Recipe: Coconut and Lime Cake

Loaves are fast becoming my favourite thing to bake! This time it's a Coconut and Lime cake from Levi Roots. I added my own lime glaze to keep it even more of a zingy kick and changed a few of the ingredients. You can never have too much citrus in a cake!

Ingredients:
175 self-raising flour
1 tsp Bicarbonate of soda
175g baking spread
175g caster sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
50g desiccated coconut
Finely grated zest and juice of two limes

For the glaze:
125g icing sugar
Finely grated zest and juice of one lime
4 tsp of water

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Adjust depending on your oven if you have too.

2. Put the flour, butter, bicarbonate of soda, eggs, coconut, caster sugar and lime in a large mixing bowl.

3. Use an electric whisk, start off slowly and then gradually increase the speed. Mix together until the batter looks light and fluffy.

4. Pour the batter into a lined and greased loaf tin before popping in the oven for around 40 minutes. Make sure you keep an eye on it as it cooked very quick!

5. Once baked, take it out and leave it to cool for ten minutes in the tin before popping it on a wire rack to cool completely.

For the glaze:
1. Pop all the ingredients into a bowl and mix until you get the desired thickness.

2. Pour over the loaf once it has cooled.

Let me know on Twitter if you decide to make and I'd love to see a picture. Happy baking!

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Video: Banana and nut chocolate fudge

Another baking video for you to feast your eyes on! This time I've gone for a really simple fudge recipe. Nothing fussy but delicious all the same. Banana and chocolate have always been a winning combination and nuts just make everything tasty right? Nothing like a satisfying crunch when you bite into something sweet.

They make great stocking filings or even little presents for the neighbours or work colleagues. Wrap in a cute cellophane bag, tie with a pretty ribbons and you've got a thoughtful gift. Have a little look at the video below and let me know what you think.



As always please do subscribe to the channel if you're enjoying these videos. I'd love to know if you're enjoying them!

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Video: Festive Flapjacks with Whitworths

After over five years of blogging, I decided it was about time I dipped my toe into Youtube when Whitworths asked me to create a festive recipe. The result was some amazing, fruity flapjacks filled with all the best Christmas spices.

It was a little shaky and I know exactly how I'm going to improve next time but I'm really proud of it. It was a lot of trail and error but a whole lot of fun. Have a look at the video and let me know what you think!

I would be over the moon if you gave my channel a little subscribe, I've got lots more videos planned in the future - including a vlog at Kew Gardens and another baking recipe within the next week.

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Cath Kidston S/S '16 preview

Spring/Summer in December? What a rebel I am! A good few weeks ago now I popped along to the Cath Kidston press preview. Boy are we in for a treat when it hits the stores next year! As always the new collection was full of stunning florals, pretty homeware, gorgeous pastels and quirky crockery. I didn't expect anything less.

Apart from wanting to get my hands on every single baking related product - I've been warned to take control of my addiction by the boyfriend - what really stood out for me were the things against the norm. Cath Kinston is, of course, famous for it's florals, none more so than on it's handbags. I personally prefer a block colour in a bag to help keep it neutral. So I was very happy to see the plain cross body bags on display above. I may have to treat myself to one. Just one.

Are you a fan of Cath Kidston? Anything in particular you want to snap up?

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Recipe: Mince pie cupcakes with Lindt

I'm well and truly emerged in the Christmas spirit now so decided to bake up a storm in the kitchen. Enter Mince Pie Cupcakes with Lindt chocolate teddy bear toppers* because we all need a little bit more indulgence in the festive period. I had a feeling these would spectacularly fail or be positively amazing! Thank god it was the latter. The recipe is adapted from my new favourite baking book Lola's Forever.

Makes 6 muffins or 10 smaller cupcakes

Ingredients:
140g self raising flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp of ground nutmeg
150g soft baking spread
75g soft light brown sugar
75g soft dark brown sugar
3 eggs
175g mince meat

Cream cheese icing:
60g butter
1 tsp of vanilla flavouring
1/2 ground cinnamon
175g icing sugar
400g cheese cheese

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.

2. Shift the flour, baking powder and spices into a bowl before setting aside.

3. Put the butter and sugars into a bowl and beat the mixture until it is light and fluffy.

4. Continue mixing and add the eggs one at a time. Add the mincemeat and mix until fully combined.

5. Slowly add the shifted dry ingredients and mix until fully combined.

6. Divide the mixture between the muffin cases - filling them 3/4 full.

7. Bake in the pre-heated for around 20-25 minutes. Make sure you keep an eye on them. pop a sewer in them to see if they're baked, it should come out completely clean if they're ready.

Cream cheese icing:

1. Beat the butter until smooth then add the cinnamon and vanilla.

2. Shift in the icing sugar and then add the cream cheese and beat until it's smooth and glossy. be careful not to overmix!

3. Decorate the cupcakes once cooled and add a little teddy bear on top. Then tuck in!

Eat alongside plenty of chocolate. The Lindt chocolate reindeer* and Father Christmas* went down a treat. What's Christmas without a little indulgence?

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Recipe: Carrot and Walnut Muffins

You can't beat a nice slab of carrot cake eh? Especially with some cream cheese icing. Cream cheese icing with orange? Even better! These delicious, addictive muffins were the second part of my Whitworths baking challenge. I loved the crunch of the walnuts paired with the soft sponge cake. While the sultanas helped to keep the sponge lovely and moist. Nothing like a bit of texture to help give a cake extra brownie points. I had to give these babies to my mother to take into worth before they disappeared in my belly!

Fancy making these beauties yourself? The recipe below couldn't be simpler! As always, tweet me if you decided to rustle them up. Not even your waistline will regret it!

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Recipe: Cranberry and White Chocolate Blondies

A little while ago I attended a Whitworths baking class with GBBO finalist Holly Bell. It really was such a lovely afternoon and so much fun rolling my sleeves up and baking some goodies. I really don't bake enough recently and had forgotten how much I loved it. They very kindly sent us some ingredients for some recipes including their famous products. I have to say I was very impressed, I'm not usually much of a dried fruit fan as I find it quite dry. But the fruit was juicy and extremely tasty. You can definitely tell the difference!

First up to try were the Cranberry and White Chocolate Blondies. These wasn't the most photogenic bake I've created but they were one of the tastiest! They are best enjoyed warm from the oven so you can appreciate the gooey white chocolate and juicy cranberries.

As always please do let me know if you attempt these and tweet my your attempts!

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A few favourites #5

More favourites! I've been accumulating lots of things recently. My bank account isn't really too impressed but money is for spending right?! 

Black double strap Birkenstocks via TK Maxx: Since last year I've vowed to treat myself to a pair of birks. A few years ago I'd have gagged and felt ashamed I'd even thought about such comfortable, sensible shoes. But alas the older I'm getting, the more I'm worried about being in pain. I still love my heels to death but need something to give my poor tootsies a rest. I am in love with my new shoes. They feel like I'm wearing slippers - what could be more perfect eh?!

Emma Bridgewater floral cake tin*: Last week I was invited along to a baking masterclass with Whitworths - more on that in a different post - and was given this pretty cake tin in the goody bag. I'd neglected baking for a while thanks to being such a busy bee but this day made me rediscover my love of baking again. I'm going to try and make more time in future - I just find it so relaxing. After all, who doesn't like the smell of fresh cakes in the house?!

Got2b All Star 10-in-1 Styling Treatment*: If you're going away for the weekend and struggling to make room, this little niffy product will be a lifesaver. It will save from lots of mishaps! I had it used on my barnet at an event recently and it gave it one heck of a shine. You simply apply 2-6 pumps of the product to damp hair and blow-dry your hair. It doesn't make your hair feel sticky and smells lovely. Some hair products make me pull a face! It's great to keep all those wispy, flyaway frizzy bits at bay too. I do love a product that multi-tasks!

X+Y DVD*: I am a massive film geek and love nothing more than popping along to the pictures with my unlimited cinema card and catching a movie. But equally I also love settling down under the covers with some cake and watch a film from the comfort of my room. I especially like a film that makes you think - during it and for a while afterwards. X+Y certainly does that. Inspired by a true story, autistic maths genius Nathan is pushed to reach his potential by his school teacher Mr Humphrys. His mother Julie struggles to understand his characteristics after the death of his father in a car crash. As a result of his teacher, he earns a place at the International Maths Olympiad in Taiwan. There he happened to fall in love with Zhang. The film made me smile as wide as a cheshire cat and well up as Nathan tried his best to understand love. It's such a heart warming film - I found myself egging him on as he dealt with his new unknown feelings. Asa Butterfield who played Nathan was superb and definitely one to look out for.

Australian Bodycare Tea Tree Oil Summer Sensation Skin Wash*: Summer? What's that? Thankfully we did have a few warm days and that's when this body wash came in handy. The elements dry my skin out and I desperately need to use a moisturising body wash to keep it under control. It helps to keep my skin soft and smells of the summer! It's going to be in my Barcelona wash bag. TWO WEEKS!

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Recipe: Jam and Coconut Loaf

Last weekend I was abandoned for the last day of the football season and bored in the house. I haven't baked in months and stared at my Kitchenmaid looking all sorry for itself. I wanted something quick and simple to bake. After scouring my many cookbooks, I came across Nadia Sawalha's Fabulous Family Food and saw this simple recipe. It came out brilliantly!

Ingredients:

For the cake:

175g self raising flour, sifted

175g baking spread

175g caster sugar

3 free-range eggs, whisked

50g desiccated coconut

1 tbsp lemon flavouring

1 tbsp vanilla flavouring

1 tsp baking powder

For the topping:

4-6 tbsp strawberry jam

2 tbsp desiccated coconut

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees/gas mark 4.

2. Line a 900g loaf tin with baking parchment and grease with some butter.

3. Put all the cake ingredients in a mixing bowl, whisk until you have a smooth mixture. Pour it into the loaf tin.

4. Bake for 45-50 minutes. I popped some tin foil on it after 10 minutes to stop it from burning. The woes of having a fan oven!

5. Leave to stand in the tin to cool for ten minutes. Pop on a wire rack to let it fully cool down.

6. Once cooled, spread the strawberry jam on the top and sprinkle with the coconut.

Let me know on twitter if you manage to make it - I'd love to see a picture!

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Recipe: Malteaser Bunny Easter Nests

 

Looking for something quick and easy to bake at Easter? You need something that will get you lots of brownie points? Look no further! These simple bunny nests take hardly any time at all to whip up. Plus they taste so yummy that you'll be the toast of wherever you decide to spend Easter.

Makes 10

Ingredients:
400g milk chocolate
3 packs of mini Malteser Bunnies
4 large crushed Shredded Wheat

Method:

1. Bash the Shredded Wheat with a rolling pin while it's in the packet. Pop to one side.

2. Melt the chocolate over the hob. Use a saucepan of boiling water and play a bigger ceramic bowl on top. Keep an eye on it so it doesn't boil over. Make sure you keep stirring.

3. Once the chocolate is melted, mix in the crushed Shredded Wheat until it is fully covered.

4. Pop three teaspoons of mixture into a cupcake case before making a little hole in the middle. Pop your Malteser Bunny in the middle.

5. Pop in the fridge for an hour to help them set before scoffing one to two!

Please do tweet me and let me know if you make them!

 

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Recipe: Rocky Road

Sometimes you fancy a sweet treat but don't want to spend house slaving over a cooker. This is where rocky road comes in! It's so simply yet tastes to good. I loosely used Nigella Lawson's recipe but added in a few of my extras instead - it was just what I already had in the cupboard.

Ingredients
300g of good quality dark chocolate
1 packet of oreos
125g of baking margarine
3 tablespoons of golden syrup
100g of mini marshmellows
1 box of malteasers

1. Break the chocolate into squares and melt in a large saucepan alongside the butter and the golden syrup .Keep aside 125ml/or 1/2 cup of the mixture.

2. Pop the oreos and the malteasers into a freezer bag and bash with a rolling pin. You'll want crumbs and small chunks of chocolate.

3. Fold the biscuit mixture into the melted chocolate in the saucepan. Then add the marshmallows.

4. Tip into a nine inch square tray and spread evenly. Pour the leftover mixture on top and smooth it over.

5. Refrigerate at least for two hours but overnight would be best if you have the time.

6.  Cut into 24 fingers, tuck in and enjoy!

As always tweet me if you make them - I'd love to see some pictures!

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Recipe: Cheesy Apple Pie

Apple pie is my favourite dessert. I could eat it all day long with a massive dollop of creamy vanilla ice cream. Pilgrims Choice kindly sent me a voucher to try out their cheese in the apple pie with a twist. At first I wasn't too sure but loved the sweet and savoury mix. These aren't the prettiest of pictures but who ever said apple pie was pretty?! Excuse my patchy pastry, it was my first time making the darn stuff and it was a lot more fiddling than I thought. Especially when it didn't expand in the fridge due to my lack of cling film. I only had enough for the top! You live and learn!

I slightly adapted the originally recipe to what I already had in the house.

Ingredients:
For the pastry:
225 plain flour, sieved
50g baking spread
75g of lard, cubed
75g of grated mature cheddar
4 tbsps of cold water

For the filling:
450g Bramley Apples, peeled, quartered and cored
450g Braeburn Apples, peeled, quartered and cored
50g caster sugar
1 tbsp of ground cinnamon
1 medium egg - beaten for glazing

You'll need a nice pie dish too.

1. Pre heat the oven to 220 degrees, 425 degrees or Gas Mark 7.

2. Put the flour, better and lard into a large mixing bowl. Rub both the butter and lard together with your fingertips into the flour to make fine breadcrumbs. Add the grated cheese and water to create a soft dough. Knead it for around a minute. Wrap it tightly in some cling film and put in the fridge for 30 minutes. 

3. Pop the apple quarters in a large bowl and mix together.

4. Fetch the pastry out of the fridge and roll out a little less than half to approx 30 cm in diameter to line the base and sides of the dish, trim the edges and keep them to make an apple for decoration.

5. Pop the apple slices in the dish and sprinkle them with the sugar and cinnamon.

6. Roll out the remaining pastry to 40cm in diameter. Brush the rim of the pastry base with a little of the beaten egg and carefully put the lid on top of the filled base. Press the edges together and trim the edges.

7. Knead the trimmings back together to make your apple shape. Then pop it on once you're happy with it.

8. Make a small hole in the centre of the pastry lid with a skewer to help let the steam escape.

9. Cook in the centre of the oven for 10 minutes then reduce the temperature down to 190 degree, 375 degrees or Gas Mark 5 and cook for a further 40 minutes or until golden brown.

10. Make sure you keep an eye on it as different ovens cook at different speeds - mine was actually ready at 30 minutes!

11. Enjoy in front of the telly with your favourite ice cream!

As always I'd love to know if you attempt this, please do tweet me your creations. Thanks for the cheese Pilgrims Choice! 

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Recipe: Scones

Whenever I'm pushed for time and fancy baking up a storm, I always opt for some scones. They're so simple to make and cook so quickly that they're in your mouth before you have the chance to say 'clotted cream and jam please!' This is my go-to recipe adapted slightly from Good Food.

Ingredients:
350g of self raising flour
150g of sultanas
1/4 tsp of salt
1 tsp of baking powder
85g of stork baking spread
4 tbsp of caster sugar
150g of half fat natural yogurt
4 tbsp of semi-skimmed milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp of milk to glaze

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees and line a piece of greaseproof paper with butter before placing in a baking tray.

2. Mix the flour, salt, butter and baking powder in a big bowl with a wooden spoon. Then stir in the sugar and make a well in the middle of the mixture.

3. Warm the yogurt, milk and vanilla extract in a the microwave for a minute. Don't worry if the mixture looks a little lumpy, this is normal! Pour the mixture into the bowl and mix in with the dry ingredients. Pour the sultanas in at this stage too.

4. Take the dough out on to a flour dusted surface and fold it over a few times. Roll the dough out to about 4cm thick and cut out your scones. Continue until you have used all the dough.

5. Beat the egg with the milk and glaze the scones before popping in the oven.

6. Leave them in for 10 minutes until they are golden brown and risen. Leave to cool on a wire rack before tucking in with lots of jam and clotted cream if you have some in the fridge. Strawberry is my favourite!

As always make sure you tweet me if you happen to give these a go, I'd love to see how yours turn out. Happy baking!

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