0 Spicy persimmon bundt cake

A few weeks ago I purchased 3 persimmons which were on special offer in my local market, these beautiful orange fruit are the unsung hero in this bake as they provide moisture and succulence, although you would never know they were there. Perfect for a wintery evening the spicing really lifts this bake and well worth the wait whilst the fruit was ripening.

What you need

• 3 persimmons - peeled and pureed
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 115g butter
• 200g light brown sugar
• 350g plain flour
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• Icing sugar and water to making glace icing

What you do

• Pre heat the oven to 180c
• Oil spray the bundt tin throughly
• Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy
• Add the bicarbonate of soda to the persimmon puree, it will jellify don't be alarmed
• Add the puree plus the other ingredients (except the icing sugar) to the sugar and butter
• Mix until you have a smooth mixture, sppon into the prepared bundt tin
• Smooth level 
• Bake for 40 -45 minutes, until risen and tested cooked with a skewer
• Cool fully in the tin on a wire rack
• Once cool, a sharp inversion of the tin should release the cake
• Ice when cool, using a drizzle technique.

I have just spotted that the theme for Love Cake for January 2015 is "Feeling Fruity" so I am linking up this post to this challenge. This is hosted over at Jibberjabber

                                  

Detail: Spicy persimmon bundt cake

0 Yogurt baby bundt cake - gluten free

One of my favourite all time recipes is a delightfully simple yogurt loaf cake which is so simple that you don't even need scales. When I went gluten free I had doubts that this recipe would convert well to being made with non wheat flour, how wrong was I !

With a couple of little tweaks this recipe has successfully made the switch to gluten free, the recipe makes 2 x 2lb tin loaves, or one 2lb tin loaf and a small bundt cake. You now have a cake for the freezer, and one on ice for if you ever need a quick cake when guests arrive with little notice. Its really difficult to tell that this cake is gluten free, its not gritty or grainy unlike other recipes.

So here's the tweaked recipe

What you need

• 1 pot of yogurt (plain, vanilla, lemon, strawberry whatever you like)
• 3 pots of gluten free self raising flour (or plain with 2 tsp baking powder)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 pots of caster sugar
• 1 pot of vegetable oil ( I use coconut oil or sunflower)
• 3 eggs - free range
• 1/2 tsp xanthum or guar gum (not absolutely necessary but helps crumb structure)
• 2 x 2lb loaf tins lined or 1 loaf tin and one small bundt tin oiled

What you do 

• Mix all ingredients together until you have a smooth batter, its really easy in a mixer
• Pour into prepared tins and smooth level
• Bake in a pre heated oven at 170c for about 45 minutes until golden and well risen
• Cool in the tins, to remove bundt upend tin gingerly with a gentle tap and the cake should release.
• I iced the bundt using a simple glace icing - using sieved icing sugar and water, I then sprinkled with freeze dried raspberries.

Detail: Yogurt baby bundt cake - gluten free

0 Nordic ware bundt baking tester

I decided to treat myself this month after seeing Jo Wheatley winner of the Great British Bake Off a couple of years ago singing the praises of this little gadget on facebook. So I promptly placed it on my Amazon wishlist, for there it to sit for a couple of months.

I am not really a fan of purchasing through Amazon for a variety of reasons but I happened to have a gift voucher to spend plus I hadn't seen this gadget for sale in any of the kitchen shops I visit in my area, so I took the plunge and ordered it on line.
                                                

I have now had this little dinky blue stick for a couple of weeks and its turning out to be a valuable gadget to have in the kitchen, as a keen baker the last thing I want is an underbaked cake.

Nordic ware are an American company world famous for their range of bundt tins but you don't need to be baking a bundt to make use of this tester, you just plunge the tip into your cake for 5 seconds and if the tip turns bright red your cake is done, obviously you don't want to be testing the cake until its ready, the rule I use is not to open the oven door until at least 3/4's of the baking time has passed. Its easy to use and so far hasn't let me down.

                                           
                           
The opinions expressed in the post are my own and I have not be paid for this post, I purchased the item from my own funds.

Detail: Nordic ware bundt baking tester