A dacquoise is a wonderful dessert in its own right. I made this one for my partner’s birthday cake as a more dessert-type feel was wanted. Continue reading “Strawberry & lemon dacquoise: with a cheat’s version!”
Tag: Cake
Earl Grey Tea cupcakes: cupcakes with attitude!
Cupcakes need two key things to work, in my opinion: a light and nicely flavoured sponge and a very well-flavoured, not-too-sweet icing that melts in the mouth. Continue reading “Earl Grey Tea cupcakes: cupcakes with attitude!”
Creating a basic recipe index for a food blog
After over two years of blogging my recipes, I have finally got round to doing a full recipe index: something I have been meaning to do for ages! Continue reading “Creating a basic recipe index for a food blog”
Salted mocha & walnut battenberg cake
This is a return to the classic Battenberg, a cake that is right up there in my list of top 5 cakes. Continue reading “Salted mocha & walnut battenberg cake”
Oscars-themed drip cake: “death by Chocolat”
My first real “drip cake”, this was made for recent Clandestine Cake Club meeting, with the theme being a cake with a take on Oscar-winning films……. Continue reading “Oscars-themed drip cake: “death by Chocolat””
Raspberry cascade cake
With baking I am a firm believer that simplicity, done well, can often give the best results. And while I occasionally go for over-the-top-looking creation with cakes, for me it really is flavour that is has to be at the heart of the cake: after all, once a cake has been cut into and has lost some of the visual appeal, you want the flavour to carry on the joy. Continue reading “Raspberry cascade cake”
Lemon drizzle cake
While it is always a joy to making more elaborate cakes for friends and family, I love the total simplicity of a drizzle cake: no fuss, tangy, very moreish and so perfect with a cup of tea! And a slice of it eaten on a dreary day instantly evokes summer days for me! Continue reading “Lemon drizzle cake”
Glazed Fruit & nut vegan Christmas cake
I adapted a standard fruit cake recipe to make it vegan for a Cake Club evening with the theme: “A vegan Christmas”. Continue reading “Glazed Fruit & nut vegan Christmas cake”
Black forest gateau with caramel glazed cherries
Another version of my favourite over-the-top dessert cake; although I am well aware I have blogged about a few Black Forest Gateaux I have made, with little tweaks to the recipes here and there! I still argue, though, that a good Black Forest Gateau is a joy to eat in all of its retro kitsch-ness! Continue reading “Black forest gateau with caramel glazed cherries”
My ultimate rich fruit cake
This is an easy fruit cake to make, that is quick to mix together. It has bags of flavour, with the warming spice and little bursts of moist fruit. Continue reading “My ultimate rich fruit cake”
Stem ginger & lime cake
This cake is one I never tire of making and it always gives me a great sense of comfort each time I make it. The sweet heat of the ginger and the zingy lime work together effortlessly to give a cake that I think can brighten up any day! Continue reading “Stem ginger & lime cake”
Raspberry & dark chocolate cake
This is one of my favourite cakes in terms of flavour (luscious chocolate and sharp raspberry- wonderful). Continue reading “Raspberry & dark chocolate cake”
Dark chocolate & orange gateau
Made for the Macmillan Coffee Morning, this cake is a chocolate Victoria Sandwich cake that had been flavoured with grated orange zest. Continue reading “Dark chocolate & orange gateau”
Mocha & salted caramel Angel food cake
This is my take on the divine Angel food cake, a cake that is like eating sweet clouds! Continue reading “Mocha & salted caramel Angel food cake”
Chocolate & Orange Battenberg Cake
When I make a Battenberg cake I usually I go for a coffee and walnut one: my favourite cake flavours! This time, though, I’ve gone for orange and dark chocolate. Continue reading “Chocolate & Orange Battenberg Cake”
Very easy cherry & chocolate brownies
At the risk of blowing my own trumpet, I would claim these to be among the best brownies you can eat. I would be be so proud to serve these to anyone….if I don’t eat them first! Continue reading “Very easy cherry & chocolate brownies”
Gluten-free Victoria Sandwich Cake
This is very much a quick, no-frills affair: simplicity with a great flavour. Continue reading “Gluten-free Victoria Sandwich Cake”
Black Forest Gateau with chocolate cherry mirror glaze (Gluten-free)
My current version of Black Forest Gateau, or “cake in drag” as Victoria Wood so deliciously put it, is way over-the-top for sure in terms of the adult flavours…..but I make no apologies for that, as it is an adult dessert cake! Continue reading “Black Forest Gateau with chocolate cherry mirror glaze (Gluten-free)”
Coffee Dacquoise with caramelised hazelnuts
I ate a stunning Dacquoise in a pâtisserie in France very recently and I couldn’t wait to put my spin on it when recreating it back home. Crisp toasted hazelnut meringue layers are sandwiched together with a truly melt-in-the-mouth coffee buttercream, and it is topped with a very simple shiny chocolate glaze. Continue reading “Coffee Dacquoise with caramelised hazelnuts”
Mini Gluten-free Pistachio Fraisiers using left-overs!
Further to posting my version of a large Fraisier a few weeks ago, I decided to make another large one for this month’s Clandestine Cake Club – this time going for a gluten-free version. And with left over elements, I also went for mini Fraisiers. Continue reading “Mini Gluten-free Pistachio Fraisiers using left-overs!”
Pistachio & lemon Fraisier cake
This Fraisier is a slight variation on the classic recipe, using a pistachio joconde sponge, sprinkled liberally with Amaretto, and a thin layer of pistachio ganache. A fragrant crème mousseline, subtly flavoured with lemon, envelops the strawberries, and the cake is topped with a thin layer of a tangy strawberry jelly glaze. Continue reading “Pistachio & lemon Fraisier cake”
Passion fruit & raspberry swiss roll with passion fruit ganache
When I make patterned Swiss Rolls and other sponges there has to be flavour in the colours and patterns. For patterns, I tend to go for simplicity: usually spots or stripes, but occasionally I go for fancy shapes or lettering across the Swiss Roll. However, stripes are certainly my most common choice. Continue reading “Passion fruit & raspberry swiss roll with passion fruit ganache”
Chocolate praline dessert cake
A very indulgent chocolate cake, which is great either eaten as a dessert or at any time! Continue reading “Chocolate praline dessert cake”
Orange & cardamom drizzle cakes
These simple mini drizzle cakes are very light and moist, with a rich orange flavour and just a hint of cardamom. The marmaladey orange zest on top, combined with the slightly soured cream, results in what I think is a very more-ish cake. This cake is great cut small to be served as petits fours or made more substantial as a cake to be served with tea. Continue reading “Orange & cardamom drizzle cakes”
Chocolate & raspberry Halloween eyeball cake!!
A somewhat grotesque cake for a Halloween event at school: light chocolate Genoise sponge, sandwiched together with a light, moussey chocolate Italian buttercream and a few fresh raspberries. The cake is surrounded by a thin, crisp tempered chocolate “cobweb”. Continue reading “Chocolate & raspberry Halloween eyeball cake!!”
Mango and lime “egg cup” desserts
Post updated April 2017: recipe slightly tweaked and re-photographed.
I have seen this sort of sweet dessert with sponge and various goodies such as mousse inside an egg shell, although often it is served in the actual egg shell. However, I wanted the whole thing to be edible so I decided to make a light dessert in a crisp white chocolate shell. Continue reading “Mango and lime “egg cup” desserts”
Tips for making & decorating cakes
I’m a firm believer that cake should be enjoyed without any hint of guilt whatsover.
This post gives key tips for making several types of cake successfully, along with recipes for cakes and icings, troubleshooting and general ideas for decorating. I have also given the quantities needed to make a Victoria Sandwich cake for different sized tins. Continue reading “Tips for making & decorating cakes”
Opera Gateau: coffee, chocolate & rum flavour
The last time I made an Opera Gateau I went for layers of sponge brushed with lime syrup and rum, ginger & lemongrass buttercream and passionfruit with white chocolate ganache: this time I went for the more classic Opera Gateau using layers of coffee & rum soaked sponge, coffee buttercream and dark chocolate ganache. Continue reading “Opera Gateau: coffee, chocolate & rum flavour”
Joconde Imprime Fruit Mousse Entremets
Although I have made joconde sponge before, I had never made a joconde imprime (a sponge design baked into a sponge) so this was an exciting first for me. Continue reading “Joconde Imprime Fruit Mousse Entremets”
Mini Victoria Sandwich Cakes
These are small-scale versions of possibly THE most classic cake. I love to serve them as part of an Afternoon Tea or just as they are, devouring them while watching television! Continue reading “Mini Victoria Sandwich Cakes”
Hobbit House Cake
This hobbit house comes complete with productive garden and lake. A bountiful feast of fruit and vegetables including radishes, turnips, watermelons, cabbages, cauliflower and carrots might keep the hobbit going for a couple of meals! Continue reading “Hobbit House Cake”
Raspberry and white chocolate Wedding Cake
I had already made and posted a “trial run” of the main cake for my recent Civil Partnership when I had a go at it back in the summer but why stop at one main feature when there could be two? So a macaron tower HAD to be included…… Continue reading “Raspberry and white chocolate Wedding Cake”
Walnut & Mocha Fancies
These are not quite those wonderful fancies using fondant icing (although fondant icing does work well here) but it is my take using a ganache coating and, for an additional coffee hit and a shiny finish, a coffee glaze. Continue reading “Walnut & Mocha Fancies”
Cupcakes: a contemporary camp classic!
As with macarons, there is nothing butch about a cupcake, but it revels in its campery – and rightly so! They flounced onto the baking scene with great style several years ago, demanding to be noticed, and all of a sudden the shops started featuring them and everyone started making them. Continue reading “Cupcakes: a contemporary camp classic!”
Lime & Passion Fruit Drizzle Cake
I love the combination of limes and passion fruit: they are two of my favourite flavours for a drizzle cake, complementing each other beautifully, with each flavour able to stand up to the other. Continue reading “Lime & Passion Fruit Drizzle Cake”
Lemon & vanilla Victoria sandwich
A classic for a reason, a Victoria sandwich cake is a simple yet satisfying treat at any time. And it is a great example of simplicity at its very best. Continue reading “Lemon & vanilla Victoria sandwich”
Phil's Home Kitchen 