Berry Nice

We are back with 2 naughty numbers – a Brazillian Carrot Cake (there is so much carrot, it’s basically a salad??) & my Roasted Strawberry & Basil Eton Mess Cake. Let’s feast!

Hey friends!

I hope you are all doing well? It truly feels like it has been forever since I last wrote a newsletter for you but I am so glad to be back at it and sharing a whole host of deliciousness. A quick apology for missing sending a newsletter last week but woweeeewow, I was totally SWAMPED. If any of you caught it on Instagram, I was busy last week with my cousins wedding - which can I say, juggling being Maid of Honour and also Cake Maker is one hell of a mighty combination (10 outta 10 would not recommend) but pleased to say we got there in one piece (cake included).

I’m not entirely sure if this is the start of my wedding cake era or whether I should just stick to making normal ones and then film myself talking to myself and posting it for everyone to see (the ridiculousness of that all is not lost on me) OR EVEN go as far as making my own wedding cake (thoughts?? Is this a stupid thing to do??) but for my very first one the stress was relatively low, the yum was at an almighty high and it was all worth it in the end.

I'm not sure how many of you have been to a big fat Indian wedding before but WOW. The post wedding hangover is real as I have been going to bed every day since Saturday at 9:00 PM, and, without fail, have been snoring away at 9:30. I don't quite know how I used to do it in my younger days but folks, can we all agree to a universal 10:00 PM celebration cut off time because nearly a week later and I am still paying for it. My body is currently 78% samosa, 10% pakora and 35% fried food - I know the maths ain’t mathing here but considering it is nearly 7pm, I am getting ready to get into bed. No lie.

I can't wait to share with you pictures of the wedding cake (I promise I will on insta at some point this week!) – I had originally wanted to use this newsletter to share the wedding cake recipe but in amongst the chaoticness, my clumsiness was PEAKING meaning I forgot to save the document on my laptop. So, when I say that cake was truly a one off, I really mean it. SORRY. And sorry for my rambles, none of the above is useful information whatsoever. I don’t make the rules around here (I lie, I do) so I’ll spare you any further deets so we can get straight into it.

NOTE: I have just read the above back after finishing the entire post and honestly what am I talking about?? I have no time to re-write an intro so it’s going to have to do. Apols x

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B O O K - M I N

We are 2 weeks out TODAY from publication day in the UK and I couldn’t be happier. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, my hayfever has well and truly kicked in but boy, oh boy THE CAKES ARE CAKING! I managed to nab a few extra pics from the bakes from the book as I wanted to show you all some more because look at them?? Is this an art gallery orrrrr….

All shot by my wonderfully talented and ever brilliant photographer-come-friend Matt Russell who truly could make magic out of a mess. We have everything from deliciously sweet treats to the outright filth (the way we really like to bake) and I promise there truly is a little bit of something for everyone.

You can find both the dairy AND plant-based version of EVERY recipe in One Bake Two Ways, which currently is on offer at a few places – whilst the Waterstones offer in the UK has now expired, UK Amazon are currently offering it at 15% off, whilst Amazon in America has the book available with a 10% discount and Amazon in Canada has it available with a whopping 28% OFF! I am totally unsure who has allowed such daylight robbery to occur but Canadian friends, grab it now to not miss out! A little reminder that you do not pay for anything UNTIL your book is shipped to you and if Amazon drops the price between now and publication date, you are price guaranteed, so you will only ever pay the lowest price it is listed for.

I’m keeping my peepers peeled for any discounts in any other countries (Aus & NZ, I am checking on the daily for you!) and will be sure to keep you posted if and when there are any.

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It feels mighty good to be back folks and there are two cracking bakes on the menu today.

• First up, we have a Brazilian Carrot Cake topped with a Chocolate Sauce. Don’t doubt the combo of carrot and chocolate, I PROMISE YOU, it works and it works oh so well. This cake can most definitely be served up for a tonne of people but seems like I am people this week as I have pretty much demolished the entire bake to myself and I make no apologies about it. A deliciously easy number which is perfect for any beginner bakers.

• The main bake of the day is my Roasted Strawberry & Basil Eton Mess Cake. This is truly summer in a cake – we are taking the best of what’s currently available and pairing it classically for a no fuss, some frills, crowd pleasing showstopper of a bake that can be easily adapted and modified to feed a smaller crowd (1/2 the quants to make one sponge for a sandwich cake) or simplified by using a few store-bought ingredients (use ready made sponges & meringue to cheat but shhh…you didn’t hear that from me).

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It feels like it has been a while since I last did an ‘Around the World’ bake but boy does it feel delicious to be back. Before we get into it, Brazil - serious question: what is up with this cake??? IT IS SO GOOD. Mystified. Bamboozled. Perplexed. Baffled. This Brazilian Carrot Cake with Chocolate Sauce aka Bolo de Cenoura com Bridgadeiro is SO easy to make. Sure, it’s a little basic but it basically tastes great? I am currently sat in my kitchen sat opposite the remaining ¼ of cake leftover and it is truly taking every part of my willpower and then some to not just annihilate the entire lot.

it looks like a massive doughnut, i know

After James had to go Gluten-Free, long gone is my excuse of blaming all the carb consumption on him. Nope. When every last crumb has gone, I will know I demolished an entire bundt cake to myself and honestly I don’t know whether I should be proud or disgusted?? Either way I really gotta learn a thing or two about self-control at some point because my cholesterol must be off the charts but for now, I am going to let that be a future Rubes problem. Right now, my only problem is not having another slither, so let’s speedily move on…

Let’s yap carrots. I am a big fan of the spiced variety of Carrot Cake (I have a MEGA recipe for both dairy and plant based in my new book which I HIGHLY recommend obv) but this one blows my mind with how simple it is. The sponge is super soft and tender, incredibly moist and moreish and has a nice hint of carrot in the background with being walloped in the face with it. I wasn’t convinced carrot and chocolate would work but being wrong has never been so delicious. I am not about to tell you to go dunk your carrots into a jar of Nutella…but I am mildly tempted to give it a go because this is just a whole load of wow.

This truly is the perfect beginner bake and a great speedy, weekend recipe to tuck into. You don’t need a stand mixer or even an electric hand whisk, just a blender and you’re ready to rock and roll. This would be perfect served up both hot or cold, on its own or even topped with ice cream (or even custard. YES, TO CUSTARD!). It’s just solid good mood food which has been a total hoot to inhale.

The below is tweaked and amended from a recipe I found by Brazilian Kitchen Abroad. I had a few comments from followers on Instagram telling me it isn’t common or traditional to use potato starch and to that I say I KNOW. After 40 or so cakes in, I’ve found the perfect ratio of combined flour which gives a super tender, incredibly moist and soft sponge. Of course, you can scrap the potato starch and sub the quantity for whichever flour you are using and do not stress on not having a bundt tin. I appreciate it is a niche bit of kitchen kit so opt for a 9 inch / 24 cm cake tin instead. The only downside to this is I can’t advise on correct timings as I haven’t tested or tried but If anyone does and fancies sharing, please do let us know!

Recipe Makes: 1 x 27 cm bundt tin or 1 x 22 cm / 9 inch cake tin

Recipe Serves: Honestly I ate ¾ of this myself but I am guessing like…8 people?

Brazilian Carrot Cake Aka Bolo De Cenoura Com Brigadeiro

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Y O U – W I L L – N E E D -

• Sponge

3 Large Carrots (approx. 300 g when peeled)

3 Large Eggs

300 g Caster Sugar

180 ml Neutral Oil

2 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste

180 g 00 Flour/Plain/AP, sifted

60 g Potato Starch, sifted

2 tsp Baking Powder, sifted

Pinch of Salt

• Brigadeiro

1 x 397 g Condensed Milk, tinned

50 g Cocoa Powder

M E T H O D –

1. Preheat oven to 150°C Fan/170°C/340°F/gas mark 3 and liberally grease a bundt tin with butter and dust with flour. If you are opting to use a baking tin, grease and line the bottom and sides of 1 x 22 cm / 9 inch baking tin.

2. For the sponge, add the peeled carrots to a blender and blitz until fine. Go in with the sugar and mix until the carrots have turned liquidy.

3. Pour in the oil and blitz again until smooth.

4. Into a separate bowl, add the eggs and vanilla and mix using a balloon whisk or fork until combined. Pour into the blender and pulse until just mixed.

5. Into a large bowl, add the flour, potato starch, baking powder and pinch of salt and mix the ingredients well using a balloon whisk. NOTE: By doing this before lessens the chance of you overmixing your batter when you add the flour, resulting in a softer, more tender sponge.

6. Pour the carrot mix into the large flour bowl and use a balloon whisk to combine until smooth. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the edges and bottom to ensure no flour pockets remain.

7. Pour the batter into the prepped bundt tin (or your 9 inch cake tin) and bake for 38 to 40 minutes until the top is bouncy to touch and the sides of the sponge have started to come away from the tin (I am going to level with you and say I don’t know the timings for the 9 inch but like go for 28 and see from there?).

8. Allow the sponge to sit in the tin for 15 minutes before carefully turning out onto a cooling rack.

9. When the cake is cooling, make the Brigadeiro by adding the condensed milk and cocoa powder to a pan. Mix well and place over a gentle heat.

10. Once warm and you've reached a pourable consistency, take the pan off the heat.

11. Place a large tray under your cooling rack (to catch any surplus choccy sauce cause waste not, want not) and pour over the chocolate sauce to completely cover. Leave to set.

12. Once cooled and set, transfer sponge to your serving plate and use a sharp, hot knife to slice.

And finishing up the menu for this week, we have my Roasted Strawberry & Basil Eton Mess Cake. This deliciously fruity number is a real celebration of summer. We have strawberries two ways – both roasted and fresh, served up three ways – as a jammy compotey affair, diced and whole, to help cut through the sweetness and indulgence from the cream and sponge.

The flavours in this cake are nothing new and the combination is tried and tested, meaning you know this recipe is gonna HIT. Strawberries and cream just SCREAM summer but topped with freshly baked meringue? A fruity, sweet flavour trifecta that just cannot be beaten when the sun is shining.

I am not going to lie, this is a real bonanza of a cake and as someone who was horrendously pushed for time this week, I did not time this one well. There are plenty of steps you can make ahead (the sponge and meringue) and plenty of steps you can cheat (again sponge and meringue - buy them shop bought and elevate with the rest). Despite this taking up a good chunk of time that I just did not have, it was so worth it and would 100000% do again if it meant inhaling it one more time.

Strawberries for me is a MUST but as we hit berry season, you could mix up the fruit and go for whatever tickles your pickle: raspberry (yum), blackberry (trendy), cherries (technically not a berry but MEGA YES) and you could mix up the cream filling for a crème diplomat instead for something a teeny tiny bit fancier. She looks the part, she tastes the part and quite honestly, is going to steal a part of your heart too.

Don’t doubt the inclusion of basil – I promise you folks, the combo works so well with the herb elevating the flavour of the strawbs. Including herbs in something sweet is such an underrated and underused move in baking but experiment, play, try and test and you’ll come across pairings which will blow your mind. Tarragon Crème Patissiere anyone?? IT IS SO GOOD!

Anyway, I digress so back to it. An Eton Mess inspired cake wouldn’t be complete without meringue so we have a whole layer of meringue nestled into the middle of the cake, as a little hidden surprise (so delicious), and is sandwiched between layers of roasted strawberry and basil compote, fresh diced strawberries and lashings of vanilla bean spiked whipped mascarpone. It’s truly a dream I don’t want to wake up from and thankfully I don’t anytime soon as there is a TONNE of this cake leftover in the fridge. My problem isn’t going to be finishing it, my problem is not wanting to share it…

Recipe Makes: 2 x 20 cm / 8 inch sponges

Recipe Serves: 12 generous slices