Banana and Chocolate Loaf ~ Sweet & Simple Bakes.

Time has come again to show case our monthly bake over at Sweet and Simple Bakes. This month Maria presented us with a delicious recipe for Banana and Chocolate Loaf. This is the simplest of bakes to make with an amazing texture and flavour. It’s also a fabulous tried & tested recipe just what Sweet & Simple Bakes is all about! I always seem to have a few ripe bananas lurking in my fruit bowl and I really loathe throwing away food! A slice of this loaf cake served with a steaming cuppa is perfection in my book anytime of the day.



Please do call by Sweet and Simple Bakes and view the round-up of our other bakers; also if you fancy joining in our monthly bake, we would be most delighted to have you bake with us!

Banana and Chocolate Loaf

Serves 10-12

Ingredients

250g (9oz) self-raising flour
Pinch of salt
1 tsp baking powder
150g (5oz) caster sugar
100g (3 ½ oz) butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
Finely grated zest of 1 orange
475g (17oz) whole bananas (about 4 small ones), peeled
75g (3oz) dark chocolate chips

13 x 23cm (5x9in) loaf tin *I used a 900g (2 lb) loaf tin*

Method

Preheat the oven to 170°C /325°F/ Gas mark 3. Lightly butter and line the loaf tin with parchment paper. Sift the flour, salt and baking powder into a large bowl. Add the sugar and butter and, using your fingertips, rub it in until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Whisk the eggs, vanilla extract and orange zest in another bowl. Add the bananas and mash very well with a potato masher. Add the chocolate chips. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in the banana mixture. Gently but thoroughly bring all the ingredients together with a wooden spoon, and then pour into the prepared loaf tin. Smooth the top and bake in the oven for 1-1 ¼ hours or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing the cake from the tin and leave to cool on a wire rack.

Christmas Morning Muffins ~ Sweet & Simple Bake

I would like to wish you all a Happy New Year 09 and may all your dreams and wishes come true!!

I’m pleased to say it’s been a quite festive time here but with lots of good food and basically enjoying being with the family. The family are now over their bouts of flu and I wave good bye to the back of that little episode thankfully. I hope now to get back to normal baking up some tasty treats for you this year. To kick start this year off here I am presenting you with a bake from Sweet and Simple Bakes.

For our December bake at Sweet and Simple Bakes it was chosen by a poll vote and we had a sensational amount of 67 votes cast in our poll!! The clear winner was Nigella’s Christmas Morning Muffins.

These muffins are a quick and easy bake for a Christmas morning breakfast (or any breakfast come to that); with glorious aromas of spices and flavours emitting through the air as they bake. They are perfect for a light breakfast either served plain or broken open smeared with butter and marmalade. This recipe is sourced and adapted from Nigella Christmas cookbook. A very beautiful book by, The Domestic Goddess’s herself and it’s defiantly is worth purchasing for all the magnificent festive recipes inside.

Christmas Morning Muffins ~ adapted from Nigella Christmas Book

Makes 12

Ingredients
250g (9 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour
2½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
100g (4 oz) caster (super fine) sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Good grating of fresh nutmeg (or ¼ tsp ground nutmeg)
2 Clementine’s or Satsuma’s *see notes*
Approx 125ml (4 fl oz) full-fat milk
75g 3 oz) vegetable oil (or melted butter, left to cool slightly)
1 egg
175g (6 oz) dried cranberries
For The Topping
3 tsp Demerara sugar *see notes*

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan oven 180°C/400°F/Gas mark 6. Line a 12-bun muffin tin with muffin paper cases.

Measure the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, caster sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg into a large bowl; grate the zest of the Clementine’s/Satsuma’s over and combine.
Squeeze the juice of the Clementine’s/Satsuma’s into a measuring jug, and pour in the milk until it comes up to the 200ml (7 fl oz) mark.

Add the oil (or slightly cooled, melted butter) and egg, and lightly beat until just combined.

Pour this liquid mixture into the bowl of dried ingredients and stir until everything is more or less combined, remembering that a well-beaten mixture makes for heavy muffins; a lumpy batter is a good here.

Fold in the cranberries, then spoon the batter into the muffin cases and sprinkle the Demerara sugar on top.

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. The muffins are ready to eat now either plain or broken up and smeared with butter and marmalade.

* Notes*

*Cranberries could also be replaced with another dried fruit of choice*

* Clementine’s/Satsuma’s*

If you’re unable to source Clementine’s or Satsuma’s, 1 orange of zest and juice would be adequate.

* Demerara Sugar is*: Large crystals, golden in colour, which also adds a crunch to baked goods.

*Question*: I can’t purchase Demerara sugar - what could I use instead?

Granulated Sugar: This is a pure, naturally white, crystalline sugar.

Sugar Cubes: Brown/white, would be a lovely addition instead of Demerara sugar; crunched up and sprinkled over the top of each muffin before baking.

Chocolate Christmas cake ~ Sweet and Simple Bakes Event!!

We are now nearing closer into the seasonal celebration of Christmas for those of us who celebrate this festivity. This month at Sweet and Simple Bakes Maria presented us with a gorgeous recipe for a Chocolate Christmas cake.

Maria encouraged our creative side to come out in this bake with the scope of what type of icing and decorations each baker wanted to use. I always make my own mincemeat each year and a jar (400g) comes in handy just for this bake alone each year. This is such a beautiful tasting cake and one that doesn’t require an awful lot of work. The chocolate combines well with all those swollen fruits in the mincemeat and a few extra sultanas and raisins added into the mixture. I used fondant icing to cover the top only of my cake and left it white this year with a few cut out stars in fondant and a little bit of bling-bling from edible glitter and sugar golden balls. I attached a lovely bright red ribbon around the centre of the cake with a bow to signify Christmas.

Chocolate Christmas Cake

Ingredients
150g (5 oz) soft butter
150g (5 oz) light muscovado sugar or soft brown sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
185g (6½ oz) self-raising flour
40g (1½ oz) cocoa powder
400g (14 oz) jar of mincemeat
80g (3 oz) each of sultanas and raisins
50g (2 oz) blanched almonds chopped
100g pkt of white chocolate chips or white chocolate chopped up

You will need a 20cm (8 in) springform tin. Lightly butter the inside of the tin and double line the tin with baking paper or greaseproof paper.

**For Decoration see link below**

Method

Preheat the oven to 160°C/fan 140°C/Gas mark 3.

Place all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and beat together for a minute or two until all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed. Spoon into the prepared tin and bake in the oven for 1¾-2 hours until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. You will probably need to cover the cake with foil towards the end of cooking time to prevent the top from browning too much. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for a few minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

To view how to line a tin or for ideas on decorations and icing please visit Sweet and Simple Bakes!

If you would like to make your own vegetarian mincemeat please visit Sweet and Simple Bakes for the recipe!

Sweet & Simple Bakes - Vanilla Apple Cake

For this month’s bake at Sweet & Simple Bakes it was Maria’s turn to post a recipe and she decided on a wonderful apple cake. The flavour to this cake is buttery with added extras of delicious sliced Bramley apples sprinkled over with Demerara sugar & a little cinnamon. This cake is gorgeous served either on its own or served as a dessert cake.

I thoroughly enjoyed baking this cake and I served this for the family after one Sunday lunch for dessert with lashings of homemade custard. My family gave the big thumbs up on this cake and I am sure to be putting this recipe in my family favourites now to bake again. Thank you Maria for posting such a lovely recipe for this month’s bake! Sweet & Simple Bakes Baking Event is open to everyone (yes everyone) from the novice to the more inspired bakers amongst us! Just imagine the delight of loved ones and friends as you share with them your homemade bakes. Nothing can beat the smell of newly baked goods wafting through the air to get an appetite in full flow! You will receive a warm welcome, so do come on over and join with us and please don’t be shy – take a peek it’s just one click away!!

For more information on how to partake click on this link – Sweet & Simple Bakes.

Vanilla Apple Cake

Ingredients
250g (9 oz) unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
250g (9 oz) golden caster sugar (or normal caster sugar)
4 eggs, beaten
250g (9 oz) self raising flour
1 vanilla pod, seeds removed and reserved (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
3 small Bramley apples, peeled, cored and cut into wedges (or any other type of cooking apple, if not apple of your choice)
2 tbsp Demerara sugar
¼ tsp ground cinnamon

Method

Heat the oven to 180°C/fan160°C/gas mark 4. Butter a 20cm 98 in) springform tin, and line the base with baking paper.

Beat the caster sugar and butter together until the mixture is pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, flour and vanilla seeds or vanilla extract, then beat together quickly to make a smooth batter. Tip into a prepared tin, then lay the apple wedges on top, poking them halfway into the mix. Don’t worry if the apples appear crowded – they shrink as they cook. Sprinkle with Demerara sugar and cinnamon, then bake for 1 hour 5 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean and the sponge is risen and golden.

Leave to cool for a few minutes, then release the tin and cool the cake completely on a wire rack.

Sweet & Simple Bakes - Victoria Sandwich Cake!

The 1st of the month heralds the posting date for Sweet & Simple Bakes and this month it was to my delight to post a recipe for Victoria Sandwich Cake. I have been baking this recipe since childhood and it really is a sweet and simple bake. Two light sponges sandwiched together with strawberry jam and fluffy buttercream makes for a wonderful tea time treat!

This cake was made popular in the Victorian times in the U.K. and named after Queen Victoria, and its lead to believe her majesty was very fond of this particular cake. It would be served for afternoon tea when ladies & gentlemen would take tea, sandwiches and cake for refreshments before their evening meal to bridge that hunger gap!

Sweet & Simple Bakes Baking Event is open to everyone (yes everyone) from the novice to the more inspired bakers amongst us! Just imagine the delight of loved ones and friends as you share with them your homemade bakes. Nothing can beat the smell of newly baked goods wafting through the air to get an appetite in full flow! You will receive a warm welcome, so do come on over and join with us and please don’t be shy – take a peek it’s just one click away!!

For more information on how to partake click on this link – Sweet & Simple Bakes.

Victoria Sandwich Cake

Ingredients
For The sponge

175g (6oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature
175g (6oz) caster sugar
3 eggs, at room temperature, beaten
175g (6 oz) self-raising flour
Pinch of salt
For The Filling
4-6 tbsp strawberry jam, or your own choice of flavour
1 tbsp caster sugar
Buttercream (optional)
75g (3 oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature
175g (6 oz) icing sugar
Few drops of vanilla extract

You will need 2 sandwich tins (cake pans) 2 x 20cm (8 in) with depth of at least 5cm (2 in). Grease and base line the bottom of the tins with greaseproof paper or baking paper.


Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/350°F/gas mark 4.

Cream the butter and sugar together in a mixing bowl using a wooden spoon or mixer until the mixture is pale in colour and light and fluffy. This can take up to 5 minutes or more to achieve depending on if you are using a wooden spoon or mixer. Add the beaten egg, a teaspoon at a time, beating well after each addition.

Sift the flour and salt and carefully add to the mixture, folding in with a metal spoon or spatula.Divide the mixture equally between the tins and smooth over with a spatula.

Place the tins on the same shelf in the centre of the oven and bake for 25 – 30 minutes until well risen, golden brown and beginning to shrink from the sides of the tin.

Remove from the oven and allow to stand for 3 – 5 minutes

Loosen the cakes from around the edge of the tins using a palette knife. Turn the cakes out onto a clean tea towel, remove the paper and invert them onto a wire rack (this prevents the wire rack from marking the top of the cakes).

When completely cool, spread the jam on the bottom sponge and place the 2nd sponge on top to sandwich them together. To finish off, sprinkle the top of the cake with caster sugar.


If you wish to add the optional buttercream, add the butter, icing sugar and vanilla extract to a mixing bowl with a wooden spoon or mixer and beat until light and fluffy. Spread the buttercream carefully over the jam.

Sweet & Simple Bakes - Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

The 1st of each month brings the latest bake from Sweet & Simple Bakes everyone is welcome to join us just click the adove link for more information :)

This month heralds a great little recipe for Banana chocolate chip muffins. They’re Sweet & Simple to make and wonderful in texture and taste. I always have a few ripe bananas lurking in my fruit bowl so what a great way of using them up! I know for sure I will be turning again to this recipe to whip up some quick delicious muffins!

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients
3 very ripe bananas
125ml vegetable oil
2 eggs
250g plain flour
100g caster sugar
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
150g dark/milk chocolate (white chocolate or butterscotch chips/morsels)


Method

Preheat the oven to 200ºC/180ºC fan oven/gas mark 6 and line a 12-bun muffin tin with muffin papers.

Mash the bananas and set aside for a moment. Pour the oil into a jug and beat in the eggs.
Put the flour, sugar, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder into a large bowl and mix in the beaten-egg-and-oil mixture, followed by the mashed bananas.
Fold in the chocolate morsels, then place equal quantities in the prepared muffin tin and bake in the oven for 20 minutes.

Cranberry and White Chocolate Flapjacks - Simple Bakes

Cranberry and White Chocolate Flapjacks

What a lovely bake to kick start off Sweet and Simple Bakes. The recipe is posted on Sweet and Simple Bakes and ready for you to view and to go forth and multiply with baking these scrummy flapjacks.

I adore chocolate any shape or form and with cranberries they make a perfect partner for these delightful flapjacks. They are excellent for lunch boxes should they last long enough from baking to ever making the lunch box that is!

Cranberry and White Chocolate Flapjacks

I haven’t baked flapjacks for years and it was truly like coming home to an old friend baking them. I find it therapeutic melting and stirring mixtures and this really is what flapjacks is all about before baking them off in the oven in a prepared lined baking tin. Adding a little melted white chocolate drizzled over the top for that finishing touch, who could resist such sheer pleasures?

My hubby found them very Moorish indeed so be warned, I can visualise a Cranberry & White Chocolate flapjack habit taking place in blogsphere *giggle*

Introducing Sweet and Simple Bakes

Sweet and Simple Bakes is a new and exciting blog that has been started by myself , and Maria from The Goddess’s Kitchen. Our blog will be aimed at newbie bakers or bakers who just love to bake and want to participate in the fun each month. If you would like to be part of our new venture please visit Sweet and Simple Bakes for more details. Hope to see you there!

I look forward to seeing you there At Sweet and Simple Bakes

Best Wishes Rosie x