I am a fairly slapdash cook. I am not proud of my record of cooking at speed, often while doing something else. Cooking with small children was fun but that is a long time ago now. For years I used to love an afternoon with the radio on and time to make more than one delight. But even then there was bound to be interruptions and my mind would wander if not my wooden spoon. So the recipes I make are the reliable ones, not too hard and yet good enough to give pleasure. Cake is a wicked treat in some eyes but if it is made with good ingredients, butter and fair trade sugar, no additives and only pure tastes, it is an indulgence which improves the day.
There are some really great cake recipes in this blog so far. I'm afraid that as I have collected them over the years before metric entered the system, many of them, most of them are in the old weights and measures. If you have a 'dual' scales that gives both, no problem, but if not, most cookbooks give a conversion table as:
2oz = 50g,4 oz = 110 g, 6oz = 175g, 8oz =225 g, 10oz = 275g, 12oz = 350g, 1lb = 350g.
Here are the ones I think are the best:
Apple Cake: easy and makes a delicious dessert too; try with Victoria plums
Apple Cake 2 - so easy!
Apple Flapjack- a gooey version
Apple Spice Cake- a plain but moreish one
Almond and Apricot Cake: gluten free and good as a pudding
Bakewell Cake - a good way to use blackberries in season
Banana Bread - moist and lasts well
Blackcurrant Cake - easy and very good
Irish Tea Loaf - Brack: so easy and very popular
Brownies - the classic simple ones and always a winner
Gluten free Brownies - nearly as good and always welcomed
Buns - now called cupcakes!
Christmas Ring Cake - and can be a Spring Ring too if you put different dried fuit in eg pineapple, mango etc! - this was a winner at the wedding so has proved its worth.
Cream Cheese Pastries - a real treat
Lemon Cheesecake - a quick and light version
German Cheesecake - the baked type and my favourite
Coffee Cake - a classic and family favourite
Chocolate Creamy Cake: easy and special
Rich Chocolate Cake: for special occassions
Chocolate Expresso Buns: rich and special - you can call them cupcakes if you like!
Chiffon Cake: light and impressive
Carrot Cake: a large and delicious version of this classic - moist and yummy
Raspberry and Chocolate Cake
Date Crunchies - sweet and good for you!
Energy Bars - sticky and sweet
Flapjacks - the traditional recipe
Special Flapjacks - very rich and very popular!
Gingerbread: easy and keeps and full of iron too
Ginger Fudge Cake: really sticky and good
No Bake Granola Bars
Lemon Drizzle Cake: found on every cake stall and much loved
Lemon and Blueberry Cake - an old favourite with extra delights
Parkin: an autumn classic
Redcurrant Cake - just delicious as a pudding or with coffee
Rhubarb Cake - very easy and makes a pudding when warm
Lemon Tartlets - light and delicious
Yorkshire Curd Tarts - a regional speciality
Cherry Cheesecake - a pud but also a great cake with coffee
Chocolate Rum Cheesecake - rich and good for a crowd or a party
Nutty Caramel Cake - very sweet and good
Berry Streusal Cake - good with any kind of soft fruit in the centre and a delicious pudding warm as well as a wonderful cake
Mocha Chocolate Cake - sour cream is the secret ingredient
Cinnamon Swirl- and another one!
Some small delights:
Mincemeat Squares
Lemon Shortbreads
Ginger Biscuits
Scones - cheese and plain
and I will add some more
Let me know which you think are the best.
There are some really great cake recipes in this blog so far. I'm afraid that as I have collected them over the years before metric entered the system, many of them, most of them are in the old weights and measures. If you have a 'dual' scales that gives both, no problem, but if not, most cookbooks give a conversion table as:
2oz = 50g,4 oz = 110 g, 6oz = 175g, 8oz =225 g, 10oz = 275g, 12oz = 350g, 1lb = 350g.
Here are the ones I think are the best:
Apple Cake: easy and makes a delicious dessert too; try with Victoria plums
Apple Cake 2 - so easy!
Apple Flapjack- a gooey version
Apple Spice Cake- a plain but moreish one
Almond and Apricot Cake: gluten free and good as a pudding
Bakewell Cake - a good way to use blackberries in season
Banana Bread - moist and lasts well
Blackcurrant Cake - easy and very good
Irish Tea Loaf - Brack: so easy and very popular
Brownies - the classic simple ones and always a winner
Gluten free Brownies - nearly as good and always welcomed
Buns - now called cupcakes!
Christmas Ring Cake - and can be a Spring Ring too if you put different dried fuit in eg pineapple, mango etc! - this was a winner at the wedding so has proved its worth.
Cream Cheese Pastries - a real treat
Lemon Cheesecake - a quick and light version
German Cheesecake - the baked type and my favourite
Coffee Cake - a classic and family favourite
Chocolate Creamy Cake: easy and special
Chocolate Expresso Buns: rich and special - you can call them cupcakes if you like!
Carrot Cake: a large and delicious version of this classic - moist and yummy
Raspberry and Chocolate Cake
Date Crunchies - sweet and good for you!
Energy Bars - sticky and sweet
Flapjacks - the traditional recipe
Special Flapjacks - very rich and very popular!
Ginger Fudge Cake: really sticky and good
No Bake Granola Bars
Lemon Drizzle Cake: found on every cake stall and much loved
Lemon and Blueberry Cake - an old favourite with extra delights
Parkin: an autumn classic
Redcurrant Cake - just delicious as a pudding or with coffee
Rhubarb Cake - very easy and makes a pudding when warm
Lemon Tartlets - light and delicious
Yorkshire Curd Tarts - a regional speciality
Cherry Cheesecake - a pud but also a great cake with coffee
Chocolate Rum Cheesecake - rich and good for a crowd or a party
Nutty Caramel Cake - very sweet and good
Berry Streusal Cake - good with any kind of soft fruit in the centre and a delicious pudding warm as well as a wonderful cake
Mocha Chocolate Cake - sour cream is the secret ingredient
Cinnamon Swirl- and another one!
Some small delights:
Mincemeat Squares
Lemon Shortbreads
Ginger Biscuits
Scones - cheese and plain
and I will add some more
Let me know which you think are the best.