Angel Snow Globe Cake with Brandy Butter Frosting

Angel Snow Globe Cake with Brandy Butter Frosting

by | Dec 9, 2015 | 0 comments

One of my favourite parts about Christmas, is putting up the Christmas tree. While the rest of my family seems to be totally over the novelty, my sister and I still keep up the tradition. Our tree isn’t just any old plastic jobby though, since my parents live on a farm, we make a mission into the pine forest to pick the perfect tree – which often involves heated debates on what exactly the ‘perfect’ tree is, but always involves us bringing home one that is WAY too big (hey, they look a lot smaller in a forest, okay!).  I always end up covered in tree gum, my mom always moans about the pine needles that fall everywhere, finding a pot big enough to put the darn thing in is impossible and of course, by the time you string the fairy lights up, you realise that in the past year they’ve stopped working. But all of that is completely forgotten when my favourite moment arrives and I get to climb up on a ladder and put the angel right on the tippy top of the tree.

So, if an angel can make a plain old tree special, just imagine what it can do on top of a cake! I decided to appropriately put this angel on top of a spiced angel food cake, which is really light, airy and not very sweet – basically the opposite of traditional fruit cake – but of course, this idea would look equally as gorgeous on whatever cake you decide to serve this year. Just make sure that when you serve it, you dust the snow globe with icing sugar at the table – then just wait for everyone to go ‘Oooooooh!’

Of course, it wouldn’t be Christmas without surprises so I stuffed some pretty gold-wrapped chocolate balls in the middle (come on, I had to find a way of incorporating chocolate somehow!) so that when you slice the cake open, they tumble out and your guests are wow’ed again and go ‘Aaaaaaaah!’

Angel Snow Globe Cake with Brandy Butter Frosting

Serves 8-10

ANGEL CAKE

12 egg whites, at room temperature

1 tsp cream of tartar

275g Natura Golden Caster Sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

150g cake flour

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp mixed spice

BRANDY BUTTER ICING

170g butter, softened

255g Natura Demerara Icing Sugar, sifted plus extra for dusting

4 tbsp brandy

Gold-wrapped chocolate balls or other sweets, for filling

Angel and glass dome, to decorate

Chiffon cake tin

Preheat the oven to 180C. Do not grease or line the chiffon cake tin – this helps the cake stay light and fluffy (I promise the cake won’t stick!) Place the egg whites and cream of tartar in an electric mixer and whisk until soft peaks form. Gradually add half of the sugar and all the vanilla and whisk until glossy and thick. Sift together the flour, spices and remaining sugar twice and then gently fold through. Spoon into the ungreased chiffon cake tin and smooth the top with a palette knife. Bake for 30 minutes or until the cake comes away from the sides and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Turn the cake upside down onto a cooling rack and allow to cool for 1 hour. Remove the cake from the tin and set aside.

Make the frosting by whipping the butter, icing sugar and brandy together until light and fluffy.To assemble the cake, place it on a cake stand then fill the middle with the chocolate balls or sweets. Frost the top with the brandy butter icing then dust liberally with icing sugar. Place an angel decoration in the centre and cover with a glass dome.

TIP You’re wondering about the dome though, aren’t you? They are so easy to find! Most decor shops or florists have them (the one’s with the hole in the front which you can hang up are perfect for placing over the angel!). But if you have a beautiful glass dome, or an upturned round tumbler it will have the same effect.

Muscovado Pecan Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Muscovado Pecan Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

by | Aug 27, 2015 | 6 comments

I thought it was about time for another epic cake.  If I could, I would just create OMG cakes all day long, but then they wouldn’t be special, right? And boy is this one special. See how many words are in the title? Life tip: when you see a cake with THAT many delicious things in it’s name, you know it’s going to be gooooooood. Just look at it… *moment of silence, please*

A cake this beautiful always has a muse and my muse for this one was real, proper Muscovado sugar.
I’ve only recently discovered the world of proper unrefined sugar. Until now, I’ve kind of just thought that sugar is well, sugar; although it comes in different forms which can alter the texture of baked goodies it really just adds sweetness, not flavour.
That was until I spotted a new Dark Muscovado sugar made in Mauritius by a brand called Natura Sugars. I brought it home, and ended up eating it straight out the bag, with a spoon. It is THAT good. Rich, dark, complex and dusky.

Remember when you discovered proper dark chocolate for the first time? This is like that. The real friggin’ deal. A total game-changer.

My general motto in life, is that if something tastes good on a spoon, it automatically tastes good in anything else. And this cake once again, proves my hypothesis (woah big word alert). The sugar takes it to a whole different level.

FYI ‘Muscovado’ means ‘unrefined’ in Spanish – although in Spanish they say ‘Mascabado’ – and Muscovado sugar was first crafted in Latin America several centuries ago.

 So, with my muse selected, I set out to create a cake to show off all the complex flavours of dark and light Muscovado sugar. Spices. Pecan nuts. Butter (always butter). A bit of cream cheese – okay, a lot of cream cheese,  and, of course, there had to be a Muscovado glaze; drippy cake glazes are, like, so in right now.
Sorry, but it’s hard to care about cake decorating trends when you know the cake is so delicious it’s not going to last long enough to be Instagrammed! 😉

Muscovado Cake with Pecans, Cream Cheese Frosting and Muscovado Glaze

Serves 8-10

 

4 large eggs

220g Natura Light Muscovado sugar

120ml buttermilk

120g butter, melted

1 tsp vanilla extract

280g cake flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground allspice

1 tsp salt

100g pecan nuts, finely chopped

 

Cream Cheese Frosting

50g Natura Dark Muscovado sugar

500g Natura Demerara Icing Sugar, sifted

100g butter, softened

250g full fat cream cheese*

 

Muscovado Glaze

50g Light Muscovado Sugar

50g Dark Muscovado Sugar

75g butter

125ml cream

 

To Serve

Crushed shortbread (I used chocolate-coated shortbread balls too)

Candied pecan nuts, crushed

Pecan praline shards (see Tip)

 

Preheat oven to 170 degrees celcius. Grease and line 4 x 20cm sandwich cake tins (or use two and slice the cake in half). In a stand mixer, whip the eggs and sugar until very light (almost white), thick and fluffy.  In a separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk, oil and vanilla.  Pour this mixture into the egg mixture. Sift together the remaining dry ingredients and fold into the creamed mixture along with the chopped pecan nuts. Divide the batter between the cake tins and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the sponge is golden brown on top and bounces back when pressed lightly.  Allow the cakes to cool completely, upside down, before unmoulding.  For the frosting, cream the butter, Muscovado and Demerara Icing sugar until light and very fluffy. Add the cream cheese and whip until very fluffy. To make the glaze, combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan and stir until dissolved. Then bring to the boil and simmer for 1 minute then set aside and allow to cool. Assemble the cake by layering the cake with the cream cheese frosting. To make layering easier, freeze the layers for 20-30 minutes before you begin assembling, this will make the cake more rigid and keep the frosting in place. Frost the sides of the cake, drizzle with the glaze, then decorate with pecan nuts, shortbread and extra frosting piped on top.

 

TIP If you’d like to create the pecan shards, place 1 cup of light Muscovado sugar in a saucepan with 1 tbsp water and simmer until melted and caramelized. Pour over a handful of pecan nuts scattered on a greased and lined baking tray. Allow to cool completely then break into shards. I also crushed some to toss onto the side of the cake.

This post has been sponsored by Natura Sugars who produce a range of really special sugars that are unrefined and made according to traditional Mauritian sugar-making techniques. The sugars are non-GM, non-irradiated and unbleached with no preservatives, colourants or syrups added which basically means they are pure, natural and packed with flavour! 

Chocolate Marshmallow Log (Flourless)

Chocolate Marshmallow Log (Flourless)

by | Jun 12, 2015 | 1 comment

This is an ode to the fabulosity that is the Chocolate Log; that delicious wafer-marshmallow-chocolate bar that is so deeply intrenched into each of our childhood’s. Those not from here, they just don’t get it. They don’t understand the utter joy in biting into a super-fresh chocolate log (you know the one’s when the wafer is still crispy?) or digging out the filling with your finger before eating the chocolate coating. And of course, there’s licking the squished marshmallow off the wrapper (and hoping no one will see and judge you for it). I’ve also just discovered that the serious chocolate log connoisseurs out there actually freeze the bar first, taking the squishy marshmallow to even gooier heights!

This cake is by no means a replacement for the real thing, but it is almost as delicious! The gooey marshmallow filling is there (I’ve toasted it for added oomph), so is the chocolate coating – and the wafers – all wrapped up in a flourless light-as-air chocolate swiss roll.
If making your own marshmallow is too much effort, simply melt store-bought white marshmallows with a little water then spread that over. I won’t tell if you don’t.

Chocolate Marshmallow Log

Serves 8-10

 

Chocolate log:

6 eggs (separated)

150g castor sugar

50g cocoa

1 tsp vanilla extract

The Kate Tin Cocoa Powder, for dusting

 

Marshmallow filling:

4 egg whites

1 cup (250ml) castor sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

 

Chocolate glaze:

55g The Kate Tin Dark or Milk Baking Chocolate

1/4 cup (60ml) cream

2 tbsp (30ml) golden syrup or honey

1 tsp vanilla extract

Chocolate wafer biscuits, to garnish

 

To make the Swiss roll: Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a large baking sheet with baking paper. In a large, clean bowl whisk the egg whites until thick and stiff, then slowly whisk in 1/4 cup of castor sugar. In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks and the remaining castor sugar until the mixture is very thick and pale (about 10 minutes). Fold in the vanilla and sifted cocoa powder. Lightly whisk 1/3 of the whipped egg whites into the egg yolk mix to lighten it, then fold the remaining egg whites in, taking care to knock as little air out as possible. Pour the cake batter into the lined baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until springy to the touch. While the sponge is baking, prepare the marshmallow frosting. Place the egg whites in a large glass or metal bowl and set over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Using a hand beater, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks, then slowly start sprinkling in the sugar. Whisk the meringue until it is warm to the touch, then remove from the heat, add the vanilla and beat until cool. Remove the cake from the oven ad allow it to cool a little before turning it out onto another piece of baking parchment which has been dusted in cocoa powder. Make the glaze by combining all the ingredients in a bowl, microwave until the chocolate is melted and the glaze is smooth. Cool to room temperature before drizzling over the log. Top the chocolate log with remaining marshmallow frosting and sprinkle with chopped up wafers or chocolate wafer bars. To assemble, place the cake with the short side closest to you, then spread with the marshmallow, leaving a border at the end furthest from you. If you want, you can toast the marshmallow using a blow torch (or place under a very hot grill) until golden brown. Roll the cake up tightly, trim off the ends if necessary and dust with cocoa powder.

Chai Cupcakes with Marshmallow Frosting

Chai Cupcakes with Marshmallow Frosting

by | Apr 28, 2013 | 0 comments

Sugar and spice and all things nice – that’s what the best cupcakes are made of!  While baking a test batch of vanilla cupcakes this week for a dear friend and bride-to-be I couldn’t resist whipping in a sprinkling of spice. Since my two whirlwind work trips of the ‘Spice Islands’; Seychelles and Zanzibar (which both happened in the space of 4 weeks – I know, I’m such a jet setter!), I’ve found my spice drawer overflowing with the most beautiful cinnamon quills, nutmegs, cloves, cardamom, juicy vanilla pods and white peppercorns.

The markets in Zanzibar and Seychelles are packed with spice stalls and the heady aroma hangs in the thick humid air – it’s intoxicating! The vendors all haggle for your attention and you’re encouraged to get the best bargain whether it be in Seychelles rupees, Zanzibar shillings or dollars. Compared to Seychelles, the spice sellers of Zanzibar are far more persistent and I found myself purchasing spices I didn’t even need just so we could continue our tv shoot in peace!

Chai cupcakes with marshmallow frosting

The cinnamon quills were my favourite treasure – long, golden and perfectly curled they’re unlike anything we get here in South Africa. Cinnamon is actually one of the spices first used in antiquity (along with frankincense and myrrh) which of course only adds to it’s charm. I love how it laces everything it’s added to with a deep warmth. Vanna Bonta said it perfectly; ‘Cinnamon bites and kisses simultaneously’. And I don’t know about you, but I quite like the idea of being kissed by a cupcake!

Chai Cupcakes with Marshmallow Frosting

Makes 12

 

125g butter

150g castor sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

1 cup self-raising flour

1/2 cup milk

1 tsp chai spice*

 

Marshmallow frosting

2 egg whites

1/2 cup caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

 

Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla together until light and fluffy. Gradually add the eggs and beat well. Sift over the flour and spices and beat again. Spoon into a muffin tin lined with cupcake wrappers and bake at 180C for 12-15 minutes or until golden and a skewer comes out clean.

Make the frosting by whisking the egg whites in a heatproof bowl until soft peak stage. Add castor sugar and whisk over simmering water until the meringue is hot to the touch. Remove from the heat and beat on high with a hand mixer until cool. Whip in the vanilla. Place in a piping bag and pipe onto cupcakes immediately.

 

TIP To make the chai spice mix, combine 1 tsp each of ground cinnamon and cardamom then add 1/2 tsp ground ginger, 1/4 tsp each of ground cloves, ground nutmeg and ground white pepper. Store in a sealed jar. I like to grind the whole spices myself in a spice grinder or pestle and mortar as the flavour is far more punchy than the store-bought ground stuff.