Category: Small Cakes & Bars

INGREDIENTS

• 2 eggs
• 175 g / 6 oz caster sugar
• 150 g / 5 1/2 oz soft margarine, plus extra for greasing
• finely grated rind of 1 lemon
• 175 g / 6 oz self-raising flour
• 125 ml / 4 fl oz milk
• icing sugar, for dusting

SYRUP

• 140 g / 5 oz icing sugar
• 50 ml / 2 fl oz fresh lemon juice

INSTRUCTION

Preheat the oven to 180’C / 350’F / Gas Mark 4. Grease an 18-cm / 7-inch square cake tin and line with non-stick baking paper.

Place the eggs, caster sugar and margarine in a mixing bowl and beat hard until smooth and fluffy. Stir in the lemon rind, then fold in the flour lightly and evenly. Stir in the milk, mixing evenly, then spoon into prepared cake tin, smoothing level.

Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, or until golden brown and firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and stand the tin on a wire rack.

To make the syrup, place the icing sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan and heat gently,stirring until the sugar dissolves.

Do not boil.

Prick the warm cake all over with a skewer, and spoon the hot syrup evenly over the top, allowing it to be absorbed.

Leave to cool completely in the tin, then turn out the cake, cut into 12 pieces and dust with a little icing sugar before serving.

INGREDIENTS

• 115 g / 4 oz butter, plus extra for greasing
• 115 g / 4 oz plain chocolate, broken into pieces
• 300 g / 10 1/2 oz golden caster sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 140 g / 5 oz plain flour
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 100 g / 3 1/2 oz white chocolate chips

FUDGE SAUCE

• 4 tbsp butter
• 225 g / 8 oz golden caste sugar
• 150 ml / 5 fl oz milk
• 250 ml / 9 fl oz double cream
• 225 g / 8 oz golden syrup
• 200 g / 7 oz plain chocolate, broken into pieces

INSTRUCTION

Preheat the oven to 180’C / 350’F / Gas Mark 4. Grease an 18-cm / 7-inch square cake tin and line the base with baking paper.

Place the butter and chocolate in a small heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water until melted. Stir until smooth. Leave to cool slightly. Stir in the sugar, salt and vanilla extract. Add the egg, one at the time, and stir until blended.

Sift the flour and cocoa powder into the mixture and beat until smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips, then pour the mixture into the prepared tin. Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until the top is evenly coloured and a cocktail stick inserted into the center comes out almost clean. Leave to cool slightly while you prepare the sauce.

To make the fudge sauce, place the butter, sugar, milk, cream and golden syrup in a small saucepan and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil and stir for 10 minutes, or until the mixture is caramel-coloured. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate. Stir until smooth. Cut the brownies into squares and serve immediately with the sauce.

INGREDIENTS

• 225 g / 8 oz Self-raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cocoa powder, plus extra for dusting
• 225 g / 8 oz butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
• 225 g / 8 oz golden caster sugar
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 3 tbsp instant coffee granules, dissolved in 2 tbsp hot water, cooled

WHITE CHOCOLATE FROSTING

• 115 g / 4 oz white chocolate, broken into pieces
• 55 g / 2 oz butter, softened
• 3 tbsp milk
• 175 g / 6 oz icing sugar

INSTRUCTION

Preheat the oven to 180’C / 350’F / Gas Mark 4. Grease a 28 x 18-cm / 11 x 7-inch shallow cake tin and line the base with baking paper.

Sift the flour, baking powder and cocoa into a bowl and add the butter, caster sugar, eggs, and coffee. Beat well, by hand or with an electric whisk, until smooth, then spoon into the prepared tin and smooth the top.

Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until risen and firm. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and peel off the lining paper. Leave to cool completely.

To make the frosting, place the chocolate, butter and milk in a bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water and stir until the chocolate has melted. Remove the bowl from the pan and sift in the icing sugar. Dust the top of the cake with cocoa powder, then cut into squares.

INGREDIENTS

PASTRY

• 175 g / 6 oz plain flour
• 125 g / 4 1/2 oz butter
• 25 g / 1 oz caster sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• about 1 tbsp cold water

FILLING

• 115 g / 4 oz unsalted butter
• 115 g / 4 oz caster sugar
• 115 g / 4 oz ground almonds
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 4 tbsp raspberry jam
• 2 tbsp flaked almonds

INSTRUCTION

For the pastry, sift the flour into a bowl and rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar, then mix the egg yolk with the water and stir in to make a firm dough, adding a little more water if necessary. Wrap in clingfilm and chill in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes, until firm enough to roll out.

Preheat the oven to 200’C / 400’F / Gas Mark 6. Roll out the dough and use to line a 23-cm / 9-inch square tart tin or shallow cake tin. Prick the base and chill for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, then beat in the ground almonds, eggs and almond extract.

Spread the jam over the pastry base, then top with the almond mixture, spreading evenly. Sprinkle with the flaked almonds.

Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 180’C /350’F / Gas Mark 4 and bake for a further 25-30 minutes, or until the filling is golden brown and firm to the touch. Leave to cool in the tin, then cut into bars

INGREDIENTS

• 225 g / 8 oz plain flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp all spice
• 115 g / 4 oz caster sugar
• 3 large egg whites
• 3 tbsp low fat margarine
• 150 ml / 5 fl oz thick low-fat natural yogurt or blueberry-flavoured yogurt
• 85 g / 3 oz fresh blueberries

INSTRUCTION

Preheat the oven to 190’C / 375’F / Gas Mark 5. Place 12 paper muffin cases in a muffin tin.

Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt and half the all spice into a large mixing bowl. Add 6 tablespoons of the sugar and mix together well.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites together. Add the margarine, yogurt and vanilla extract and mix together well, then stir in the blueberries until thoroughly mixed. Add the fruit mixture to the dry ingredients, then gently stir until just combined. Do not over sit the mixture – it is fine it to be a little lumpy.

Divide the mixture evenly between the paper cases (they should be about two-thirds). Mix the remaining sugar with the remaining all spice, then sprinkle the mixture over the muffins.

Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until risen and golden. Remove the muffins from the oven and serve warm, or place them on a wire rack to cool completely.

INGREDIENTS

• 350 g / 12 oz plain flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 115 g / 4 oz caster sugar
• 2 tbsp poppy seeds
• 55 g / 2 oz unsalted butter
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 225 ml / 8 fl oz milk
• finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon

INSTRUCTION

Preheat the oven to 190’C / 375’F / Gas Mark 5. Place 12 paper muffin cases in a muffin tin.

Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl and stir in the sugar.

Heat a heavy-based frying pan over a medium-high heat and add the poppy seeds, then toast for about 30 seconds, shaking the pan to prevent them burning. Remove from the heat and add to the flour mixture.

Melt the butter, then beat with the egg, milk, lemon rind and lemon juice. Pour into the dry mixture and stir well to mix evenly to a soft, sticky dough. Add a little more milk if the mixture is too dry.

Spoon the mixture into a muffin cases, then bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until risen and golden brown. Place on a wire rack to cool.

INGREDIENTS

• 115 g / 4 oz unsalted butter, softened
• 115 g / 4 oz caster sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 115 g / 4 oz self-raising flour

ICING AND DECORATION

• 200 g / 7 oz icing sugar
• about 2 tbsp warm water
• a few drops of edible food colouring (optional)
• sugar flowers, hundreds and thousands, glace cherries, and / OR
• chocolate strands, to decorate

INSTRUCTION

Preheat the oven to 190’C / 375′ F/ Gas Mark 5. Place 16 paper bun cases into a shallow bun tin.

Place the butter and caster sugar in a large bowl and cream together with a wooden spoon or electric mixer until pale and fluffy.

Gradually add the eggs, beating well after each addition. Fold in the flour lightly and evenly using a metal spoon.

Divide the mixture evenly between the bun cases and bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

For the icing, sift the icing sugar into a bowl and stir in just enough of the water to mix a smooth paste that is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Stir in a few drops of food coloring, If using. Spread the icing over the fairy cakes and decorate as desired.

INGREDIENTS

• 125 g / 4 1/2 oz soft margarine
• 125 g / 4 1/2 oz caster sugar
• 150 g / 5 1/2 oz self-raising flour
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 25 g / 1 oz plain chocolate, melted
• icing sugar for dusting

LEMON BUTTER CREAM

• 100 g / 3 1/2 oz unsalted butter, softened
• 225 g /8 oz icing sugar, sifted
• grated rind of 1/2 lemon
• 1 tbsp juice

INSTRUCTION

Preheat the oven to 180’C / 350’F / Gas Mark 4. Place 12 paper bun cases in a shallow bun tin.

Place the margarine, caster sugar, flour, eggs and cocoa powder in a large bowl. and beat with an electric whisk until the mixture is just smooth. Beat in the melted chocolate.

Spoon the mixture into the paper cases, filling them three-quarters full. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until springy to the touch. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.

Meanwhile, make the lemon buttercream. Place the butter in a mixing bowl and beat until fluffy, then gradually beat in the icing sugar. Beat in the lemon rind and gradually add the lemon juice, beating well.

Cut the top off each cake, using a serrated knife. Cut each top in half. Spread or pipe the lemon buttercream over the cut surface of each cake and push the two cut pieces of cake top into the icing to form wings. Dust with icing sugar.