Cakes to try for dessert

Press, 2 April 1979, Page 16

Cakes to try for dessert

r essert cake, called gateau in France, is very popular in North America as a sweet or pudding. In fact, it compares well in popularity with the sweet pie. I often follow this American example when I have guests for dinner, as the cake is usually luscious to eat and attractive in appearance. It can make an impressive ending to an otherwise plain meal. For today I have selected recipes for dessert cakes, which contain fresh and tinned fruit, and I hope they will be different and interesting enough to encourage a trial in your household. They are all easy to prepare. PINEAPPLE UPSIDE-DOWN-CAKE Pineapple is generally popular and readily available in tins. This is not a new recipe; it is a reminder to make the well-liked Pineapple Upside-Down-Cake. You will need:— 50 g butter 50 g brown sugar Drained pineapple slices, 6 or 7 Pitted prunes, soaked overnight Glace cherries 250 g flour ’ 4 level teaspoons baking powder I teaspoon salt 50 g butter 150 g castor sugar 1 egg About | cup milk Method: Cream 50 g butter with brown sugar and spread over the base of an Bin to 9in cake tin. Arrange the drained pineapple slices on top filling the spaces between each slice with a drained softened prune and the centres of each slice with a glace cherry. Sift flour with baking powder and salt. Soften remaining 50 g of butter and beat with the castor sugar; add beaten egg and continue beating until very light and fluffy. Add sifted flour alternately with milk to form a batter of dropping consistency. Spoon on top of fruit and bake at 350 for 50 to 60 minutes. On removing from oven invert immediately on to serving dish and leave for a few minutes before removing tin to allow caramel to run down over the sides of the cake. The side of the cake can be piped with whipped cream when it is cold, and finely chopped walnuts can be scattered over this. PINEAPPLE CAKE This is a new recipe for a pineapple cake. It has coconut mixed with brown sugar as a topping and should be served with whipped cream and/or ice cream as a dessert. It is also suitable for a teatime cake. You will need : — 1J cups flour 1 teaspoon bi-carbonate of soda 1 teaspoon salt i cup butter 1 cup sugar 1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup crushed pineapple with juice

i cup brown sugar 1 cup dessicated coconut. Method: Sift flour, soda and salt. Cream butter with sugar, egg and vanilla until light then add this creamed mixture to the dry ingredients and fold in the pineapple and juice and pour the batter into a greased and floured Bin. to 9in. cake tin. Combine brown sugar with coconut and sprinkle over batter. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes or until done when tested. BLACKBERRY SPICE CAKE Blackberries are in season, so I include two dessert cake recipes for using them. The first of them has the additional flavouring of cocoa and spices. You will need: 2/3 cups of butter Q cups sugar 2 eggs 2 cups Hour 1 teaspoon bi-carbonale of soda | cup milk 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon nutmeg 2 teaspoons cocoa 3 cups blackberries Method: Cream butter and sugar until light then beat in the eggs and beat until fluffy. Sift flour with soda and add this alternately with milk then add spices and cocoa and fold in blackberries. The batter should be thick. Spoon into well greased or lined cake tin and bake at 350 for 40 to 45 minutes. Serve cold with whipped cream. BLACKBERRY KUCHEN Blackberry Streusel Kuchen should be served warm with cream. You will need: 11 cups Hour 2| teaspoons baking powder 4 teaspoon salt 'I egg J cup milk 4 tablespoons melted butter J cup sugar 2 J cups blackberries Additional 1/3 cup flour

i cup sugar 4 tablespoons softened butter | teaspoon cinnamon Method: Sift flour twice, f 1 o r twice, baking powder and salt. Beat egg well and add milk, melted butter and sugar. Combine with dry

ingredients and pour into a • well buttered and floured tin (9in.). Cover with blackberries. Mix additional flour, sugar, butter and cinnamon into crumb mixture and spread over fruit. Bake at 375 for 40 to 50 minutes. FRESH PEACH CAKE Fresh Peach Cake is One of my favourites and now is the time to make it while fresh peaches are still available. Quantities given make a large cake which may be served warm and later cold. You will need: 2 packets madeira cake mix 1 teaspoon cinnamon I teaspoon nutmeg 1 cup melted butter 2 cups sliced fresh peaches Method: Prepare one packet of cake mix according to instructions on packet. Pour off one cup of the batter and set this aside. Pour remaining batter into a well-greased deep cake tin (Bin.). Combine the other packet of mix with cinnamon and nutmeg, stir in the lemted

butter to make a crumb mixture. Sprinkle half of these crumbs over the batter in pan. Arrangle sliced Spoon and spread reserved batter evenly over top of peaches. Sprinkle over maining crumb mixture. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Serve warm with whipped cream and/or cream. Next day serve

cold with sieved icing sugar sprinkled over top, SPANISH BANANA CAKE Spanish Banana Cake has a topping of coconut and brown sugar sprinkled over sliced bananas. It is easier if made in a tin with removable base. You will need: 4 tablespoons butter 1 cup sugar 2 eggs 1 cup flour t teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking pow1 teaspoon baking powder 3 ripe bananas 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 cup brown sugar | ctjp dessicated coconut Method: Cream butter well and then add the sugar and beat until very light and fluffy; add beaten eggs and beat well again. Sift flour with salt and baking powder and add to creamed mixture blending well. Pour batter into well greased and floured Bin. pan, spreading evenly. Arrange the bananas, sliced lengthwise, on top of batter. Sprinkle Over lemon juice, brown sugar and coconut. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Cool before carefully removing from tin and serve warm with whipped cream and/or ice-cream.

FOOD AND RECIPES

By

Celia Timms