HOT CROSS BUN CAKE

It's quite well documented that I'm not the biggest fan of fruit cake or marzipan but I do like marzipan cooked into cakes. Marzipan gives it a chewy texture that I can't resist hence my Simnel Scones recipe.  Nigella does a delicious Simple Almond Cake in her Domestic Goddess book that really is simple to make and irresistible to eat and it's all down to the marzipan.

So this recipe is almost like a Simnel cake but I think a little lighter to eat.  The warm spices give it the flavours of hot cross buns and it's just as moreish warm from the oven or cold if it lasts that long.

Heat the oven to 160C fan and line a 2lb loaf tin, I use ready made loaf liners. Cream together 110g Butter with 110g Sugar. Then add 225g Self Raising Flour, 225g Mixed Fruit, 2 Eggs, 50ml Milk, 
1 tsp Cinnamon and 1/2 tsp Mixed Spice. Mix everything well till combined.

Now cut 80g Marzipan into small cubes and put to one side, I like the natural whiter marzipan but you could use the yellow version if you prefer. Put half the cake mixture into the loaf tin then top with 1/3 of the marzipan cubes.  Now add the rest of the mixture and finish with the remaining marzipan cubes, press them in lightly so you can still see them.


Bake for 50-60 minutes till cooked through. To finish, warm
1 tbsp Honey and brush the top of your cake with it. Use another 80g Marzipan to decorate the top.  Divide it into 2 pieces and roll them into sausages, gently twist them together to form a rope and place them on the cake to make your cross.  You could leave it like that or give it a quick blast with a cooks blow torch.  If you don't have a blow torch grill it, but keep an eye on it so you don't burn your cake.

HAPPY EASTER

EASTER LEMON CUPCAKES

How cute are these! I made these with my Junior Chefs and they proved very popular.  A delicious lemon curd cupcake topped with marshmallow bunny ears, who could resist!

We used the same technique as the chrysanthemum cupcakes but with large size marshmallows.  Cut the marshmallow in half diagonally and dip the sticky cut edge into coloured sugar.  we also coloured some coconut with green colour paste for grass and used a tiny mini egg as a nose.

Lemon Curd Cup Cakes

50g Butter
70g Sugar
2 tbsp Lemon Curd
1 Egg
125ml Milk
175g Self Raising Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder

Lemon Curd, Buttercream, Desicated Coconut & Marshmallows to decorate

Cream together the butter and sugar till fluffy then add the remaining ingredients and combine to make a smooth batter.

Divide the mixture between 12 cupcake cases and bake for 20-25 minutes at 180C

Once the cakes have cooked and cooled, remove a small piece of the sponge from the tops of each cake to make a small hole.  Fill the holes with lemon curd then cover the surface with buttercream.

Pop on your bunny ears and a nose then finish with a sprinkle of coconut.

HAPPY EASTER

TOFFEE APPLE PANCAKES

WOOHOO! PANCAKE DAY!

Is there really anyone that doesn't love pancakes, if you don't, you just haven't found the right filling.  As a child it had to be golden syrup for me and to be honest it hasn't really changed that much.

On Shrove Tuesday we will only eat pancakes, I may stuff some with chilli beef and sprinkle on some crushed tortilla chips and cheese but we swiftly move on to a stack set aside for pudding.

In the past I've made this filling with banana but have decided to give apple a go this time. This is enough to make four pancakes.

Pancakes: 150g Plain Flour, 1 egg, 200ml Milk.

Measure the flour into a measuring jug and add the egg, whisk with a fork till the egg is mixed in, now add the milk a little at a time, whisking in between to form a smooth batter.

Heat a frying pan with a teaspoon of oil.  Pour enough batter in to cover the pan with a thin layer.  Cook the pancake on both sides and put to one side till needed. Cook the remaining
pancakes.

Filling:  4 Small Eating Apples, 80g Butter, 80g Soft Brown Sugar, 80ml Double Cream

Cut the apples into 1/4s then remove the core. Now slice each 1/4 into 4 slices.

In a large frying pan melt the butter then add the apple slices, cook the apples on both sides till they become soft and are starting to brown.  Next add the sugar and heat till it melts.  Lastly pour in the cream and stir to make a thick sticky sauce. Divide the apples and sauce between the pancakes and serve.

Remember, pancakes are not just for Shrove Tuesday!