lime and ginger cake

Simple, delicious and very moist - this cake is a lovely treat to put together whenever you've got a little spare time and a sweet craving. It's inspired by the classic 'one-pot yogurt cake' and ciambella recipesand utilises the flavours I had in my kitchen.  There are endless variations for this recipe, it would make a great base cake for a citrus drizzle, or you could top it with a coconut frosting, a simple lemon and cream cheese topping or do as I did and add a layer of homemade lime curd.

Ingredients
1 cup milk soured with the juice of two limes
finely grated zest of two limes
1 cup vegetable oil (any other flavourless oil would work here too)
2 cups caster sugar
3 cups self-raising flour
OR
3 cups plain/all-purpose flour and 3 1/2 tsps baking powder
pinch of salt
1/2 cup finely chopped, crystalised ginger
3 eggs

1. Preheat your oven to 180C and grease and line your cake tin.
2. Put all of the ingredients apart from the ginger into a large bowl and beat together with an electric or hand whisk until everything is smooth and thoroughly combined. 
3. Stir through the crystalised ginger then pour the whole mixture into your prepared cake tin.
4. Place in the oven and bake for around 1 hour or until it is golden brown on top and a skwere comes out clean when inserted. This may take up to 90 mins depending on your oven and tin size.
5. Leave to cool before topping or eat it just as it is.  

lemon and plum cake

Inspired by my sisters recipe for lemon and poppyseed ciambella and my memories of Babcia's awesome plum cakes, here is my version of a plum and lemon cake. The sweet plum centre goes beautifully with the tartness of the lemon drizzle icing. You could easily substitute the plums for blueberries, cherries or any other seasonal soft fruit. I love the simplicity and versatility of this cake recipe and the fact that it is all measured in cups and you don't need any sort of specialist equipment. The syrup and glaze stages are entirely optional. The cake is lovely and moist without them but it adds another layer of flavour, additional moistness and makes it look pretty.


NOTE: If you don't have a bundt tin use what tin you do have, I just really like the ring shape from a bundt tin, it's kind of nostalgic for me. If you use a different shaped tin or make smaller cakes please take care with the cooking time as it may be effected, the aim is slow gentle cooking to avoid burning.

Ingredients
Plum filling:

400g fresh or frozen plums, stoned and halved

1/2 cup caster sugar
NB: If you're feeling lazy you could substitute this stage with a good quality shop bought plum jam,

Cake:

1 cup soured milk (sour regular milk by adding the juice of a lemon)

1 cup oil
3 eggs
2 cups of caster sugar
3 cups of self raising flour
grated zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp lemon extract (optional)
a little milk if too thick
Pinch salt

Syrup:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice

Glaze:
1/2 cup icing sugar
approx 2 tbsp lemon juice

1. Heat the plums and sugar in a saucepan until they start to break down then continue to cook over a medium heat until the mixture reduces to about 1 1/4 cups this will take about 15 minutes. If you want strain the plums trough a sieve to get a finer puree without the skins in. Leave to one side to cool.
2. Meanwhile grease a bundt tin, and dust it lightly with flour if you are concerned about the cake sticking. Preheat the oven to 180°C, 350°F. 
3. Place all the cake ingredients in a bowl and beat together using a wooden spoon or electric hand whisk until everything is well combined, if it’s a bit thick add a little extra milk. 
4. Pour 2/3 of the mixture into the tin, spoon the plum mixture in a ring around the tin taking care to not let it touch the edges, the cover with the remaining cake mix.
5. Bake in the oven for about 50 minutes until well risen and a skewer comes out clean.
6. Turn off the oven, and remove cake. Leave it to cool in the tin while you prepare the syrup by heating the ingredients together until the sugar has completely dissolved into the lemon juice.
7. With a skewer poke holes all over the cake and while the cake and syrup are still warm pour the syrup over the cake. Leave the cake to cool completely in the tin.
8. Once the cake has cooled mix together the glaze ingredients until smooth. Turn the cake out on to a plate and drizzle with the lemon icing. If you're feeling fancy decorate with a little lemon zest or seasonal berries. 

Lemon, poppy seed and orange flower Ciambella

Another tasty recipe from my big sister...

"A traditional Italian cake which I have tweaked a bit so it is now crossed with a lemon drizzle style glaze and added a bit of orange flower water for good measure - just because I love it's soft floral flavour with the sharp lemon.

You could also make this flavoured with caraway seeds, orange zest, liqueur soaked fruit, chocolate chips, almonds..... It's up to you. Happy baking :)"

Ingredients
1 cup soured milk (squeeze of lemon until milk curdles - don't worry it'll look horrible but will be ok - it helps the rise!)
3 eggs
2 cups of caster sugar
3 cups of plain flour
grated zest of 2 lemons
1/2 cup poppy seeds
2 tsp vanilla essence/vanilla pod seeds
half cup vegetable oil
2 heaped teaspoons of baking powder
a little milk if too thick
Pinch salt

Glaze:
1/2 cup sugar
Juice of 2 lemons
2 tbs of orange flower water

1. Grease a ciambella/bundt tin, and dust it lightly with flour. Preheat the oven to 180°C, 350°F. 
2. Sift flour and baking powder into a bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil, sugar and lemon zest and salt. Beat using an electric whisk for about 3-4 mins 
3. Stir in poppy seeds, if it’s a bit thick add a little extra milk. 
4. Pour the mixture into the tin, and bake in the oven for about 50 minutes until well risen and a skewer comes out clean.
5. Turn off the oven, and remove cake 
6. Mix the glaze ingredients together. Poke a few holes with skewer then pour over glaze 
7. Leave it to cool in the tin 
8. The glaze should leave a nice crunchy topping. This cake can be eaten straight away but is even better the day after all the flavours have mingled. Great with a strong coffee at breakfast time but you don't need me to tell you when you can eat cake!