Vintage Cakes
Page 7
5/ Pour into the prepared loaf tin, or spoon into the individual tins or loaf cases, filling each one just over half full. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour if making a large loaf or for 20–25 minutes if making small loaves. The banana bread is done when a metal skewer or sharp knife inserted into the centre comes out clean.
6/ Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool. If using metal tins, turn the loaves out when cool. If using disposable loaf cases, leave inside.
STORAGE: Banana bread is delicious warm from the oven, but keeps well for a couple of days if wrapped and stored in a cool place.
tea loaf
Looking through the list of ingredients for tea loaf (which is very similar to the vintage Welsh bara brith), you would be forgiven for thinking this recipe must turn out extremely plain and dull. But you would be wrong. Although it’s one of the most straightforward and economical cakes of all, it has a lovely texture and taste, slices beautifully and is delicious spread with butter and served with hot tea. It has been baked by many generations of frugal bakers, and is often associated with church or chapel high teas and funeral teas as it’s tasty and comforting, and doesn’t contain any alcohol. Ordinary tea is used for soaking the fruit, but you could experiment with more aromatic varieties such as Earl Grey or Lapsang Souchong.
FOR THE LOAF
375g mixed dried fruit and peel
250ml strained, cold tea (strong, no milk or sugar)
butter, for greasing
150g soft brown sugar or muscovado sugar (dark or light)
1 egg, lightly beaten
250g plain flour
1 heaped teaspoon baking powder
a pinch of mixed spice, grated nutmeg or ground cloves (optional)
grated zest of 1 lemon
YOU WILL NEED
a loaf tin, about 22 x 11 x 7cm, greased with butter and lined with baking parchment.
makes 1 large loaf (serves 8–10)
1/ Begin the night before. Put the dried fruit and cold tea in a mixing bowl. Cover and leave to soak overnight at room temperature.
2/ Next day, when you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 160°C (gas mark 3), and grease and line the loaf tin.
3/ Add the sugar and egg to the soaked fruit and mix well with a wooden spoon or flexible spatula. Sift in the flour, baking powder and spice (if using), and mix well until thoroughly combined.
4/ Spoon the mixture into the prepared loaf tin and level the surface with the back of the spoon. Bake in the centre of the oven for 1–1¼ hours until a metal skewer or sharp knife inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
5/ Transfer to a wire rack, and allow to cool before turning out of the tin. Serve in slices, with butter as an option.
STORAGE: Tea loaf keeps well for 2–3 days if wrapped in foil and stored in an airtight tin.
madeira cake
In days gone by, when cakes were plainer and simpler, Madeira cake was the ultimate in plain, simple, yet very good baking. Despite the name, the ingredients do not include Madeira. Rather, it was a cake that could be served mid-morning or mid-afternoon with a small glass of the sweet, fortified wine. The crack along the top of the cake is deliberate, and part of the distinctive appearance which suggests, correctly, lots of lovely butter and eggs. Old recipes suggest placing two long strips of candied lemon peel along the top of the cake midway through baking, which makes a delightful finishing touch.
FOR THE CAKE
175g soft butter, plus extra for greasing
175g caster sugar
250g plain flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
finely grated zest of ½ a lemon
4 eggs
2 strips of candied lemon peel, to decorate (optional)
YOU WILL NEED
a loaf tin, about 24 x 14 x 7cm, greased with butter and lined with baking parchment
makes 1 medium cake (serves 8–10)
1/ Preheat the oven to 160°C (gas mark 3).
2/ Put the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. With a wooden spoon or an electric whisk, cream them together until they are pale and fluffy.
3/ Sift the flour and baking powder into a small bowl. Add the lemon zest.
4/ Add the eggs to the butter and sugar mixture one by one, beating well after each addition. If the mixture splits (curdles), add a small amount of flour and carry on beating. When all the eggs have been incorporated, add the flour mix. With a large metal spoon, fold in well until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined. Spoon into the prepared tin and smooth the surface with the back of the spoon.
5/ Bake in the preheated oven for 55–60 minutes until well risen and firm to the touch, and a metal skewer or sharp knife inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. If you are using the strips of peel, place them along the centre of the cake after 40 minutes and continue baking. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool for 15 minutes before turning out of the tin.
STORAGE: Madeira cake doesn't necessarily need any accompaniment and is at its best when fresh and still faintly warm, but it will keep, wrapped in foil and stored in a cool place, for a couple of days.
swedish tosca cake
One of the most appealing aspects of Swedish life is the culture of coffee and cake, enjoyed in welcoming, warm cafés which are havens of plain, simple, but very tasty baking. Swedish tosca cake is one of the country’s best-loved cakes, enjoyed for its contrasting soft sweetness and nutty crunchiness. It’s typically Scandinavian: relaxed yet stylish, and well worth adopting.
FOR THE CAKE
4 eggs
200g caster sugar
200ml double cream
110g butter, melted then cooled, plus extra for greasing
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
250g plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
cream, softly whipped, to serve
FOR THE TOPPING
75g butter
75g caster sugar
50ml double cream
30g plain flour
100g flaked almonds
YOU WILL NEED
a 25cm round loose-bottomed or springform cake tin, greased with butter and lined with baking parchment
makes 1 very large cake (serves 12–16)
1/ Preheat the oven to 200°C (gas mark 6).
2/ Put the eggs and sugar into a large mixing bowl and mix for 8 minutes until pale, thick and creamy. Add the cream, melted butter and vanilla extract and fold in very gently with a large metal spoon.
3/ Sift in the flour and baking powder, and continue to fold in until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined.
4/ Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tin and gently level the surface with the back of the spoon. Put the cake in the preheated oven and set the timer for 30 minutes.
5/ While the cake is baking, make the topping. Put all of the topping ingredients into a saucepan and, stirring frequently, heat gently until the butter has melted and the ingredients are fully mixed.
6/ After 30 minutes’ baking, remove the cake from the oven or simply open the door and pull the rack out towards you so that you can spread the Tosca topping over the cake and then return it quickly to the oven. Continue to bake for a further 10–15 minutes or until the top is golden brown and lightly caramelised. Serve with softly whipped cream.
STORAGE: Swedish tosca cake is best on the day of making, but will keep for a couple of days if wrapped in foil and stored in an airtight tin in a cool place.
lardy cake
Lard gets a bad press these days, yet it is part of a long and proud baking heritage (many pastry-makers still swear by its lightness). Lardy cake is a very rich and sweet layered bread into which as much lard, sugar and dried fruit as possible is crammed. It is unashamedly calorific, an energy booster for tired workers and schoolchildren, a treat on high days and holidays. It may seem old-fashioned, but it remains popular in country town and village bakeries, and has even been served at Buckingham Palace garden parties. (You could substitute
the lard with butter, but the result wouldn’t be true lardy cake.)
FOR THE CAKE
1 x 7g sachet fast-action yeast or 1 dessertspoon dried yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
250ml milk (more if necessary)
500g strong white flour, plus extra for dusting
1 teaspoon salt
175g lard (or half and half lard and butter)
175g light soft brown sugar or light muscovado sugar
225g mixed dried fruit
caster sugar, for sprinkling
YOU WILL NEED
1 baking sheet, lined with baking parchment
makes 1 large cake (about 16 squares)
1/ Make a yeast starter following the instructions on page 17. Put the remaining 400g flour and the salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the yeast liquid and with your hand bring the ingredients together into a soft, lightly sticky dough, adding more milk if necessary to get a soft consistency that will be easy to knead.
2/ Turn out onto a floured work surface and knead for 4–5 minutes until the dough is smooth and pliable, and starts to feel slightly clammy. Form into a ball. Lightly oil the mixing bowl (no need to wash before doing this) and return the dough to the bowl. Roll the ball round the bowl to ensure it picks up a very light coating of oil. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and leave to rise in a warm, draught-free place for 1½–2 hours until doubled in size (the time taken depends on the room temperature).
3/ Prepare the remaining ingredients. Cut the lard into small cubes. Toss the sugar and dried fruit together in a small bowl.
4/ With a floured hand, knock back the dough and turn out onto a floured work surface. Roll out into a large rectangle just under 1cm thick. Sprinkle two-thirds of the dough with one-third of the fruit and sugar mix and dot a third of the lard cubes over the top. Now lift up the uncovered third and fold over so that it covers the middle third of the dough, then lift up the remaining covered third and fold over the top. Give a quarter (90°) turn, roll out again to a large rectangle, pressing firmly to embed the fruit and lard in the dough, and repeat the scattering and folding action. Give another quarter turn and repeat the rolling, scattering and folding. Now roll out to fit the baking sheet.
5/ Leave to rise in a gently warm but not very warm place for 30–45 minutes. (If too hot, the lard will melt and result in an unpleasantly heavy cake.) While the lardy cake is rising, preheat the oven to 200°C (gas mark 6).
6/ Bake in the preheated oven for 35–40 minutes until brown and well risen. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool for a few minutes before turning upside down on the baking sheet so that the melted lard penetrates all the layers. When cool, turn back the right way up and sprinkle generously with caster sugar.
STORAGE: Lardy cake is best eaten very fresh and on the day of making.
pain d'épices
Pain d’épices, or spice bread, is a traditional French cake-bread famed for its heady mix of spice and honey. It’s made to a very traditional recipe and is particularly, and fondly, associated with Christmas and the pleasures of festive baking. Pain d’épices is different to many other European gingerbreads in that it is made with rye flour and only a small amount of sugar, so is dark, firm and quite plain. It slices and toasts well, and is often served with jam for breakfast.
FOR THE CAKE
400g plain flour
75g rye flour
20g baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
spice: ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ground allspice, 1 teaspoon ginger, a generous pinch each of ground cloves and ground cardamom OR use up to a total of 4 teaspoons of a mixture of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves or cardamom according to taste and preference
50g soft dark brown sugar
finely grated zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon (unwaxed or well washed)
300ml clear, runny honey
150ml milk
50g butter, melted, plus extra for greasing
1 egg, lightly beaten
YOU WILL NEED
a loaf tin, about 24 x 14 x 7cm, greased with butter and lined with baking parchment
makes 1 large loaf (serves 12–14)
1/ Preheat the oven to 180°C (gas mark 4).
2/ Put the flours, baking powder, salt, spices, sugar, orange and lemon zest into a large mixing bowl. Put the honey, milk, melted butter and egg in a large jug and stir gently to mix.
3/ Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add the liquids. Mix well with a wooden spoon or flexible spatula, until the ingredients are thoroughly and evenly combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the surface with the back of a large spoon.
4/ Bake in the preheated oven for 60–70 minutes until the loaf is well risen, springy to the touch, cracked along its top, and a metal skewer or sharp knife inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool for 15 minutes before turning out of the tin.
5/ When completely cool, wrap in foil and store in a cool place until you are ready to serve it.
STORAGE: Pain d'épices can be eaten on the day of making, but the flavour and texture develop over the course of 2–4 days.
treacle cake
Treacle has been used in cake-making ever since sugar has been refined on an industrial scale. Its blackness, stickiness and burnt-toffee taste have been used to great effect in dark, dense, spicy cakes that improve with age. Although it’s not as popular as it once was, treacle is still a mainstay of the vintage kitchen, and its distinctive taste and unique consistency feature in various treacly treats and cakes that are perfect for cold, winter days.
FOR THE CAKE
120g soft butter, plus extra for greasing
120g soft light brown sugar
2 eggs
250g black treacle
3 pieces of candied stem ginger in syrup, drained and finely chopped (optional)
180g plain flour
1½ teaspoons ground ginger
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
2 tablespoons lukewarm milk
YOU WILL NEED
a 20cm square cake tin, greased with butter and lined with baking parchment
makes 1 medium cake (16 squares)
1/ Preheat the oven to 150°C (gas mark 2).
2/ Put the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. With a wooden spoon or an electric whisk, cream them together until they are pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one by one, beating well after each addition.
3/ Measure in the treacle and add the chopped stem ginger (if using). Stir to mix. Sift in the flour and ground ginger.
4/ Mix the bicarbonate of soda with the milk and add to the bowl. Lightly mix all of the ingredients together with a large metal spoon or flexible spatula, to give a thick batter. Spoon the batter into the prepared tin. Level the surface with the back of the spoon or spatula.
5/ Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour until shiny on the surface and a metal skewer or sharp knife inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
6/ Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool before turning out of the tin. When cold, wrap in greaseproof paper or aluminium foil and store in an airtight tin. Cut into squares just before serving.
STORAGE: This cake keeps well for 4–5 days and improves with time.
kugelhopf
The shape of this cake has been the same since the 16th century, but the spelling has changed, and continues to be a matter of debate depending on where in Europe you are (although the Kugelhopf is still most closely associated with the Alsace region of France). The shape comes from the special fluted ring mould with a central funnel which ensures the cake is evenly cooked. (It is similar to a Bundt tin; a type of tin now widely available in shops). Although some versions are plain and simple, and some are yeast-risen while others rely on baking powder, this recipe includes butter, sugar, eggs and alcohol-soaked raisins, and makes a lightly sweet and subtly enriched cake that can be served with coffee at any time of the day, breakfast included.
/> FOR THE CAKE
150g sultanas
2 tablespoons brandy or kirsch (optional)
500g strong white flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 x 7g sachet fast-action yeast
grated zest of 1 lemon (unwaxed or well washed)
225–250ml milk
125g soft butter, plus extra melted butter for greasing
125g caster sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
icing sugar, for dusting
YOU WILL NEED
a 23–25cm Bundt or Kugelhopf tin (round, with a hole in the middle)
makes 1 large cake (serves 10–12)
1/ In a small bowl, mix the sultanas in the alcohol (if using) and set aside to soak.
2/ Put the flour, salt, yeast and lemon zest in a large mixing bowl and stir to mix. Gently heat the milk to blood temperature.
3/ Put the butter and sugar in a separate bowl. With a wooden spoon or an electric whisk, cream them together until they are pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one by one, beating well after each addition. Pour in 225ml of the lukewarm milk, add the soaked sultanas and stir to mix.
4/ Add the liquid mix to the dry flour and yeast mix. With a flexible spatula or wooden spoon, mix well for a minute. The dough will come together and will be very sticky. If it seems too dry, add a little more milk. Mix well until all the ingredients are combined. Cover with clingfilm or a damp tea towel and leave in a warm, draught-free place to rise for 2 hours or until it has doubled in size.
5/ Grease the cake tin by brushing it with melted butter.
6/ Knock back the dough and knead for a minute. Transfer to the greased baking tin, pressing the dough in evenly and levelling the surface. Cover again with clingfilm or a damp cloth and leave to rise for an hour. Preheat the oven to 180°C (gas mark 4).
7/ Bake in the preheated oven for 45–50 minutes until well risen and golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool for 10 minutes before carefully turning out of the tin. When cool, dust with icing sugar.
STORAGE: Kugelhopf is at its best on the day of making and does not keep well. It is delicious on its own or sliced and spread with butter.