Spiced Apple Celebration Cake

I have been making variations of this recipe for the last 5 or so years over the festive period, adapting it as I've gone. I always make it to share with the family and since we now have a coeliac in our midst I always use gluten-free flour but regular can also be used. This recipe has a wet batter so works particularly well with gluten-free flours, my brother gave it a 10/10 for 'mouth-feel' and hes known to be brutally honest when it comes to my baking. It could be decorated in a million different ways, Ive used fake trees, sledges, snowflakes and all kinds over the years but fancied something a little more understated this year. Ideal for making for New Years to have with a cuppa after the bells, this cake is one of the few fruit cakes around that tastes great as soon as its baked. If you are baking this gluten-free, be sure to check your baking powder is suitable and be aware of cross-contamination.

Ingredients:
200g butter - I use dairy-free
200g dark muscavado sugar
3 eggs
1 tbsp black treacle
200g self-raising flour - I use gluten-free
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp clove
1 tsp baking powder
2 eating apples (approx 100g each)
100g crystalised ginger
200g mixed dried fruit
2 sheets pre-rolled marzipan
2 sheets pre-rolled royal icing
1/2 jar apricot jam
food safe glitters

Method:

Preheat your oven to 180c fan and line two 20cm cake tins with a circle of baking paper in the base and butter up the sides.

Chop the apples into quarters and remove the cores before grating, leaving the skins on though I discard any skin that doesn't grate. Chop the pieces of ginger to roughly the same size as the rest of the dried fruit and put to one side with the apple.

Grab a large bowl and mix together the butter, sugar, treacle, flour, baking powder, eggs and spices to create a thick batter. Carefully fold in the apple, ginger and mixed fruit and stir until everything is combined. The mixture may look as if it has split slightly but don't worry, it bakes just fine.

Spoon half the mixture into each of the cake tins and bake for 45-55 minutes until they are dark golden, a skewer comes out clean and the cakes are pulling away from the sides of the tins. Carefully run a palette knife around the edges of the cakes to free them and turn out onto cooling racks. Remove the baking paper from the bases to stop the cakes sweating then place base down on the racks to cool.

Once the cakes are cool, pop the apricot jam into a pan over a low heat to soften and become slightly runny. Place the cakes on base boards or plates and spread the top and sides with a layer of the apricot jam. Carefully unroll the marzipan and lay over the top of the cake. Smooth the top down then work down the sides, pressing them to the cake before trimming off the excess. I have a smoothing tool which makes the process much easier but it can be done with your hands and a knife. Once the marzipan is smooth, place the icing over the top and repeat the smoothing and trimming process, tucking the cut edges gently under the cake for a smooth finish.

I used the leftover icing scraps to create stars which I then dusted with glitter for a festive finish. I then placed them on the cakes and gently pressed them into place.

When you make this, please take a picture and tag me using #diaryofadefectivehousewife.

Enjoy!

Butternut Squash and Garlic Mushroom Wellington

The current topic of conversation both in real life and on social media seems to be 'what are you having for Christmas dinner?' and while my family don't go down the traditional route, we had risotto last year, I wanted to create something semi-festive that was easy to make and felt like a proper treat. This wellington is rich and hearty without being heavy making it the ideal dish for days when eating is the main theme... this will either serve 2 or 4 people depending on portion size!

Ingredients:
1 butternut squash - try to pick one with a small seed area
1 roll puff pastry
2 red onions
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tbsp butter
400g mushrooms
4 - 6 large cloves garlic
salt and pepper
olive oil

Method: 

Preheat your oven to 200c fan and wash your squash. Chop the squash just above the seed area and take the top of the squash, cut it in half lengthways and coat with olive oil. Place on a baking tray and bake for 20 minutes until soft to the touch and the skin has turned golden. Peal the skin from the squash while its still hot and scoop out some of the flesh to create a channel down the length to hold the fillings then place to one side to cool.

While the squash is roasting, finely chop all the mushrooms and fry over a high heat in a tbsp of olive oil. Once the mushrooms have started to reduce, mince the garlic and add in with a generous helping of salt and pepper.

Slice the onions as finely as you can and fry over a low heat in the butter and nutmeg until soft and slightly caramelised.

Carefully unroll the puff pastry sheet then use a rolling pin to extend the dough to the edges of the parchment it comes on. Cut the sheet into quarters and then use scissors to cut the parchment along with the dough for easier handling.

Preheat your oven to 200c fan and lightly flour a baking tray. Place the squash halves on a chopping board with the hollows facing up. Carefully fill half the butternut squash with mushrooms and top with the caramelised onions then place one of the pastry sheets over the top. Peal off the baking paper and repeat the process with the other half of the squash. Place the baking tray over the top of the squash and carefully up end then so the pastry layer is now on the bottom. Take the remaining pastry and cover the squash, pulling the bottom piece up to create a sealed package.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown and flaky. I have served these with a quick onion gravy and green peas for lunch or as part of a roast with potatoes and green vegetables for dinner.

When you make this, please take a picture and tag me using #diaryofadefectivehousewife

Enjoy!

Christmas Swirls

I wanted to come up with something a little different this Christmas for family and friends and decided to blend cinnamon swirls and mince pies to make the ultimate Christmas treat. These buns smell incredible right from the start and taste even better. Ideal as a home-made gift, they are surprisingly easy to make. I spiced both the dough and the filling for the perfect festive flavour.

Ingredients:
Dough:
800g strong white flour
7g fast action yeast
1/2 tsp salt
100g caster sugar
500ml milk - I use soy
150g butter - I use dairy-free
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp cinnamon

Filling:
4 tbsp cinnamon
2 tsp ground cloves
2 tsp ground nutmeg
75g butter
75g caster sugar
10 tbsp mince meat

Method:
Place the milk and butter in a pan over a low heat and melt together until the milk is warm to the touch but not boiling. Place all the other ingredients dough ingredients into a large bowl keeping the salt and yeast apart. Pour over the melted butter and milk mixture and stir with a spatula until the dry and wet ingredients come together.

Turn the dough out onto a well floured surface and kneed for around 10 minutes until the dough is soft and pliable, feeling like the lobe of your ear! Place the dough to one side to rest.

Mash together remaining sugar, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves in a small bowl.

Take a large piece of baking parchment and lightly flour. Roll out the dough to around 50cm long, 25cm wide and 1cm thick. Spread the butter and sugar mixture evenly over the dough taking it right to the edges. I use my hands as it warms the butter and helps prevent the dough from tearing. Spread a thin layer of the mincemeat over the top.

Carefully roll the dough from the long edge, taking care to tuck the rolls over for a firm and neat swirl. Once a neat roll has been formed, take a sharp knife and cut the roll into 20 evenly sized pieces. Place these on a couple of lightly floured baking sheets and pop in a warm place to prove for at least 20 minutes.

Once the swirls have proved, placed in a preheated oven at 200c for 15 minutes until golden brown and springy to the touch.

Place on cooling racks with kitchen roll underneath to catch any melting sugar drips and leave to set.

When you make these, please take a picture and tag me using #diaryofadefectivehousewife

Enjoy!

Chocolate Cherry Brownies

The chocolate and cherry cupcakes I made in the run up to Christmas last year popped up on my timeline recently, reminding me what a fantastic flavour combination they are so I had to try to create a slightly festive and different take. These brownies mix a soft centre with generous pieces of cherry and subtle spicing to keep them seasonally appropriate. I've made these a few times now and everyone who has tried them has loved them. Really easy, this recipe would make a great holiday project with kids or a treat for friends at the end of the year. Apologies for my photography skills, the smell distracted me and I rushed the final pics so I could eat them!

Ingredients:
250g plain flour
350g demerara sugar
65g cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
250ml water
250ml vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tub glace cherries, halved

Method:

Preheat your oven to 160c fan and line a 30cm by 15cm baking tray with grease-proof paper. Place all of the ingredients, other than the cherries, into a large bowl and mix until a thick batter forms. It will look like something from a sci-fi movie to start with but I promise it does all mix together.

Add in the cherries and mix thoroughly to ensure they are evenly distributed through the batter. Pour into the baking tray and gently level the top with a spatula. Bake for 25-30 minutes until springy to the touch then allow to cool for 15-20 minutes in the tray before turning out and removing the paper and allowing to cool completely.

Portion the brownies as you wish then serve with a large cup of tea.

Enjoy!

When you make these, please take a picture and tag me using #diaryofadefectivehousewife

Spiced Stir-Fry Soup

This soup is one of my new favourite dishes when I want something quick and easy to throw together that is warm and comfy and healthy too. The combination of the fresh vegetables with a coconut-y, spiced broth makes this incredibly more-ish. This recipe takes around 20 minutes including prep time and serves 4 hungry people. It would work equally well with whatever veg is in the fridge needing used up.

Ingredients:
1 handful asparagus
1 handful mangetout
1 handful sugar-snap peas
1 medium carrot
1 handful tender-stem broccoli
1 handful baby corn
1 can water chestnuts
1 can bamboo shoots
1 can beansprouts
1 can coconut milk
1 tube lemongrass
1 tube garlic
1 tube ginger
1 handful button mushrooms
1 handful oriental mushrooms
2 rice noodle nests
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp soy sauce

Method:
Top and tail all of the vegetables and chop into bite sized pieces. Place a wok over a high heat and pop around 2 tbsp of olive oil in. Once the oil is hot, add the carrots and mushrooms and fry until starting to soften. Mix in the rest of the vegetables, water chestnuts, beansprouts and bamboo shoots then stir in the lemongrass, ginger and garlic and fry gently until everything is combined and starting to soften.

Add in the coconut milk and then refill the can with hot water and add this too. Place in the noodles and season with the sesame oil and soy sauce. Simmer until the noodles are cooked through, usually a couple of minutes. Add more soy sauce and sesame oil to taste then serve while hot.

Super simple, this recipe is sure to put a smile on anyones face.

When you make this, please take a picture and tag me using #diaryofadefectivehousewife

Enjoy!