I have to say, I am quite disappointed with myself. My Bake Along challenge kinda fell apart after I started work. It's been a tough eight weeks which I have been struggling to cope with. Things have not been going as well as I would have liked. It also wasn't helped by the fact I got into a car accident a few weeks back, which has had me too scared to drive a car since. Consequently, commuting to and from work has become a longer process. Now that it is the school holidays I am hoping to get back out in the car for some practise and to boost my confidence again.
Anyway, that's why my posts stopped for a while. A pity, since the Bake Off has finished. A bit hard to do a bake along when I have nothing to bake along to, huh? So I figure I will catch up with the two posts I was unable to get done after a bake and then hopefully somewhere along the way I'll be able to try out a few things I never got a chance to do. Sadly, there does not seem to be much point in a commentary any more, since whatever I say will be a bit redundant at this point. So we'll just skip straight to the bake.
What week was this one...6? Yeah, 6. So this was the week of European Cakes. I chose to take on the signature challenge and make a yeast leavened cake inspired by the cakes of Europe. I had to go hunting for ideas for this one, since I had no idea where to begin. I didn't know any names of cakes so looking took a while. Eventually though, I found something called a 'gugelhupf' which could be made in a Bundt tin, which I had. Once I had a specific term to look for, finding a recipe was not too hard.
Making the yeasted dough did not feel much different from making a regular cake batter but there was a time where I was worried it would not rise. It took a while to do anything on the first proofing, and I think most of the rise came from the baking. Thankfully it turned out rather well. I took it into work with me and it was promptly eaten by the staff, which was nice. I like it when people enjoy my baking. It is not a really sweet cake so if you aren't one for lots of icing this might be for you.
Recipe - adapted from About Food
- 85g/3oz raisins
- 85g/3oz mixed candied peel
- Orange juice to cover, and for making the glaze
- Breadcrumbs for dusting tin
- 2.25 tsp dried yeast
- 125ml/4.5fl.oz lukewarm milk
- 180g/6.5oz butter, plus extra for greasing
- 4 eggs
- 120g/4oz caster sugar
- Zest of 2 lemons
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 500g/oz plain flour
- 85g/3oz blanched, chopped almonds
- 2 to 4 tbsp milk
- Icing sugar
- Put the raisins and candied peel into a bowl and cover with the orange juice. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and leave to soak overnight.
- Prepare a large Bundt tin by greasing it well with butter and sprinkling with breadcrumbs.
- Put a teaspoon of sugar into the warm milk and add the yeast. Leave to proof for around 15 minutes.
- In a large bowl, mix together the butter and sugar until it is pale and creamy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating into the mixture after each addition.
- Mix in the vanilla extract, salt and lemon zest.
- Beat in the flour and yeast mixture until a sticky batter forms. You can add the extra milk a little at a time to thin the mixture if needed. It should jut drop from the spoon when lifted.
- Drain the raisins and candied peel and add them and the chopped almonds to the batter. Fold in gently.
- Spread the batter into the prepared Bundt tin, cover with clingfilm and leave to rise in a warm spot until it has almost doubled in size.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4 and then bake the cake for 40-50 minutes. A skewer inserted into the cake halfway between the centre and edge should come out clean.
- Cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
- Make the glaze by putting a few tablespoons of icing sugar into a bowl. Add a teaspoon of orange juice at a time, mixing after each addition, until you get an icing with a slightly runny consistency.
- Drizzle the glaze over the cake and then leave to set before finally dusting with icing sugar.
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Exciting news! This blog has entered into the UK Blog Awards 2015. Voting starts November 10th so hopefully I can count on your support!
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