Mothering Cake Recipes

Steps:

• CHECK LIST: a sifter, nest of bowls, food processor or electric beater, spatula, wooden spoon, 24 cm round cake tin, baking paper, brown paper and twine, rolling pin, thin metal skewer.
• STAGE 1.
• To make your own almond paste you will need a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Don't be tempted to use store-bought almond paste because it contains lots of sugar and few almonds, it will turn to liquid under the grill.
• Place icing sugar and almonds in food processor bowl. Process, slowly dripping in egg yolk, orange juice and almond essence. The mixture should form a pliable paste.
• Set aside a small portion for balls with which to decorate the cake.
• Roll out the remaining paste into 2 circles which are the approximate size of the tin. Set aside.
• STAGE 2.
• Preheat oven to 160°C/320°F.
• Use a sturdy non-stick cake tub or line the buttered base with baking paper. As the baking period is long (1-1 1/2 hours), prevent the cake drying out by wrapping a double thickness of brown paper around the pan and securing it with twine.
• Sift flour, salt and spices together, then stir in fruit and peel.
• Cream butter and sugar thoroughly until light and creamy then beat in eggs one at a time, until the mixture is fluffy. (Reserve a drop of egg yolk for brushing over top layer of almond paste.).
• Stir flour and fruit into creamed mixture (you may need to add a little milk to give the mixture a dropping consistency).
• STAGE 3.
• Place half the mixture into a greased and lined cake tin.
• Place one pre-rolled round of almond paste over the top.
• Cover with remaining cake mixture. Before baking the cake, give the pan of mixture a sharp tap on to a firm surface. This settles the mixture and prevents holes from forming in the cake.
• Bake in the centre of the oven for 1-1 1/4 hours or until a thin metal skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out without a trace of stickiness.
• Level the cake by placing a weighted plate on top of the cooked cake while it is still hot.
• Turn out cake on to a wire rack after leaving it to settle in the cake tin for between 10 and 15 minutes. Peel off paper and leave to cool completely.
• STAGE 4.
• Cover the top of the cake with a second round of almond paste. Roll 11 small balls of paste and place evenly around the top of the cake. Brush the top with a little beaten egg and very lightly brown under the grill until the almond paste turns light golden brown.
• Remove and leave to cool.

Steps:

• Toast almonds in a single layer on a cookie sheet in a 350°F degree oven for about 15 minutes or until the almonds are lightly colored and fragrant.
• Make sure to shake the pan occasionally to turn almonds while toasting.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Spray the bottom of a 9-inch spring form pan with a non-stick cooking spray.
• Dust lightly with flour or, preferably, very fine, dry breadcrumbs.
• Shake out any excess and set prepared pan aside.
• Warm chopped chocolate in the top of a small double boiler over warm water set at moderate heat.
• Cover until partially melted, and then stir until smooth.
• Set aside to cool to room temperature.
• Reserve ½ cup sugar and place the remaining ¼ cup sugar with the almonds in a food processor or blender and chop until nuts are fine and powdery; set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl beat the butter until soft.
• Add ¼ cup of sugar and reserve the remaining ¼ cup sugar for use later.
• Beat sugar and butter until thoroughly combined.
• Add the egg yolks, one at a time, and continue to beat until smooth.
• Add the melted chocolate and blend on low speed until combined.
• Add almonds and continue to beat mixture on a low speed setting.
• In a clean bowl with clean beaters, beat the egg whites with salt and lemon juice.
• Start on low speed and gradually increase until the egg whites hold a soft shape.
• Reduce speed again and add remaining ¼ cup sugar.
• Then on high speed, beat egg whites until soft peaks form.
• Gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture about one-third at a time until blended.
• Pour the cake batter into the prepared spring form pan and quickly rotate to level the batter.
• Bake for 20-minutes at 375°F, then reduce heat to 350°F and continue to bake an additional 50-minutes.
• Remove cake from pan when cooled, after about 1 hour.
• ****ICING****.
• Scald the heavy cream in a saucepan over medium heat until a thin skin forms on the top.
• Add the espresso or coffee powder and whisk to dissolve.
• Add the chocolate and whisk to dissolve, for about a minute or two.
• Remove from heat and continue to stir to finish melting the chocolate.
• Let icing cool for about 15 minutes, and then pour over the top of the cake, starting at the center.
• Gently push the icing with a spatula over the sides to dribble down the cake.
• Top with shaved chocolate or whipped cream just prior to serving.
• A fresh strawberry is an optional garnish with each served slice.

Steps:

• ;

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 150 degrees Celsius Grease and line a 20 cm round deep cake tin with double thickness of baking (parchment) paper.
• Sift flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt into a bowl. Stir in the zest, cherries, peel, sultanas, raisins, and currants.
• Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs, adding a little extra flour if the mixture begins to curdle. Add the flour and fruit mix and milk and mix to a soft dropping consistency. Spread just over half of the mixture in the tin.
• On a surface dusted with icing sugar, roll out 200 g almond paste to a 19 cm circle. Place on top of the mixture in the tin. Spoon in the rest of the mixture. Level the top and make a slight dent in the centre. Bake for 2 3/4 hours, or until golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool in the tin.
• For the decoration, dust the work surface with icing sugar. Knead a little yellow colouring into 350 g almond paste, then cut off 50 g and set aside. Roll out the remainder into a 20 cm circle. Brush the top of the cake with the jam and put the almond paste on top. Crimp the edges.
• Take the remaining almond paste and divide into 5 pieces. Dust your hands with icing sugar and roll each piece into an egg shape. Arrange on the cake with the violets.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375. Butter a 9"x 2-1/2" springform pan and line the bottom of the pan with liner paper. Butter the paper and dust with fine, dry bread crumbs.
• Melt chocolate in top of double boiler over hot water on low heat. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
• With an electric mixer, cream the butter. Add sugar and beat at moderately high speed for 2-3 minutes. Add the yolks one at a time, beating after each addition until yolk is thoroughly incorporated.
• Beat in the chocolate and (on lowest speed) gradually beat in the almonds, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula as necessary. Transfer to large mixing bowl.
• In large bowl of an electric mixer, beat egg whites with salt until they hold a definite shape, but are not dry. Stir a large spoonful of the whites into the chocolate and then, in three additions, fold in the balance of egg whites. Turn into pan. Level the batter in the pan.
• Bake for 20 minutes at 375. Reduce oven temperature to 350 and bake an additional 50 minutes. Do not overbake.
• Remove cake from oven and place on wet (but wrung out) folded towel. Let stand 20 minutes. Remove sides of pan. Place a rack over cake and invert (carefully!) Remove botto of springform pan and the paper lining. Cover with another rack and invert again to cool right side up. (Cake will be about 1.75" high.).
• When cake is completely cool, transfer to cake plate and ice. Cake must be at room temperature when iced -- if it's too warm, icing will melt; if it's too cold, icing will be dull.
• Prepare icing: Scale cream in medium saucepan over moderate heat, until it begins to form small bubbles around the edge. While still over heat, add instant coffee and stir briskly until dissolved.
• Add chocolate. After one minute, remove from heat and stir with wire whisk until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Transfer to a small bowl, or place bottom of saucepan in bowl of cold water, to stop cooking.
• Let mixture stand at room temp for 15 minutes or more, stirring occasionally until it reaches room temperature. Stir (do not beat) and pour over the top of the cake.