Cake – Feasting Is Fun

Chocolate Cherry Chiffon Bundt Cake

So, it’s another week and there’s another theme. Since #ChocolateWeek is now upon us, chocolate inspired bakes are bringing out the best cocoa creations from Twitter’s imaginative baking community. And, inspired by the theme, I created this beautiful Chocolate Cherry Chiffon Bundt Cake. Since it is always chocolate week here at home, this chocolate cherry cake fits the bill perfectly.

First of all, I absolutely adore Bundt pans. Since their beautiful designs and intricate moulding create the most exceptional looking cakes. While my cake decorating abilities are improving, due to regular practice, using a Bundt pan really does take away the need to decorate. Needing only a simple sprinkle of edible glitter to finish this cake. Alternatively, a light dusting of icing sugar (confectioners sugar) would also work well.

Chocolate And Cherry – A Flavour Match Made In Food Heaven

Cherry and chocolate are a delicious and classic flavour combination, which also happens to be a favourite of mine. And, using chocolate cherry naturally flavoured cocoa powder gives this cake it’s base flavour. Alternatively, a dash of kirsch (cherry liqueur) would also work well, when using plain cocoa powder. Finally, the addition of cherries and ground almonds creates a moist cake with surprise, hidden cherries inside. During baking the cherries drop to the bottom of the cake, which becomes the top of the cake after turning it out of it’s tin. Resulting in a jammy like topping inside the cake.

The looping, scalloped design of the Chiffon Bundt Pan is very elegant. While flickers of light from the edible glitter, sparkle and accentuate the design. Aside from covering in a very thin glaze, as done here, this cake really is best left as is. Indeed, left un-iced, dare I say this would be utterly delicious eaten with hot custard.

Recipe: Chocolate Cherry Chiffon Bundt Cake serves 10-12

275g/10oz Unsalted Butter at room temperature

275g/10oz Light Soft Brown Sugar

1/4 tsp Sea Salt – I use Maldon

2 tsp Vanilla Extract – I use Nielsen-Massey

1/2 tsp Almond Extract

5 Large Free Range Eggs

4 tbsp/60ml Whole Milk

100g/4oz Ground Almonds

75g/3oz Chocolate Cherry Cocoa Powder* – available from Sugar and Crumbs

*If you are unable to obtain chocolate cherry flavour cocoa powder, use plain cocoa and add either cherry flavouring or 3-4 tablespoons of kirsch (cherry liqueur).

125g/4.5oz Plain White Flour

2 tsp Baking Powder

Half a 400g/14oz (200g/7oz) Tin of Cherries or Cherry Pie Filling. Alternatively, use the equivalent weight of fresh, de-stoned cherries.

1/4 tsp Edible Glitter to decorate, alternatively use 1-2 teaspoon of icing sugar (confectioners sugar) to dust the finished cake.

Method: Preheat oven to 160C/140C fan, gas mark 3, 325F.

Tips on using Bundt pans:

This recipe uses a 10 cup Bundt Pan. I have used the Chiffon Bundt Pan available from Nordicware.

Most importantly, to ensure a successful release of the cake from the pan, cake release is highly recommended. Either available as a spray, or a liquid that is brushed on with a soft pastry brush. I recommend and always use Wilton
cake release.

Making And Baking The Bundt Cake

First of all add butter, sugar and salt to a large bowl. Whisk until the sugar is fully beaten into the butter.
Next add both vanilla and almond extracts. Also add 5 eggs and milk.
Now add ground almonds, cocoa powder, flour and baking powder.
Whisk everything together until fully combined. Take care not to over whisk as the resulting cake will be tough.
Prepare the Bundt pan, spraying, or brushing liberally with cake release.
Spoon the prepared cake batter into the pan, pushing the mixture into the base to avoid air pockets.
Finally, spoon half of tin of cherries on to the top of the cake batter, making sure that none of the liquid touches the side of the Bundt pan.
Place the Bundt pan into the lower middle part of a preheated oven and bake for 1 hour 20-30 minutes. Low, slow baking results in an evenly baked cake.
The cake is baked when it feels firm to touch, is coming away from the sides of the tin and an inserted skewer comes outs clean.
As soon as the cake is baked remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack.

Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes, then turn out on to a cooling rack.

Leave the cake to cool completely.
Finally, when cooled, place the cake on to a board or stand. Using a teaspoon, carefully sprinkle with glitter from a height.

The Finished Cake

Since this cake is so elegant, it could be used for any celebration, such as Christmas. Alternatively, if someone you know has a birthday, this cake would be a delicious surprise. And the addition of candles would simply make the cake sparkle more.

Finally, to serve, slice and place on a pretty plate with a cake fork.

Store in an airtight container and eat within 5 days. Also, during warmer weather keep the cake refrigerated.

If you have enjoyed this recipe for Chocolate Cherry Chiffon Bundt Cake you may also like these:

Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake

Maple Syrup Iced Coffee Bundt Cake

Lemon Lime Gin Heart Bundt Cake

Bundt pans are available in a wide variety of different shapes and designs. And, each pan creates a beautifully shaped cake without any extra effort required from the baker. While also allowing for creativity when decorating. Either with a simple dusting of icing sugar or glitter, or more precise icing, accentuating the features of each Bundt cake. Resulting in an exceptional, celebration worthy, unique cake every time.

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

Sammie xx

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

Double Chocolate Exam Busting Cupcakes

If you are a parent and have children, you will know that from year 6, exams become an important part of their lives. Whether it’s SATS, GCSE’s, A Levels. College or University exams. The end game always focuses on tests or exams. Since today is the start of GCSE’s here in England these Double Chocolate Exam Busting Cupcakes, are designed to lift the spirits and fill the tummies of all students sitting their exams.

Of course these cupcakes could and should be made all year round, such is their delicious simplicity. Chocolate cake topped with the ultimate white chocolate vanilla frosting. Perfect for chocolate lovers everywhere.

A quick bake

Since these cupcakes can be made, from start to finish in under an hour, they are also handy for short notice or unexpected guests. Likewise they can be whipped up, literally, in moments. The comforting aroma of home baking, wrapping around your weary children, like a cosy, soft blanket, when they arrive home.

While my hard working teens are sitting and studying for their exams, I can be found in the kitchen. Busy rustling up delicious, sustained energy food and lots of treats. The amount of energy burned up during studying is vast. Since this can be a tough time of year for them, their usual ‘healthy’ food intake is topped up with extra yummy goodies!

Recipe: Double Chocolate Exam Busting Cupcakes makes 12

100g/4oz Unsalted Butter – softened to room temperature

50g/2oz Caster Sugar

50g/2oz Light Brown Sugar

1/4tsp Salt – I use Maldon

1tsp Vanilla Extract – I use Nielsen-Massey

3 Large Free Eggs

60g Plain White Flower

1tsp Baking Powder

40g Cocoa Powder – I use Callebaut

For the frosting:

150g/5oz Icing Sugar

75g/3oz Unsalted softened to room temperature

1tsp Vanilla Bean Paste

100g/4oz White Chocolate

Sprinkles of your choice

Method: Preheat the oven to 160C/140C fan, gas mark 3

First of all line a 12 hole cupcake tin with cupcake cases.

Making the cupcakes

Into a medium sized bowl add the butter, both sugars and salt. Beat together until the mixture is free from lumps and smooth.
Now add the vanilla extract and all three eggs.
Sift in the flour, cocoa and baking powder.
Beat/whisk all of the ingredients together until fully mixed.
Divide the mixture between the 12 cupcake cases – approximately one dessert spoonful of mixture per case.
Place the cupcake tin into the centre of the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes.
The chocolate cupcakes are baked when they spring back from a light touch.
When baked remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Allow to fully cool.

Preparing the frosting and decorating the cupcakes

Note – due to the high chocolate content of the frosting it is advisable to make it directly before piping, while it is soft.
Firstly, break up the white chocolate and place in a heatproof, microwaveable bowl. Set to one side.
Into a separate bowl add the icing sugar, butter and one teaspoon of very hot water, from a recently boiled kettle. Whisk until almost combined.
Place the bowl with the white chocolate into the microwave. Heat for 20 seconds, stirring in between, until the chocolate is liquid.
Pour the warm, melted chocolate in with the butter and icing sugar mixture.
Whisk the ingredients together immediately and then continue to whisk until the frosting is light and fluffy. During the whisking add the vanilla bean paste.

Fit a large piping bag with a large closed star piping nozzle.
Fill the piping bag with the frosting and proceed to pipe rose swirls on each cupcake. Starting in the centre of the cupcake, pipe the shape of an ‘e’ then continue around until the cupcake has a complete swirl on top.
Finally, sprinkle over your choice of decoration.

Serve with a hug, smile and a hot drink!

Store these cupcakes in an airtight container where they will last for three days.

If you have enjoyed this recipe for Double Chocolate Exam Busting Cupcakes you may also like these:

Marshmallow Frosted Mango Cupcakes

Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Drizzle Cupcakes

Cheer Up Chocolate Chip Cookies

While cupcakes are delicious, the cookies are for those meltdown moments when the pressure is simply too much. Firstly, so that whoever reads this blog post realises that they aren’t on their own. Sometimes it all gets too much. Fresh air, good music and a break all help. As do hugs, talking and simply letting it all out.

Wishing anyone taking exams, all the very best. If you do your best, no one can expect more of you than that x.

Sammie xx

Strawberry Whipped Cream Giant Doughnut

Ooh this Strawberry Whipped Cream Giant Doughnut has been made twice now, once using regular flour and then using gluten free flour. Nobody could tell the difference! Delicious, light vanilla sponge, sandwiched with strawberry jam, whipped cream and topped with chocolate piped strawberries.

Piping the strawberries with white and dark chocolate takes this cake to the next level in terms of prettiness. That said, beautiful, lush summer strawberries, left un piped would still look fabulous.

FF Strawberry Whipped Cream Giant Doughnut — **Strawberry Whipped Cream Giant Doughnut** such a pretty cake.

Having made this cake with both whipped cream and whipped buttercream, I have to say we all preferred the whipped cream. I have given quantities for buttercream in the recipe for those who prefer it.

I don’t know about you, but I love making the most of our delicious, homegrown, seasonal strawberries in summer. Yes I am guilty of buying the occasional punnet of imported ones during the colder months. With the invention of poly tunnels and huge greenhouses, we are increasingly able to buy British grown berries over a longer period. Thank you farmers!

Large, baked doughnut filled with whipped cream and decorated with chocolate strawberries. — Strawberry Whipped Cream Giant Doughnut

Going Gluten Free

As you can see from the photographs there is no real visual difference between the gluten free and regular Strawberry Whipped Cream Giant Doughnut. Only the size of the strawberries! The ones in the photo above were huge, which made them easier to pipe. Whereas the smaller ones were more tricky. If possible choose longer strawberries as they look more effective with the piping on. That said, I’d definitely choose flavour over size any day. The strawberries above may have been big, but they were also utterly delicious!

How do I tell if they are going to taste good? I smell them. If the punnet smells of warm summer strawberries they will taste delicious, however, if you can barely detect that delicious strawberry smell, move on as they will be bland.

Both of these giant doughnuts were made to go with afternoon tea and they were a huge hit. So, whether you are on a restricted diet or not, you can make this Strawberry Whipped Cream Giant Doughnut and feast!

Recipe: Strawberry Whipped Cream Giant Doughnut serves 8-10

225g/8oz Plain White Flour – or gluten free flour I used Doves Farm

2tsp Baking Powder – ensure certified gluten free

225g/8oz Unsalted Butter at room temperature – plus a little extra for greasing the silicone doughnut moulds.

225g/8oz Caster Sugar

1/4tsp Salt I use Maldon

5 Large Free Range Eggs

1tsp Vanilla Bean Paste – or Vanilla Extract – I use Nielsen-Massey

10 Good Quality Strawberries

2tbsp Good Quality Strawberry Jam – I used Hartleys Best Strawberry Jam

300mls Cold Double Cream – alternatively for buttercream use 300g/11oz icing sugar and 150g/5oz butter and a drop of vanilla extract

50g/2oz White Chocolate

50g/2oz Dark Chocolate

Optional – edible glitter

Method: Preheat the oven to 160C/140C fan, gas mark 3

Making The Cake Batter And Baking The Doughnut

Grease both the silicone doughnut moulds thoroughly with butter. Place on a large baking tray.
Into a large bowl add the butter, sugar and salt.
Whisk/beat for a good few minutes – 5 minutes ideally – until pale and creamy.
Add in the vanilla bean paste (or extract) and beat until incorporated.
Next add all 5 eggs. Continue whisking/beating until the mixture is pale and creamy. If the mix looks as though it has split (curdled) add 1 tablespoon of the weighed flour, continue mixing and it will pull back together.
Sift in the flour (gluten free or regular) and the baking powder.
Fold in the flour until just combined.
Divide the batter equally between the 2 doughnut moulds.

These silicone doughnut moulds from Lakeland are so easy to use.

Place the baking tray into the centre of the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes.
The sponge is baked when it is a golden colour and springs back when lightly pressed – note – the gluten free doughnut was slightly paler than the regular doughnut, this is nothing to worry about.
As soon as they are baked remove the baking tray from the oven and allow the doughnuts to cool for 10 minutes before turning them out on to a cooling rack.

Filling And Decorating The Doughnut

Whilst the doughnut’s are cooling, break up the white and dark chocolate and place into separate heatproof, microwaveable bowls. Zap until just melting and stir until completely melted. Fill 2 small disposable piping bags with each melted chocolate. Snip off the very end, leaving a small hole. Place the strawberries on baking parchment or a silicone mat placed on a baking tray (helpful if you need to move them). Pipe some with white chocolate zig zags and others the same using dark chocolate. Allow to set, in hot weather pop in the fridge for a few minutes to set.
When completely cooled place one doughnut half, flat side up on to a board or plate.
Whisk the cream (or icing sugar/butter/vanilla) until it holds its shape (or until the buttercream is pale and creamy).
Spoon the strawberry jam on to the base of the doughnut and spread so that it almost reaches the edges.
Fill a disposable piping bag, fitted with a large star tip, with the cream/buttercream.
Pipe some cream on top of the jam.

Place the other half of the doughnut, flat side down, on top of the base.
Pipe swirls of cream/buttercream around the doughnut and then pipe stars around the centre, on the side.
Top the swirls with chocolate piped strawberries and sprinkle with edible glitter.

Serving The Giant Doughnut

Make sure you take a photo of your beautiful Strawberry Whipped Cream Giant Doughnut, as once it is assembled I can guarantee that it will not last long!

I have specified more strawberries in the recipe than you see on the cake. This is so that everyone gets a delicious, chocolate piped strawberry with their slice.

Served with a proper cup of tea, I can think of no better way than feasting on this delicious treat any afternoon.

I bought the giant doughnut silicone mould from Lakeland at a silly price in the sale. That said, they are so much fun, I’d happily pay full price for one!

If you have enjoyed the recipe for Strawberry Whipped Cream Giant Doughnut then you may like these too:

Raspberry and Cream Giant Doughnut

Black Forest Giant Doughnut

Loveliest Lemon Curd Cake

The idea of Afternoon Tea really appeals to me. Even if I can’t be fussed to make finger sandwiches and the like, making a treat for Sunday afternoon, where we sit down and enjoy as a family, is becoming a tradition.

Quite often I will bake the cake/giant doughnut on the Saturday, ready for icing the following day. We give a lot of the sweet treats that I make away. Primarily because as a family we love sharing, we are also conscious of our health too.

If you have family traditions I’d love to hear about them. Leave a comment for me to read in the comments section?

Whatever you are making, baking and creating in your kitchens, 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.

Chocolate Orange Citrus Bundt

When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. What about when a delicious new orange cake mix from Wright’s Baking arrives? You make a Chocolate Orange Citrus Bundt!

The lovely people at Wright’s sent me an orange cake mix completely out of the blue! I knew their toffee cake mix had been a big hit with my Toffee Banoffee Waffles and didn’t hesitate coming up with ideas of which cake to make.

There was only one, rather large problem – I am allergic to oranges!!!

Our son, on the other hand, absolutely loves them, as does my hubby. So I set my mind on making an orange bundt cake, baked in the beautiful citrus Bundt tin that I used for my Glazed Lemon Bundt Cake. I had been wanting to bake an orange cake in the tin and this seemed to be perfect timing.

On this occasion I wanted to drape the orange cake in a chocolate orange ganache. Chocolate and orange are an awesome and classic flavour combination. Just because I cannot eat it (see Migraines) shouldn’t mean others must miss out.

As regular readers will be aware, the majority of my recipes are made from scratch. However, I do believe there is a place for good quality, packet mixes in our kitchens. Where would my Ciabatta Base Pizza be without a ciabatta bread mix?

Just before Easter, after I had baked two batches of differently flavoured hot cross buns and a batch cookies, I realised that we were nearly out of bread. I simply didn’t have any energy left to weigh out even the simplest of ingredients. It was utter relief to add water to the bread maker, tip in a packet of Wright’s mixed grain bread mix and press start!

Having a cake mix to hand, especially when baked in a beautiful Bundt tin, means that you are only a quick whisk away from having a cake baking in the oven. Perfect for when guests drop by unexpectedly or someone has a birthday that you’ve almost missed. There are a million reasons why it’s ok to have a cake mix in the cupboard and one of them is so you can make this Chocolate Orange Citrus Bundt cake!

Recipe: Makes one Chocolate Orange Citrus Bundt cake serves 10

Cake release spray – or butter for preparing the Bundt/loaf tin

1 Packet of Wright’s Orange Cake Mix + water as per packet instructions

4tbsp Vegetable Oil

100g – 1 Maya Gold chocolate orange bar by Green & Black’s

100g Milk Chocolate

200mls Double Cream

Optional – orange jellies and edible glitter to decorate.

Method: You will need the Citrus Bundt Tin by Nordicware to make this cake – alternatively a loaf tin would give a pleasing shape.

Preheat the oven to 165C/150C fan, gas Mark 2.
Make the orange cake batter according to the packet instructions.
Spray the Citrus Bundt tin with cake release spray – if using a loaf tin, grease and line the base with baking parchment.
Spoon the cake batter into the prepared tin.
Place in the middle of the oven and bake for 45 – 50 minutes.
The cake is cooked when it is golden brown and an inserted skewer comes out clean.
Once cooked remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool in the Bundt tin for 10 minutes – allow to cool completely if using a loaf tin.
Turn out the Bundt cake onto a cooling rack.

Allow the cake to cool completely before covering with the chocolate orange ganache.

To make the ganache:

Break up the chocolate and place into a heatproof bowl.
Pour the cream over the chocolate.
Place the bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water, the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water – this is called a double boiler see Chocolate Sparkle Cake for step by step photos.
Stir the chocolate and cream constantly until the chocolate has melted. You should have a nice smooth ganache. If you wanted to make this cake for adults, the addition of one tablespoon of Grand Marnier, stirred through the ganache, would give it a delicious, boozy edge 😉.
Line a baking tray with baking parchment.
Place the cooling rack across the baking tray, ensuring the cake is cold.
Spoon the warm chocolate orange ganach over the top of the cake.

Continue spooning the ganache over the cake, encouraging it to drape over the sides.
Once the cake is completely covered, allow the ganache to finish dripping for a further 5 minutes.
Transfer the cake to a serving plate.
Add the orange jellies and edible glitter, if using.

Now take a photo of your wonderful creation!! Ooh and give yourself a pat on the back for baking and decorating such a beautiful, delicious cake.

Allow the cake to set for approximately 30 minutes. During warmer weather it would be advisable to put it into the fridge.

Once set, slice the cake and serve with a nice cup of tea of coffee. Or maybe a liquer coffee if you added a little tipple to the ganache!!

This Chocolate Orange Citrus Bundt is a top class cake. As you can see from the photo, pieces of dried fruit are distributed evenly throughout the cake, which has a moist, tender crumb.

There is no shame in using a cake mix, as long as it is a good quality one – which this Wright’s Orange Cake Mix most certainly is.

Do you use cake mixes, or are they banished from your kitchen?

Has my post made you reconsider using a cake mix?

I am not being paid to ask these questions, I am genuinely interested in what you think and also just a touch nosey 😉.

As for me, am I suddenly going to only use cake mixes? The answer to that is no? Like everything in life, it is about balance. I make most our bread from scratch, yet I have a loaf of white sliced ‘plastic’ bread downstairs as I’ve been unwell for a couple of days. There is most definitely a place in my kitchen for mixes, for all manner of different reasons.

The act of baking or cooking something, for me is calming and therapeutic. For someone else, the mere thought of making a Victoria Sponge Cake may stress them out to the point of not starting. So I say, in that instance, as I said for my Chocolate Amaretto Cake use a good quality cake mix. Better to try with some hope of success, than abstain for fear of failure.

If you have enjoyed the Bundt experience of making this Chocolate Orange Citrus Bundt, here are some recipes you may want to take a peek at:

Heart Engagement Bundt Cake

Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake

Flower Vanilla Bundt Cake

I am available on Twitter most days and am more than happy to help guide you through your bakes. Whilst not professionally trained I have been baking for forty years and belong to a wider baking community of like minded bakers. Together we can usually solve a problem, avert potential disasters and generally encourage you no matter what level of cook/baker you are at.

Personally I also thoroughly enjoy seeing your kitchen creations, whether it be a meal, cake, loaf of bread or anything else. Please post a photo on Twitter/Instagram and tag me in? I’ll be sure to give you a shout out or retweet!

Sammie xx

@sammiefeasting Twitter/Instagram/Pinterest

Wright’s Baking supplied the orange cake mix for this recipe. All opinions, views, content and photographs are my own. I was not paid to write this post. Please see my Disclosure Policy .