Susan Scott’s Apple and ginger drizzle cake

Ingredients:

For the cake:

3 eggs

150ml sunflower oil

175g light brown sugar

225g self raising flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

3 teaspoons ground gigner

Zest of 1 lemon

175g coarsely grated apple

40g chopped stem ginger

For the drizzle:

140g sugar

3 tablespoons orange juice

1 ball of chopped stem ginger

Method:

Preheat oven to 180 degrees (160 degree fan)

Line an 8 inch cake tin

Mic everything together and bake for 50-35 minutes

Mix the drizzle ingredients together and while the cake is still warm, spoon over the drizzle.

Bunty Davidon’s Four Ingredient Christmas Cake

You can find the recipe here:

https://cookingonabootstrap.com/2019/12/15/easy-christmas-cake-recipe

Ingredients:

200ml ginger ale or ginger beer

2 eggs

400g mincemeat

200g self raising flour (you can make it with gluten-free flour if necessary!)

1 round 20cm cake tin

Method:

First measure out your ginger ale or ginger beer; it needs to be fizzy in order for this to work as the bubbles seem to act as a kind of leavening agent. Because, science, or something. Measure it out in a jug or measuring cups, and wait for the bubbles to settle so you know you have the right amount. Pour it into a large mixing bowl.

Add the mincemeat and mix well to loosen it; this forms the basis of your sugar, fruit and spices. You may wish to add more, if you like your cake dense and fruity, the amount specified in the recipe gives a lightly generous mouthful but it could certainly hold a little more if you are so inclined.

Crack in the eggs and stir in the flour and mix well. Lightly grease your cake tin and pour the mixture in.

Bake at 170C for 50 minutes, covering with foil halfway through to stop the top from browning too much.

Tracy Skinner’s Banana and Date Cake

You can find the recipe here: https://craftyglimpse.blogspot.com/2020/01/banana-and-date-cake.html

Ingredients:

300g salted butter, softened

300g golden caster sugar

3 eggs

3 bananas, plus 1 sliced for decoration

9-12 Medjool dates, pitted and chopped

100g milk or dark chocolate, broken into smallish pieces

350g self raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180*C /Fan 160*C and line a 27cm round baking tin with baking parchment.

Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and light. Add the eggs and beat again until well combined.

Peel and mash the bananas in a bowl until just smooth with a few chunks. Add to the cake mix with the dates and chocolate and fold in gently. Carefully fold in the flour and baking powder.

Spoon the batter into the prepared tin and arrange the sliced banana on top. Bake for 60-70 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Leave it to cool then serve with tea or coffee.

Rae Durrant’s Gluten Free Coconut Cake

Ingredients:

8 ounces gluten free flour (like Doves)

8 ounces Stork baking spread

8 ounces caster sugar

4 eggs

1 level teaspoon xanthan gum

1 pack of desiccated coconut

Method:

Mix everything together and bake at gas mark 5 or 190°C electric for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Barbara Leger’s Lemon Drizzle Cake

You can find the recipe here: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/lemon-drizzle-cake

Ingredients

225g unsalted butter, softened

225g caster sugar

4 eggs

225g self-raising flour

1 lemon, zested

For the drizzle topping

1½ lemons, juiced

85g caster sugar

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.

2. Beat together the butter and caster sugar until pale and creamy, then add the eggs, one at a time, slowly mixing through.

3. Sift in the self-raising flour, then add the lemon zest and mix until well combined.

4. Line a loaf tin (8 x 21cm) with greaseproof paper, then spoon in the mixture and level the top with a spoon.

5. Bake for 45-50 mins until a thin skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.

6. While the cake is cooling in its tin, mix together the lemons juice and caster sugar to make the drizzle.

7. Prick the warm cake all over with a skewer or fork, then pour over the drizzle – the juice will sink in and the sugar will form a lovely, crisp topping.

8. Leave in the tin until completely cool, then remove and serve. Will keep in an airtight container for 3-4 days, or freeze for up to 1 month.

Barbara Leger’s Vegan Vanilla Cake

Ingredients:

2 ½ cups + 2 tablespoons (336g) regular all-purpose flour

1 cup + 5 tablespoons (252g) fine granulated white sugar

1 ½ tablespoons baking powder

¾ teaspoon fine salt

¾ cup + 1 tablespoon (195g) room temperature canned "lite" coconut milk

½ cup + 2 tablespoons (150g) room temperature dairy-free sweetened vanilla yogurt

3 tablespoons (45g) HOT water

1 ½ teaspoons (8g) vanilla extract

1 teaspoon (5g) apple cider vinegar

Vanilla Buttercream frosting

9” x13” glass Pyrex dish

Method: 

1. Make sure the milk and yogurt are room temperature! 

2. Preheat the oven to 350° (177°C) and spray a 9” x 13” glass pyrex dish with nonstick spray. Wipe off excess oil if too much is sitting on the bottom or in the corners.

3. To a large bowl, add the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt and whisk very well.

4. To a separate bowl, add the coconut milk, yogurt, hot water, vanilla and vinegar. Whisk until smooth.

5. Pour the liquid over the dry ingredients and use a large spoon to gently stir together the batter until moistened and just mixed, making sure to scrape from the bottom. Do not use a whisk, as this will overmix the batter.

6. Pour the batter into the dish and spread out the top evenly into the pan and in the corners.

7. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

8. Cool completely before frosting. Cover the cake with foil tightly so it stays moist and store the cake at room temperature.