Cakes n Bakes

CHOCOLATE SOUR CREAM CUP CAKES
INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence

PREPARATION
Combine boiling water, butter, sugar, and cocoa powder in a bowl. Beat the mixture until sugar dissolves. Add the sifted flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda alternately with the beaten egg, sour cream, and vanilla essence. Grease and lightly flour the cupcake moulds. Fill the moulds with the above mixture till they are about half full. Bake at 350°C for 25 minutes. Frost with your favorite frosting.

APRICOT & BANANA MUFFINS
INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup large dried apricots, chopped
• ½ cup apricot syrup
• 1 cup wholemeal flour
• 1 cup white flour or maida
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 2 large ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• ¾ cup soymilk

PREPARATION
Boil the apricots and syrup in a saucepan, remove the source of heat and then microwave the mixture at 100% for 2 minutes, and cool it. Sift the flours into a large bowl and add the sugar, baking powder and baking soda. Combine the prepared apricot mixture, bananas, egg, butter and soymilk. Add the above mixture to flour mix and blend until just about combined. Lightly grease muffin moulds and spoon the batter into them. Bake at 180°C, for 20 minutes or until golden.

CHOCOLATE BISCUITS WITH STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM
INGREDIENTS
Biscuits

• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup chilled whipping cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence

Strawberries

• 500 grams small strawberries, hulled, quartered (about 3 1/2 cups)
• 8 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
• 2 tablespoons orange liqueur
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange peel
• Pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup chilled whipping cream
• 1/2 cup chilled sour cream

PREPARATION
For biscuits
Preheat oven to 400°F. Line baking sheet with butter paper. Whisk the first 5 ingredients in large bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat cream and vanilla in a bowl until firm peaks form. Stir cream into the flour mixture until moist clumps form. Transfer the mixture to a lightly floured surface and knead gently until dough forms a ball. Pat the dough out to 3/4-inch thickness. Using a cutter, cut out 6 biscuits. Place biscuits on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake biscuits until toothpick inserted into centres comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Transfer to rack and let them cool.

For strawberries
Stir strawberries, 6 tablespoons powdered sugar, and next the 4 ingredients in a bowl. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour.
Using an electric mixer, beat chilled whipping cream, sour cream, and the remaining 2 tablespoons powdered sugar until soft peaks form.
To serve, place a biscuit on a plate. Place a large spoonful of berries with juices atop the biscuit. Top with whipped cream.

MUSHROOM CHICKEN QUICHE
INGREDIENTS

• 2-1/2 cups cooked brown rice
• 5 egg whites
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves
• 450 grams cheddar cheese, cut into small pieces
• 1/4 cup skimmed milk
• 1 cup cooked chicken, shredded
• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
• Pepper
• 2-1/2 cups cooked brown rice
• 5 egg whites
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves
• 450 grams cheddar cheese, cut into small pieces
• 1/4 cup skimmed milk
• 1 cup cooked chicken, shredded
• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
• Pepper

PREPARATION
Mix the rice, 2 egg whites and half the quantity of rosemary in a wide dish. Press into the bottom of a lightly greased quiche dish or pie mould. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes. Mix the cheese and milk in a saucepan and cook on low heat, stirring frequently, till there are no lumps and the mixture has attained a smooth consistency. Add the remaining eggs, chicken, mushroom and pepper (to taste). Mix well. Pour into baked crust. Bake at the same temperature for about 40 minutes, or until the filling browns slightly and sets. Garnish with remaining rosemary and serve.

APPLE PIE RECIPE
INGREDIENTS
CRUST

• 2-1/2 cups white flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup cold butter, cut into small pieces
• 5 tablespoons cold vegetable shortening
• 8 tablespoons ice water

FILLING

• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, ground
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder
• Salt
• 8 apples, medium sized
• 2 tablespoons margarine

PREPARATION
CRUST
Sift the flour, sugar and salt together. Mix well. Add the butter and vegetable shortening to the bowl with the flour mixture. Mix lightly. Add ice water. Mix until it becomes a dough, adding more water if necessary. Coat the dough with a little flour and knead. Divide in half. Flatten each portion into a disk, wrap in cling wrap and refrigerate for about 40 minutes. Remove from fridge, roll out one of the disks on a floured surface to form a circle, roughly about 12 inches in diameter. Place the flat disk in a 9 inch pie plate, trimming the extra dough from the upturned edges. Replace the pie plate into the fridge. Roll out the second portion of dough to cover the filling of the pie.

FILLING
Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Peel, core and cut the apples into even slices. Mix sugar, flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt in large bowl. Stir in the apples. Pour into pastry-lined pie plate. Line with margarine. Cover with top crust and seal the edges. Using a fork, cut slits in the top. Bake for about 50 minutes, the crust will brown and the juice from the filling will begin to bubble through the slits on the top crust. Serve with cream and vanilla ice cream.

PERFECT CHOCOLATE CAKE
INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups sugar
• 1-3/4 cups flour
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup refined oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla essence
• 1 cup boiling water

PREPARATION
Heat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease and flour two 9-inch baking pans. Mix sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a wide and deep bowl. Add the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla essence. Beat the mixture till a smooth batter is formed. Add the boiling water while stirring. This will make the batter quite fluid. Pour into the prepared pans. Bake for about 35 minutes or until a knife inserted in the centre comes out clean, without any batter sticking to it. cool for 10 minutes, remove from pans. Frost with your favourite chocolate frosting and serve.