Spicy Apple Cake Recipe

Tender and moreish, this cake keeps and travels well.

Great as a coffee morning cake, or with whipped cream for dessert.

Invariably comes out a little different each time, depending on the type of apples used.





Spicy Apple Cake (with a crunchy topping)
125g butter (1/2 cup)
1 cup cooked apple (or canned, if you wish)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup of flour, plus 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp each of nutmeg, allspice
pinch salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup raisins or sultanas

1.  Preheat oven to 150 degrees celsius.
2.  Cream the butter and sugar, add apple and egg (using ingredients at room temperature).
     Or, melt the butter, cool a little before adding the sugar and egg (then leave for 5 minutes).
3.  Sift dry ingredients and add to the apple/butter mixture.  Stir until just blended.  Add sultanas.
4.  Spread into greased or lined baking pan.
5.  Add the crunchy topping (below).

Topping

Melt 1 Tablespoon butter, stir in 2-3 tablespoons of brown sugar and add up to 1/2 cup of large oat flakes.

Bake 35-40 minutes (until a skewer comes out clean).  Let it cool before cutting.

Home-made Granola

For every 2 cups of large cooking oats (not quick cooking oats);

Mix together:

1-2 Tablespoons brown sugar

1-2 Tablespoons maple syrup

2 Tablespoons canola oil (or an oil that has a very mild taste)

Then add:

2 Tablespoons coconut (dessicated, unsweetened)

¼ cup nuts or seeds, as you like (eg., pecans, sunflower seeds)

Preheat oven to 150 degrees Celsius.

Place the mixed ingredients into a shallow baking pan or pyrex dish and toast for approximately 40 minutes, until golden brown.  It is important to stir the mixture every 10-15 minutes during cooking. 

Allow the toasted granola to cool completely before storing.  If you store this mixture while slightly warm, then the granola will turn soft.

Add ¼ cup of your favourite dried fruits, eg., dried apricots, raisins, cranberries etc.

Note:

• I usually double the mixture and use two oblong pyrex dishes to gently toast the granola.  
• Reduce the sugar and maple syrup to 1 Tablespoon of each, for every 2 cups of large oats, if you prefer.

Sheryl

Louise Cake (slice) Recipe

Louise Cake Recipe a New Zealand (kiwi) tradition of a shortbread base, with raspberry jam filling and coconut meringue topping.

Shining Stars parents enjoyed this as a morning tea treat for our Valentines Day celebrations.

Here's my version (that I bake in a large rectangle non-stick pyrex pan)






Louise Cake (slice)
125 g butter
1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs (separate yolks from whites)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups flour
1/2 cup raspberry jam (or your favourite berry jam)
1/2 cup sugar (for meringue topping)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup coconut

Method
Preheat oven to 180 C.
Cream together the butter and first measure of sugar.
Separate eggs and add the yolks only to your creamed butter mixture. Sift together the flour and baking powder, add to butter mixture and mix well.  Press well into a sponge roll pan - the warmth of your hands when pressing will help the mixture settle into the pan (I use a non stick oblong pyrex baking dish).  Put your dish into the refrigerator for 10 minutes (this helps to set the mixture a little before the next step).  Spread with jam. Beat egg whites until stiff, add sugar and salt and continue beating until it goes glossy.  Fold in coconut. Spread on top of jam. Bake for 30 minutes or until the meringue topping is golden.  Wait until the slice is very cool before cutting into squares.

Chocolate Brownie

It's a favourite and easy to make:

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
2 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate
2 eggs (beaten)
1 teaspoon vanilla essence (if desired)
2/3 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Your choice of: 1/2 cup of chocolate chunks or nuts (eg walnuts, pecans) or dried fruit eg cranberries, or dates (chopped and washed)

Method
Gently melt 1/2 cup butter and 2 ounces (2 squares) unsweetened baking chocolate in a large saucepan.
Cool then add 1 cup of white sugar and 2 eggs (slightly beaten).  Add vanilla.
Mix well.

In a separate bowl, mix 2/3 cup All Purpose or Unbleached Flour and 1/2 teaspoon baking powder.
Add a pinch of salt (if using unsalted butter).  Mix the dry and wet ingredients together in the saucepan (no need for a bowl).

To finish, stir in 1/2 cup of chopped dates (washed) or 1/2 cup of your favourite chocolate chips, chocolate bar, cranberries, walnuts or pecans (for texture).

Pour the batter into a 9" square baking pan (lined with baking paper).

Bake at 150 - 180 degrees celsius (depending on how hot your oven is, for 20 to 25 minutes).  The secret is not to over bake.  Cool and cut.

Banana Cake, and Date-Filled Bars

The following recipes, enjoyed by Playgroup this week, were requested by Félix (one of our Shining Stars) for making at home:


BANANA CAKE

125 g (4 ozs) butter (1/2 cup)

175 g (6 ozs) sugar (3/4 cup) - white or brown sugar is ok

2 eggs

2 large mashed ripe to overipe bananas (or 3 if bananas are small)

1 teaspoon bicarbonate soda

2 tablespoons boiling milk

1 teaspoon baking powder

225 g (8 ozs flour) (2 cups) - try 1/4 cup whole wheat flour with 1 1/2 cups white flour 

Method

Grease and flour a medium cake tin.

Cream butter and sugar.

Add eggs, mashed bananas, then bicarb of soda dissolved in boiling milk.

Lastly add flour and baking powder, previously sifted.

Spoon into cake pan and smooth top.

Bake in a preheated 180C (350F) oven. Cake will take about 30 - 40 minutes depending on size of pan and how efficient your oven is.  Cool cake in the tin for 5 minutes, then remove cake and cool on wire rack.  Ice with your favourite frosting, or for lemon icing use 1 - 1 1/2 cups icing sugar blended with a tablespoon of softened butter and a little milk added to make a spreading consistency.

DATE-FILLED BARS

3 cups chopped dates

1 cup water

2 Tblspn lemon juice

¼ tsp ground ginger (if desired)

¾ cup packed brown sugar

½ cup butter

1 cup flour

1 cup rolled oats

1 tsp cinnamon

Method 

Heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.  Grease (not oil) or line a 9-inch square pan with parchment.

In saucepan combine the first 4 ingredients.  Cook over medium heat until thickened, stirring occasionally.  Cream butter and sugar, then stir in remaining ingredients until crumbly.  Pat 2/3 of mixture into prepared pan, spread with date mixture.  Top with remaining crumb mixture.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until golden brown.  Cool and cut into bars.  

Sweet Potato Biscuits (Weelicious Recipe)

Posted by Weelicious and tested by one of our Mums from Shining Stars Playgroup - this fluffy 'biscuit' (also known as a 'scone') is made incorporating sweet potato.

Great to make a batch, then freeze in portions, and pull out for a quick morning tea snack!

Sweet Potato Biscuits (Makes about 20 Biscuits)

2 Cup All Purpose Flour
2 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
1 Tsp Salt
1/4 Cup Butter, chilled and cubed
1 Cup Sweet Potatoes, cooked; and mashed
1/3 Cup Milk
2 Tbsp Honey

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. Place the first 4 ingredients in a food processor and pulse to combine.
3. Add butter and pulse until it resembles coarse meal.
4. Add the sweet potatoes, milk and honey and pulse until the dough comes together.
5. Place dough onto parchment paper and knead 5 times to combine the ingredients and then shape into a flat disk (you don’t want to over knead the dough).
6. Place another piece of parchment paper on top and roll out with a rolling pin until 3/4-1/2 inch thick.
7. Cut into circles or other shapes using cookie cutter.
8. Place the biscuits on a Silpat or parchment-lined baking sheet lightly coated with cooking spray.
9. Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly golden.
10. Cool and serve.

A snack-box or picnic treat ...

Here's an easy to make treat for snack-time or as a dessert (from this week's playgroup)!


Spiced Apple Cake

125g butter

2 large apples (grated with skin on) eg Granny Smith or use ½ cup of apple sauce and 1 large apple grated

1 cup of sugar

1 egg

1½ cups flour (if using a blend of whole wheat flour with white flour then reduce flour to 1¼ cups)

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp allspice

Topping

1½ Tbspn butter (melted)

½ cup rolled oats

¼ cup brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

Method

1. Melt butter in medium-large saucepan.  Remove from heat and add apples, sugar and egg.  Beat to combine.
2. Fold in sifted dry ingredients.
3. Pour the mixture into a well greased baking pan (no larger than 23 cm).
4. Mix topping together and sprinkle on the unbaked cake mixture. 
5. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 30-45 minutes.

Different types of apples will vary the cooking time slightly.

This cake also makes a great lunch-box or picnic food.  Serve warm with ice-cream, cream or custard for dessert!

Pumpkin Muffins with Cranberries and Walnuts

The following is a recipe from today's playgroup morning tea ... for all to enjoy!

Pumpkin Muffins with Cranberries and Walnuts

1 cup pumpkin puree (homemade steamed pumpkin, then pureed using a blender stick, to a smooth consistency – not too thick, or from a can)

½ cup canola oil

2 eggs

½ tsp vanilla

¼ cup buttermilk (I use evaporated milk or regular milk - you may need to use a little extra milk so that the muffin mix is not really thick)

½ cup white sugar

½ cup brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

¼  tsp nutmeg

¼ tsp pumpkin pie spice or ground all spice

1 cup flour

 ½ cup wholemeal flour

pinch salt

1 tsp baking soda

½ cup dried cranberries

½ cup chopped walnut pieces

Preheat the oven to between 150-180 degrees Celsius.  Prepare muffin pans (makes approx. 12 medium sized muffins).

In a large bowl, mix together the pumpkin, oil, eggs, vanilla and milk.  Add the white and brown sugar, as well as the cinnamon, nutmeg and pie spice or all spice.  Mix well.

Combine flours with salt and baking soda, stir well.  Slowly add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and stir just until all ingredients are combined.  Add cranberries and walnuts.  Spoon the mixture into the muffin pans.

Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.  Cool muffins on a wire rack.  Frost with your favourite cream cheese frosting and sprinkle with pumpkin and sunflower seeds if you wish.

(These muffins increase in flavour by the next day, and freeze well becoming slightly more moist).

What a great morning ... with Chocolate cake too!!

Hi Everyone - What a great morning we had at Playgroup!  Thank you parents for making the effort to come along on a rainy date ... we had FUN ... we danced, sang, signed a little and played a lot!

As requested here's a copy of the Chocolate cake the adults ate for morning tea (along with one or two children too - YUM YUM!).

Chocolate Cake

1 cup all-purpose white flour (sifted)

1 cup white sugar

½ tsp salt (to taste)

½ tsp baking soda

2 oz (2 squares) unsweetened chocolate squares - melted (I sometimes use the Baker's Premium 70% dark melting chocolate squares ie 1 square = 1 ounce)

½ cup oil (canola)

½ cup unsweetened applesauce (smooth and not too thick – at room temperature)

1 tsp vanilla

2 eggs (lightly beaten – at room temperature)

Heat oven to 350oF.  Generously grease with butter (not oil) and line, with parchment paper, the bottom only of an 8 or 9 inch square pan.

In a bowl combine all the above ingredients (in the order listed is fine).

Stir until well blended. 

Pour batter mixture into prepared pan.

Bake at 350oF for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.  (I have a hot oven so I bake at 300oF/150oC for 40 minutes).

Ice with your favourite chocolate frosting.  Serve warm or cold with whipped cream.

See you at the next playgroup on Thursday, 14 October - THEME: COLOURS