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Eggless Vanilla Sponge Cake
Simple vanilla sponge cake with white icing and multicoloured sprinkles
The origins of the traditional old school cake recipe can be traced back to the 1980s. A wholesome treat that required only a few ingredients easily found in any household instantly became popular, still remaining an integral part of UK cuisine in modern times. In the early 20th century, it was common for schoolchildren to bring cakes and other treats from home to share with their classmates. However, with the advent of school meals, school cakes became a staple of the school lunch menu. School (vanilla) cakes have remained popular over the years due to their simplicity and affordability. They are filling and satisfying snacks that can be easily made in large batches to feed a large number of students. Additionally, school cakes are often served with a side of custard or cream, which provides added richness and texture.
Here’s my version of an eggless vanilla sponge cake. A delicious yet simple true British vanilla cake with icing and sprinkles – the classic easy bake for everyone to enjoy!
Salwaa’s Cape Malay Cooking
From My Kitchen To Yours – keeping our heritage alive since 2011!
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Ingredients:
1⅓ cups cake / plain / all purpose flour
¾ cup granulated sugar
½ tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
¾ cup milk
½ cup plain yoghurt
½ cup oil
1 tsp vanilla essence
Method:
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Grease and line a 7″ round cake tin. You can also use a rectangular baking tray like I did with this one.
In a bowl mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda.
Add the yogurt, oil, milk and vanilla in the centre.
Mix it to form a smooth batter.
Pour it into the prepared cake tin.
Bake for 30-40 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted comes out clean.
Rest it on the wire rack for 10 minutes.
Flip on the wire rack, remove tin and the paper.
For the topping:
200g icing sugar
3 tablespoons cold water
Sprinkles
FAQ:
Why has my cake dipped in the middle?
This might happen due to over mixing, an uneven baking temperature, or short baking times.
Why has my cake risen in the middle?
The reasons include the wrong quantity of the raising agent, a wrong size baking tray, or very high baking temperatures.
How do I know that the cake is done?
Try inserting a toothpick into it; a clean toothpick is a sign that your treat is ready.
How long can this cake last?
When stored in the fridge or in a cool place in an airtight container, it can last for about 3-4 days. But I can guarantee it will be gone within one day!
Boneless Chicken Breyani
This quick boneless chicken Breyani will not only save you time but it will score you brownie points with your family. It’s delicious, quick and easy.
Salwaa’s Boneless Chicken Breyani
Salwaa’s Cape Malay Cooking
From My Kitchen To Yours – keeping our heritage alive since 2011!
In a bowl put in the following and mix well
750 gram boneless, thigh pieces cut in pieces
2tsp salt
3 TBSP Breyani masala
1 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp tumeric
3 bayleaves
3 allspice
3 cloves
5 cardamom pods
2 pieces stick cinnamon
1/2 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp peppercorns
1/2 tsp bariship/fennel seeds
1 Tablespoons garlic and ginger paste
A few tablespoons of oil
1/2 sliced onion
2 green chillies slit optional
1/2 cup of yoghurt optional
Put in fridge to marinate for a few hours or for at least a hour
Cook above for about 30 minutes. Add water as desire it should be saucy, more on the dry side not runny. Put aside.
In a bowl add 2 cups of basmati rice / long grain white rice and cover with boiling water and let it stand for 30 minutes
In the pot you going to use to cook your Breyani.
Add 2 TBSP oil
1 sliced onion
Teaspoon of garlic & ginger paste
1/2 of each robot peppers sauté for a few minutes.
Add 1 tsp salt and 1-2 cup of frozen green peas, handful of chopped coriander and a handful of chopped mint optional
Switch pot off and remove into a bowl.
Cook a few potatoes in the microwave with a little turmeric untill 3/4 done or deep fry in oil just as you like “.
Now layer your Breyani. The different aromas is the magic of making Breyani.
Layer with the potatoes at the bottom
Half of the rice without the water.
A sprinkle of salt
Followed by the marinated chicken
Now add 3/4 the onion and pepper mixture
Add the last of the rice followed by the last bit of onion and pepper mixture
Dot with butter as much or as little as you like
Add 2 cups of warm water and cook on high heat for 5 minutes.
Turn heat down to low and cook for a further 10 minutes.
Switch heat off and leave to steam for a further 10-15 minutes before serving.
If you follow this process you should get a nice fluffy and delicious loose rice.
Serve with dhai or tomato & onion salad.
Cookstip: the type of spices you use for curries and breyanis make all the difference to the taste. So make sure you buy a good quality of Breyani masala or even better mix it from scratch yourself to ensure deliciousness.
Enjoy!
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Frikkadel
Frikkadel / Meatballs with yellow sweet rice and vegetables or salads
Salwaa Smith – Cape Malay Cooking & Other Delights
From My Kitchen To Yours – keeping our heritage alive since 2011!
Frikkadel, also known as meatballs is a very versatile dish to make, you can create a number dishes from this humble recipe. For example; spaghetti meatballs, tomato frikkadel, kool frikkadel, frikkadel curry, oond frikkadel, as well as pan fried traditionally served with yellow rice, mashed potatoes, vegetables, creamy sweetcorn and not forgetting beetroot sambal.
A frikkadel is a round flat-bottomed, pan-fried meatball consisting of minced meat, vegetables, spiced with a selection of spices.
Although the origin of frikkadel is unknown, frikkadel is often likened to the German version of meatballs. The term frikkadelle is German but the dish is associated with Nordic and Polish cuisines. They are one of the most popular meals in Poland, where they are known as kotlety mielone. In Sri Lankan meatballs are made into a savoury dish.
There are various local variants of frikkadel throughout Scandinavia, as both a main and a side dish. In Sweden, the word frikadeller refers to meatballs that are boiled, not pan-fried.
In Cape Malay (South African) cuisine, frikkadel are made with lamb, mutton or beef mince. Fish, stok fish (cod) or tuna are used to make. My mother-in-law used “pap” snoek (snoek that was too soft to fry) to make fish frikkadels as well.
Here’s my mothers version of frikkadel which I make now a days as well and its a firm favourite in our home. Left over frikkadels are delicious next day to make sandwiches with for work and school.
Ingredients :
1 kg minced meat (fat-free works best)
2 medium onions, chopped finely
1 large green pepper
2 medium tomatoes
1/2 bunch dhanya
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons crushed garlic
2 – 3 slices one day old bread soaked in water
2 medium eggs
Salt & pepper to taste
Method:
Wash and drain minced meat well.
Soak bread in water and squeeze excess water out.
Chop onion, pepper, tomato, dhanya finely.
Add all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix thoroughly using your hands or a spoon. I prefer using my hands mixing to ensure all the ingredients are mixed.
Heat your oven to 220°C. Roll mince mixture into small golf ball size meatballs. Arrange the meatballs onto a slightly greased baking tin or line your baking tin with greaseproof paper then you don’t need to use any oil. This is to prevent the meatballs from sticking onto your tray. Roast in the oven for 20 – 25 until browned. Can also be pan fried using some cooking oil.
Cook’s tip:
To save time when cooking freeze half of the meatballs ready to use next time. Form the frikkadel balls, freeze on a baking tray covered with greaseproof paper. When the frikkadels are frozen remove from baking tray, mark and store in an airtight container in your freezer.
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Fresh Fruit & Cream Sponge Cake
Weekend Baking Inspo…
Fresh Fruit & Cream Sponge Cake
This vanilla cake is quite an easy cake to make. A simple yet delicious 2 layer sponge cake which can be used for any occasion. I used homemade strawberry compote to sandwich the cake and for the topping.
From My Kitchen To Yours – keeping our heritage alive since 2011!
Ingredients:
1 cup castor sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup cooking oil
2 tsp vanilla essence
1½ cups cake/plain flour
1 cup self raising flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ cup milk
300ml fresh cream, whipped (1 tub)
Strawberry compote**
Fresh seasonal fruit
Method:
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Grease 2 x 20cm baking tin with butter or oil, dust the baking tins with flour or line the tins with greaseproof paper.
Cream eggs, sugar and oil until light and fluffy or until sugar has dissolved. Add vanilla essence. Add flour and baking powder and stir well. Stir in milk and mix to combine until the mixture is a smooth dropping consistency. Divide the mixture between the two prepared tins and bake for 20 – 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. Sandwich the cakes together with strawberry compote and some of the whipped cream. Pipe fresh cream around the edge of the cake, fill the centre of the cake (inside the cream)
Decorate with slices of fresh fruit. I used strawberries, figs, passion fruit, kiwi and blueberries.
To make the strawberry compote
1 Tbsp maizena /cornstarch
3 Tbsps warm water
500g strawberries, hulled and sliced in half (you can also use frozen, no need to thaw)
zest and juice from ½ small lemon
¼ cup sugar
Method:
Mix the maizena with the warm water until dissolved.
Add the strawberries and all the other ingredients in a pot.
Simmer for about 10 minutes over low heat.
Cool completely before using. It will thicken up as it cools down. Store in an airtight container for 1 week in a refrigerator.
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Banana, Date & Walnut Muffins
Have some over ripe bananas that the kids don’t want to eat? Here’s a delicious and easy recipe to making banana muffins. You can omit the dates and walnuts…
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Makes 12
Ingredients:
3 – 4 overripe bananas, chopped / mashed
⅔ cups soft dates, chopped
½ cup cooking oil
2 medium eggs
¾ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1½ cups self raising flour
¼ cup walnuts (optional)
Chocolate chips (optional)
Method:
Pre-heat the oven to 170°C.
Line a muffin tray with muffin liners.
Soak the dates in hot water to cover for 5 minutes. Mash or chop the bananas. Drain the water off the dates.
Using a small bowl, mix all the wet ingredients together.
In another bowl, mix the dry ingredients together.
Finely mix the wet and dry ingredients together. Mix the walnuts into the batter.
Fill the muffin cases three quarter full with the muffin mixture.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the muffin comes out dry and clean.
Cook’s Tip:
Add chocolate chips instead of dates and/or nuts. Make a double batch, freeze or store the batter in the fridge to bake for breakfast or brunch the following day. Can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 days.
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Chicken & Mushroom Soup
Salwaa’s Chicken and Mushroom Soup
This creamy chicken and mushroom soup is easy to make. Best of all it only take 30 minutes to make!
Salwaa’s Cape Malay Cooking
From My Kitchen To Yours – keeping our heritage alive since 2011!
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 cloves garlic, finely grated
3 bay leaves
400g boneless chicken breasts, diced
250g sliced fresh mushrooms
2 tablespoons flourd
4 cups chicken stock
1 tin cream style corn
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup fresh cream, optional
Method:
In a large pot, heat butter and olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion, garlic and bay leaves, stir until tender and translucent but not browned.
Add diced chicken cook, stirring, until chicken is nearly cooked through.
Add the mushrooms and continue cooking, stirring, until mushrooms are tender. Stir in flour until blended; add chicken stock and corn.
Bring to a simmer, stirring. Cover and reduce heat to low; cook for about 10 to 15 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper to taste; stir in cream, if using and heat through. Remove the bay leaves, serve warm.
Cook’s Note:
You can use chicken thigh or chicken breast fillet. The fresh cream can be omitted.
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330th anniversary of the arrival of Sheikh Yusuf of Macassar to South Africa.
Our Cape Malay Heritage
Today marks the 330th anniversary of the arrival of Sheikh Yusuf of Macassar to South Africa.
If you see some people in the Cape Malay community today packing their picnic baskets with samoosas, koeksusters, boeber, rose water and dates it is most probably because they’re going to be having Iftar (breaking of the fast) today in Macassar.
Macassar is a small suburb between Strand and Somerset West in the western Cape. The small fishing village is hardly paradise but it has a legendary tale which will be told by its inhabitants that Moses parted the waters, Jesus walked on the waters but that it was Sheikh Yusuf of Macassar who put his foot in the salty sea waters and it turned into fresh waters that the sailors on board the Voetboog could drink when they were sailing to the Cape of a Good Hope. Sheikh Yusuf of Indonesia was exiled in the Cape by the Dutch East India Company in 1693
The story about Sheikh Yusuf of Macassar is one that will be celebrated today by lots of Cape Town aunties and their families who will be visiting his shrine in the Western Cape. In a booklet, “Guide to the Kramats of the Western Cape.”, edited by Mansoor Jaffer and published by the Cape Mazaar the voyage of the Voetboog sailing to the Cape was not without its challenges. Jaffer writes, “The voyage to the Cape was not without mysterious events. En route the fresh water supply became depleted and being far away from land, this caused deep concern. When Sheikh Yusuf came to hear of this, he merely put his foot in the sea, and told the men to let down the casks in that spot. When they pulled up the casks, they discovered, to their amazement, that the water was fresh and perfectly good to drink. It could have been that the Sheikh knew that they were near one of the fresh water currents of the coast of Natal. If so, it clearly displays the extent of his exceptional knowledge. Nevertheless, the legend lives on in the oral history of the community and is related with great pride by those who believe in his mystical powers.”
Today marks 330 years when the Voetboog sailed into the Cape of Good Hope in 1694 with Sheikh Yusuf; and his “mystical powers” continued to rein for the five years during which he was exiled here and during which time he contributed to a phenomenal spread of the Sufi school of Islam that was rooted in stoicism of personal & political ideals, tolerance for others and a marriage between science, art, politics and spirituality.
Sheikh Yusuf was a spiritual and political teacher to many of the slaves in the Cape. In 2005 the South African government honored Sheikh Yusuf posthumously with the National Order of the Companions of O. R. Tambo in Gold for his contribution to the struggle against colonialism.
Sheikh Yusuf died in 1699, just five years after his arrival at the Cape, and more than three centuries later his memory continues to live on with significant numbers of people who pay homage at his shrine in Zandvliet (now known as Macassar to honour the place where he was born).
Written by Ismail Raeesa and share by Mogamat Kammie Kamedien
Cooking Tutorials
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Dhal / Dal Soup
Salwaa’s Dhal Soup
This hearty and protein-packed dhal soup with lemon, turmeric and garlic is totally delicious and very easy to make. Perfect comfort food to break your fast with or to have as a light lunch on an autumnal day.
Ingredients:
1 cup dhal (red or yellow lentils)
1 tsp turmeric / borrie
½ tsp cayenne pepper or chilli powder
1 tsp cumin / jeera
¼ tsp ground cardamom
2 bay leaves
1 vegetable stock cube dissolved in 4 cups warm water
50g butter
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
1 tsp mustard seeds
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste
juice of 1 small lemon
Method:
Soak the lentil in water for 30 minutes. Rinse until the water run clear.
Add the dhal, turmeric, cayenne pepper, jeera, cardamom, vegetable stock and bay leaves in a deep pot / saucepan. Simmer over low to medium heat until the dhal is soft and mushy.
Meanwhile melt the butter in a pan, then add the mustard seeds, garlic and onions. Sauté until the onions are transparent. Add the onion mixture to the dhal, cook a further 5 minutes adding more water if a thinner soup is required. Season with salt and pepper.
Squeeze the lemon juice over the soup. Stir through. Remove the bay leaves before serving with your favourite bread or savouries.
Serve with your favourite savoury or my homemade brown bread recipe
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Mixed Berry Muffins
Mixed Berry Muffins are delicious muffins bursting with a tart berry flavour. I used fresh berries but you may also use frozen berries for a deliciously convenient breakfast treat.
Muffins are the perfect grab-and-go breakfast or sweet treat like our popular Eggless Banana Muffins,
From My Kitchen To Yours – keeping our heritage alive since 2011!
These muffins are a breeze to make and taste so delicious too.
- Melted butter means no creaming.
- No mixer necessary, just use a spoon or whisk.
- You can do it in one bowl, just sift your dry ingredients right into your wet.
- For convenience use frozen berries right from the freezer.
- Using buttermilk results in a light and fluffy muffin.
- Lemon juice and zest gives a distinctive flavour to the muffins.
Dry Ingredients:
2½ cups cake flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 cup white sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients:
1 cup buttermilk
4 tablespoons butter, about 60g, melted
4 tablespoons (80 ml) vegetable oil
2 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly whisked
Juice and zest of one lemon
250g mixed berries, I used raspberries, strawberries and blackberries
Method:
Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees C.
Line a muffin tray with 12 muffin cases.
Whisk the wet ingredients, then sift the dry ingredients into the bowl, mix well until combines. DO NOT over mix.
Gently stir in the berries, be careful not to break the berries up.
Fill the muffin cases up to three quarters. Then bake for about 20 minutes.
Done! As simple as that to make delicious muffins. Can be made a day in advance.
This recipe makes about 12 muffins.
Cook’s Note:
Don’t have buttermilk? Simply mix one cup of milk with one tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar. Let the mixture stand for 10 minutes before using as above in the recipe.
Use frozen berries instead of fresh berries.
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Cape Malay Cooking & Other Delights - Salwaa Smith 
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