Cake Decorating 101

Some ideas to style up the humble patty cake.

Cinnamon Teacake

65g butter, softened

1/2 cup caster sugar

1 egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup self-raising flour, sifted

1/3 cup milk

Cinnamon topping

10g butter, melted

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons caster sugar

Method

1. Pre-heat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Grease a 4.5cm deep, 20cm round cake pan. Line base and side with baking paper.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar, egg and vanilla together for 2 minutes or until combined. Stir in half the flour, then half the milk. Repeat with remaining flour and milk. Spoon mixture into prepared pan. Level top.
3. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Stand in pan for 5 minutes. Turn, top-side up, onto a wire rack.
4. Make topping Combine cinnamon and sugar in a bowl. Brush hot cake with butter. Sprinkle with cinnamon mixture. Cool. Serve.

Chocolate Raisin Biscuits - Gluten Free

200g milk or dark chocolate

150g butter, softened

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 cups gluten-free plain flour

1 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder

100g raisins, roughly chopped

Method

1. Preheat oven to 170°C. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Chop half the chocolate. Place chopped chocolate into a heatproof, microwave-safe bowl. Heat, stirring with a metal spoon every minute, for 2 to 3 minutes on MEDIUM (50%) power, or until melted. Set aside to cool.
2. Using electric beaters, beat butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Add egg and beat well. Stir in melted chocolate.
3. Sift flour and baking powder over butter mixture. Stir gently to combine. Chop remaining chocolate. Stir into butter mixture with raisins. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, or until firm.
4. Roll tablespoonfuls of mixture into balls. Place onto trays, allowing room for spreading. Flatten with the back of a metal spoon. Bake for 15 to 20 min, or until golden brown, swapping the trays around once. Let stand for 5 min before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

Orange and Almond Cake - Gluten Free

Who says you need gluten to have a good time?

2 large navel oranges, (choose oranges with unblemished skins as the whole fruit is used in this recipe)

5 eggs

1 1/4 cups (250g) caster sugar

2 1/2 cups (250g) ground almonds

1 tsp gluten-free baking powder*

Pure icing sugar to serve

Method

1. Preheat oven to 170°C. Grease and line the base of a heart-shaped pan.
2. Place the two whole oranges in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil and simmer, covered, for 1 hour, ensuring that the oranges remain covered with water. Drain and cool. Chop the oranges into quarters, discard any seeds, then place the chunks into a blender and puree until smooth.
3. Beat the eggs with the sugar until thick, then add the orange puree, ground almonds and baking powder and mix well.
4. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 1 hour. Leave the cake to firm up in the pan for 20 minutes then turn out, remove the baking paper and turn over to finish cooling right way up. This cake definitely mellows with a little time and can be prepared up to 48 hours in advance.
5. To serve, sift icing sugar on top and decorate with orange zest and almonds.

Florentine Slice

Good as a biscuit, great as a slice.

375g packet mixed dried fruit

125g slivered almonds

200g mixed glace cherries, finely chopped

1/4 cup plain flour, sifted

150g butter, chopped

1/2 cup honey

1 egg, lightly beaten

200g good-quality dark chocolate, broken into pieces

Method

1. Preheat oven to 170°C. Grease a 3cm-deep, 18cm x 28cm (base) slab pan. Line with baking paper (see note).
2. Combine dried fruit, almonds and cherries in a large bowl. Stir in the flour.
3. Combine butter and honey in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes or until butter melts. Allow to cool slightly. Add honey mixture and egg to fruit mixture. Mix until well combined.
4. Spoon mixture into prepared pan and smooth surface. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown. Set aside in pan to cool completely.
5. Place chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on medium (50%) for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring every minute with a metal spoon, until almost melted. Stir until smooth. Spread chocolate over cooled slice. Set aside for 2 hours or until set. Cut into pieces. Refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours or until firm.

Peanut Brittle

Only three ingredients!

4 cups unsalted roasted peanuts

4 cups caster sugar

150g butter, chopped

Method

1. Grease two 18cm x 28cm (base) slice pans. Line bases and sides with baking paper, allowing a 2cm overhang on all sides. Place 2 cups peanuts, in a single layer, in each pan.
2. Combine sugar and 2 cups cold water in a large, heavy-based saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring, without boiling, for 5 minutes or until sugar has dissolved. Increase heat to medium-high. Bring to the boil. Boil for 10 to 15 minutes, brushing sides of pan down with a wet pastry brush, or until mixture turns golden. Remove from heat.
3. Working quickly, stir in butter. Pour mixture over peanuts in pans. Tap pans gently on bench. Set aside for 3 hours or until firm. Using a mallet or the back of a large metal spoon, break brittle into pieces.

Toffee Apples

A classic!!

430g (2 cups) caster sugar

60ml (1/4 cup) honey

250ml (1 cup) water

125ml (1/2 cup) liquid glucose

Red food colouring (optional), to decorate

10 (about 120g each) small dry red apples (such as Pink lady or Royal Gala)

Method

1. Line a large baking tray with non-stick baking paper. Stir the sugar, honey, water and glucose in a medium saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves completely.
2. Place a sugar thermometer in the pan. Bring the toffee to the boil. Reduce heat to medium. Simmer, without stirring, brushing down the side of the pan occasionally with a pastry brush dipped in water. Continue for 20 minutes or until the sugar thermometer reaches 150°c or "crack stage" (see tip). set aside until the bubbles subside. Add a few drops of red food colouring, if desired.
3. Meanwhile, insert a skewer or piece of dowel into the core of each apple.
4. Dip 1 apple into toffee and rotate to coat completely. Transfer the apple to the prepared tray. Repeat with the remaining apples. Set aside until the toffee sets and the apples have cooled completely.