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You are here: Home / Archives for buttercream

Really Lemony Lemon Cake

March 10, 2014 · by munchiesandmunchkins · 4 Comments

If I were to choose a slice of cake to indulge in then normally it would be chocolate cake. My OH however isn’t a massive fan of chocolate cake and seeing as it was his birthday this week I thought it would be nice to make something special for him. Unfortunately as with all good plans something came up.. Or lots of things actually. Spots. My oldest daughter has chicken pox and is suffering with it so my time for baking has been limited.

I would never let him have a birthday without a homemade cake so at 11.30pm a few nights ago I was still hard at work in the kitchen making a fairly simple but tasty cake. It’s not extravagant or perfectly decorated but its definitely indulgent!

For the cake:

You will need..
4 Large eggs (pref free range)
225g Golden caster sugar
225g SR flour
2 tsp baking powder
225g softened butter
Zest of one lemon
1tsp lemon extract ( not essence! I used Sicilian lemon from Morrisons)

Preheat your oven to gas mark 4. Grease and line two sandwich tins (20cm)

Place all ingredients into your mixing bowl or food mixer and either beat with a wooden spoon until smooth or mix at a high speed for a few minutes until lump free and a smooth consistency. Divide between two tins and bake for 25 minutes or until golden and will spring back when pressed lightly. Remove from tins carefully and cool on a wire rack before filling and icing.

For the buttercream filling and topping:

125 g soft butter
250 g icing sugar, sifted
Juice of 1 small lemon
50g of dark chocolate

Beat your butter until smooth and gradually add in your icing sugar then your lemon juice and blend well.

Use half as a filling and half to top your cake. Grate some dark chocolate over the top.

Enjoy.

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Filed Under: Cakes, bread and all things baking, Recipes · Tagged: buttercream, cake, lemon, lemon zest, sponge, Victoria sandwich

Ultimate Chocolate Cake

February 11, 2013 · by munchiesandmunchkins · 5 Comments

I love chocolate and I love cake. I mostly enjoy chocolate cake but sometimes it’s either not quite chocolatey enough or far too chocolatey. If you are a fan of chocolate cake you will understand what I mean. Too chocolatey and it’s can be sickly, too rich and leave an unpleasant aftertaste.. Not chocolatey enough and it’s well a rather bland brown cake. I’ve played with recipes for ages now and I have found or rather worked away at various combinations until I’ve found the ULTIMATE chocolate cake – well for my tastebuds anyhow. I thought you may like to try it and seeing as it wouldn’t be possible to send you all a slice I will share the recipe with you, hoping you will try it and let me know what you think. I should add its simple enough for even the clumsiest baker and would be ideal as a dessert for Valentines day. Chocolate is the food of love – in my house anyway.

Ultimate Chocolate Cake

You will need:

150g of Cake flour ( this is a special flour from Flourbin) SR would also work
30g of Hersheys cocoa powder (any good quality cocoa would do)
175g softened butter ( I used lightly salted lurpak as its what I had )
175g Caster sugar
1 level tsp baking powder
3 large eggs
1 tbsp milk ( plus 1 extra if required)

Preheat your oven 180C or gas 4. Grease and line 2 x 20cm cake tins or use silicone! ( much easier )
Place all ingdients ( except milk) in a bowl and beat with an electric whisk until thick and creamy. You want a dropping consistency so add your milk and if needed the extra spoonful. Divide mixture between the tins and smooth until level.Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the sponge bounces back when pressed with 1 finger. Cool slightly before turning out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

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Filling:

If you served this as a dessert you could whisk double cream with 1 tbsp of baileys and a 2 tbsp of caster sugar until thick and use as a filling or you can do as I did and make a delicious chocolate & vanilla buttercream instead.

Chocolate and vanilla buttercream:

125g Butter – very soft
30g cocoa powder (sifted)
200g Icing Sugar (sifted)
1tbsp warmed milk
1tbsp Nielsen Massey vanilla or a vanilla pod or BOTH!

In a large bowl beat your butter with a wooden spoon or an electric whisk until light and fluffy.
Gradually mix in the icing sugar and cocoa powder until smooth and creamy.
Add the vanilla and sufficient milk to give a fairly firm spreading consistency. Delicious.

Icing:

I make a chocolate glacé icing to go on top. I used the silverspoon recipe for glacé icing and whisked in a little Hershey’s cocoa powder before spreading on top, leaving to set slightly and decorating with white vice versas as I thought it would look cute. There are so many ways in which you could make this cake extra special – such as by making a ganache to top or even completely cover your cake or by really going to town on the decoration!

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This cake is so moist it will taste delicious for several days but I doubt it will last that long.

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When making any kind of cake especially if for a special occasion always use the best, freshest ingredients you can afford. Always use free range eggs, the best vanilla ( Nielsen Masseys – not sponsored unfortunately) and its definitely worth using special Cake flour. This is a new discovery for me after a lovely parcel from The Flour Bin and I’m enjoying trying it in different recipes. Look out for my competition sometimes this week when you can win a £30 voucher to spend with them!

Happy baking x

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Filed Under: Cakes, bread and all things baking, Recipes · Tagged: buttercream, Chocolate cake, Chocolatey, indulgent, love, valentines

Baileys chocolate cupcakes

November 13, 2012 · by munchiesandmunchkins · 6 Comments

Last week I was invited to my sister in laws baby shower, I was orderd by my mum to make cakes. I have a tried and tested chocolate cupcake recipe which I have used a million times and knew that I would use it again but I fancied something different. So I ended up making 2 different batches of cupcakes, one with a subtle orange flavour added and one with Baileys.. Well I’m kind of telling a lie here as what I used here and is Lidl Irish cream. It’s super tasty and only about £4 so I highly recommend it. I decided to make chocolate orange cakes also as my sister mentioned that not everyone likes Baileys.. Hmmm I am not convinced but hey ho I made two batches.

Anyway here is the Baileys cupcake recipe:

You will need:

For the cakes

100g plain flour
140g caster sugar
1.5tsp baking powder
20g Hershey’s cocoa powder
110ml whole milk
Pinch of ground seasalt
40g softened butter
1 egg
20ml of Irish cream/Baileys
1tsp of vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 180 (gas mark 4)
If I have time I cream the butter/sugar and gradually introduce ingredients as you would with a normal cake recipe but last time I did the all in method which pretty much meant throwing it all in a bowl and beating with a wooden spoon or a whisk if you are lazy. The all in method tasted the same as the more laborious traditional method so I know what I will do from now on. Once you have a smooth consistency with no lumps ( try not to over mix) spoon into 12 cupcakes cases and bake for 20 minutes. You can tell when they are done as they will spring back when lightly pressed.

For the buttercream

375g icing sugar
25g Hershey’s cocoa
125g softened butter
50ml Irish cream or Baileys
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Beat the butter until soft and creamy, mix in your Baileys and vanilla before gradually sifting in your I icing sugar and cocoa together. You can pipe your buttercream to get a lovely swirled effect however my piping bag broke so I use a spoon and just swirled it myself and it looks ok!

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These were pretty delicious and would make a lovely gift for someone.

They taste best on day of cooking but the cake can be frozen and buttercream added when required. They freeze very well.

Enjoy xxxx

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Filed Under: Cakes, bread and all things baking, Recipes · Tagged: Baileys, buttercream, chocolate, cupcakes, Nielsen Massey, vanilla

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