El Duo

I think I am not only in Medical School in Belfast, but in Culinary and Baking School as well. It's just that I will not graduate with a certificate from the latter. Whenever we celebrate our friends' birthdays, we actually bake the cakes ourselves, because cakes are just too expensive to be bought here! So here I am to share 2 recipes which are my favourites so far...


Strawberry CakeIngredients:
400g white sugar
225g butter, softened
4 eggs
400g sifted cake flour
10g baking powder
240ml whole milk
15ml vanilla extract
2 packs of fresh strawberries - make into puree.
Whipping cream
Icing sugar
Strawberry gelatin

Method:
1) Preheat the oven to 170 degrees C. Grease and flour 2 tins. (to make it 2 layers!)
2) In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time, mixing well after each. Combine the flour and baking powder; stir into the batter alternatively with milk. Blend in vanilla and strawberry puree. Divide the batter evenly between prepared pans.
3) Bake for 20-30 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cake to cool in pans for 10 minutes before topping out to cool completely.
4) Place thickly sliced strawberries with whipping cream in between the 2 cakes.

For the puree - crush fresh strawberries and mix it with icing sugar.

For the decoration and presentation I used whipping cream, sliced strawberries and strawberry gelatin. It can be changed according to your preferences!


Chocco-Mocha Caramel Cake
Ingredients:
2 tsp instant coffee granules/ powder
2 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp hot water
175g softened butter
175g golden caster sugar
2 eggs
2 tbsp golden syrup
200g self-raising flour
4 tbsp milk
2 x 50g chocolate caramel bars (I used Cadbury Caramel Bars)

For the icing
2 x 50g chocolate caramel bars
50g butter
2 tbsp milk
100g icing sugar, sifted

Method:
1)Preheat oven - 160 degrees C. Butter the cake tin. Line the base with baking parchment.
2) Measure coffee and cocoa into a cup, add hot water, mix into a smooth paste. Put butter, sugar, eggs, syrup, flour, milk and cocoa paste in a large mixing bowl and beat until smooth. Break caramel bars into sections and stir into mixture.
3) Turn the mixture into prepared tin and smooth the top. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until top springs back when you press it lightly. Cool for 5 minutes, turn out, peel off lining paper, leave to cool.
4) Make icing - break up caramel bars and put in a small pan with butter and milk. Gently heat until smooth, stirring all the time, then remove from heat and stir in the icing sugar. Leave to cool until it thickens to leave a trail when you lift the spoon. Put cake on a serving plate, spread icing over the top, letting it fall softly down the sides, leave to set.

I used caster sugar and chocolate chips for decoration. Again, that's up to you own preferences.

That's all folks! I thought the latter was easier to make, but do give both a try, if you guys are free! ;)