Impress your mom with a home-baked cake

DEVONSHIRE CREAM CAKE 

This recipe comes from my college days and is a fave because it never fails and always looks impressive. It is a light-as-air sponge glued together with thick cream and drizzled with chocolate icing. Heavenly.

Ingredients:

5 extra-large eggs

200g (1 cup) caster sugar

Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

100g (¾ cup) cake flour

50g cornflour

pinch of salt

Filling:

250ml (1 cup) cream

80ml caster sugar

Topping:

40g cocoa powder

100g (¾ cup) icing sugar

Boiling water

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Spray a 23cm cake pan with cooking spray. Separate yolks from egg whites and beat the whites until stiff but not dry. Gradually beat in half the caster sugar.
2. In a separate bowl, beat egg yolks, lemon zest and juice until fluffy and light, then gradually beat in remaining sugar. Continue beating until mixture is thick and creamy.
3. Fold the egg white mixture into the yolk mixture. Sift the flour, cornflour and salt together twice, fold into the egg mixture, and then pour into the prepared tin. Bake for 40-60 minutes.
4. Remove from the oven and leave in tin for 5-10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and cool completely.
5. To make the filling, beat cream and caster sugar together until thick. Slice cake in half horizontally and sandwich  halves together with the cream.
6. To make the topping, sift together cocoa powder and icing sugar. Mix with a teaspoonful at a time of boiling water to get a fairly runny glaze. Stand to thicken slightly then pour over the cake, allowing the icing to drip down the sides.

PORTUGUESE ALMOND TART

This recipe comes from my friend, caterer Fatima Coelho, who specialises in Portuguese cuisine.

Ingredients:

6 extra-large eggs

200g soft butter

200g (1 cup) sugar

200g flour

100g ground almonds

2.5ml (½ tsp) baking powder

Pinch of salt

Milk, if necessary

Topping:

200g (1 cup) sugar

200g butter

250g chopped or slivered almonds

100ml milk

Method:

1. Place all the ingredients for the tart except the milk in a bowl and mix well. If necessary, add a little milk to make a soft dropping consistency. Spread into a 25cm loose-bottomed flan tin sprayed with cooking spray.
2. For the topping place the sugar, butter and almonds in a saucepan and stir over a medium heat. Be vigilant because it can burn quickly, and bring to the boil. Continue cooking until caramel in colour, then add the milk carefully, stirring all the time. Carefully pour the topping over the dough and bake at 180°C for 20-30 minutes.

BANANA GINGER LOAF WITH SALTY CARAMEL GLAZE

Banana loaf became a pandemic special when we were at home rediscovering the kitchen, and it became a favourite easy bake. This recipe, a twist on the original, includes ground and preserved ginger. If you prefer, leave them out.

Ingredients:

300g cake flour

20ml (4 tsp) ground ginger

5ml (1 tsp) ground cinnamon

5ml (1 tsp) mixed spice

12.5ml baking powder

Pinch of salt

200g soft butter

200g (1 cup) soft brown sugar

4 extra-large eggs

4 large bananas, well ripened and mashed

125ml (½ cup) milk

30ml (2 tbsp) ginger syrup

60ml (4 tbsp) chopped preserved stem ginger, chopper or 45ml (3 tbsp) glace ginger, chopped

Glaze:

60g butter

125ml (½ cup) sticky brown sugar

50ml fresh cream

500ml (2 cups) icing sugar, sifted

Sprinkling of coarse salt

Method:

1. Sift the flour, ginger, cinnamon, mixed spice, baking powder and salt together in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add the butter, brown sugar and eggs and beat thoroughly until well blended. Add bananas, milk and syrup and combine. Fold in chopped ginger.
2. Pour batter into a 10cm x 28cm loaf pan. Bake at 160°C for about 45-60 minutes. If the loaf browns too quickly, reduce temperature to 150°C.
3. Remove from the oven and cool in tin for 5-10 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.
4. For the glaze, combine the butter and brown sugar in a small pan and heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved and is caramel in colour. Remove from the heat and add the cream and icing sugar. Mix until smooth. Cool and spread over loaf. Sprinkle coarse salt on top and decorate with extra banana slices if desired.

CARROT CAKE

This perennial favourite is popular and loved by everyone, making it a good cake to spoil mom on Mother's Day. It's best made the day before as it will give the flavour time to  develop.

Ingredients:

3 extra-large eggs

200g (1 cup) caster sugar

100g (½ cup) light brown sugar

250ml (1 cup) sunflower oil

250ml (1 cup) canned crushed pineapple, well drained

3 carrots, peeled and finely grated 

1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled and finely grated

50g desiccated coconut

100g pecan nuts, chopped, plus extra

240g (2 cups) cake flour

10ml (2 tsp) bicarbonate of soda

5ml (1 tsp) baking powder

10ml (2 tsp) ground cinnamon

2.5ml (½ tsp) grated nutmeg

60g sultanas

Icing:

30ml softened butter

250g icing sugar, sifted

125g firm cream cheese (such as Lancewood or Philadelphia)

Zest of one orange

Method:

1. Place the eggs and both sugars into the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on high speed for 2 minutes. Add the oil and beat for another minute. Stir in the pineapple, carrots, apple, coconut and nuts. Mix well.
2. Sift dry ingredients together and add to carrot mixture with sultanas. Pour into greased ring pan and bake at 180°C for 60-80 minutes.
3. For the icing, combine the butter and icing sugar in a bowl and mix with a wooden spoon. Mix in cream cheese without over-mixing or it will become runny. Spread over cake and sprinkle with zest and extra nuts if desired.

BOILED FRUIT CAKE 

The beauty of a fruit cake is that it is a gift that lasts. It's also easy to make and if left standing  for a while the flavours will mingle and mature. 

Ingredients:

300g (1½ cups) brown sugar

375ml (1½ cups) water

750g mixed dried cake fruit

100g dried apricots, finely chopped

185g butter

10ml (2 tsp) bicarbonate of soda

185g glacé cherries

150g pecan nuts, chopped

75g preserved ginger, chopped

200g seeded dates, chopped

100g mixed glacé fruit, finely chopped

90ml (6 tbsp) brandy, plus extra or add apple juice for non-alcoholic version

3 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten

360g (3 cups) cake flour

15ml (3 tsp) baking powder

Generous pinch of salt

7.5ml (1½ tsp) ground cinnamon

5ml (1 tsp) ground ginger

7.5ml (1½ tsp) ground nutmeg

Method:

1. Combine the sugar, water, dried fruit, apricots, butter and bicarb in a large pan over medium heat until sugar has dissolved. Do not boil. Simmer for 20 minutes and cool.
2. Add the cherries, nuts, ginger, dates and glacé fruit to mixture and stir through the brandy. Add the eggs.
3. Sift dry ingredients together and add to boiled fruit mixture.
4. Prepare a 20cm or 23cm square or round tin by greasing and lining with non-stick baking paper. Line the outside with a couple of layers of newspaper (an already read Sunday Times, of course), and secure with string.
5. Spoon mixture into cake tin and bake at 150°C for 3-4 hours. Cool in tin for at least 15-20 minutes before removing to cooling rack. Pour over extra warmed brandy and cool completely. Cover with foil and store in airtight container.