Easy Make

These delicious little treats are not really pies at all but more of a sponge biscuit.  They originate from America and were allegedly baked by Amish women.  When their husbands and children found these little cakes in their lunch boxes it is said they shouted ’Whoopie’.

Whatever their origins they are very easy to make and although they are best eaten on the day they are made, they will keep for two or three days without the filling.

(Click on pictures to enlarge)

Ingredients (Cakes)

(Makes 10)

100 grams (4oz) Butter (melted)
100 grams (4oz) Caster Sugar
2 Eggs
225 grams (8oz) Self Raising Flour (sieved)
150 ml (Quarter Pint) Natural Yoghurt
5 ml (1 teaspoon) Vanilla Extract

2 Baking trays lined with baking parchment

Set oven to 180 deg C (Gas Mark 4)

Put the Eggs and Caster Sugar into a large bowl and whisk until light and airy.

Whisk in the melted butter, yoghurt and vanilla extract.
Gently fold in the sifted flour.

Spoon 20 mounds of mixture onto the lined baking trays.

Bake for approx 15 minutes until golden brown.

Leave on trays for 5 minutes before lifting onto wire racks to cool.

Filling

125 grams (4oz) Butter (softened)
100 grams (4oz) Marshmallows
45 mls (3 tablespoons) Milk
A few drops of pink food colouring
5 mls (1 teaspoon) Rose water  (optional)

Put the marshmallows and milk into a small saucepan and melt over a gentle heat until smooth.
Leave to cool.
Beat butter until light and creamy and add food colouring and rose water.
Gradually add cooled marshmallow mixture to butter, beating well.

Icing

150 grams (5oz) Icing Sugar (Sieved)
Water
Decorations – I used Asda Micro Marshmallows and Asda Little Princess Treasures

Put the sieved icing sugar into a bowl and stir in just enough water to give a stiff icing.
Spread icing onto the top of each pie.

To Assesmble

Sandwich cakes together with the pink marshmallow cream to create 5 ‘pies’.

Sprinkle with decorations.

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Easy Make

Cupcakes are a larger version of the English favourite ‘Fairy Cakes’.  They are very easy to make, being a basic Victoria Sponge recipe.  The baked cupcakes can then be decorated in any way you wish.  However having been inspired by a feature in a magazine, I decided to try out these ‘99’ Ice Cream Cupcakes.

The recipe will make 12 Cupcakes

Ingredients (For the Cakes)

150 grams (5oz) butter or margarine
150 grams (5oz) caster sugar
150 grams (5oz) self-raising flour (sieved)
3 eggs (beaten)
30 mls milk
Half teaspoon of vanilla extract
Paper Cupcake cases
12 hole muffin tin

Turn the oven on to 190? (Gas mark 5)
Put paper cupcake cases into the muffin tin

Put butter and caster sugar into a bowl and beat with a wooden spoon until creamy and very light in colour.  Alternatively mix with an electric mixer.
Slowly add the beaten eggs, beating well after each addition.
Using a metal spoon add the sifted flour and gently fold into the mixture.  Do not beat as the air will be removed and the cakes will have a solid texture.
Add the milk and vanilla extract and gently fold in.
Spoon the mixture into the paper cases.
Bake in the centre of the oven for 15 – 20 minutes.
To tell if the cakes are cooked, press gently in the centre.  The cake should feel firm.
When cooked, remove from the oven and leave in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Ingredients (Butter Cream Decoration)

150 grams (5oz) butter – softened
300 grms (10oz) Icing Sugar – sieved
Half teaspoon of vanilla extract
Icing Bag and large ‘cream’ nozzle
6 Chocolate flakes (Cadbury’s are best) – cut in half
Coloured Sugar Strands or Hundreds and Thousands

Beat the softened butter in a large bowl until very light and creamy.
Slowly beat in the icing sugar.
Mix in the vanilla extract.
Put the butter cream into the icing bag with the large nozzle.
Starting from the outside to the middle of each cake, create a swirl and finish with a little peak.

Push in half a chocolate flake.

Sprinkle with the sugar strands.

These cakes will keep fresh for 3 – 4 days – although they will probably vanish long before then.

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If you love peanuts then I am sure you will love this very simple no bake squares.

Ingredients
56 grams (2oz) Butter
28 grams (1oz) Caster Sugar
1-2 tablespoons Golden Syrup
85 grams (3oz) Crunchy Peanut Butter
170 grams (6oz) Digestive Biscuits
100 grams (3.5 oz) chocolate suitable for cooking
18 cm (7”) Square cake tin – greased

Crush the biscuits with a rolling pin and set aside.
Melt the butter in a saucepan over a low heat or in the microwave.
Add the caster sugar and golden syrup.
Stir over a low heat until the sugar is dissolved then bring to the boil.
Remove from the heat and stir in the peanut butter.
Add the biscuits mixing well.
Spoon into prepared cake tin and press down.
Leave until cold and set (in the fridge in hot weather).
Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of hot water or in the microwave and spread over the cold biscuit mixture.
Leave to set before cutting into squares.

Makes approx 16

These squares are very rich but moorish, so you may want to hide them if you do not want them eaten all in one go.

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These muffins and light and fluffy with a delicate flavour.  As blueberries do not have a strong flavour, vanilla essence is added. They are best eaten on the day they are made or the next.

Ingredients (Makes 12)

Place Muffin Cases into a muffin tin and set oven to 190 deg C, 375 deg F or Gas Mark 5

175g (6oz) caster sugar
285g (10oz) self raising flour (sifted)
100g Fresh Blueberries (chopped)
2 Eggs
150ml (1/4 pint) milk
8 Tablespoons sunflower oil
1 tsp Vanilla Extract

To Make

Mix sugar and flour into a bowl.

Beat eggs and vanilla extract into the milk and oil. Quickly stir into dry ingredients and add blueberries (over-mixing will make the muffins tough). Divide the mixture between muffin cases and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the muffins have risen and are firm to the touch.

Remove from the oven and leave for 5 minutes before transfering them to a wire rack. Serve warm or cold.

These muffins can be frozen. After defrosting warm through in a hot oven for a few minutes.

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These delicious cake bars are so easy to make and requires no cooking at all.  The only problem you will have is stopping people eating it so why not make double as it keeps very well in the fridge.

You may click on any image in this guide to enlarge it.

The following ingredients are a guide only as you can add what you like to this cake.  Just follow the basic quantities and create your own masterpiece.

Ingredients

400g chocolate (dark or milk)
Packet of shortcake biscuits
1 tin of condensed milk
100g butter
Bag of marshmallows
100g of cherries, raisins, chopped apricots, chopped nuts, sultanas or a mixture of anything you have in your store cupboard
7″ square cake tin
Cling film.

Line the tin with the cling film (this makes it easy to lift the Rocky Road out when it has set).

Break up the shortcake biscuits into rough chunks and place to one side.

Melt the chocolate and butter in a saucepan over a low heat or on defrost in the microwave.  When melted, remove from the heat, stir well and add the condensed milk, then stir until well mixed and smooth.

Tip the biscuits into the chocolate mixture along with all the other fruits and marshmallows and stir until everything is coated in chocolate.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and flatten out with the back of a tablespoon.  Put in the fridge to set.

When set, remove from the tin by turning upsidedown on a chopping board and removing the clingfilm.  Cut into bars and store in an airtight container in the fridge.

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The following is a shortbread baked in a Scottish Thistle mould (available from www.lakeland.co.uk) which looks lovely on a buffet table.  If you do not have a mould then a greased 8″ square shallow cake tin can be used, or alternatively the dough can be rolled out and cutters used to make individual biscuits.

You may click on any image in this guide to enlarge it.

You will need:

150g (5oz) butter (at room temperature)
100g (4oz) caster sugar
275g (10oz) plain flour (sifted)
Half teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
Caster sugar for sprinkling

To Make:

Set oven to 180 deg C, 350 deg F or gas mark 4

Cream the butter and sugar together until very soft and creamy.  Add the vanilla extract (if using).  Stir the flour into the creamed mixture until it is a firm dough.

If using the mould, using a pastry brush, gently brush the inside of the mould with flour.  Press the dough into the mould or cake tin and smooth the surface with a flat bladed knife.  If using a cake tin, mark the shortbread into slices or squares before cooking.

Bake in the centre of the oven for 35 to 40 minutes.  The shortbread should be golden in colour, not brown.

When cooked, take out of the oven and sprinkle with the caster sugar and leave to cool completely before turning out of the moud.  Cut the shortbread in the cake tin while still warm, but leave in tin until cold.

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Easy Make

This very easy to make sponge is moist and tasty and can form the basis of many decorated cakes. It has a firm texture which makes it ideal for cutting to make novelty shapes.

For two 8″ round or two 7″ square tins you will need:

Ingredients

6 oz (170 grams) Margarine (softened)
6 oz (170 grams) Caster Sugar
6 oz (170 grams) Self Raising Flour (sifted)
3 Eggs (beaten)
Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract

2 x prepared round cake tins

Set oven to 180 deg C, 350 deg F or Gas Mark 4

Method

Beat the margarine and sugar with a wooden spoon (or electric mixer) until the mixture is soft, creamy and light in colour. (It is important to mix well at this stage to give a light texture).

Add the beaten eggs and vanilla extract and mix well.

Finanly add the sifted flour and fold into the mixture with a metal spoon. (I do not use my electric mixer at this stage). Using the spoon, stir round the outside of the mixture and then draw the spoon through the middle, lifting and incorporating air as you do so. Do not over mix at this stage as the sponge will be heavy and leathery.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared tins and smooth the surface.

Bake in the oven for approx 20 – 25 minutes or until the sponge has started to shrink from the edges of the tin and springs back when the top is gently pressed.

Take out of oven and leave in tins for 5 minutes before turning out onto cooling racks and leaving until cold.

Store in a sealed container until required.

I find that leaving the sponge one day before decorating prevents the surface lifting as you cover it with jam/butter icing etc.

The above is for a plain sponge but flavoured sponges are very easy:

For a coffee cake – Disolve two teaspoons of instant coffee in two teaspoons of hot water and add with the eggs.

For a chocolate cake – Substitute 1 oz (28 grams) of flour for cocoa powder (sifted) and half teaspoon of baking powder.

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These muffins are light and tasty and at only 4.5 weight watchers points, 225 calories you can afford to include these cakes in your diet. Also as they are made with sunflower oil they are very low in saturated fat.

Makes 12

Ingredients

175g (6oz) caster sugar
300g ( 10oz) self raising flower
2 medium eggs
150ml (1/4 pint) semi skimmed milk
8 tablespoons sunflower oil
1 lime
110g (4oz) sifted icing sugar
Muffin tray, lined with cases

Set the oven to 190 deg C, 375deg F, Gas 5

Finely grate the lime and squeeze the juice and put to one side.
Sift the sugar and flour into a bowl and add grated lime. Beat eggs into the milk and oil, then quickly stir into dry ingreadients (do not over mix).
Divide the mixture between muffin cases and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the muffins have risen and are firm to the touch.

Remove from the oven, leave to cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

To make the topping, mix lime juice and icing sugar together to make a runny mixture. When muffins are cool use a pastry brush to brush the icing over the surface of the muffins. Repeat this 3 or 4 times and leave to set.

Note – Lemon can be used instead of lime.
The iced muffins are not suitable for freezing, but they can be frozen prior to icing and completed when defrosted.

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These delicious rich chocolaty muffins are quick and easy to make and will vanish even quicker. They are best eaten on the day they are made or the next. After the second day they can be heated up for a few seconds in the microwave and eaten as they are or served as a desert with a hot chocolate sauce.

Try making them with white chocolate chips or a mixture of milk/dark/white chips. Super Cook Chocolate Chips are ideal as there is no messy grating or chopping and they are real chocolate and not ‘cooking chocolate’.

Ingredients (Makes 12)

Place Muffin Cases into a muffin tin and set oven to 190 deg C, 375 deg F or Gas Mark 5

175g (6oz) caster sugar
250g (8oz) self raising flour (sifted)
4 level tablespoons cocoa powder (sifted)
100g packet of Super Cook chocolate chips or grated chocolate
2 Eggs
150ml (1/4 pint) milk
8 Tablespoons sunflower oil

To Make

Mix sugar, flour and cocoa into a bowl and add chocolate chips.

Beat eggs into the milk and oil. Quickly stir into dry ingredients (over-mixing will make the muffins tough). Divide the mixture between muffin cases and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the muffins have risen and are firm to the touch.

Remove from the oven and leave for 5 minutes before transfering them to a wire rack. Serve warm or cold.

These muffins can be frozen. After defrosting warm through in a hot oven for a few minutes.

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I am adding this recipe at the request of my daughter. The cake itself is not difficult to make, but care must be taken with the lemon syrup.

Ingredients

2 Eggs
175g (6oz) Sugar
150g (5oz) margarine (softened)
175g (60z) Self Raising Flour
125ml (4fl oz) Milk
Grated Rind of one Lemon

Syrup

150g (5oz) Icing Sugar
50 ml (2 fl oz) fresh lemon juice

Set oven to 180 deg C, 350 deg F or Gas Mark 4.

Line a 2lb loaf tin or use baking parchment tin liners available from Lakeland Ltd (www.lakeland.co.uk) for a professional finish.

Whisk eggs and sugar together until thick and creamy. Add small amounts of margarine at a time beating just enough to mix the margarine. Over mixing will result in a heavy cake. When all the fat has been added the mixture will look like mayonnaise. Sift in the flour and add the milk and grated lemon rind. Stir the mixture gently until it is smooth. Again do not over mix.

Put the mixture into the prepared tin and cook in the oven until golden brown and a skewar comes out clean.

When baked leave the cake in the tin and make the syrup by heating the icing sugar and lemon juice in a small pan until a clear syrup is formed. Do not allow the mixture to boil as it will crystallise.

Using the skewar, make holes all over the top of the cake and pour over the hot syrup. Leave until completely cold before removing from the tin. Store in an airtight container in a cool place or the fridge.

This cake should be eaten within a week (This I find is not usually a problem).

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