Here’s a versatile carrot cake recipe which is perfect for everyday baking and occasions. You will love this incredibly moist and easy carrot cake recipe with cream cheese frosting. This cake is quick and easy to make, versatile and utterly delicious.
Salwaa Smith – Cape Malay Cooking & Other Delights
From My Kitchen To Yours – keeping our heritage alive!
Ingredients:
2 cups cake or plain flour
2 tsps ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 cup soft brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup oil
Zest of 1 orange
Zest of 1 lemon
200g carrots, finely grated
150g walnuts, chopped (optional)
For The Cream Cheese Frosting
125g unsalted butter at room temperature
50g icing sugar
250g cream cheese
Method:
• Pre-heat the oven to 170°C.
• Line a 20cm deep cake tin, 2 loaf tins or a Bundt tin.
• Sift the flour, cinnamon, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda together and stir in the sugar.
• Beat the eggs with the oil and citrus zests.
• Stir in the carrots and fold everything into the flour mixture.
• Fold in the walnuts if using. Spoon the mixture into the tin/s.
• Bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
• The cake in the loaf tins will bake quicker as it’s not as deep as the round tin.
• Cool cake before frosting.
To make the frosting, beat the butter and icing sugar together until soft and then beat in the cream cheese. Chill the mixture until it’s thick but spreadable. Spread a thick layer on top of the cake, making sure the side of the icing is flat and continues upwards from the side of the cake. Decorate with walnuts (optional)
Here’s an easy recipe for you to try out with your kids today.
Cape Malay Cooking & Other Delights – Salwaa Smith From My Kitchen To Yours – keeping our heritage alive!
Ingredients: 225g soft butter/margarine 1 cup castor sugar 4 extra-large eggs 2 cups self-raising flour 1 tsp baking powder ½ cup cocoa powder 1/4 cup milk or as needed
Method: Line 2 muffin / cupcake tins with cupcake cases. Add all the ingredients, except the milk, into a large bowl. Using an electric hand whisk, beat together until just smooth. Add a little milk until the mixture is of a dropping consistency, the mixture shouldn’t be runny.
Spoon the mixture into the paper cases. #capemalaycooking Bake the cupcakes in a preheated oven, 170°C for 15-20 minutes or until well risen and firm to the touch. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
To make the topping, put the butter in a bowl and beat until fluffy and creamy. Sift in the icing sugar and cocoa powder, beat until smooth and creamy. Add a drop of milk if the mixture is too stiff.
Chocolate Cupcakes
When the cupcakes are cold, spread or pipe frosting on top of each cupcake, and decorate according to your choice.
Alternatively, mix chocolate mousse according the packet instruction and pipe using a spiralling motion onto the cupcakes in a large swirl.
Salwaa Smith – Cape Malay Cooking & Other Delights
From My Kitchen To Yours – keeping our heritage alive!
It is summertime and we are blessed with the best and juiciest fruit. Naturally sweet and full of flavour, fruit makes the perfect addition to cakes and desserts.
Ingredients:
3 large eggs, separated
1 cup sugar
4 Tbsp milk, boiled and cooled down
3 Tbsp cooking oil
1 cup cake flour
3 tsp baking powder
Butter and extra flour for greasing the tins
Method:
Pre-heat the oven to 180°C.
Grease 2 small or 1 large flan tin with butter and sprinkle flour over the butter for easy removal of the flan,
In a dry and clean mixing bowl beat the eggs white till stiff.
In a separate mixing bowl mix together the egg yolks and sugar.
Mix until creamy and the sugar has dissolved.
Add the oil to the milk and stir into the egg mixture.
Sift in the flour and baking powder, mix well.
Fold in the egg whites.
Divide into the 2 small greased flan tins or 1 large flan tin.
Bake for 10 minutes in the pre-heated oven.
Cool slightly in the tin before removing.
Leave to cool completely on a wire cooling rack before decorating.
Fill with thick home made custard, whipped cream or caramel. Top with fresh fruit.
Serve immediately.
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Salwaa Smith – Cape Malay Cooking & Other Delights
From My Kitchen To Yours – keeping our heritage alive!
Check jam roll this is a quintessential Cape Malay recipe. One that adorned every cake table at a wedding, hujaaj, on the Eid/labarang table or any other social gathering. Check jam roll is also known as Battenberg Cake in England. This striking checkerboard cake is a favourite for afternoon tea in England. Legend has it that the cake was created in honour of the marriage of Queen Victoria’s granddaughter Victoria to Prince Louis of Battenberg in the 1880s. (The coloured squares inside are thought to represent the four princes of Battenberg) It’s quite possible that the English brought the recipe to South Africa and we’ve adapted the recipe to represent our colourful personalities as the original recipe was only yellow and pink in colour and covered with marzipan.
From what I can remember my sister in law making this cake, she used to finish it off in chocolate flavour as well as a plain icing sugar. This cake can be made in advance and keeps well for up to a week if wrapped and stored properly. Slices of this cake was often used as a centre piece in a cake plate at wedding and other such gatherings.
Assembling the cake requires some precision, but it’s easier than it looks. The batter is thick enough that you can fairly neatly spoon two colours next to each other without them bleeding together; you might have to trim a bit off each half to cut away any combined bits. Or you can create a divider to keep them separate. I’ve wrapped a thin piece of cardboard, such as from a tissue box, in aluminium foil to good effect. My recipe makes 2 cakes.
Ingredients:
6 large eggs
1½ cups castor sugar
½ cup hot water
2 tsp cooking oil
2 cups self-raising flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 heaped tablespoon cocoa powder
½ tsp vanilla essence
½ tsp red food colouring
½ tsp rosewater (optional)
½ tsp green food colouring
½ tsp peppermint essence (optional)
½ cup smooth apricot jam
1 tbsp hot water
2 cups icing sugar
3 tbsp cocoa powder (omit if finishing off the cake plain)
Enough water to make a paste
Desiccated coconut
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan. Lightly grease two Swiss roll tins and line it with greaseproof paper. Cut a strip of cardboard to fit the length of the tins. It should fit snug. Cover the cardboard with foil. Lightly grease the foil and wedge into place.
In a large bowl beat eggs and castor sugar until light and creamy. Mix in vanilla essence, oil & hot water. Fold in the self-raising flour and baking powder.
Divide the mixture evenly into 4 bowls. Mix the red food colouring and the rosewater (if you’re using it) in one bowl. In the 2nd bowl mix the green food colouring and peppermint essence (if you’re using it). In the 3rd bowl mix the cocoa powder and in the 4th bowl the vanilla essence.
Turn the pink mixture (the red will have turned pink) into one side of the prepared tins. Turn the green mixture into the other half of the tin. Turn the chocolate and vanilla batter into the second prepared tin. Smooth the batter gently into the corners.
Bake for 20 minutes until risen and firm to the touch. Leave to stand for 5 minutes in the tin. Slide a knife between the cake, tin and foil strip. Turn onto a wire cooling rack lined with greaseproof paper. Remove greaseproof paper attached to the bottom of the cakes. Leave to cool completely.
Trim the cake so that each half measures approximately 28x9cm. Cut each slab in half lengthways so that there are eight equal pieces.
Mix the jam and hot water to thin the jam slightly. To assemble the cake, brush the top of each cake strip with the jam and press a pink strip on top of a vanilla strip, do the same with the chocolate and green strips. Press the pink/vanilla strip together with the chocolate/green strip to create a chequerboard effect. Make sure to brush all the inside strips with jam to help it sticking together.
Mix the icing sugar and cocoa powder together with a bit of water to make a thick paste. Brush the cocoa paste all around the outside of the cake and roll desiccated coconut all over the cocoa paste. Wrap the cake firmly in greaseproof paper and leave to set for a couple of hours. Cut a very thin slice off each end of the cake for a neat edge.
I really enjoy experimenting with new recipes and ideas. More than often when I develop a recipe I will make it more than once to ensure its perfect before sharing the recipe. This Egg Free Lemon & Granadilla Cake is no exception, it took me a couple of attempts before I was happy with it. The result is a super moist cake which can be made in sandwich tins or in a Bundt tin like I did here.
This cake recipe is so simple and easy to make, in addition to being delicious, it has actually become the base for many other flavour combinations I’ve made and it’s always a hit! It is so moist and tasty and stays fresh a good couple of days.
Salwaa Smith – Cape Malay Cooking & Other Delights
From My Kitchen To Yours – keeping our heritage alive!
Ingredients:
125g soft butter
1 cup castor sugar
2 cups cake flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 cup buttermilk
Rind and juice of 1 lemon
115g granadilla pulp
Extra butter for greasing the cake tin
150ml fresh cream
1 tbsp icing sugar
Method:
Pre-heat the oven to 170°C.
Grease a Bundt tin with the extra butter.
Use an electric mixture, whisk the butter and sugar until creamy.
Sift the flour and baking powder together, mix into the butter mixture.
Fold in the buttermilk, half of the granadilla pulp, rind and juice of one lemon.
Pour the batter into the greased tin.
Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 40 – 45 minutes, mine baked for 43 minutes.
Insert a skewer into the centre of the cake to check if the cake is done.
Leave the cake for about 5 minutes in the tin before turning out on a cooling rack.
Cool completely, in the meantime whip the fresh cream with the icing sugar.
Stir half of the remaining granadilla pulp into the cream.
When the cake is completely cool, spread the cream frosting all over the cake.
Pour the remaining granadilla pulp over the cake.
Cook’s Note:
To make buttermilk at home pour one cup of milk into a jug add one tablespoon of vinegar.
Leave aside for about 10 minutes for the milk to curdle before using in the recipe.
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Salwaa Smith – Cape Malay Cooking & Other Delights
From My Kitchen To Yours – keeping our heritage alive!
Ingredients:
3 ripe bananas
2 large eggs
1/2 cup softened butter
1 tbsp milk
Pinch of salt
1 tsp fine cinnamon
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup cake flour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup chocolate chips
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius and grease a loaf tin with oil.
In a large bowl, mash the bananas with the eggs.
Add the butter, milk and sugar and mix with a wooden spoon until the sugar has dissolved. Add salt and cinnamon. Sift in the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda.
Mix until combined.
Stir in the chocolate chips and pour batter into prepared tin.
Put in the middle shelf of the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until an inserted skewer comes out clean and the loaf is nicely browned.
Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes and then remove the loaf and cool completely on a cooling rack.
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Method:
Beat eggs, sugar until light and creamy. Mix in vanilla essence, oil & hot water.
Add self-raising flour, cocoa and baking powder. Mix well.
Pour into a greased rectangular baking tray. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 8-10 minutes.
Dust a large piece of baking parchment with caster sugar and turn the sponge out onto it. Trim off the hard edges and make a dent along the width, 1cm in. From this end, roll it up with the paper in the middle. Cool on a wire rack.
Beat the butter and icing sugar together until light and fluffy and then beat in the melted chocolate. Unroll the sponge, spread over the butter icing or whipped fresh cream and up roll again. Serve in slices.
Use the following variation for a delicious filling:
275 g dark chocolate, broken into small pieces
300 ml fresh cream
Icing sugar, for dusting
Strawberries, to garnish
Melt the chocolate and 300ml of the cream in a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Refrigerate until cool and thickened. Unroll the sponge, spread over the cake and roll up again. Dust with icing sugar and garnish with strawberries.
Cape Malay Cooking & Other Delights – Salwaa Smith
From My Kitchen To Yours – keeping our heritage alive!
Today I’m sharing with you one of my late mommy’s favourite cakes. The making of this cake was reserved for Eid and other special occasions. Although we didn’t and still don’t celebrate Christmas my mom would always bake cakes and share with our neighbours.
We grew up in an area where multi-faith people lived. Everyone respected each other’s religion. At Eid some of our non-Muslim neighbours reciprocated with their home bakes. Naturally they would only send gifts suitable for Muslim consumption.
For an extra rich fruit cake buy fruit cake mixture that has cherries and nuts included. You may add extra almond slivers. During my younger days I didn’t like cake that had cherries as an ingredient. But strangely now that I’m older I’ve acquired a taste for cherries. I have made a double batch of the recipe below to show you different ways of presenting your fruit cake.
I would have loved to bake a cake for each and everyone of my followers but the very least I could do is share my mom’s recipe. Who knows, maybe you could start your own tradition, make an extra cake and share it with your neighbours?
Happy holidays!
Here follows my step-by-step method. The full recipe is further along.
Using a large pot add 250g butter or margarine, 1 cup soft dark brown sugar, 2 tsp mixed spice, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ground cloves, 1 dessert spoon instant coffee, 3 cups water, 500g luxury fruit cake mixture.
Bring to the boil, simmer over medium until all the butter is melted and the sugar has dissolved, about 5-10 minutes. Stir gently.
Allow to cool completely.
Whisk eggs in a separate bowl.
Add the flour and baking powder as well as the boiled fruit mixture.
Stir with wooden spoon, mix well until all the ingredients are combined.
Pour into the prepared cake tin/s. As I’ve doubled the recipe i made some in a loaf tin, some in mini loafs and one in a bundt tin.
Bake on the centre shelf. To test if the cake is baked insert a toothpick / cake tester in the centre of the cake, if it comes out clean the cake is done.
FAN OVEN: 130°C for 2 hours
CONV OVEN: 150°C for 2 hours
You can now visit our online store to purchase your copy of my Cape Malay & Other Delights Cookbook as well as my range of spices.
Here is my basic recipe for quick and easy cupcakes. These easy cupcakes are so simple to make. Decorate with a swirl of delicious buttercream frosting, whipped fresh cream topped with fruit, ganache or plain icing sugar.
From My Kitchen To Yours – keeping our heritage alive
Ingredients:
250g soft butter
1 cup caster sugar
4 extra large eggs
2 cups self-raising flour
Method:
Quick and easy, no fuss cupcakes.
Preheat the oven to 170° Celsius. Line 2 muffin trays with 24 cupcake cases. Add all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Using an electric hand whisk, beat together until smooth. Spoon the mixture into the paper cases. Bake the cupcakes in the preheated oven, for approximately 15 minutes or until well risen, light brown and firm to the touch. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating according to your taste.
Salwaa Smith – Cape Malay Cooking & Other Delights
From My Kitchen To Yours – keeping our heritage alive!
Ebony & Ivory Cake
Ingredients:
100g soft butter
3 Tbsp cooking oil
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
2 cups self-raising flour, sifted
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup warm milk
Extra:
3 Tbsp cocoa powder
1 Tbsp warm milk
¼ tsp baking powder
1 tsp caramel or vanilla essence
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Grease 2 x 20cm round cake tins.
Using a large mixing bowl cream the butter, oil and sugar together.
Mix in the eggs one at a time beating well after each addition.
Fold in the self-raising flour, baking powder and the milk.
Divide the mixture evenly in 2 bowls.
#capemalaycooking
In the one bowl mix in the caramel or vanilla essence.
Mix the cocoa and milk together. Add the cocoa mixture and the ¼ tsp baking powder to the other bowl. Stir well to combine.
Pour the individual mixtures into the prepared cake tins.
Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 25 – 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and leave to sit in the tins for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
To finish:
½ cup fresh cream, whipped
Ganache:
200g Cadbury Diary milk chocolate
½ cup fresh cream
Melt together for 60 seconds in the microwave in a suitable container without stirring. Let it rest/stand for 2 minutes and stir to combine the chocolate and cream.
Sandwich the cake together with the whipped cream.
Pour the ganache over the cake whilst hot or refrigerate it for 30 minutes before spreading over the cake. Top with shavings of white and milk chocolate, optional.
Delicious and moist lemon flavoured tray bake. It’s very easy to make with store cupboard ingredients. No special ingredients. Cuts into approximately 20 generous pieces. Sealed in an airtight container this cake will keep fresh for up to 3 days.
Ingredients:
250g butter or good quality baking butter (margarine)
1 cup castor sugar
4 large eggs
2 cups self-raising flour plus extra for dusting the tray
1 tsp baking powder
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
Topping:
½ cup castor sugar
Juice of 2 lemons
½ cup desiccated coconut
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Grease an oven tray with 25g butter of the butter and dust with flour.
Beat the remaining 225g butter and castor until light and creamy.
Mix the eggs in one at a time. Add the zest and the juice of the lemon.
Sift and fold in the flour and baking powder until its completely incorporated with the butter mixture.
Turn the mixture into the prepared tray, level the top gently with the back of the spatula.
Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until a cake tester comes out dry.
Another way of testing to see if a cake is done is to lightly press the centre, when it springs back and is beginning to shrink away from the sides of the tin, the cake is done.
Whilst the cake is cooling in the tray mix together the castor sugar and juice of 2 lemons. Roast the coconut in a warm saucepan until lightly golden brown. Make slight holes all over the cake with a toothpick or a fork. Pour the castor sugar and lemon mixture over the warm cake. The liquid will soak into the cake. Sprinkle the roasted coconut over. Leave to cool completely before cutting into squares.
Orange Cake
Salwaa Smith – Cape Malay Cooking & Other Delights
This cake have a citrusy flavour and the sweet and sourness of the orange juice and the orange butter icing gives this cake an incredible taste. Absolutely delicious.
Ingredients
Serves: 12
2 cups cake flour
½ teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons baking powder
300g caster sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs, beaten
1 ½ teaspoons grated orange zest
Orange butter icing:
6 tablespoons butter, softened
250g icing sugar
#capemalaycooking
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
Method:
Preheat oven to 180° Celsius. Grease and flour two 20cm round cake tins.
In a measuring jug, combine milk, 125ml orange juice, oil, beaten eggs and
1½ teaspoons orange zest. Set aside.
Sift flour, salt and baking powder into a large bowl. Mix in sugar. Make a well in the centre and pour in the milk mixture. Stir until thoroughly combined.
Divide cake mixture between the two prepared tins. Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool.
To make Orange Butter Icing:
Cream butter until smooth. Gradually beat in icing sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Beat in 2 tablespoons orange juice to bring to spreading consistency. Stir in vanilla and 1 teaspoon orange zest. Spread over cooled cakes.
This recipe can also be made into 2 small loaves. Instead of covering the cake with buttercream drizzle the tops with some icing sugar mixed with orange juice.
Salwaa Smith – Cape Malay Cooking & Other Delights
This cake has a citrusy flavour, the sweet & Sour orange juice and the orange butter icing gives this cake an incredible taste. Absolutely delicious. This cake can also be made in round cake or loaf tins.
Ingredients
2 cups cake flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 cup caster sugar
½ cup milk
½ cup orange juice
½ cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs, beaten
1½ teaspoons grated orange zest
½ tsp orange essence
Orange butter icing:
50g butter, softened
1 cup icing sugar
2 Tbsp orange juice
½ tsp orange essence
1 tsp grated orange zest
Method:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Grease and flour a Bundt tin.
In a measuring jug, combine milk, the orange juice, oil, beaten eggs, essence and
1½ teaspoons orange zest. Set aside.
Sift flour and baking powder into a large bowl. Mix in sugar.
Make a well in the centre and pour in the milk mixture. Stir until thoroughly combined.
Pour the cake batter into the prepared tin. Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool.
To make Orange Butter Icing:
Cream butter until smooth. Gradually beat in icing sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Beat in 2 tablespoons orange juice to bring to spreading consistency. Stir in the orange essence and orange zest. Spread or drizzle over the cooled cake.
Peaches & Cream Sponge Cake – Salwaa Smith – Cape Malay Cooking & Other Delights
Use the summer fruit which is in abundance now in South Africa, to decorate your cakes and bakes.
Peaches & Cream Sponge Cake
Ingredients:
1 cup castor sugar
4 extra large eggs
1 cup sunflower oil
2 tsp vanilla essence
1 1/2 cups cake flour
1 cup self raising flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup milk
300 ml fresh cream, whipped
Fresh or canned fruit of choice to decorate
Melted chocolate, optional
Roasted dessicated coconut for the sides, optional
#capemalaycooking
Method:
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Grease 2 x 20cm baking tin with butter and dust the baking tins with flour or line the tins with greaseproof paper.
Love coffee? Then you will love this soft and moist coffee cake . Relax and enjoy a slice of coffee cake with your favourite mug of coffee. Makes 1 x 20cm round cake.
Coffee Cake
Coffee Cake
Ingredients:
3/4 cup caster sugar
150g butter
3 large eggs
1 1/4 cup self raising flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons hot water
2 tablespoons instant coffee
#capemalaycooking
For the icing:
225g icing sugar
100g butter
1 1/2 tablespoons instant coffee
1 tablespoon hot water
Method:
Preheat the oven to 160 degrees Celsius, and grease two equally sized sandwich tine. Add the sugar and the butter to a bowl and whisk until very fluffy and a pale cream.
Whisk the eggs in a mug with a fork and then add them gradually to the mixture with 1 tablespoon of flour each time. Make sure you don’t use all the flour.
Add the rest of the flour and the baking powder to the mixture and fold it in gently.
Dissolve the coffee in the boiling water and add to the mixture still folding. Divide into the sandwich tins and cook for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile cream the butter and the icing sugar until light and fluffy. Dissolve the coffee in boiling water, making sure you don’t add too much water or the icing will be runny and add it to the butter and icing sugar. Whisk and leave in the fridge until the cake is done.
Once the cakes are done and cooled completely sandwich together with half of the icing. Spread the remaining icing on top of the cake. Decorate with cherries, walnuts, grated chocolate, etc.
Fruit Mince Pies – Salwaa Smith – Cape Malay Cooking & Other Delights
A mixed fruit mince pie is a fruit-based spicy mincemeat sweet pie of Middle Eastern origin that is traditionally served during the Christmas season. However, the pies themselves are a British invention.
Mince pie ingredients can be traced back to the 13th century. Returning crusaders brought with them Middle Eastern recipes that contained meats, fruits and spices. As fruits and spices became more plentiful in the 17th century, the spiciness of the pies increased.
Treat your family with my homemade mincemeat recipe. For the base I used my milk tart base recipe. Makes 18 mince pies or 1 large tart and 6 small pies.
Mincemeat filling:
3 medium red apples
5og butter
2 cups mixed fruit mixture
½ cup soft brown sugar
Zest and juice of 1 orange
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 Tbsp almond flakes
½ tsp mixed spice
Peel, core and dice the apples into small pieces. Add all the ingredients into a deep saucepan Bring to the boil, then simmer over low to medium heat. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring often. Cool completely before using.
Short bread base for the mince pies:
1 large egg
125g butter/margarine
¼ cup cooking oil
¾ cup sugar
2 cups self-raising flour
1 cup cake flour
1 tsp vanilla essence
l level tsp baking powder
Castor and icing sugar for sprinkling
Mix the egg, sugar, softened butter and oil together until light and fluffy. Add vanilla essence, mix. Add the flour and baking powder and mix well to form a dough.
Roll out the pastry to 3mm thick. Using a round cutter, cut out 18 bases and place them into muffin trays. Put 1 heaped tablespoon mincemeat mixture into each. Re-roll out the pastry, use a star cookie cutter to cut out 18 star and press them lightly on top of the mincemeat to form a seal.
Sprinkle with caster sugar. Bake mince pies for 15-20 mins in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius (fan) until golden brown. Leave to cool before taking them from the muffin trays and dusting with icing sugar. Serve and enjoy 🙂
Microwave Coffee Cake – Salwaa Smith – Cape Malay Cooking & Other Delights
I’ve adapted my microwave chocolate cake recipe into a coffee cake. This cake is so soft and delicious, you’ll never say it was made in the microwave.
Microwave Coffee Cake
Ingredients:
2 – 3 Tbsp coffee granules (depending on the strength of the coffee)
Pinch of salt
1 cup water, heated for 1 minute in microwave
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 tsp caramel essence
1 cup cake flour
1 cup sugar
4 tsps baking powder
#capemalaycooking
Method:
Grease a round micro-wave proof dish, line bottom with wax paper.
Heat 1 cup water in a small bowl in the microwave for 1 minute, stir in coffee granules.
Add the oil, eggs, caramel essence and mix until well blended.
In a separate bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
Add the coffee mixture to the flour and whisk until batter is smooth and well blended.
Pour the batter into prepared dish.
Microwave on high 7 – 8 minutes on medium high.
Some moist spots may remain but will disappear on standing.
Let the cake stand for 5 minutes, invert onto serving plate.
Peel off wax wrap, cool.
Pour white ganache over the cake and enjoy.
Triems – Cape Malay Cooking & Other Delights – Salwaa Smith
(Plain Loaf Cake)
Not all cakes needs strawberries or cream to enjoy. This plain loaf is very delicious and very popular amongst the Cape Malays. This loaf cake is usually served at large gatherings and is often included in a barakat (gift of food or cakes) at a gadat or thikr gathering. It’s usually made in loaf tins and sliced into thin slices. Triem is the Cape Malay version of a Madeira loaf.
Triems / Madeira Loaf
Makes 2 loafs
Ingredients:
125g soft butter or margarine
1/2 cup sunflower oil
1 cup white sugar
6 large eggs
4 cups self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup milk
Extra butter for greasing (approx. 2 tablespoons)
Add 1 of the following for variation
– 1 tsp fine cardamom powder, or
– 1 tsp vanilla essence and 1/2 cup dessicated coconut, or
– 1 Tbsp fine aniseed powder
This is my favourite go to recipe when making a chocolate cake. It is so easy to make, very versatile, taste good and can be decorated as simply or elaborately as you wish. This recipe makes a 20cm two layer round cake and can be doubled if a larger cake is required. Taste good with plain butter cream, whipped fresh cream, ganache or just about any frosting.
Ingredients:
3 large eggs, separated
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup oil
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup cake flour
In a large mixing bowl and using an electric beater mix together the egg yolk, sugar, water and oil until the sugar has dissolved.
Add the dry ingredients and fold it into the wet ingredients.
Use a clean, dry bowl and whisk, whip the egg whites until stiff. Fold the stiff egg whites into the cake mixture. Divide into 2 well greased round (20cm) baking tins and bake in a preheated oven at 180C for approximately 15-20 minutes. Decorate with cream, butter cream, icing sugar, etc…
How To Make Ganache
200g good-quality dark chocolate , about 60% cocoa solids
284ml fresh cream
Method:
Pour the cream into a pan and heat until it is about to boil.
Take off the heat and pour it over the chocolate.
Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth and glossy. Allow ganache to cool before pouring over cakes as a glaze.
Sponge Flan – Cape Malay Cooking & Other Delights – Salwaa Smith
It is Summertime and we are blessed with the best and juiciest fruit. Naturally sweet and full of flavour, fruit makes the perfect addition to cakes and desserts.
Ingredients:
3 large eggs, separated
1 cup sugar
4 Tbsp milk, boiled and cooled down
3 Tbsp cooking oil
1 cup cake flour
3 tsp baking powder
Butter and extra flour for greasing the tins
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
Grease 2 small or 1 large flan tin with butter and sprinkle flour over the butter for easy removal of the flan,
In a dry and clean mixing bowl beat the eggs white till stiff.
In a separate mixing bowl mix together the egg yolks and sugar.
Mix until creamy and the sugar has dissolved.
Add the oil to the milk and stir into the egg mixture.
Sift in the flour and baking powder, mix well.
Fold in the egg whites.
Divide into the 2 small greased flan tins or 1 large flan tin.
Bake for 10 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius.
Cool slightly in the tin before removing.
Leave to cool completely on a wire cooling rack before decorating.
Fill with thick home made custard, whipped cream or caramel. Top with fresh fruit.
Serve immediately.
I made a number 1 birthday cake for my granddaughter, Aisha, who turned 1 last week. For this cake I made a double batch of my chocolate cake mixture. I drew a number 1 on a A4 paper, cut it out, then shaped the number 1 from there onto the cakes. With the left over cake pieces I made a chocolate trifle.
Chocolate Cake
To make the number 1 cake you will need to make 2 batches of chocolate cake mixture.
Ingredients for 1 cake:
3 large eggs, separated
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup cold water
1/2 cup cooking oil
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup cake flour
Method:
Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Grease a 25cm x 20cm baking tin. In a large mixing bowl and using an electric beater mix together the egg yolk, sugar, water and oil until the sugar has dissolved.
Add the dry ingredients and fold it into the wet ingredients.
Use a clean, dry bowl and whisk, whip the egg whites until stiff. Fold the stiff egg whites into the cake mixture. Pour the cake mixture into the prepared cake tin. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for approximately 15-20 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
Now mix and bake the second layer as above.
Cool the cakes on a cooling rack
Draw and cut out a number 1 on an A4 paper
Place the number 1 shape in the centre of the cake, secure with toothpicks. Cut the cake around the number 1
Sandwich the layers together with chocolate butter cream
To make the butter cream you will need
125g soft butter
1 cup icing sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
Enough milk to make it spreadable
Cream the butter until smooth. Add the icing sugar and cocoa powder mix together. Add drops of milk to make the mixture soft and spreadable. Sandwich the 2 layers together using the butter cream.
Spread ganache over the cake
To make the ganache you will need:
400g good quality chocolate
200ml fresh cream
Method:
Pour the cream into a pan and heat until it is about to boil.
Take off the heat and pour it over the chocolate.
Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth and glossy. Allow ganache to cool before pouring spreading over the cake.
Decorate with sweets or as you like
I used the left over cake pieces to make a chocolate trifle. I’ll share the recipe in my next post.
Yoghurt Cake – Cape Malay Cooking & Other Delights – Salwaa Smith
Use any flavour yoghurt to make this easy, quick and delicious cake for afternoon tea. Dust with icing sugar and enjoy with a warm or cold beverage.
Strawberry Yoghurt Cake
Ingredients:
3 large eggs
½ cup cooking oil
1 cup white sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 ½ cup self-raising flour
½ cup yoghurt (any flavour)
Icing sugar for dusting
Yoghurt Cake Dusted With Icing Sugar
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Grease a Bundt tin or a 22cm round baking tin. Using a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil and sugar until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is light and creamy. Add the vanilla essence and mix in the flour. Fold in the yoghurt and pour the batter into the prepared tin. Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for approximately 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Leave to cool 5 minutes in the tin before turning out on a wired rack to cool completely. Dust with icing sugar.
Kolwyntjies (korrewyntjies) – Cape Malay Cooking & Other Delights – Salwaa Smith
Kolwyntjies (korrewyntjies, cupcakes)
Nowadays kolwyntjies are better known as cupcakes, kolwyntjies were baked for special occasion topped with a spread of icing and topped with hundreds and thousands or eaten plain.
Shukran / tramekasie / thank you Grandma Soraya for the recipe 😉
Creating memories, today my granddaughters helped me baked kolwyntjies!
Maryam & Thanaa May Allah bless them always, Ameen
Makes 24
Ingredients:
100g softened butter
3 Tbsp cooking oil
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
2 cups self-raising flour, sifted
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup warm milk
1 tsp vanilla essence
Method:
Using a large mixing bowl cream the butter, oil and sugar together. Mix in the eggs one at a time.
Fold in the self-raising flour, baking powder, milk and vanilla essence.
Pour the mixture into 24 cupcake cases or into 2 well-greased (grease with butter and dust with flour) muffin tins.
Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 15 – 20 minutes.
Cool on a wire rack completely before decorating.
Kolwyntjies
Frosting:
1 ¼ cup icing sugar
2 Tbsp butter
3 tsp hot water
Food colouring as desired
Mix all the ingredients together. Divide into small bowls and add the food colouring. Spread a spoonful over the cakes, sprinkle with hundreds and thousands and top with a sweet, chocolate or candy.
Cappuccino Bar Slices – Cape Malay Cooking & Other Delights – Salwaa Smith
Chocolate meets coffee – the perfect combination for this delectable chocolate cake variation. Tray baked and cut into slices. Enjoy a slice with your favourite coffee.
3 Tbsp instant coffee dissolved in 3 Tbsp hot water
Topping
100ml double cream
200gr white chocolate
1 tsp butter
#capemalaycooking
Method
Preheat your oven at 180°C
Cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl till light and fluffy using electric beater. Then add the eggs and mix till all combined, sift the flour, baking powder, cocoa powder and mix till the cake mixture is smooth .Lastly mix the coffee mixture well into the cake mixture. Grease and line baking paper in a 28 x 18cm baking tin and pour your cake mixture evenly in your prepared baking tin.
Bake for the cake for 30 minutes or till the cake has risen and firm to touch.
Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes once baked and then turn onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
Prepare the topping on the stove in a small sauce pan by adding all the topping ingredients on a low heat, ensuring the mixture does not boil or burn. When the chocolate starts to melt turn the heat off and mix till it’s all combined and silky smooth. Allow the topping to cool and then spread over your cooled cake.
Slice into 18-20 bars depending on your desirable serving size.
Patterned Swiss roll – my daughter, Tohierah, saw this idea on the internet and decided to make this cake. You can virtually use any design. Draw a design on a piece of paper and use it as a guideline. Try making hearts, giraffe patterns, flowers, lace patterns, dots, etc…
Ingredients For The Pattern
3 Tbsp (50g) unsalted butter, softened
⅓ cup icing sugar, sifted
2 large eggs whites
4 Tbsp cake flour, sifted
food colouring as required
Method:
Cream together butter and icing then add the rest of the ingredients. Mix well until all the ingredients are well combined. Colour as desired. Get your template and put baking paper on top of it in a baking tray and copy the design using the coloured batter. Freeze the design in the tray till its hard to the touch. Depending on the pattern you using this batter should be enough for 2 Swiss rolls patterns.
Use any pattern for your design
Place baking paper over your design
Coloured batter used for this design
Completed pattern – freeze until hard
Ingredients For The Sponge Cake
3 large eggs, separated
80g caster sugar
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melt
4 tbsp cake flour, sifted
½ tsp vanilla essence
½ tsp cream of tartar
Prepare a wet towel to use once the Swiss roll has been baked.
Wet a kitchen towel
Method For The Swiss Roll:
Separate the egg whites from yolks in two bowls
In the bowl with the egg whites add half the sugar and cream of tartar
Mix the egg whites with an electric mixer till soft peaks form don’t over mix you will know its ready when the peaks hold its shape but the mixture is still quite soft
In the bowl with the egg yolks add the remaining sugar and mix this till its fluffy and creamy
Then fold egg white mixture with egg yellow mixture in three stages to ensure you don’t knock out all the air that was created
Once its all combined put half your flour in the cake batter as well as half the melted butter fold it in in a figure of eight to ensure all the air is kept in the batter
Swiss Roll Batter
Do that again with the rest of the flour, rest of the butter and vanilla essence till everything is combined
Take the frozen pattern out the freezer and pour the Swiss roll cake mixture evenly over the pattern
Pour the batter on top of the frozen design
Pop the tray into the preheated oven at 180 degrees for seven minutes
Remove the cake from the oven, trim the edges whilst in the pan still
Trim the edges
Flip the Swiss roll onto a damp tea towel ensuring that the pattern of the cake is facing down
Flip the Swiss Roll onto the wet towel
Roll it up and allow to cool
Roll it in the towel
Unfold when cool and fill as desired and re-roll
Filled with cream, multi colour heart design
Multi colour dots design
Filled with strawberries & cream
Patterned Swiss Roll
Ingredients For The Pattern
3 Tbsp (50g) unsalted butter, softened
⅓ cup icing sugar, sifted
2 large eggs whites
4 Tbsp cake flour, sifted
Food colouring as required
Method:
Cream together butter and icing then add the rest of the ingredients. Mix well until all the ingredients are well combined. Colour as desired. Get your template and put baking paper on top of it in a baking tray and copy the design using the coloured batter. Freeze the design in the tray till it’s hard to the touch. Depending on the pattern you using this batter should be enough for 2 Swiss rolls patterns.
Ingredients For The Sponge Cake
3 large eggs, separated
80g caster sugar
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melt
4 Tbsp cake flour, sifted
½ tsp vanilla essence
½ tsp cream of tartar
Prepare a wet towel to use once the Swiss roll has been baked.
Method For The Swiss Roll:
Separate the egg whites from yolks in two bowls
In the bowl with the egg whites add half the sugar and cream of tartar
Mix the egg whites with an electric mixer till soft peaks form don’t over mix you will know it’s ready when the peaks hold its shape but the mixture is still quite soft
In the bowl with the egg yolks add the remaining sugar and mix this till its fluffy and creamy
Then fold egg white mixture with egg yellow mixture in three stages to ensure you don’t knock out all the air that was created
Once it’s all combined put half your flour in the cake batter as well as half the melted butter fold it in in a figure of eight to ensure all the air is kept in the batter
Do that again with the rest of the flour, rest of the butter and vanilla essence till everything is combined
Take the frozen pattern out the freezer and pour the Swiss roll cake mixture evenly over the pattern
Pour the batter on top of the frozen design
Pop the tray into the preheated oven at 180 degrees for seven minutes
Remove the cake from the oven, trim the edges whilst in the pan still
Flip the Swiss roll onto a damp tea towel ensuring that the pattern of the cake is facing down
Light and fluffy chocolate cake made in a Bundt or ring tin.
5 extra-large eggs, separated
1 cup white sugar
1 cup self-raising flour
½ cup sunflower oil
2 tsp baking powder
¾ cup hot water (boiled water, slightly cooled)
1/3 cup cocoa powder
Preheat your oven to 170C.
Grease a Bundt (ring) tin.
Using a large mixing bowl, cream the egg yolks and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add the oil and stir to combine.
Sift the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder together in a separate bowl.
Add the flour mixture and the hot water to the wet ingredients in stages mixing well after each addition.
Using an electric beater whip the egg whites stiff until they hold their peaks.
Fold the egg whites lightly into cake mixture until just combined. DO NOT OVER STIR as the cake will lose volume and won’t be as light and fluffy.
Pour the mixture into the prepared tin.
Bake at 170C for 35 minutes. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before turning it out on a cooling rack to cool completely before decorating.
Ganache
200g Cadbury Diary milk chocolate
½ cup fresh cream
Melt together for 60 seconds in the microwave in a suitable container without stirring. Let it rest/stand for 2 minutes and stir to combine the chocolate and cream. Pour this over the cake. Decorate with fresh strawberries and/or chocolate curls.
Fancies are sponge cakes cut into squares, dipped in diluted jam and rolled in coconut. Fancies can be decorated in a variety of styles and with different toppings to suit the occasion. Fancies are usually served on special occasions e.g.: Eid, Weddings, Doopmaals, etc…
This recipe makes 20 – 24 cakes depending on the size of the squares you cut your cake into.
Ingredients: 1 cup castor sugar 4 eggs 1 cup cooking oil 5 ml vanilla essence 2 1/2 cups cake flour 3 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 cup milk
For the coating: 3 tablespoons smooth apricot or strawberry jam 1 cup hot water 1 cup desiccated coconut Whipped fresh cream Fresh fruit of choice, well-drained canned fruit will also work
Method:
Preheat oven to 180C.
Grease a 30x20cm baking tin with butter or oil.
Cover the bottom of the baking tin with greaseproof paper to prevent the cake sticking to the baking tin,
Cream eggs, castor sugar and oil until light and fluffy or until sugar has dissolved.
Add vanilla essence.
Add flour and baking powder and mix well.
Stir in milk and mix to combine until the mixture is a smooth dropping consistency.
Pour into prepared tin.
I always knock my baking tin a couple of times on a flat surface to even the batter out as well as to remove air bubbles.
Bake for 25 minutes.
To check if cake is done insert a skewer in the middle of the cake, if it comes out clean it is done.
Allow to cool slightly, turn out into a cooling rack to cool down completely.
Remove greaseproof paper.
Cut the cake into squares.
To complete the cakes:
Mix the jam and hot water together until the jam has dissolved.
Put the coconut into a little bowl.
Lightly dip the cakes one at a time into the jam water, do not drench.
Dip the cakes in the jam mixture
Roll the cakes in the coconut to cover completely.
Using a piping bag , pipe a border or cover the top of the cakes with whipped cream.
Here is a wonderfully simple recipe for aneggless chocolate cake.It’s deliciously moist and verychocolaty.
Eggless Chocolate Cake
Ingredients:
750ml (3cups) cake flour
500ml (2cups) sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
125ml (1/2 cup) cocoa powder
500ml hot water
190ml (3/4 cup) oil
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
4 tablespoons vinegar
ICING:
125g butter
375ml icing sugar
15-30ml cocoa powder
a few drops vanilla essence
Method:
Preheat oven to 180C
Grease 2 x 23cm cake pans
Place the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.
Combine the rest of the ingredients and pour over dry ingredients.
Mix well and divide into pans.
Bake for +/- 20 minutes.
Remove from oven and allow to cool in baking pans for 5 – 10 minutes.
Remove from baking pans and cool completely on wire rack.
Spread the top of one round with icing and sandwich together, spreading the rest of the icing around the sides and on top. Decorate as desired. Or top with whipped cream. Absolute delicious to enjoy plain without any adornment!!
This remains a firm favourite with my kids. We have it at least twice a month and they never get tired of eating it! We love it with vanilla ice cream or whipped fresh cream.
ROCKY ROAD BROWNIE BARS
Makes about 2
Ingredients
2 cups of chocolate chips
1 1/4 cups of cake flour
2 tablespoons of cocoa powder
1 ½ teapoon of baking powder
¾ cup of sugar
1 1/4 cup of soft brown sugar
6 tablespoon of unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon of vanilla essence
2 eggs
2 cups of mini marshmallows
1 ½ cups of walnuts, coarsely chopped
Method:
Preheat your oven to 180C. Spray a 13x9inch baking pan with non stick cooking spray and lay the bottom with parchment paper.
Add 1 cup of the chocolate chips in a small bowl and melt in the microwave and set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar, add the eggs and vanilla and mix until combined. Add in the melted chocolate and beat until smooth.
Beat in the dry flour mixture and spread this mixture evenly in the prepared pan. Bake for about 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out slightly sticky.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle evenly with the marshmallows, remaining chocolate chips and walnuts. Return to oven for 2 minutes or until the marshmallows begin to melt.
Variation: Substitute the vanilla essence with peppermint essence and sprinkle peppermint crisp chocolate over instead of the chocolate chips for a pepperminty flavour.
Let them cool for about 30 minutes and cut into bars.
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Salwaa Smith – Cape Malay Cooking & Other Delights
© Cape Malay Cooking – Salwaa Smith
