the cake first. I did two rows of milk chocolate, two rows of white chocolate and then two rows of strawberry chocolate. TIP: Use the more expensive, branded chocolate buttons – they’ll taste much better than the cheaper alternatives!

Decorate the top of the neapolitan cake. I used a combination of buttons and piped buttercream. I mixed half the reserved buttercream with some pink food colouring, and used a Lakeland Duo Colour icing bag

EAT IT!

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Ingredients

For the Chocolate Malteser Cupcakes

• 150ml (5½fl oz) sunflower oil
• 75ml (2½fl oz) whole milk
• 75ml (2½fl oz) buttermilk
• 1 large egg
• 1½ tsp vanilla essence
• 240g (8½oz) plain flour
• 25g (1oz) cocoa powder
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• 330g (11½oz) caster sugar
• 150ml (5½fl oz) boiling water

For the Chocolate Icing

• 200g (7oz) dark chocolate chips (minimum 70% cocoa)
• 240ml (8½ oz) double cream
• 115g (4oz) malted-milk powder – I used traditional Horlicks powder
• 50g (1¾ oz) full-fat cream cheese (such as Philadelphia)
• 35g (1¼ oz) caster sugar
• 44-50 Maltesers, to decorate

Method:

To make these chocolate malteser cupcakes preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F), Gas Mark 5, and fill a muffin tin with cupcake/muffin cases.

Using a hand-held electric whisk or a freestanding electric mixer with the paddle attachment, beat together the oil with the milk, buttermilk, egg and vanilla essence on low speed until well blended. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt, the stir in the sugar. Add a third of these dry ingredients to the oil and milk mixture and beat in slowly until evenly incorporated.

Beat in a third of the boiling water, followed by another third of the dry ingredients, then repeat with the remaining ingredients, mixing together until they are all combined. Remember to scrape down the sides of the bowl after each addition, to ensure a well-mixed batter.

Divide the mixture for the chocolate malteser cupcakes between the cupcake/muffin cases, filling each by two-thirds. Any remaining batter can be used to fill some extra cases in a seperate tin. Place in the oven and bake for around 18 minutes or until the cupcakes are springy when pressed. Allow to cool for around 10 minutes before removing from the tin, then transfer to a wire rack to coll down completely before adding the chocolate icing.

To make the icing, place the choclate chips in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water and allow to melt, then reove from the heat and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, using the electric whisk, whip the cream with the malted-milk/Horlicks powder until it forms soft peaks. In a seperate bowl, beat the cream cheese with the caster sugar until combined, then add the cooled chocolate and mix again.

Carefully fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture, adding half the whipped cream at a time. Divide the choclate icing between the chocolate malteser cupcakes, smoothing and swirling with a palette knife (if you’ve never iced a cupcake before then there’s plenty of great instructional videos on the net), then decorate each cupcake with 3 maltesers.

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Ingredients

For the Cheesecake Base

• 200g (7oz) shortbread biscuits
• 100g (3½ oz) ginger biscuits
• 75g (2½ oz) melted butter

For the White Chocolate and Raspberry Cheesecake

• 600g (21 oz) tub of cream cheese (such as Philadelphia)
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 175g (6 oz) golden caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 free range eggs
• 300g (10½ oz) fresh raspberries
• 150g (5 oz) white chocolate, melted
• 50g (1½ oz) white chocolate chunks

For the Glaze Topping

• 4 tbsp icing sugar
• 50g (1½ oz) of fresh raspberries

Method:

To make this white chocolate and raspberry cheesecake, preheat the oven to 180°C/fan oven 160°C/Gas 4. Butter and line a 20cm/8in round cake tin. Place the biscuits in a polythene bag and crush them into crumbs with something heavy like a rolling pin. Press this mixture into the cake tin and bake for 5 minutes and then cool.

Put the cream cheese into a bowl and break it up with a knife or a fork. Beat together the cream cheese, sugar, flour, eggs and the vanilla flavouring until smooth. Melt the white chocolate in a bowl over a pan of boiling water or in the microwave, then add it to the cheese mixture and mix it through. Pour in the raspberries and gently fold them into the mixture.

Bake for around 45 minutes in your pre-heated oven and then check – the white chocolate and raspberry cheesecake should be set but still be slightly wobbly in the middle. This is expected, so leave it in the tin to cool completely, then chill for at least 3 hours (preferably overnight)

After the cheesecake has finished cooling and you’re ready to serve it, put most of the remaining raspberries in a pan with 4 tbsp icing sugar (keep a few aside). Heat and stir the mixture until the raspberries have turned into a sticky juice and then push through a sieve with a fork. Pour this raspberry jam over the top of the white chocolate and raspberry cheesecake and decorate using the last remaining raspberries.

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Ingredients

For the Beetroot Cake

• Butter or oil, for greasing
• 225g (8oz) self-raising flour
• Half a teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• A level teaspoon of baking powder
• Half a teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• 180ml (6¼fl oz) sunflower oil
• 225g (8oz) light muscovado sugar
• 3 free-range eggs, separated
• 150g (5oz) raw beetroot, peeled
• Juice of half a lemon
• 75g (3oz) sultanas or raisins
• 75g (3oz) mixed seeds (such as sunflower, pumpkin and linseed)

For the avocado icing

• 200g (7oz) icing sugar
• 1 avocado, chopped and peeled
• 2 tbsp cream cheese (such as Philadelphia)

Method:

To make this beetroot cake with avocado icing, preheat the oven at 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. Lightly grease a rectangular loaf tin (20cm x 9cm x 7cm/8in x 4in x 3in), then line the base with baking parchment.

Sift together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and cinnamon. Beat the oil and sugar in a food mixer until well combined, then introduce the egg yolks one by one, mixing after you add each egg yolk. Grate the beetroot coarsely and fold it into the egg mixture, then add the lemon juice, sultanas (or raisins) and the assorted seeds. Pulse until combined.

Fold the flour and raising agents into the egg mixture whilst the machine is on a slow setting.

Beat the egg whites until light and almost stiff. Fold gently but thoroughly into the cake mixture, using a large metal spoon (a wooden one will knock the air out). Pour the mixture into the cake tin and bake for 50-55 minutes, covering the top with a piece of foil after thirty minutes. Test with a skewer to see if it’s ready. The cake should be moist inside but not sticky. Leave the cake to settle for a good twenty minutes before turning out of its tin onto a wire cooling rack.

I have also experimented with the recipe for this beetroot cake with avocado icing by doubling the recipe to fill up a round cake tin. Once the cake was cooked and cooled I cut it in half and used some of the extra icing to fill in the middle. I then used the back of a spoon to smooth the icing over the beetroot cake.

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Ingredients

For the sweet dough

75ml (2½fl oz) lukewarm whole milk
60ml (2fl oz) tepid water
½tsp salt
50g (1¾oz) caster sugar
2¼ tsp dried active yeast
350g (12oz) plain flour, plus extra for dusting
55g (2oz) unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
2 large eggs, beaten
2tsp vanilla extract

For the filling

• 60g (2oz) unsalted butter
• 100g (3½oz) caster sugar
• The grated zest of 3 lemons

For the tangy lemon icing

• 90g (3oz) tub soft cheese (such as Philadelphia)
• 40g (1½oz) icing sugar
• 1 tbsp whole milk

Method:

To make this sweet dough lemon loaf cake, grease a 900g (2lb) loaf tin with butter and then lightly dust it with flour. In a small jug, mix together the warm milk, water, salt, 1 teaspoon of the sugar and the dried active yeast. Set this aside to ferment for about 30 minutes or until it forms a foam on the surface.

In a large mixing bowl, mix together the flour and remaining sugar and make a well in the centre. Melt the butter in a microwave or put it in a small pan and melt on the stove. When the yeast liquid is ready, add the eggs, vanilla extract and melted butter to the yeast mixture.

Pour the liquids into the centre of the dry ingredients and mix together using a wooden spoon to form a dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for approximately 5 minutes or until the dough is smooth and even.

Place the dough in a lightly floured bowl, cover tightly with cling film and allow to prove in a warm place. This should take about 40 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.

While the dough is proving, make the lemon sugar filling. Melt the butter in the microwave or on the hob and then, in a medium bowl, mix the sugar, lemon zest and melted butter together. Set this aside for later use. Try and keep it somewhere warm so that the butter doesn’t set.

Once the dough has proved, remove it from the bowl. Gently knock the dough back. Roll it out on a lightly floured surface until it is about 30 x 38cm (12 x 15in). Using a sharp knife, cut the dough lengthways into four equal strips.

Using a pastry brush, coat each strip with the lemon sugar filling. Carefully lift the strips and pile them neatly one on top of another, and then cut the pile of strips into six equal square stacks. Carefully lift each stack and place it into the tin, cut side facing up. Place each stack next to one another to fill the length of the tin, packing them together like a sliced loaf.

Wrap the tin in cling film and set it aside for the dough to rise again. This should take approximately 30-40 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F), Gas mark 3 and bake the loaf for approximately 30-35 minutes or until it’s an even golden brown. Set the finished sweet dough lemon loaf cake aside to cool slightly.

To make the lemon cream cheese topping, use an electric whisk to mix the cream cheese and icing sugar together just until smooth. Add the lemon juice, zest and milk. Mix well until creamy and smooth.

Once the loaf has cooled slightly, remove it from the tin and top with the lemon topping, scattering over the extra lemon zest to finish. This sweet dough lemon loaf cake is best served warm or at room temperate. It doesn’t keep for long so it’s best eaten on the day of baking.

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Ingredients

Red (Bull) Velvet Cake Recipe

• 175g (6oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing
• 450g (15oz) caster sugar
• 3 eggs, at room temperature
• 3 tbsp cocoa powder
• 38ml bottle Dr Oetker Natural Red or 1 heaped tsp Sugarflair Red Extra food colouring
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 500g (17oz) plain flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 175ml buttermilk
• 175ml Red Bull
• 1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
• 1½ tsp cider vinegar

For the Vodka Frosting

• 125g (4.5oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 175g (6oz) full-fat soft cheese
• 400g (14oz) icing sugar
• 1 or 2 shots of vodka

Method:

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. Grease 2 x 20cm/8in diameter cake tins and line with baking parchment.

Beat the butter for a minute or so, until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and beat until incorporated. Scrape down the bowl to ensure all the ingredients are combined. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Beat in the cocoa, food colouring and vanilla extract. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl, then add to the butter mixture in three stages, alternating with the buttermilk and Red Bull and scraping down after each addition.

Put the bicarbonate of soda and cider vinegar in a small bowl and whisk until it bubbles up. Add this to the cake batter and give it one last quick beat. The addition of the vinegar and bicarbonate will make the colour of the cake develop and stay red when cooked. Spoon the mixture into the tins and level the top of the batter.

Step 2

Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour. After 30 minutes, cover the top of the cake with foil to prevent it from browning too much. Test the cake after 45 minutes; when it is cooked, a knife or skewer inserted in the centre will come out clean. Remove the foil and leave to cool on a wire rack for around 30 minutes. Remove from the tin and leave until completely cool before decorating.

Step 3

To make the frosting, beat the butter until softened, then add the soft cheese and beat for a few seconds to combine. Scrape down the bowl to make sure everything is mixed, then add the icing sugar and beat again. The longer you beat, the creamier the icing will be. Add the vodka a tablespoon’s worth at a time and mix in. Make sure you taste as it gets strong really quickly! Set aside at room temperature until you’re ready to use it. If it’s a warm day, put it in the fridge but take it out 10 minutes before you want to use it.

To decorate the cakes, you first need to level them. Use a bread knife to slice a small section off the top and make it as flat as possible. (Keep the sliced-off section to decorate the cake). Next you have to cut each cake in half horizontally; again, use a bread knife. Now you have four layers of cake. Put the bottom layer of cake on your cake plate. Spread with the frosting, making sure it’s not too thick; about 1cm/½in is perfect. Repeat with all the layers.

Next, cover the outside of the cake with frosting. Finally, crumble the reserved sliced-off sections of cake, and scatter the crumbs all over the top of it. The cake will keep in an airtight container for around 4 days. Om nom nom.

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Ingredients

Surprise Marble Cake Recipe

• 175g (6.2oz) unsalted butter, softened
• 175g (6.2oz) caster sugar
• 3 eggs
• 225g (8oz) self-raising flour
• 3tsp vanilla essence
• 100g (3.5oz) dark chocolate

Method:

To make this surprise marble cake, preheat the oven to 180°C/fan oven 160°C/Gas 4. Grease and line an 18cm/7in deep, round cake tin.

Gently melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of water. While the chocolate melts, cream the butter and the sugar together until the mixture goes white then mix in the flour and vanilla. Beat in the eggs one at a time until you have a thick, smooth mixture. Divide the mixture in half. Mix the liquid chocolate into one half.

Alternating a tablespoon from each bowl put the mixture into the cake tin. When it’s all in, level it off and tap the tin onto the work surface a few times to knock out any large air pockets. Take a metal skewer (I use a fondue fork) and swirl the mixture a couple of times to help it marble. Bake for just over an hour, until it feels springy and a skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool for 10 minutes then turn out, remove any parchment and leave to cool on a wire rack.

As a Madeira cake, the surprise marble cake sponge will keep for some time. I store it in an airtight container in a cool cupboard.

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Ingredients

For the Blueberry Soured Cream Cake

• 175g (6.2oz) unsalted butter, softened
• 175g (6.2oz) golden caster sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 225g (8oz) self-raising flour
• 1tsp baking powder
• 2tsp vanilla extract
• 142ml carton soured cream
• 375g of blueberries

For the topping

• 200g (8oz) tub soft cheese (such as Philadelphia)
• 100g (4oz) icing sugar

Method:

To make this blueberry soured cream cake, preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4/fan oven 160°C. Butter and line a 23cm/9in round cake tin. Get a large mixing bowl and put the butter, sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder and vanilla into it and then beat until smooth. Beat in 4 tablespoons of the soured cream, then stir in half of the blueberries.

Pour the mixture into the tin and level it out with a knife or the back of a wooden spoon. Bake for 50 minutes, or until it feels firm to the touch and springs back when lightly pressed. Cool in the tin for about 10 minutes, then take out of the tin and peel of the paper. Leave to finish cooling on a wire rack.

Put the soft cheese into a mixing bowl and beat in the icing sugar until smooth and creamy. Spread over the top of the cooled blueberry soured cream cake and then scatter the remaining blueberries over the top. Remember to keep this cake in the fridge if you’re not going to eat it all in one go as the cream can easily go off if left to get warm.

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Ingredients

For the Citrus Poppy Seed Cake

• 175g (6.2oz) unsalted butter, softened
• 175g (6.2oz) caster sugar
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 250g (8.8oz) self-raising flour
• 50g (1.8oz) poppy seeds
• Grated rind of 2 oranges
• Grated rind of 2 lemons
• 4 rounded tbsp natural yoghurt

For the topping

• 250g (8.8oz) tub mascarpone
• Grated rind and juice of 1 small orange
• 3tbsp orange or lemon curd
• Grated rind of 1 lemon

Method:

To make this citrus poppy seed cake, preheat the oven to 150°C/Gas 2/fan oven 130°C. Butter and line the base of a deep 20cm/8in round cake tin. Using a wooden spoon, beat together the butter, sugar, eggs, flour, poppy seeds, citrus rinds and yoghurt until smooth.

Spread the mixture in the tin and bake for 45-50 minutes until just firm. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out and cool on a wire rack. Peel off the paper.

Meanwhile, mix the mascarpone with enough orange juice to make a spreadable icing. Lightly swirl the curd to give a marbled effect. Roughly spread over the top and sides of the cake, and scatter the grated citrus rind over the top to decorate.

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Ingredients

For the Chocolate Almond Cake

• 84g (3.5oz) dark baking chocolate, chopped
• 28g (1oz) milk chocolate, chopped
• 2 tbsp strong rum (or strong coffee)
• 113g (3.75oz) unsalted butter, cut into pieces and softened
• 113g (3.75oz) granulated white sugar
• 3 large eggs, separated into whites and yolks
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
• Pinch of salt
• 2 tbsp granulated white sugar
• 75.6g (3oz) blanched almonds pulverized with 2 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 113g (3.75oz) plain bleached cake flour

For the Chocolate Icing

• 75g (3oz) milk chocolate, chopped
• 50g (2oz) dark chocolate, chopped
• 1½ tbsp rum or strong coffee
• Pinch of salt
• 113g (3.75oz) unsalted butter, softened
• Cocoa powder (sieved)
• Almond slices (for optional decoration)

Method:

To make this chocolate almond cake, start by setting your oven to 325°C. Grease and line an 8 x 1½inch round cake tin.

Put all of the dark and milk chocolate into a glass bowl and set over a shallow pan of water. Bring the water to a simmer and then add the strong rum (or coffee). Let the chocolate melt and gently stir until everything is combined into a smooth mixture.

In a mixing bowl, use a hand-held electric mixer to cream the softened butter until it’s soft and fluffy, then add the 113g (3.75oz) granulated white sugar. Beat for 1 minute, then add the egg yolks and beat well.

In another mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until they’re foamy, add in the cream of tartar and the salt, then mix well until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the 2 tbsp of granulated sugar and continue mixing until stiff, slightly shiney peak form.

Mix the warm melted chocolate into the yolk mixture, then blend in the almonds and almond extract. Stir a quarter of the egg whites into the chocolate to lighten it slightly. Pour the remaining egg whites over the chocolate and then in three stages, gradually add the flour while delicately folding the egg whites into the mixture.

As soon as you’re finished, pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and make sure the top is even before placing it on the middle shelf of the pre-heated oven.

Cook for around 25 minutes, or until a skewer (or toothpick) inserted into the very centre of the cake comes out clean. Place the tin on a rack and let it cool for 20 minutes, then gently tip the cake out onto the rack and let it cool for a minimum of 2 hours, before adding the icing.

Prepare the chocolate icing: In a bowl set over a shallow pan of water, combine both the white and dark chocolate with the rum (or coffee), bring water to a simmer and let the chocolate melt while stirring until smooth.

Add the salt into the melted chocolate, then using an electric hand mixter, beat them together. Chop the softened butter up into small pieces and slowly add them into the butter while beating over cold water until the icing is firm enough to spread. Dollop the icing onto the top of the cooled chocolate almond cake and spread it evenly over the top and sides.

Finally, dust the top with cocoa powder and to add the finishing touches to the cake, press a design of almonds over the icing. I chose to add mine to just the sides of the cake but I’ve seen then put over the top too. Do what looks best to you.

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