baking – Page 15 – Feasting Is Fun

Cherry Bakewell Hot Cross Buns

Easter is nearly here and with it the traditional Hot Cross Buns, which I absolutely love. However, after seeing Waitrose selling a variety of different flavours, I decided to take on the Cherry Bakewell Hot Cross Buns. Also, I’m very excited to say that this recipe is featured in The Guardian! See the end of this post for details.

I wanted to use the basic egg and milk enriched dough from my traditional Hot Cross Buns and experiment will cherries and almond flavouring.

As much as I absolutely love all things almond, especially flaked almonds, I decided to keep them out of these Cherry Bakewell Hot Cross Buns. I wasn’t sure how they would interact with the dough and I still wanted the buns to have a soft, pillowy, interior.

FF Cherry Bakewell Hot Cross Buns — Cherry Bakewell Hot Cross Buns

Playing Around With Flavours

Leaving out the almonds was a great decision. These Cherry Bakewell Hot Cross Buns are so light and very more-ish. Crunch would not have been a good thing!

Instead I used Sugar and Crumbs cherry bakewell icing sugar. Substituting it both for the honey in the dough mix and using it to glaze the buns, instead of apricot jam. This with the addition of some almond extract, gave the buns just the right hint of almond. The flavour is subtle and works so well with the fluffy, light bun.

Now for the cherries. I used both glacé and dried cherries. They both add their own flavour and pretty colour to these Cherry Bakewell Hot Cross Buns. The dried cherries also give a lovely chewiness, similar to that of raisins. While the glacé cherries add bursts of sweetness, similar to that of mixed peel (of which I am most definitely not a fan!).

Hot Cross Buns – Not Just For Easter

Over all these Cherry Bakewell Hot Cross Buns have been a huge hit in our home. So much so, that I can see myself making them all year round, although I’ll probably leave off the cross!

They are an utterly delicious bun, not dissimilar in taste to old fashioned, bakery, iced buns. Perfect toasted with butter, or eaten, as I did, just like an iced bun, with a lovely cup of tea.

Some Tips On How To Bake The Lightest Buns

If you haven’t made bread dough before, or used yeast in baking, please don’t be daunted by the prospect. Ensure the yeast you use is fresh. Yep, even fast action dried yeast, which is what we use in this recipe, loses its potency. So if you have yeast that’s been sitting in the cupboard for more than 6 months I really would recommend buying new.

I bake regularly enough to get through a tin of fast action dried yeast, every 2-3 weeks. It’s a regular on my grocery order. Don’t worry if all you can by is sachets, that’s fine as we weigh the yeast for this recipe.

Likewise with flour, you need good strong, white, bread flour. I buy mine from Shipton Mill via Amazon UK. It works out a lot cheaper than buying the best organic supermarket brand. That said, I’ve already mentioned that I bake a lot, so buy a good quality, organic if you can afford it, brand from the supermarket. All flour has a use by date, check yours.

The reason I have emphasised using fresh ingredients is, whilst this recipe is relatively easy, it can be heartbreaking to make a yeasted bun, only to find it doesn’t rise. So if you check everything before you start, you are much more likely to have a deliciously, positive outcome. Which is what we all want. Right?

Recipe: Makes 12 Cherry Bakewell Hot Cross Buns

For the buns

500g/1lb 2oz Strong White Bread Flour

140ml/ Scant 5fl oz Whole Milk – warmed slightly to body temperature

120ml/4.5fl oz Water – warmed slightly to body temperature

2 Large Free Range Eggs

1tbsp Cherry Bakewell Icing Sugar – or plain icing sugar

10g/1.5 Sachets Fast Acting Dried Yeast

10g Salt – I use Maldon

50g/2oz Unsalted Butter – softened to room temperature

100g/4oz Dried Cherries

75g/3oz Glacé Cherries – chopped into quarters

1tsp Almond Extract

For the crosses

50g/2oz Strong White Bread Flour

1/2tsp Almond Extract

50ml/2fl oz Water

For the glaze

50g/2oz Cherry Bakewell Icing Sugar – or substitute plain icing sugar plus 1/4tsp almond extract.

Hot water approx 50mls/2fl oz

Method: This method is for use with a bread maker or stand mixer, if you wish to make by hand, I suggest you look to the original, traditional hot cross bun recipe in Paul Hollywood’s book ‘How to Bake’ ISBN 9781 4088 19494.

Making And Proving The Enriched Dough

The ‘bowl’ refers to the bowl of a stand mixer or the mixing compartment of a bread maker.

Add both the milk and water to the bowl.
Next add both eggs, the icing sugar and yeast.
Swish about with clean fingers to mix.
Now add the flour on top of the liquid mixture.
Place the salt and butter on top of the flour.

For a bread maker, set the cycle to dough and press start. When prompted by the machine, or 5 minutes before mixing stops, add the dried cherries, glacé cherries and almond extract. Allow the bread maker to complete the dough cycle.

When the bread maker has completed the dough cycle, ensure the dough has doubled in size, if not wait until it has. Then re start the dough cycle for 2 minutes, this will ‘knock back’ the dough for you.

For a stand mixer attach the dough hook. Start mixing on a low speed. Once the contents of the bowl resemble dough continue to mix on medium/slow speed for 5 minutes. Stop the mixer. Scrape all the dough, from the hook, into the bowl. Add the dried cherries, glacé cherries and almond extract. Lower the dough hook and mix on medium speed for a further 5 minutes.

After the 5 minutes mixing is complete, stop the mixer. Scrape all the dough back into the bowl, it will be very sticky – don’t worry. Cover with a damp cloth and leave in a draught free place until doubled in size – 1 – 1 1/2 hours.

Once the stand mixer dough has doubled in size, lower the dough hook and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes, this will ‘knock back’ the dough for you.

Shaping the Cherry Bakewell Hot Cross Buns

Grease a large baking tray with butter – see Hot Cross Buns for full step-by-step pictures.

Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.
It will be quite sticky, so ensure you have floured your hands well.
Cut the dough in half and then cut each half into 6 even pieces.
Shape each piece into a ball and place on the baking tray – the dough was very sticky so some of my balls weren’t perfect!

W Cherry Bakewell Hot Cross Buns — **Cherry Bakewell Hot Cross Buns** ready for their second prove.

Proving The Buns For The Second Time

Cover the buns with a clean tea towel and place in a warm, draught free place.
Leave until doubled in size.
While the buns are proving, make the flour paste for the crosses.
Add the water and almond extract to the flour and mix until you have a smooth paste. Place in a small, disposable piping bag and secure the top with an elastic band.

10 minutes before the buns are ready for the oven, preheat it to 220C/200C fan, gas mark 7, 425F.

Piping Crosses Onto The Buns

Snip the end off of the piping bag, so there is a small hole.
Pipe down each line of buns and then again across each line of buns.

Baking And Glazing The Cherry Bakewell Hot Cross Buns

Place the buns into the middle of the oven and bake for 20 minutes. They are baked when they are golden brown and sound hollow when rapped on the bottom with your knuckle.
Remove the Cherry Bakewell Hot Cross Buns from the oven.
Take the buns off of the baking tray and place onto a cooling rack.
Make the glaze by adding the very hot water to sifted icing sugar and stirring until completely dissolved.
Brush the glaze over the buns whilst they are still hot.
Leave to cool until at least warm, before diving in and taking your first bite!

These Cherry Bakewell Hot Cross Buns may not have the traditional taste of the usual buns, but they are a complete and utterly delightful alternative!

For those people who are averse to raisins, sultanas or cinnamon, here is a bun they can thoroughly enjoy in the run up to Easter. In fact all year round.

Have you ever tried making hot cross buns?

Do you like the idea of the Cherry Bakewell Hot Cross Buns as an alternative?

I hope you have fun whatever you bake this Easter and also take a moment to consider what Easter really means, see Important Stuff.

If you have enjoyed these Cherry Bakewell Hot Cross Buns here are some more traditional recipes for you.

Hot Cross Buns

Wholemeal Hot Cross Buns

Ginger Date Hot Cross Buns

Whatever you make or bake over this Easter period, please pop a photo onto Twitter/Instagram? I love seeing your pictures and reading your comments.

Wishing you all a happy, safe Easter.

Sammie x

I’m thrilled to have my Cherry Bakewell Hot Cross Buns featured in The Guardian. To view the article by Stuart Heritage click on the link below.

https://www.theguardian.com/food/2021/mar/30/hot-cross-bun-bonanza-ten-brilliant-recipes-from-the-perfect-classic-to-prosciutto-and-parmesan

This recipe has been submitted to Baking Queen 74 for March’s Perfecting Patisserie.

No part of this post may be reproduced or duplicated without the written permission of the owner. Please seek my Disclosure Policy.

Marshmallow Frosted Mango Cupcakes

At long last, today is the first day of Spring! And as the sun shone this morning I listened to birds chirping in the garden. While people are outside in the sunshine mowing their lawns I was inspired to create a cupcake that celebrates the passing of Winter. So, here are my gluten free Marshmallow Frosted Mango Cupcakes.

Sarah at Heavenly Marshmallows sent me a selection of her homemade, artisan marshmallows. Since the selection included nine mango and passionfruit flavour I decided to use them in a recipe.

Because the mango and passionfruit marshmallows are gluten free I decided to make a gluten free cupcake, with mango in the cake batter.

HM Marshmallow Frosted Mango Cupcakes — **Marshmallow Frosted Mango Cupcakes**

While making gluten free cupcakes was first for me, I also wanted to incorporate the delicious mango and passionfruit marshmallows into the frosting. Since I had seen lots of different marshmallow frosting ideas on Pinterest. However, after reading through a few different recipes, as usual I decided to come up with something of my own.

The Gluten Free Taste Test

So, for these Marshmallow Frosted Mango Cupcakes I decided to make two cake batters. As can be seen, the first gluten free batch of cupcakes are baked in yellow cupcake cases. Because the cupcake wrappers are yellow floral they are ideal for Spring.

While the second batch are in the orange wrappers and are made using plain flour, that is NOT gluten free. Since no one in our home is gluten intolerant, my wonderful family were to serve as ‘taste testers’, in a blind taste testing.

FF Marshmallow Frosted Mango Cupcakes — Marshmallow Frosted Mango Cupcakes

Each batch of cake batter had some mango added to it. Because I didn’t have any fresh mango, I used mango from a pot in juice. Mashing up the mango with a fork and adding it to the cake batter. And, in both bakes, the mango stayed evenly distributed throughout the baked cupcake. Finally, I had successfully made gluten free cupcakes, with a good texture.

Marsmallow In The Frosting?

The Success Of Marshmallow Frosted Mango Cupcakes

Next came the frosting, which wasn’t as daunting as I’d imagined. While the hardest part was saying goodbye to each of the 8 mango and passionfruit marshmallows as I put them in a heatproof bowl, over a double boiler.

Effectively this dreamy marshmallow frosting is buttercream, with melted marshmallows added to it. While there’s a bit more to making it than that, it is no more difficult than making a chocolate ganache, that is then whipped and piped.

Rather than the sticky, sweet, frosting I’d imagined, the opposite was true. Resulting in marshmallow frosting that is the stuff of dreams, where fairies and unicorns live and rain falls like glittery sprinkles. I took myself off into my dream world there. And the result is amazing. Because, the melted marshmallows lighten the buttercream frosting. Resulting in a mallow, sponginess, that doesn’t set hard and melts, almost like sherbet on your tongue.

Recipe: Makes 12 Marshmallow Frosted Mango Cupcakes

Alternatively these cupcakes can be made with regular wheat flower. Substitute the same quantity of plain white, wheat flour instead of gluten free flour. Method and cooking times are exactly the same.

For the Mango Cupcakes

100g/4oz Unsalted Butter-at room temperature

100g/4oz Caster Sugar

2 Large Free Range Eggs

1tsp Vanilla Extract – I use Nielsen-Massey

100g/4oz Gluten Free White Flour – I use Doves Farm

1tsp Baking Powder – Waitrose Cooks’ Homebaking baking powder as it is gluten free – check yours not all brands are gluten free.

1/4 tsp Salt – I use Maldon

75g/3oz Fresh or Tinned Mango – any juice strained off and mango mashed with a fork.

For the Marshmallow Frosting

8 Heavenly Marshmallows Mango and Passionfruit flavour marshmallows – see note at bottom of post Art of Mallow

1tbsp Glycerine

300g/11oz Icing Sugar – sifted

150g/6oz Unsalted Butter – very soft

3tsp Boiling Water

Sprinkles of your choice

Making And Baking The Mango Cupcakes

First of all, place 12 cupcake cases in a cupcake or muffin tin.
Add the caster sugar,vanilla and butter into a medium sized bowl and whisk/beat together until pale and creamy.
Sift in the gluten free flour, baking powder and salt.
Add 2 eggs.
Whisk/beat until all the ingredients have come together and the batter is smooth.
Always take care to not over mix the cake batter.
Add the mashed mango and fold into the cake batter.
Spoon the cupcake mixture evenly into the cupcake cases.

Bake in the middle of the oven for 25-30 minutes. The low slow cooking will ensure flat tops, perfect for frosting.
The cupcakes are baked when they are golden brown and spring back from a light touch.
As soon as the cupcakes are baked remove from the oven.
Allow to cool for 5 minutes in the tin.
Remove the cupcakes from the tin and place on a cooling rack to cool completely.

Making The Marshmallow Frosting

First of all, place the marshmallows into a heatproof bowl and place over a saucepan of barely simmering water.

As the marshmallows melt it is important to keep stirring continuously.
As soon as they are melted remove the bowl from the saucepan and set to one side to cool.

While the melted marshmallows are cooling make the buttercream.
Add the softened butter and boiling water into the bowl of sifted icing sugar.
Whisk on a high speed until light and creamy.
Add the glycerine and whisk into the buttercream.
Pour the warm melted marshmallows into the buttercream, whilst the whisk is still mixing.
Continue mixing on a medium speed for 5 minutes.
Resulting in the lightest frosting to pipe onto your cakes.

Piping The Marshmallow Frosting

Fit a large piping bag with a large star tip – I used Wilton #1M
Place the bag inside a sturdy jug or glass, folding back the sides of the bag.
Fill the bag with the marshmallow frosting.
Pipe swirls (like ice cream in cones) or roses see here.
Finally, sprinkle over the topping of your choice.

Unsurprisingly, these Marshmallow Frosted Mango Cupcakes are completely delicious and in a blind taste test the gluten free cupcakes tasted exactly the same as the regular ones! Most importantly, no difference at all was detected between the two versions. Obviously, as a recipe developer, this made me very happy.

And one part that was declared “exceptional” was the marshmallow frosting. So, this is a frosting that I will definitely be making again. Since both taste and texture are most definitely worth the extra step!

If you enjoyed this recipe for Marshmallow Frosted Mango Cupcakes You May Also Like These:

Raspberry Ripple Almond Cupcakes

Springtime Vanilla Cupcakes

Maltesers Popping Candy Cupcakes

So, if you make these, or indeed any of my recipes, please post a photo, if you are able, on Twitter or Instagram and tag me in. Because I really enjoy seeing your makes and bakes.

So, whatever you are making, baking and creating in your kitchens, have fun preparing and sharing your feast.

Sammie xx

Heavenly Marshmallows provided me with the marshmallows for this recipe. All content, photographs and recipes are my own. Please see my Disclosure Policy.

Unfortunately Heavenly Marshmallows are no longer trading. So, I suggest Art of Mallow Mango Passion Fruity Mallows, which I have tested using this recipe and are an equally good alternative.

Chocolate Mini Egg Brownies

Finally, Easter is nearly here and the shops are filling up with all sorts of chocolate goodies. Including chocolate bunnies, Easter chicks and eggs in every size, shape and colour. So, to have some Easter baking fun I added colourful mini eggs in these Chocolate Mini Egg Brownies.

Using Smarties mini eggs with their bright colours means they show up well on top of the chocolate brown, baked brownies. Also, Smarties mini eggs are hidden within each brownie, keeping their shape once baked.

And each of these Chocolate Mini Egg Brownies are deliciously fudgey as you bite into them, with extra crunch and chocolate when you find a hidden egg.

Since our children were little we have made up an Easter egg hunt for them. Sometimes friends and cousins get involved too, now they are a bit older. Yet, what never ceases to amaze me is the sharing that happens after the egg hunt is finished.

As each child and sometimes adults, sit down with their spoils from the hunt and make sure that everyone has the same number of eggs. Because, I can never remember where they were hidden the numbers aren’t always even! So a good tip is to have a few eggs stashed in the cupboard, ready to even out the numbers so it’s fair.

And, if they do manage to find all of the eggs, you’ve got a secret stash of chocolate hidden away.

What Easter Means To Me

While I celebrate Easter for it’s true Christian meaning, see Important Stuff, I’ve never found being a Christian to be boring.

We certainly have lots of fun in our home and making these Chocolate Mini Egg Brownies, really is good fun! And, I had specific instructions from one daughter to make them larger than the Chocolate Fudge Brownie Bites and also to bake them with whole, Smarties mini eggs, hidden inside.

Each Chocolate Mini Egg Brownie is drizzled in white chocolate before topping with more Smarties mini eggs. Easter is most definitely not the time in our house, for chocolate restriction!

In fact I’m not sure there ever is an appropriate time for that, however that’s a whole different conversation!

Recipe: Makes 16 Chocolate Mini Egg Brownies

200g/7oz Plain Chocolate – minimum 70% Cocoa solids

200g/7oz Milk Chocolate – minimum 35% Cocoa solids

4 Large Free Range Eggs

225g/8oz Unsalted Butter

225g/8oz Dark Brown Sugar

1tsp Vanilla Extract – I use Nielsen-Massey

1/4tsp Sea Salt – I use Maldon

4 Packets of Smarties Mini Eggs – 4 X 100g packets

75g/3oz Plain White Flour

1/2tsp Bicarbonate of Soda

100g/4oz White Chocolate – optional

Method: Preheat oven to 170C/150 fan, gas mark 3 1/2, 325F

Making The Brownie Batter

First of all, line a 22.5cm x 30cm (9″ x 12″) deep baking tin with aluminium foil
Break up the chocolate (or chop) into individual squares, dice the butter and place both into a heat proof bowl.Place the bowl over a simering pan of water (a double boiler) ensuring the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water.
Stir continuously until both the chocolate and butter are two thirds melted.
Carefully remove the bowl from the pan and continue stirring until the contents are completely melted.
Set the chocolate aside to cool.
Into a separate bowl add the eggs, sugar and vanilla extract.
Whisk lightly to combine the ingredients.
When the chocolate has cooled to just warm pour it into the egg mixture slowly, while gently stirring.
Sift the flour, salt and bicarbonate of soda into the bowl and add two packets of the Smarties Mini Eggs.
Using a wooden spoon gently fold all the ingredients together.

Pour the brownie batter into the prepared tin.

Give the tin a couple of sharp taps against the worktop. This helps bring any trapped air bubbles to the surface.

Baking The Brownies

Place the tin into the middle of the preheated oven and bake for 35-40 minutes.
Halfway through the baking time carefully tap the tin against the oven shelf, this helps the brownies stay fudgey and not rise, like a cake.
The brownies are baked when the outside edge has set and the top has the familiar, sugar cracked look. There should still be a bit of wobble at the centre.
As soon as they are baked remove the tin from the oven and allow the brownies to cool in the tin.

Once cooled remove the brownies from the tin and peel away the sides of the foil.

Decorating The Easter Brownies

First of all break up the white chocolate and place into a heatproof, microwaveable bowl.
Zap in short 20 second bursts, stirring after each heating period.
When the chocolate has almost melted, remove and keep stirring until completely melted.
Using a teaspoon drizzle half of the chocolate over the brownie slab.
Next add as many Smarties mini eggs as you dare, the melted chocolate will help them stick.
Now drizzle the other half of the white chocolate over the eggs and brownie.
Leave to set in a cool place.

As soon as the chocolate has set cut the large brownie into quarters. Continue, cutting each quarter into quarters and you will have 16 delicious Chocolate Mini Egg Brownies!

Use a palette knife to remove each fudgey brownie from the foil.
Store any spare brownies in an airtight container for up to 5 days, however, there’s no way they’d last that long in our house!

I like to serve these Chocolate Mini Egg Brownies with a few extra eggs, so that everyone can have the same number of eggs on top of their brownie. While watching their surprise when hidden mini eggs within the brownie.

And so, whatever your plans this Easter, I hope that you take a minute to remember the reason it is celebrated?

Jesus gave His life that we may all know Him, true forgiveness, unconditional love and peace. With Him life may not be perfect, but the journey is much easier.

If you’ve enjoyed these Easter Chocolate Mini Egg Brownies then you may like these recipes too:

Golden Egg Chocolate Sponge Cake

FF Chocolate Mini Egg Brownies — Golden Egg Chocolate Sponge Cake

Chocolate Mini Egg Sponge Cake

Mini Egg Millionaires Shortbread

Baking for any special occasion always feels like a treat to me. Especially with family wandering in and out of the kitchen, snatching nibbles of this and that. Ultimately, this time of year reminds me of Jesus and the family, his disciples, that He too surrounded Himself with. So important was family to Him that He asked His disciple John to take care of His mother, while hanging on the cross. And if family is important to Him, then it is also important to me.

Whatever you are making, baking and creating in your kitchens this Easter, have fun preparing and sharing your feast.

Sammie xx

No part of this post may be reproduced or duplicated without the written permission of the owner. Please see my Disclosure Policy.

Entered for March We Should Cocoa over at Tin and Thyme and Lancashire Food

Cheese Bacon Breakfast Muffins

Are mornings busy in your house? Because they certainly are here. So, I always ensure there is a good breakfast on offer, as it is the most important meal of the day and today I am able to share these delicious Cheese Bacon Breakfast Muffins with you, my lovely readers.

The recipe for these Cheese Bacon Breakfast Muffins was given to me Jackie Heaton, she is known as The Baking Nanna.

Most importantly, these delicious muffins take under 30 minutes from start to baked. Especially good for weekend and holiday breakfast baking, or as I did today, make a batch, 5 minutes in the oven to warm through the next morning and breakfast is ready.

BN Cheese Bacon Breakfast Muffins — **Cheese Bacon Breakfast Muffins**

The Twitter Baking Community

I met Jackie through Twitter and she is now one half of #TwitterBakeAlong, a group baking challenge run on Twitter.

And, this morning, as I baked these muffins, within the hour people on Twitter were also baking these delicious, savoury treats. While some had a slight variations, others were coming up with ideas for future bakes. It was honestly so much fun. We laughed, smiled, shared and most of all enjoyed the fact that these Cheese Bacon Breakfast Muffins brought us all together.

I baked these muffins without cases (I couldn’t lay my hands on any white ones – it was early!), I was confident a quick spray with Wilton cake release and my British Bakeware muffin pan would be more than up to the non stick job in hand.

By all means use muffin cases, I probably will next time, just as soon as I can find my plain white ones!

As well as eating these warm, for breakfast, they also make a great addition to packed lunches and picnics. The Baking Nanna also puts them on the top of stews and casseroles ~~aren’t they the same thing~~ wrappers removed, in place of dumplings.

Recipe: Makes 12 Cheese Bacon Breakfast Muffins

4 Rashers Streaky Bacon – I used unsmoked. Use whatever bacon you prefer.

300g/11oz Plain White Flour

1tsp Baking Powder

100g/4oz Mature Cheddar – I use Wyke Farms

2 Large Free Range Eggs

200ml Whole or Semi Skimmed Milk

3tbsp Vegetable Oil

Pinch of freshly ground black pepper

Method: Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan, gas mark 6, 400F

Making The Muffin Batter

First of all cook the bacon until it is just crispy. I used a skillet on the hob but you can grill or bake the bacon. Place on a plate to cool then chop into pieces.
Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl.
Add the chopped bacon, grated cheese and pinch of black pepper to the flour and stir through – dry ingredients.
In a jug measure the milk. Add the 2 eggs and vegetable oil and stir with a fork to combine – wet ingredients.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until everything just comes together.
Muffin batter is meant to be lumpy, if you over mix you will have tough muffins.

Portioning And Baking The Muffins

Scoop the muffin mixture into the cases/pan.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until they are golden brown and firm to touch.
As soon as they are baked remove the muffins from the pan and place on a cooling rack.

Since this is such an easy recipe, producing light and tasty muffins – you’ve got nuffin to lose, by giving them a try!

Most importantly, these muffins are best eaten within 24 hours of being made, store in an airtight container. Alternatively, they can be frozen for up to one month. Defrost fully and reheat before eating.

Are your mornings hectic?

And do you have a strategy for getting everyone up, feed and on their way?

If you love the idea of these Cheese Bacon Breakfast Muffins being a great way to grab breakfast on the go, take a look at these other ideas:

Cranberry Walnut Flapjacks

Hot Cross Buns

Cherry Bakewell Waffles

I hope I’ve given you some ideas to take some of the stress out of busy mornings.

Please tag me in on Twitter/Instagram? I love to see what you are baking and making.

Sammie xx

@sammiefeasting Twitter/Instagram/Pinterest

Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake

Today is Monday and while the sun is shining, a cold wind is whipping through the air. And it is making me feel very cold! So I am making this Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake to cheer us all up on chilly days.

I absolutely adore the combination of lemon and blueberries together, in fact my Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes are one of my favourite recipes.

Jam Packed With Fresh Fruit

Because this Bundt cake has blueberries whisked into the cake batter, the finished cake is deliciously moist. Also I saved a few whole blueberries and added them to the batter. Resulting in little pods of blueberry jam throughout the baked cake.

FF Overhead shot of the cake. — Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake

What I hadn’t bargained for was, the extra moistness the broken blueberries would add to this cake. And plenty of fresh lemon zest added means this Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake delivers moist, flavourful, cake perfection, in every bite!

Since baking the beautiful Flower Vanilla Bundt Cake for little baby Florrie and her mum, I wanted to make another cake with a sunny, Spring theme. So I chose my Blossom Bundt by Nordic Ware and set about creating the recipe.

I always prefer to use lemon zest in a cake, as it imparts a wonderful, zingy, lemon flavour. And the lemon juice, from the zested lemons, has its own starring role. Added to icing sugar to form the glaze for this cake, it is the first taste to hit your tongue as you bite into this cake, jolting your tastebuds awake!

The Brilliance Of Bundt Pans

Bundt tins are a great investment, especially if you aren’t very confident with your cake decorating skills. These beautifully shaped tins do all the work for you. This Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake would still have looked pretty and tasted delicious with a light dusting of icing sugar.

With a little care and proper preparation a Bundt tin will give you years of beautiful cakes, with no extra effort required by the baker. Although that doesn’t mean you can’t choose to decorate them. Since this is the first Bundt cake that I have fully glazed with a thicker icing and little sugar paste flowers. Alternatively my Glazed Lemon Bundt Cake is fully glazed, with a thinner, lighter icing and is also completely delicious.

While I knew I would need a thicker icing to cover the dark blueberries near the surface of the cake. Yet I hadn’t envisaged the thickness of the icing, along with it’s pretty yellow colour, actually looked just like custard as I was spooning it onto the cake!!

We all had a giggle at the similarity – that’s what baking and experimenting with decorating is all about for me. Fun!

Let’s get on with making this cake!

Recipe: Makes one Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake serves 10-12

250g/9oz Unsalted Butter at room temperature

250g/9oz Caster Sugar

1tsp Vanilla Extract – I use Nielsen-Massey

5 Large Free Range Eggs

2 Lemons – Zested and Juiced

300g/11oz Fresh Blueberries

250g/9oz Plain White Flour

2.5tsp Baking Powder

1/4tsp Sea Salt – I use Maldon

Cake release spray – I use Wilton’s or extra butter & flour for preparing your Bundt tin

450g/1lb Icing sugar

Optional – Yellow Gel Food Colouring I use Wilton food colouring gel

Apperiels, white pre made sugar flowers – these are readily available in supermarkets and online.

Method: Preheat the oven to 170C/150C fan, 325F, gas mark 3

Making The Blueberry Lemon Cake Batter

First of all, into a large bowl add the sugar, butter and vanilla extract.
Whisk or beat until pale and fluffy – approx 5 minutes
Into a separate bowl sift the flour, baking powder and salt together (dry ingredients).
Add one third of the dry ingredients and two eggs to the creamed butter and sugar, whilst whisking/beating on a slow speed.
Repeat the last step.
Add two thirds of the blueberries to the batter, the zest of two lemons, one egg and the final third of the dry ingredients. Whisk/beat on a slow speed until just combined.

Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake NW — The cake batter should be smooth with broken up blueberries throughout.

Prepare the Bundt tin by spraying well with Cake Release, or brush with melted butter, ensuring you completely cover all the groves in the pan – then add 2tbsp of plain white flour and rotate the tin ensuring the entire inside has a flour coating. Tip any excess flour out of the tin and dispose.

Spoon the cake batter into the Bundt tin, pressing down as you do so to ensure the batter fills all the little dips and grooves.
Only fill the Bundt tin 3/4 full. Any excess batter can be baked as cupcakes once the main cake is cooked.

Baking The Bundt Cake

Place the Bundt tin into the middle of the preheated oven.
Bake for 1 hour, or until an inserted wooden skewer comes out clean.
As soon as the cake is baked remove from the oven.

See how beautiful this cake is?

A light dusting of icing sugar and this Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake would be perfect to serve alongside a nice, hot cup of tea or coffee.

Decorating The Bundt Cake

Ensure the cake is completely cold before icing.
Sift the icing sugar into a large bowl.
Add the lemon juice and stir thoroughly to form a very thick paste – additional water can be added. The icing should hold a figure 8 for a few seconds.
Using a cocktail stick add a tiny amount of yellow gel icing, mix thoroughly, add more colouring until the desired colour is achieved. Mine really was the consistency and thickness of really good custard.
Place the Bundt cake on a rack over a tray – I used a roasting tin, as you will see.

Starting at the top of the cake, spoon over the thick icing evenly.
Allow gravity to work and let the icing slowly drip down the cake.
Fill in gaps with more icing until the whole cake is completely covered.
I did spoon some of the icing, from the tray underneath, back over the cake to fill in gaps – just beware of cake crumbs!
As soon as the cake is completely covered and has settled – the icing is no longer moving – carefully place the cake onto a board/cake stand.
Add any further decorations whilst the icing is still slightly wet.
Set the cake aside to dry.
Take lots of photographs and give yourself a big pat on the back for creating such a beautiful Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake.

The Finshed Cake

This Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake is certain to cheer up anybody’s day and they get a vitamin C boost as well!

While it may sound silly, looking at this cake really makes me smile. Also, in some ways it is a reflection of my personality, sunny whatever the weather.

If you like this Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake you may also enjoy these:

Chocolate Fudge Bundt Cake

Pomegranate Lemon Drizzle Bundt Cake

Maple Syrup Iced Coffee Bundt Cake

Since I have discovered Bundt pans I have added more and more to my collection. When I bake with them I know that the cake will turn out beautiful. And if I’m not able to decorate the cake I am assured that it will look finished. As a result I am a firm Nordicware Bundt Pan fan!

So whatever you are making, baking and creating, have fun preparing and sharing your feast.

Sammie xx

No part of this post may be reproduced or duplicated without the written permission of the owner. Please see my Disclosure Policy

Springtime Vanilla Cupcakes

Wednesday this week was a truly dreary, dark and very cold day. All types of weather threw themselves at the ground; hail, snow, rain, sleet and it was windy too. Especially as it is March, I want to see evidence of Spring. Most of all flowers and lambs. Finally, I an attempt to cheer us all up I made these very pretty and extremely delicious Springtime Vanilla Cupcakes.

So, does the image of pink, raspberry buttercream topped cupcakes, adorned with large daisy flowers and butterflies cheer you up?

FF Springtime Vanilla Cupcakes — Springtime Vanilla Cupcakes

While the weather was so chilly and dreary, I was also feeling a little blue too, having just received news that a very close friend is extremely poorly. And so baking these cupcakes was therapeutic on both counts.

Do you find baking relaxing?

Springtime Vanilla Cupcakes

Using Naturally Flavoured Icing Sugar

Although these are called Springtime Vanilla Cupcakes, which is true, the cake part is flavoured with Nielsen – Massey Vanilla Extract, for the buttercream I have used a favourite flavoured icing sugar.

Sugar and Crumbs sell an amazing range of naturally flavoured icing sugars. While making my Raspberry Ripple Cupcakes I used their Raspberry Ripple flavoured icing sugar. Since the day that last cupcake was eaten, in Kylie’s own words “I just can’t get you outta my head” I have wanted more. Especially more of the delicious tasting buttercream and more cupcake to swirl it onto!!

And so these Springtime Vanilla Cupcakes were the perfect excuse to indulge my passion again.

Importantly, this time I wanted to leave the option of using flavoured buttercream as a choice. Also, if you do buy some flavoured icing sugar, you can choose to make the buttercream any flavour you want. Especially, as the vanilla sponge goes well with any flavoured frosting. Alternatively, if you want to stick with vanilla buttercream that tastes awesome as well.

Personally I think the pink icing, along with the decorations, really set these cupcakes apart. Although ‘Springtime’ was at the forefront of my mind whilst creating these beauties, with Mother’s Day being this coming Sunday, they would also make a perfect gift for any Mum.

Recipe: Makes 18 Large Springtime Vanilla Cupcakes

For the Cake:

175g/6oz Caster Sugar

175g/6oz Unsalted Butter at room temp.

1tsp Vanilla Bean Paste – or you can substitute for Vanilla Extract

3 Large Free Range Eggs

3tbsp Milk – whole or semi skimmed

175g/6oz Plain White Flour

1.5tsp Baking Powder

1/8th tsp/pinch of Salt – I use Maldon

For the Buttercream:

350g12oz Icing Sugar – I used 250g Sugar and Crumbs Raspberry Ripple flavour and 100g/4oz Plain Icing Sugar. (Confectioners Sugar)

175g/6oz Unsalted Butter

Pink Food Colour – I used Wilton pink food colouring gel (available from cake decorating shops, Amazon and similar from Lakeland UK)

2tbsp Very Hot Water

Dr Oetker rice paper daisies, various sprinkles (available from most supermarkets)

Rice paper butterflies – from Amazon

Method: Preheat the oven to 170C/150C fan oven, gas mark 3, 325F

Making The Vanilla Cupcake Batter

First of all, line 2 cupcake tins with 18 muffin or deep cupcake cases – the ones I used were a Christmas present from Lakeland.
Into a large bowl add your butter and sugar.
Whisk or beat until pale and creamy – approx 5 minutes.
Add 3 eggs, milk and Vanilla Bean Paste.
Sift into the bowl the flour, baking powder and salt.
Note: This is called the all-in-one method.
Whisk or beat until all of the ingredients are combined – take care not to over mix and this will make the cupcakes tough, not light and springy.
Place a heaped dessert spoonful of cake batter into each cupcake case.

NM Springtime Vanilla Cupcakes — **Springtime Vanilla Cupcakes**

Baking The Vanilla Cupcakes

Place the cupcakes into the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes,
The cupcakes are baked when they have risen and are a golden colour. They should spring back when pressed lightly on the top.
As soon as the cupcakes are baked remove from the oven.

Allow to cool completely before icing.

Making The Pink Buttercream

Place the softened butter into a large bowl.
Sift the icing sugar into the same bowl.
Add the 2 tablespoons of hot water.
Add the food colouring, I use a cocktail stick and simply insert the tip into the food colouring gel and then add to the bowl.
Start slowly, whisking the buttercream ingredients until light, creamy and uniform in colour.

Fit a piping bag with a large star tip.

Piping Swirls Of Buttercream On To The Cupcakes

Place the icing bag into a tall sturdy container, I use a jug.
Use a spoon or spatula, fill the icing bag with all of the buttercream.
Practise on a plate, if piping for the first time.
Squeeze the bag so that all the buttercream is together.
Keep an even pressure with one hand squeezing the bag and using the other hand to guide the piping tip, pipe swirls onto the cupcakes.

Finally add the decorations.

Gifting Springtime Vanilla Cupcakes

Because I like giving the food I make away, I bought some cupcake pods, little plastic containers, perfect for holding one cupcake in and a great way to give individual cupcakes away as a gift. Since they were from Amazon and work out to about 10 pence per pod. Also, they can be washed up and used again, which is great recycling and means you can share even more cupcakes with others!

Since piping the swirls onto the cupcakes gives them a beautiful, professional finish. means use whatever cupcake toppers and sprinkles that you have to hand. The beauty of these Springtime Vanilla Cupcakes is that they are individual to your own sense of taste and style.

If you like the Springtime Vanilla Cupcakes you will love these recipes:

Vanilla Bean Cupcakes

Raspberry Ripple Almond Cupcakes

Strawberry Sweatheart Cake

Strawberry Sweetheart Cake swirled with roses and sprinkled with love

So, enjoy baking and experimenting with piping different swirls!

Sammie xx

No part of the post may be reproduced or duplicated without the written permission of the owner. Please see my Disclosure Policy.

Strawberry Sweetheart Cake

So, this Strawberry Sweetheart Cake is what I bake for my wonderful Hubby, on Valentine’s Day. Vanilla flavoured sponge, split in two with a slathering of strawberry jam in the middle, sealed with buttercream roses. Because is a there a better way to say those three precious words ‘I Love You’ than with cake?

Since I’ve baked and created a few chocolate recipes for Valentine’s Day like Chocolate Heart Cookies, and Chocolate Fudge Brownie Bites which are utterly delicious, for the day itself I wanted to bake a cake with simple flavours. Sugar and Crumbs sell are range of naturally flavoured icing sugars. And so to make the buttercream frosting for this cake using the Strawberry Milkshake flavour is delicious. The taste is truly like strawberry milkshake and makes this cake absolutely sing on your tastebuds. Alternatively you can use plain icing sugar and flavour it. Also, Foodie Flavours sell a great range of natural food flavourings.

Rather than cover the cake with a smooth layer of buttercream I chose to pipe roses over it. Although I am not a trained cake decorator, I promise that the piped roses are not difficult. Because if I, with my wobbly hands can pipe them, you can too. And the effect of the roses gives this Strawberry Sweetheart Cake a very professional finish. While only you and I will know how easy it really is.

Piping buttercream roses:

First of all fit a large star tip (I used a Wilton 1M piping tip) to your piping bag and fill with the buttercream. Practice on a clean plate first. Imagine writing the letter e, when you get to the end of the e you contine round in a complete circle. It is that easy!! A few practices, keeping the pressure on your piping bag steady and you will have piped roses! This cake is only the second time I have piped these roses! The first time was these Raspberry Ripple Almond Cupcakes.

I will admit that piping the roses around the sides was a bit harder. So I piped either side of the heart first and once I’d got the hang of it piped the final rose on the point of the heart. Continuing with the same tip, I piped little stars in between the roses to fill in any gaps and then defined the heart by piping stars all the way around the top edge.

Strawberry Milkshake Sweetheart Cake — Strawberry Sweetheart Cake a view of the side – using piped stars to fill in any gaps.

A sprinkle of sparkle:

Finally, glitter, shiny hearts and more heart sprinkles finished this cake off beautifully. At least that’s what my hubby thought and this cake was made especially for him!

Baking for my family, as I’ve mentioned before, is one way I like to show them my love. This past year has been very hard on us all, due to my seizures (see here). Especially my hubby, who has looked after not only me, but our three gorgeous children, as well as holding down a demanding, full time job. Wanting to show my love for him on this particular day was very important to me and as a family, we all get to eat the cake, my way of saying thank you and I Love You all.

Recipe: Makes One Strawberry Sweetheart Cake serves 20

250g/9oz Caster Sugar

250g/9oz Unsalted Butter – at room temp.

1/4tsp Salt – I use Maldon

1tsp Vanilla Bean Paste or Vanilla Extract

250g/9oz Plain White Flour

2tsp Baking Powder

6 Large Eggs – I always use free range

200g/7oz Strawberry Jam

Assortment of sprinkles and edible glitter

For the buttercream

500g/1lb 2oz Strawberry Milkshake Icing Sugar – or alternatively use plain icing sugar and add your own flavouring to taste.

250/9oz Unsalted Butter very soft

2tbsp Boiling Water

Method: Preheat the oven to 160C/140C fan, gas mark 3, 325F – this cake is cooked low and slow.

Making the cake:

First of all butter and line the base of a heart shaped tin with baking parchment. If the tins are shallow split the mixture, so that it comes half way up your cake tin.
Into a large bowl add the butter and sugar.
Whisk until pale and fluffy – 5 minutes.
Add the vanilla and whisk to combine.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into another bowl (dry ingredients).
Add one third of the dry ingredients and 3 eggs.
Whisk slowly until combined.
Repeat using one third of the dry mixture and 3 eggs.
Whilst whisking slowly add the final third of the dry mixture.
Remove the whisk and give the bowl a thorough mix using a soft spatula, ensuring all the ingredients are well combined.

Baking the cake:

Place the cake tin in the centre of the oven and bake for 1 hour 15 – 30 minutes.
The cake is baked when it is golden brown, springs back from a light finger press and an inserted skewer comes out clean.

Place the cake tin on a large trivet or cooling rack.
Allow the cake to cool completely in the tin.

Filling and decorating the cake:

Once the cake is completely cold, tip out of the cake tin and place on a cake stand or board, so that the flat bottom is uppermost.

Slice the cake in half.
Lay the uppermost half on a spare board.

Spread the strawberry jam over the bottom half so that it doesn’t quite reach the edge.

Sing a spoon spread jam on to the bottom half of the cake.

Making the buttercream:

Place the very soft butter into a large bowl.
Sift in the flavoured, or plain, icing sugar into the bowl and add 2 tablespoons of boiling water (add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, or th required amount of flavouring, if not using flavoured icing).
Starting slowly, whisk the ingredients together, increasing the speed as the icing sugar becomes fully incorporated.
Continue whisking for 5 minutes, this will ensure the icing is smooth and light.
Fit a large icing bag with a large star tip.
Finally, fill the icing bag with whpiped buttercream.

Icing the Strawberry Sweetheart Cake:

Start with the surface of the cake and pipe a rose swirl at the top, where the dip in the heart is.
Continue piping rose swirls symmetrically, either side, of the heart.
Finish with a rose swirl at the bottom point of the heart.
For the sides, start at the top of the heart bump, on one side and pipe rose swirls around one side and then the other, leaving the bottom point.
Go back to the top of the heart and pipe one rose in the heart dip and and additional rose to fill in between the two roses.
Repeat on the other side.
Now pipe a rose swirl on the bottom point of the heart.
Pipes stars wherever there are gaps and visible pieces of cake on the top and sides, trying to keep the pattern symmetrical – especially on the top of the cake.
Also pipe stars on the top of the cake around the heart outline.

Finishing touches:

Now you can sprinkle away. I firstly gave this beautiful cake a good dusting of white edible glitter and then sprinkled two different styles of hearts over it.

Place the cake somewhere cool to set for a couple of hours. This cake spent the night in our porch, since it was particularly chilly February evening.

Because of the addition of boiling water into the buttercream mixture, this buttercream will not develop a hard crust. As this not only improves the texture whilst eating the cake, but also means that the buttercream is a dream to slice through!

This Strawberry Sweetheart Cake will keep in an airtight container, for up to 5 days, if left somewhere cool – I would advise keeping it in the fridge during the summer. Although, having just eaten a slice, I can’t imagine this cake hanging around for long, especially in our house!

Because making this cake is so beautifully easy, it would be perfect for birthdays, engagements, anniversaries and maybe even small weddings. Also, you can easily tint the buttercream with food colouring. I used Sugarflair and Wilton edible food colouring gels. You really only need a tiny (tip of a cocktail stick) amount to produce a beautiful pastel shade.

Whatever you are doing, whether alone or with others, I hope that you know you are loved, see Important Stuff.

If you have enjoyed this Strawberry Sweetheart Cake, then you may also like these:

Chocolate Heart Cake

Heart Engagement Bundt Cake

FF Strawberry Sweetheart Cake — Heart Engagement Bundt Cake

Raspberry Lemon Celebration Layer Cake

While I love baking, I also recognise that I am not the world’s best cake decorator. Yet with a little practice I have perfected, the very “on trend” piped rose technique. There is truth in the saying “A little practise goes a long way.” Especially when seeing the finished results and the delight on the recipient’s face when presented with a stunning cake. Most importantly for me is the love that goes into making, baking and decorating a cake.

Sammie xxx

No part of this post may be reproduced or duplicated without the written permission of the owner. Please see my Disclosure Policy.

Chocolate Fudge Brownie Bites

Do you like chocolate? I mean really, really love it? Yes! Then you will go crazy for these Chocolate Fudge Brownie Bites. The ultimate, easy brownie recipe!

Because these Chocolate Fudge Brownie Bites are C R A Z Y good, which shouldn’t be surprising when you consider how much chocolate is in these little edible, morsels of happiness!

Although I have a few brownie recipes already on this site, such as Nuts About Brownies and they are all utterly delicious. Instead, I wanted to make a Brownie that stood alone on its own, deep, chocolatey merit. nuts, no extra topping, apart from the optional white chocolate heart. Just pure chocolate fudge brownie bliss.

And wow these certainly deliver. Above all these deliver on deep chocolate flavour, perfect amount of squidge, leavingyou wondering just how these Chocolate Fudge Brownie Bites manage to hold together. Also they have a satisfying depth of sweetness, melting against your tongue.

FF Chocolate Fudge Brownie Bites — Chocolate Fudge Brownie Bites

So, if you want a straight up brownies, no faffing with nuts and the like, just one hundred per cent chocolatey goodness, this is the only recipe you need.

Finally one quick, yet impoarrant note, these brownies contain A LOT of chocolate, it really is worth using the best quality chocolate that you can afford. Because, it really does make a difference to the finished taste and texture.

Recipe: Makes 24 Chocolate Fudge Brownie Bites

200g/7oz Plain Chocolate – minimum 70% Cocoa solids

200g/7oz Milk Chocolate – minimum 35% Cocoa solids

225g/8oz Unsalted Butter

4 Large Free Range Eggs

225g/8oz Dark Brown Sugar

1tsp Vanilla Extract – I use Nielsen-Massey

1/4tsp Salt – I use Maldon

300g/11oz Chocolate Chips or Chunks

75g/3oz Plain White Flour

1/2tsp Bicarbonate of Soda

100g/4oz White Chocolate – optional

Making the brownie batter

Preheat oven to 170C/150C fan, gas mark 3, 325F.

First of all line a 22.5cm x 30cm (9″ x 12″) deep baking tin with aluminium foil.
Break up the chocolate (or chop) into individual squares, dice the butter and place both into a heat proof bowl.Place the bowl over a simering pan of water (a double boiler) ensuring the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water.
Stir continuously until both the chocolate and butter are two thirds melted.
Carefully remove the bowl from the pan and continue stirring until the contents are completely melted.
Set the bowl to one side to allow the chocolate to cool slightly.

Into another large bowl add the eggs, vanilla and sugar.

Mix together to combine.
Whilst still slowly mixing pour the cooled chocolate mixture into the larger bowl.
Mix until completely combined – try not to incorporate too much air whilst mixing.
Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt into the bowl.
Add the chocolate chunks.

Using a large metal spoon, fold all the ingredients together.
Pour the brownie mixture into the foil lined tray.

Give the baking tin a good couple of sharp taps on the worktop. This will bring any air bubbles to the surface.

Baking the brownies

Place the baking tin into the oven and cook for 35 – 40 minutes.
Halfway through the cooking time remove the tin from the I’ve and give it another sharp tap against a heatproof surface.
The brownies are cooked when the outside edge has set and the top of the brownies has the familiar, sugar cracked look. There should still be a little wobble to the centre of the tin.
As soon as the brownies are baked remove the tin from the oven and allow the brownies to cool completely in the tin.
Once cooled turn the brownies out onto a board and removing the foil.

Slicing and decorating the brownie bites

Cut across the brownie at 4 even spaces, then cut down at 6 even spaces. Now you have 24 delectable Chocolate Fudge Brownie Bites! These truly are delicious as the are. Seeing as Valentine’s Day is almost upon us, I couldn’t resist piping some white chocolate hearts on them.

Simply pop some white chocolate, broken up, into a microwaveable bowl and melt using 20 second bursts, in the microwave until two thirds melted. Then stir continuously until the chocolate is a smooth liquid.

Spoon the melted chocolate into a small, disposable piping bag and cut the tip off, leaving a very small hole. I found it took a bit of practise, getting even hearts and that it was better if I piped the heart in one complete go.

However you pipe your hearts, your loved ones will enjoy these Chocolate Fudge Brownies Bites, not just because they taste so amazing, but more importantly because you have baked them with love, to show people they are loved.

Do you like to celebrate Valentine’s Day, with your significant other, or with all of your loved ones?

If you have enjoyed these Chocolate Fudge Brownie Bites you may also like these:

Caramel Crunch Rocky Road Bars

Bakery Style Soft Triple Chocolate Cookies

Chocolate Heart Cookies

I wish you all a very happy Valentine’s Day and sincerely hope you know that you are loved see Important Stuff.

Sammie xx

No part of this post may be reproduced or duplicated without the written permission of the owner. Please see my Disclosure Policy

Chocolate Heart Cookies

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching. So what better way to show our family and friends, how much they are loved and appreciated by baking a big batch of these Chocolate Heart Cookies.

Although it is nice to take one day out of the year, such as Valentine’s Day, to let people know we love them, I think it is far more important to tell those we love every day. To ‘love’ is a verb, a doing word and so the act of loving people, should be part of our daily lives.

I love baking for my loved ones and seeing their faces as they bite into something delicious, made by me for them. Because it shows them that they are important to me and loved very much.

These Chocolate Heart Cookies can be made for a fraction of the cost of buying Valentine’s Day gifts and they are so personal. When they are made you make them with love. And there is also an added bonus, you can make these all year round and believe me, these cookies are so utterly delicious, your loved ones will keep coming back for more!!

Biscuits packaged in cellophane and ribbon to give as gifts. — Chocolate Heart Cookies as edible gifts.

Great Quality Ingredients Produce The Best Results

The reason for the outstandingly, melt in the mouth flavour of these cookies, is, because they contain cream cheese.

Didn’t see that one coming – hey? 😉

Yep, good old Philly makes a real difference to the soft, almost, truffle like, texture of the cookies and they taste amazing too!

If you are going to make these cookies, it’s worth using a good quality cocoa powder, as that directly affects the chocolate flavour of these hearts. You only use 50g per batch, so it works out pretty cost effective, overall. I use Callebaut as it gives consistently great results.

I used a fluted heart cutter and was happily surprised that each cookie kept the definition during baking.

Pretty packaged biscuits to give as edible gifts. — Chocolate Heart Cookies

Recipe: Makes 20-30 Chocolate Heart Cookies, depending on cutter size.

150g/5oz Soft Light Brown Sugar

100g/4oz Unsalted Butter at room temperature

100g/4oz Full Fat Soft Cheese – I use Full Fat Philadelphia Cream left out of the fridge to come up to room temperature

1/4tsp Salt

1 Large Egg Yolk

1/2tsp Vanilla Bean Paste – alternatively 1tsp Vanilla Extract – I use Nielsen-Massey

50g/2oz Cocoa Powder – I use Callebaut

225g/8oz Plain White Flour – plus extra for dusting the worktop

100g/4oz White Chocolate

Method:

Making The Cream Cheese Chocolate Cookie Dough

First of all add the softened cream cheese, butter, salt and sugar to a large bowl.
Whisk together until fully combined.
Now add the egg yolk, vanilla and whisk in.
Sift the flour and cocoa into the bowl.
Mix together until uniform in colour and texture.
Wipe the work surface with a clean, damp cloth.
Lay cling film over the damp worktop, it will stick and not move.
Place the cookie dough onto the cling film, form into a disc a wrap tightly.
Place the wrapped cookie dough into the fridge to chill for one hour.

When you are ready to bake the Chocolate Heart Cookies preheat the oven to 170C/150C fan, has mark 3, 325F.

Cutting Out And Baking The Heart Shaped Cookies

Line 2-3 large baking trays with baking parchment.

If the cookie dough has been in the fridge for more than a few hours (I made the dough on Sunday and baked on Monday), remove and leave to warm slightly for 30 minutes. This will prevent the dough from cracking.
Divide the dough in two and wrap one half in the cling film.
Lightly dust the worktop with flour.
Roll the dough out to approx 1/4 inch thickness (6mm).
Ensure you are constantly moving the dough and lightly dusting the worktop with flour – as this dough can get quite sticky.

Using a 2 inch (5cm) heart cutter, cut out the cookies.
Re-rolling the cookie dough so you can get the maximum number of cookies from it.
Roll the second half of cookie dough and continue as before.
I cut out 27 cookies.

Place the baking trays into the oven and bake for exactly 10 minutes.
The cookies will have a slightly matt appearance when baked.
As soon as cookies are baked remove the trays from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the tray.

Decorating The Chocolate Heart Cookies.

First of all lay the cookies out in a uniform manner. This makes it easier to pipe the melted chocolate on.
Into a heatproof and microwaveable bowl add the chopped up white chocolate.
Heat on 20 second bursts – remembering that white chocolate keeps its shape when melted.
Stir after every 20 seconds and remove just before all the white chocolate has completely melted.
Continue stirring until all the chocolate has melted.
Spoon the warm, melted chocolate into a disposable piping bag – alternatively, use a fork to drizzle the chocolate over the cookies.
Snip the very end off of the piping bag so that there is only a small hole.
Pipe a squiggle pattern over the heart cookies, I find it easier to pipe them in vertical lines (from top to bottom) without stopping, lifting the bag tip upwards after the last heart in each line is drizzled.

Allow to cool completely. This can take a little while and during hotter weather (it is Winter here now) they may need to go into the fridge to set completely.

These are the perfect ‘I Love You’ gift anytime of the year!

Keep the cookies in an airtight container and eat within 5 day. Refrigerate during warmer weather.

If you have enjoyed this recipe for Chocolate Heart Cookies, then you might also like to try these:

Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Heart Cookies

Chocolate heat cookies half coated in milk chocolate spilling out of a glass jar onto a pink heart doily. — Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Heart Cookies

Strawberry Topped Chocolate Heart Pavlova

Chocolate heart shaped meringue covered in whipped cream and chocolate dipped strawberries. — Strawberry Topped Chocolate Heart Pavlova

Chocolate Fudge Brownie Bites

Small brownie squares decorated with a piped white chocolate heart. — Chocolate Fudge Brownie Bites

While I am a romantic at heart and also very sentimental, I do enjoy showing those people that are close to me how much I care about them. And also how much certain people mean to me. Rather than always telling them, it is fun to bake a delicious treat and share it with those I love. There are definite benefits to having a keen baker in the family!

So, whatever you are making, baking and creating in your kitchens, have fun preparing and sharing your feast, especially with those you love.

Sammie x

No part of this post may be reproduced or duplicated without the written permission of the owner. Please see my Disclosure Policy.

Chocolate Fudge Bundt Cake

Hi, if you love chocolate, then you’re going to go crazy over this Chocolate Fudge Bundt Cake. With melted chocolate in the fudge cake and melted chocolate drizzled over. Finally, topped off with a generous sprinkle of Callebaut’s Chocolate Crispearls.

Bundt Pans Bake Beautiful Cakes

I love Bundt tins. I really do. Because they take a great cake batter and without any help from the baker, turn it into a beautiful cake. So that has to be a very good thing, right?

The tin I used for this Chocolate Fudge Bundt Cake is called the Jubilee Bundt made by Nordic Ware.

So, I like to buy my Bundt tins in the sale, or where I see them on special offer. Since they can be a bit pricey, yet investing in one tin, like this Jubilee, will give you a lifetime of intricately patterned cakes.

Can you imagine rocking up to a party with this gorgeous cake?

Yep, huge brownie points and that’s before anyone has tasted the cake!

Although I will warn you – Bundt tins are addictive. A year ago I had one, now I have ten!

If you, or someone you know loves chocolate cake, then this is the cake to bake.

And because I appreciate not everyone owns this gorgeous tin, this Chocolate Fudge Bundt Cake can be baked in a 10″ springform pan!

Although technically it would no longer be a Bundt cake??

So you get to think a whole new name up for it too!

Confused?? Yep me too.

Just look at this beauty – definitely made for sharing.

Chocolate Crispearls

Now I love a sprinkle or two ~~million.~~

And I was thrilled to be sent these Callebaut Chocolate Crispearls as a gift. Since they are part of Callebeaut’s hot chocolate decoration range, which also includes, dark chocolate blossoms and dark chocolate granite. Delicious, different types of chocolate to top steaming mugs of hot chocolate with.

Chocolate Crispearls are exactly as their name suggests, chocolatey, crispy and three different flavours. White, milk and dark chocolate. Perfect for adorning a melted chocolate drizzled, fudgey, chocolate cake.

Finally, all I can say is, this cake was so good, half had been eaten before dinner.

Thats like breaking all the rules (kidding) in our house. Because life is too short to not have dessert before dinner on occasion! And yes, we like to push the boundaries in our house 😉.

Recipe: Makes 1 Chocolate Fudge Bundt Cake

Cake release spray – I use Wilton (available from Amazon, Lakeland, Hobbycraft)

350g/12oz Unsalted Butter – at room temperature

350g/12oz Dark Brown Muscavado Sugar

1tsp Vanilla Extract I use Nielsen-Massey

275g/10oz Plain White Flour

3tsp Baking Powder

1/4tsp Salt

5 Large Eggs – I always use free range

100ml/4fl oz Sour Cream – left out of the fridge for an hour

175g/6oz Plain Chocolate – approx 70% Cocoa – I use Callebaut

175g Milk Chocolate – I used a good quality 49% Cocoa chocolate, ordinary milk chocolate is fine

Sprinkles to top the cake with

Method: Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan oven, gas mark 4, 350F.

Making The Chocolate Fudge Cake Batter

Break or chop the plain chocolate and place into a heatproof, microwaveable bowl. Heat for 30 seconds at a time, stirring the chocolate well. When the chocolate is almost melted, remove the bowl and keep stirring until you have smooth, molten chocolate. Set aside.
Into a large bowl add the butter and sugar. Whisk until fully combined, this will take a good 5 minutes.
Crack the eggs into a jug. Add the sour cream and vanilla extract and mix.
Sift in one third of the flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk or beat slowly.
While continuing to whisk, add half of the liquid contents from the jug.
Repeat the last two steps again.
Add the last of the sifted ingredients and gently mix until just combined.
Remove the beater or whisk.
Pour in the cooled, melted chocolate and immediately stir into the cake batter with a metal spoon. Continue until the batter is a uniform colour.
Spray the Bundt tin thoroughly with cake release.
Fill the Bundt tin 3/4 full with cake batter. Use a metal spoon to gently press the cake batter into the tin. DO NOT bang the Bundt tin on the work surface, as this could damage the tin.
NOTE: There may be a small amount of cake batter left – this can be used for a few cupcakes or bundtlettes.

Baking The Bundt Cake

Place the tin into the centre of the preheated oven. Bake for 50-55minutes.
The cake is baked when it springs back from a light tough and an inserted skewer (I use wooden ones) comes out clean.
As soon as the cake is baked remove it from the oven.
Leave the cake to cool in its tin for 10 minutes.

Invert the Bundt tin onto a cooling rack. The cake should turn out immediately. If not leave to cool and the cake will release from the tin.

Decorating The Cake

Melt the milk chocolate as before (for the plain chocolate). Drizzle over the top of the cake using a spoon.

Take whatever sprinkles you are using and sprinkle away. I kept the Chocolate Crispearls on the top of the cake.

A stunningly beautiful cake, that also happens to deliver superbly on taste.

Who will you make this Chocolate Fudge Bundt Cake For?

Such a beautiful cake, it almost seems a shame to cut into it – almost!!!

If you have enjoyed this Chocolate Fudge Bundt Cake recipe here are some others you may also like:

Glazed Lemon Bundt Cake

Lemon loaf cake baked with intricate citrus slices on the top, with a lemon glaze and a sprinkle of glitter. — Glazed Lemon Bundt Cake

Marbled Chocolate Bundt Cake

Sparkling Snowflake Cake

Vanilla cake in the shape of a snowflake. — Sparkling Snowflake Cake

Finally, if you have any questions about ‘baking with Bundts’ please either leave a comment, or Tweet me @sammiefeasting. Although I am by no means an expert, I will always do my best to answer your questions.

So, whatever you are making, baking and creating in your kitchens, have fun preparing and sharing your feast.

Sammie xx

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