Cake House

BOILED FRUIT CAKE My old, basic, Boiled Fruit Cake recipe that I have used for almost 50 years. I have no idea where it came from, but it is good!! There will be a different version in a few weeks time!!! I know many have asked for this recipe, so get boiling!! It is very easy and foolproof. Enjoy. Butter and line the base of a 7” round spring form tin. Pre heat your fan oven to 140C In a medium saucepan place: 4 oz butter 6 oz granulated sugar 1lb dried fruit mix [1 x 500 gr packet] 8 oz water 1 level teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 1 level teaspoon mixed spice Bring slowly to the boil then simmer for 1 minute. Allow to cool for about an hour. Add: 4 oz plain flour 4 oz SR flour 2 beaten eggs Mix well then tip into your prepared tin. Bake for about 1½ hours. Cool on a rack and try to stop yourself from cutting it for a day or two! Note: You may replace some of the water with brandy or fresh orange juice.

A s I grew up in Andhra Pradesh, I like all the dishes. Among all the curries which my mom makes, one of my most favorite is this egg curry, which is called as “ pulusu ”. Pulusu in Telugu means sour curry. Tamarind is used to get the sourness for the gravy. To balance the sourness, we add jaggery/sugar. We can make this tamarind gravy adding different vegetables. In this, the boiled eggs are cooked in onions and tamarind gravy, which is then tempered with mustard seeds and curry leaves. Different varieties of egg curries are made, but this version goes well with steaming hot rice as well as roti. This can be made easily on a lazy day without much hustle. I shallow fried the boiled eggs, before adding in the gravy as I like the crisp outer cover. You can add the boiled eggs directly without frying. Try this out and let me know. Ingredients: Eggs- 4- 5 nos Onions (chopped)- 2 nos Green Chillies (slit)- 2 nos Red Chilli powder- 2 tbsp Coriander powder- 1 tbsp Turmeric Powder- 1 tsp Cumin...

Molly’s Chocolate and Coconut Cake This recipe was sent to me by Priscilla and she would like me to dedicate it to Molly Phillips, who farmed near Grampound Rd. Whilst ever busy on her farm, Molly always found time to bake and this is one of Priscilla’s favourites. She believes Molly found it in a pre decimalization magazine so probably around 1970. It is absolutely delicious! Keeps well for several days, staying lovely and moist. Butter and line the base of a 7” round cake tin and pre heat your fan oven to 160C [old 350F] 8 oz SR flour pinch of salt 1 oz cocoa 6 oz softened butter [margarine in the original recipe] 6 oz caster sugar 1 level tablespoon golden syrup 3 large eggs 1 oz desiccated coconut 2 tablespoons milk [I used whole milk] 1 level tablespoon icing sugar for the topping Sift the flour, salt and cocoa. Cream the fat, syrup and sugar until light and fluffy then add the beaten eggs, one at a time. Fold in the dry ingredients and finally add the milk.  Bake for 1 hour a...

M urukku is a crunchy, savory snack of India. There are different variations in making this savory. Usually, this murukku is deep fried in oil, but I thought of baking thinking about the calories. Successfully it came out perfectly crunchy and crispy. There is no compromise in taste. I used my mom’s recipe for this murukku. My mom makes different varieties and in different shapes, but deep fries them. All of them tasted yummy… She used to store them in airtight steel containers and used to refill them whenever it is finished. From so long, I wanted to try this murukku, but I didn’t have the mold. This mold I borrowed from a friend and the next day I tried. They came out well. You can adjust the spice, according to your taste buds. This will be liked by adults and kids. As this is baked, you don’t have to worry about remaining oil. The method is easy and within minutes a delicious snack will be ready. This tastes just like oil fried murukku. Murukku is a combination of rice, black gram,...

VICTORIA CHERRY SCONES I found this recipe in the old post war Be-Ro SR flour baking booklet. The perfect tea time treat and because of the egg content, will keep a little longer than ordinary scones. Easily doubled if you are baking for a crowd and no hassle with cutters. Pre heat your fan oven to 210C and lightly butter two medium baking sheets or one large. 8 oz SR Flour ½ a teaspoon salt 1 oz lard 1 oz butter 2 oz caster sugar 8 whole glacé cherries, cut in half, and more to chop finely 1 large egg, beaten [just set enough aside to brush across the tops] Milk to make a soft dough [I made up total to about between  7 - 8 fl oz] Mix the flour and salt in a bowl then rub in the fats. Stir in the sugar along with about 3-4 oz chopped cherries. Stir in the beaten egg with a knife and enough milk to make a soft dough. Bring it together then turn out onto your work surface and divide it into four. Roll out each piece into a round, until ½ inch thick. Place on your prepared baking shee...

M y dear friend introduced me to this smoothie, who herself is a big smoothie lover. She would always tell about different varieties of smoothies which she makes at home for her family. One day when I was in her house, I asked for the recipe and generously she made a big batch of this smoothie and whatever she told about the smoothie is completely true. It is a very filling, healthy, appetizing, flavorful and simply mind blowing. While adding the frozen berries, banana and spinach the smoothie will be thick, just add enough amount of water or milk. There are lots of variations in making smoothies, like for kids we can add milk, for adults, who are health conscious can make this smoothie by adding water. Instead of regular milk, you can also add almond milk, by making the almond milk at home. I will share the recipe some other time. This makes more healthy by adding dates instead of sugar. If you want your smoothie sweeter, you can increase the number of dates. This is so filling that y...

Market Day Dinner I don’t usually post this type of recipe, but noticed it in the Farmer’s Weekly collection, from about 70 years ago and was intrigued. This dish was obviously devised because the farming family were off to market for the day, the lady of the house going into town, with the men folk, to do her shopping. A bygone era, but the recipes live on, when we revise and post them for future generations. The old book says it can be left in/on an oil stove for several hours, with a tight fitting lid, the longer the better and the more savoury it will be. Have a go and let me know what you think! I made two thirds of the quantity ie 4 chops. So, a casserole [or similar] with a tight fitting lid. Pre heat your fan oven to 130C 6 pork chops [I used steaks] 2 pigs kidneys, sliced 1 lb onions, sliced 1 ½ lb potatoes, sliced 1 small apple, quartered and sliced 1 teaspoonful dried sage 1 tablespoonful tomato sauce Peel and slice the potatoes and onions and layer the base, then arrange th...

T oday’s post is everyone's favorite. Those who love chocolate will at least try to make this without thinking about the calories. This Ferrero rocher cake can be made once in awhile. This cake is made using hazelnuts, which is powdered and added to the cake batter. I have given a chocolate mousse filling, as it is my all time favorite which I always prepare as pudding to serve to guests. Me, my husband, my daughter and now my little one love Ferrero rocher chocolates. The whole box will be finished within minutes as soon as it is brought home. So for our wedding anniversary, I thought of making a special cake, and this is what came to my mind. Though Ferrero rocher chocolates are not added in this cake, it is completely packed with hazelnuts and chocolate flavor. Equal proportions of hazelnut flour and all purpose flour is added in this cake. If you cannot find hazelnut flour, just powder the whole hazelnuts in a food processor, which I did. The creamy and silky chocolate mousse f...