RED VELVET CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE BUTTER FROSTING

I would suggest making this cake in advance, perhaps the day before you need it, to give it time to firm up and make it easier to cut into layers
It's a big cake, serves at least 12 and is a little fiddly, but not difficult to make. Read through the recipe before you start.


Preheat oven to 180c. Grease and line base and sides of a 20cm loose bottomed cake pan.

175 grams butter
450 grams sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
2 teaspoons Wilton No Taste Red colouring Gel, or tablespoons red liquid colouring.*
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
3 tablespoons cocoa powder, sifted
375 grams plain flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon each: baking soda , vinegar

*Use the gel preferably, the liquid has a nasty aftertaste if you use too much. If you are going to make this delicious cake, perhaps ask at a cake supply shop which to use, I used gel and liquid, but it took a lot to get a nice red colour.

CREAM CHEESE BUTTER FROSTING

90 grams Kremelta (Copha) at room temperature
90 grams butter at room temperature
3 1/2 cups icing sugar
1 tablespoon milk
150 grams full fat cream cheese



In a large bowl,beat the butter with electric beaters or a mixer until soft. Add the sugar and beat well. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat the mixture until it is pale and light. Don't worry if it splits. 

In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk,food colouring,vanilla, and cocoa powder, mix well.

In a third bowl, mix the flour with the salt

Alternate adding the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture to the butter mixture in batches, folding thoroughly between each addition.

In a small bowl, mix together with baking soda and vinegar and fold into the cake batter while it is still fizzing.

Pour the batter into prepared tin and bake in preheated oven for 1 1/2 hours, or until it is risen and springy and a skewer comes out clean.

Cool cake in tin. Storing it now in the fridge will make it firmer and easier to cut into the three layers, but it's not essential.


FROSTING

Beat Kremelta and butter together until fluffy. This will take a lot of beating, at least four minutes.
Add the icing sugar, 1 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition, then add the milk.
In another bowl, (yes another) put cream cheese and beat with electric beaters until soft. Add to butter cream and beat well until mixed in. If too firm add a drop more milk.


Cut the cake into three layers. 

Spread frosting on the top of the bottom and middle layers working from the centre out. Stack one on top of another on a plate or cake stand. Add the third layer of cake. Place a generous quantity of frosting on the top, and using a spatula or palette knife, gently spread it over the top and towards the edges, adding more frosting to the middle and working it out and down the sides. Don't plaster it on the sides, you'll end up with crumbs everywhere, just work it gently from the top and down the sides, nice and smoothly.

If you want it smooth, dip spatula in hot water, dry it, and run flat side around the cake sides.

Cutting the cake: A freshly made cake will be crumby when cut, so better to put in the fridge overnight to firm up, or at least make the day before.
Use a ruler to measure the levels and mark with toothpicks around the cake. Cut with a serrated knife .

MASTER BUILDER SUPERHERO BISCUITS

I had to change the name as people get funny and won't eat them when you tell them the real name. These are Lactation biscuits, wonderful things for helping increase milk supply in breastfeeding Mums. If you aren't a breastfeeding Mum, you won't suddenly grow massive boobs with the ability to feed the starving masses, not even a little bit. Perfectly safe for everyone , even men!
The magic ingredient is brewers yeast, a by product of beer making, an excellent source of B vitamins and protein. It must be BREWERS yeast, not BAKERS yeast. The other one is linseed or flaxseed meal, they are the same thing, and is high in Omega 3. Both these things are available in most supermarkets or healthfood shops. Keep in the fridge or freezer. 

225g  butter 

 1 cup sugar

 1 cup brown sugar

 4 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons linseed (flaxseed) meal

 2 large eggs

 1 teaspoon vanilla essence

 2 cups flour

 1 teaspoon baking soda

 1 teaspoon salt

 3 cups rolled oats

 1 cup or more chocolate chips

 2 tablespoons of brewers yeast(be generous)

You can also add some dried fruit if you want, raisins, sultanas, cranberries, chopped apricots etc.

Preheat oven at 375 degrees F, 180c. 
Mix together 2 tablespoons of linseed meal and water, set aside for 3-5 minutes. Cream butter and sugar.
 Add eggs one at a time, mix well.
 Stir linseed mixture and add with vanilla to the butter mix. Beat until blended. Sift together dry ingredients, except oats and chips. 
Add to butter mixture.
 Stir in oats & chips and fruit.
 Scoop onto baking sheet lined with baking paper.

Bake 8-12 minutes, depending on size of cookies.

Serves: 6 dozen cookies (a huge batch)

CHEESY LUNCH MUFFINS

These are really nice, great for lunch with a nice bowl of soup or a school lunch. I've found it's better to grease muffins tins really well rather than use liners, as they tended to stick.
Use whatever vegetables or herbs you have on hand.

2 cups of self raising flour
3 cups vegetables; grated carrot,zucchini,onion,corn,shredded spinach,spring onions,grated kumara.
1 1/3 cups grated tasty cheese
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
60g butter, melted.

Preheat oven to 180c and grease a 12 hole muffin tin
Place flour,cheese and vegetables into a large bowl and mix well.
Mix eggs, milk and cooled melted butter together and add to flour mixture.
Mix until just incorporated
Divide amongst muffin tins and cook 25-30 minutes until browned and cook when tested with skewer.
Cool in tin before turning out.

RHUBARB BUTTERMILK LOAF

1½ cups brown sugar
2/3 cup oil (not extra virgin)
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
2½ cups flour
2 cups diced rhubarb
½ cup chopped nuts (optional)

Method

Grease and line 2 loaf pans approximately 11x22 cm. 

Combine the brown sugar and oil in a bowl. Stir well until smooth. Stir in egg, buttermilk, salt, baking soda, vanilla and flour. Blend until moist.
Fold in rhubarb and nuts.
Put into pans

Sprinkle with a little sugar if you want.

Bake 180C until a skewer inserted in centre comes out dry, 50 to 60 mins.
Turn out onto rack. Cool before slicing

MARGARITA CAKE

1 3/4 cups granulated white sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 Tablespoon grated lemon zest
1 Tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup plain or lemon-flavored yogurt

LIME GLAZE AND ASSEMBLY:
1/2 cup  sugar
2 Tablespoons lime juice, freshly squeezed
1 Tablespoon water
1 Tablespoon tequila
whipped cream and lime slices, for garnish 

 Preheat oven to 180c Grease and flour a 9x13-inch cake pan.

 Combine sugar, butter, baking soda and salt in a mixing bowl and beat until blended. add the eggs 1 at a time, beating well and scraping the bowl after each addition. Mix in the lemon zest and lemon juice. Add the flour and yogurt alternately, beating well after each addition.

 Spoon the batter into prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes.

 Prepare glaze: Combine sugar, lime juice and water in a saucepan and mix well. Cook until the sugar dissolves, stirring frequently. Stir in the tequila.

 Assembly: Invert the warm cake onto a serving platter and brush with the glaze until it is absorbed. Let stand until cool. Slice and garnish each serving with a twisted lime slice and a dollop of whipped cream.

CHOCOLATE CAKE

¾ cup milk
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 cup caster sugar
1 large egg
½ tsp salt
½ cup vegetable oil such as sunflower or rice bran oil
1 tsp vanilla essence
1½ cups self-raising flour
¼ cup cocoa powder
½ tsp baking soda

 Heat oven to 170°C fan bake. 
Line a 23cm square cake tin with nonstick baking paper.
 Place milk and vinegar in a large bowl and stir to make soured milk. Whisk in the sugar, egg, salt, oil and vanilla essence.

Sift together the flour, cocoa powder and baking soda and add to the wet mixture, stirring just enough to combine into a smooth batter.

 Pour into the prepared cake tin and bake for 30 minutes or until the centre springs back when pressed with a fingertip. Remove to cool, then ice with chocolate frosting. Serves 16.

Chocolate frosting
50g softened butter
1 cup icing sugar, sifted
2 tbsp cocoa powder, sifted
2 tbsp boiling water

 Beat butter and icing sugar together in a bowl.

 Add cocoa powder and boiling water and beat until creamy. Makes 1 cup.