You Get Cake, They Get Cake, EVERYONE GETS CAKE!
Two delicious cakes are on the menu for EVERYONE this week. We've got my take on a sticky, comforting South African Malva Pudding and my showstopping Rhubarb, Custard & Cardamom Chiffon Cake.
Hello Friends!
I thought I’d spend a little bit of time at the start of this week’s newsletter giving a teeny tiny bit of advice to anyone looking to start something new (how exciting!), maybe venture into a new field (yes, do it!) or even take the plunge and set off on your own (I’m here right with you!). Coming from the girl who was unemployed and sleeping on the floor at her parent’s house at 28 because I had no idea where my life what going, who I even was, or what my purpose was meant to be – I kinda feel like I am fairly well equipped at prep talking and giving some seasoned, experienced advice.
We are past the whole New Year, New Me jazz and so now is about the time that if you are STILL wanting to do something different, you know its no longer just a spur of the moment, gotta make a resolution, promise to be better, achieve more, do more cause social media tells me I should be, sorta thing. Maybe, just maybe, this is something you genuinely want to do and to that, I say scratch it. Scratch that itch and see where it takes you.
I was talking to James about my series on socials (Around The World in 80 Cakes in case you somehow missed this never ending cake hole I currently find myself in) as he was asking how I was finding it and if I was still enjoying it. I mean sure, sometimes there are some weeks I truly want to throw everything in the bin, myself included, and swear to end the series because my willpower says no but 98% of the time, I truly love it because I am learning each week about something that lights me up and thankfully that enjoyment is paying off (not literally – if any brands are out here reading this, pls can you sponsor the series before it bankrupts me?).
I did a few calculations out of curiosity’s sake and was blown away by the current view count on the series across both Insta and Tiktok – 40 million views my friends. 40 million. From something that I just started doing because I was fed up of feeling like a sheep, following the crowd and was too scared to really show any sense of me. It’s been a slow journey over the last 5ish years being active (kinda, I know I am the worst on there) on social media but it’s only been now that I have come to realise that a key part to ensure longevity on socials (and just about any part of life) is authenticity.
I was authentic to myself and who I was whilst on Bake Off, followed the herd post show as the ‘who am I, what am I doing here, how have I ended up in this situation, this isn’t going to last’ narrative played out in my head and then finally came back to what gave me that glimmer of hope in the first place and was just…myself. It’s not always about where it gets you but mostly about what you get from it.
Baking gives me a sense of happiness, pride, enjoyment and internal peace – without scratching that itch to do something more creative and explore what makes me Me all those years back, I have no doubt I’d still be standing around in a hard hat, builders boots, plodding around underground, working on some infrastructure project that I had zero idea or care for and living in a constant grey area fueled by misery and meh.
I get it, it’s easy for me to say ‘just do it’ (nike pls don’t sue me) having coming from a solid foundation like a tv show HOWEVER I didn’t have that foundation when I first applied for it. I had a load of fake it, till you make it confidence and went in with zero expectation cause how can you fail when you’re already winning? I was just doing something I truly loved doing in my spare time so if nothing came from applying, I hadn’t technically lost anything? Do what you do because it makes you happy. Not because it’s a trend or it’s what is expected from you. Been there, done that, and now I have a tonne of student loan to pay back whilst drowning in cake. I’m not saying quit your job right now because you really enjoy making lego or like to embroider clothes, but I am saying, if there’s something you really want to do or try – make time for it. Make time for you. Because you never know where it will get you or what it will give to you.
It’s truly been the best decision I ever made…even if it has resulted in the media (daily mail you ARE the worst) saying that James and I look like siblings in the pics we posted about our engagement. Gotta love that for us.
Oh, you are ALL gonna be happy this week because guess what?? That’s right, this week EVERYONE gets EVERY recipe. That’s right folks. You get a recipe, they get a recipe, EVERYONE GETS A RECIPE! No one is missing out on a slice of nice on my watch.
Come join me in carbed up heaven as I share two of my favourite things from my kitchen in the last week: Malva Pudding and my Rhubarb & Custard Chiffon Cake.
Two entirely different style of cakes but one for every occasion. Whether it’s a birthday, an anniversary, the weekend, a carb craving, Valentines, Galentines or even Palentines - one of these cakes will be ready to see you through.
Double the carbs. Double the fun. Double the yum.
Starting up this weeks menu for everyone is the latest offering in my ‘Around the World’ series – a South African classic, a Malva Pudding.
This deliciously sweet and outrageously easy dessert will soon be one of your faves to have on rotation. It’s comforting, cosy and a quickie to make and you know what that means? It’ll be in your belly faster and that to me is always a win. It has a sticky toffee pudding sort of vibe (just a much lighter variation) and is perfectly topped with vanilla ice cream and a pinch of sea salt or grab a one-way ticket to Cosy Central by drowning it in piping hot, freshly made vanilla bean custard.
It's made up of a soft, bouncy (odd choice of word but #facts), apricot jam laden sponge which is then drowned in a butterscotchy kinda sauce and served up warm – perfect for this time of year. This is the easiest yum around and I promise you, if your culinary skill set starts and stops at burning toast, this one is for you.
It's a super simple bake which takes just 30 minutes to make and I guarantee you, you will love it. Sounds weird to say but this for me tastes like home. It’s incredibly nostalgic (it’s essentially a treacle pudding for my uk friends!) and one I can’t wait to make again (and again. And again. And aaaaagain).
Recipe Makes: 10 by 13 inch / 25 by 33 cm tray
Y O U – W I L L – N E E D -
Sponge
255 ml Whole Milk
110 g Apricot Jam
3 Large Eggs
45 g Salted Butter, melted
1.5 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
320 g ‘00’ Flour, sifted (sub for Plain or AP)
130 g Dark Brown Sugar
3 tsp Baking Powder, sifted
1.5 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda, sifted
Pinch of Salt
Zest of 1 Orange, optional
Sauce
220 ml Double/Heavy Cream
220 ml Whole Milk
220 g Salted Butter, diced
220 g Light Brown Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
To Serve
Vanilla Ice Cream OR
Vanilla Custard
Pinch of Sea Salt
M E T H O D -
Preheat oven to 150C Fan/170 C/335 F/Gas Mark 3 and liberally grease the bottom and sides of a 10 inch x 13 inch / 25 x 33 cm deep baking tray with butter.
Into a bowl, add all the wet ingredients for the sponge: milk, jam (strain if you don’t like bits), eggs, melted butter, apple cider vinegar and vanilla bean paste. Give it a good stir with a balloon whisk and mix until smooth. Leave to one side.
Into a larger bowl add all the dry ingredients for the sponge: flour, sugar, baking powder, bicarb, salt and orange zest (if using). Use a whisk to thoroughly mix – integrate all the ingredients now to avoid overmixing in the next step.
Pour the wet ingredients into the larger bowl and thoroughly mix using a balloon whisk. Once you are left with little to no visible flour streaks, use a rubber spatula to wipe down the edges and bottom of the bowl to ensure there are no flour pockets.
Transfer the batter to your greased tin and use the back of a spoon to level out the batter. Pop the tray into the oven and bake for 26 to 30 minutes (mine took 28 but depends on intensity of your oven).
Whilst the sponge is baking in the oven, make the sauce by adding all the ingredients to a pan and placing over a medium heat.
Allow the butter to gently melt, stirring little and often for the sauce to get saucy. Once the sugar has dissolved and the butter has completely melted, allow the sauce to cook for a further 5 minutes to reduce slightly and thicken.
Once the sponge is baked (give the top a press and if it bounces back, you’re all good), remove from the oven.
Use a skewer to poke holes into the sponge before carefully pouring about 3/4 of the hot sauce over the top. Don’t worry about the liquid pooling, let time do its thing. Cover the top of the tin with clingfilm and allow the pudding to sit for at least 30 minutes to soak up all the liquid.
When ready to serve, portion up the sponge into 12 generous servings and use a fish slice or spoon to scoop out. Transfer to a serving plate, top with some vanilla ice-cream and a drizzling of the reserved sauce before finishing with a light sprinkling of sea salt.
Originally, I was going to have this next recipe reserved just for paid subscribers but then I had a real moment of weakness when I ate the first bite of this cake and thought…
…everyone deserves a bit of this.
This my friends, is my Rhubarb and Custard Chiffon Cake.
It’s fruity, it’s sharp, it’s warming and it’s indulgent. This cake is basically everything I aim to be in this lifetime. And let’s be real: for January, she’s a total looker. I don’t f*ck with apples that much (I’ve said it before and I will say it again – they are a fruit I am indifferent about, unless it comes in some form of crumble variety then sign me up, otherwise it’s a polite pass from me) and in a season where they are abundant, I sit here impatiently waiting for the forced rhubarb to start dropping into supermarkets.
That ruby red of the rhubarb glistens amongst a sea of greige fruit and veg (greeny beige, you know what I am talking about) and is only about for a short time. A good time. It can be tart, sour, make the back of your cheeks squeal in delight but treat it right and it can be deliciously sweet and juicy.
Whether you poach it, roast it, jam it or boil it – it’s definitely one to embrace. Much like this cake.
We’ve got the bounciest, squishiest, boingiest (it IS a word, despite what autocorrect is trying to tell me), lighter than air, pillowy soft, melt in your mouth cardamom spiced chiffon sponge smothered in a velvety smooth whipped vanilla bean and custard mascarpone and topped with two types of rhubarb: one, a stem ginger and rhubarb compote and the other, a poached rhubarb drizzled with a vanilla and grenadine syrup.
I’ve definitely sensationalized the crap out of this cake, but it truly deserves all its dramatization. Because wowee wow – welcome my friends, to the Beyonce of the cake world.
Recipe Makes: 1 x 10 inch / 25 cm sponge
Y O U – W I L L – N E E D –
Poached Rhubarb
325 g Caster Sugar
250 ml Water
75 ml Grenadine Syrup
0.5 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
625 g Forced Rhubarb, cut into 5 cm batons
Rhubarb Compote
230 g Forced Rhubarb, diced
20 g Caster Sugar
10 g Stem Ginger, finely diced
0.5 tbsp Stem Ginger Syrup
0.5 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
1.5 tbsp Grenadine Syrup
½ tsp Cornflour, sifted
Chiffon Sponge
6 Large Eggs, separated
265 g Caster Sugar
85 ml Vegetable Oil
55 ml Whole Milk
1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
150 g ‘00’ Flour, sifted (sub for Plain/AP)
50 g Potato Starch, sifted (sub for Plain/AP)
1 tsp Baking Powder, sifted
Pinch of Salt
7 Cardamom Pods, finely ground
1 tsp Cream of Tartar
Vanilla Bean Custard Whipped Mascarpone
250 g Mascarpone
60 g Custard Powder, sifted
35 g Icing Sugar, sifted
1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
450 ml Double Cream
M E T H O D -
First up, let’s get that rhubarb poached and rested as this will need to be done 24 hours ahead of when you are ready to use.
Slice your rhubarb into 5 to 10 cm batons and leave to one side. Add the remaining ingredients to a large pan and bring to a boil. Add the rhubarb to the pan and then immediately remove from the heat.
Transfer the syrup and the rhubarb to a large tray and cover with clingfilm/saran wrap. Once the syrup has cooled, pop the tray into the fridge and leave to sit for 24 hours. NOTE: this is to achieve that cerise pink rhubarb. If you aren’t fussed on the aesthetics, forget waiting and just use the rhubarb once cool.
For the compote, add all the ingredients to a saucepan and place over a medium heat. Gently cook the rhubarb for about 15 to 20 minutes, stirring often.
You’re wanting the rhubarb to be mostly broken down before you sift in the cornflour, so wait until it becomes stringy and saucy, add the cornflour, give it a good mix to dissolve and leave to cook for another minute or two before taking off the heat.
Transfer the compote to a large shallow tray and leave to completely cool. NOTE: if you think it looks too watery, it will thicken whilst cooling so do not add any more cornflour.
For the sponge, preheat the oven to 150°C Fan/170°C/335°F/Gas Mark 3 and grab yourself a 10 inch / 25 cm angel cake tin/chiffon cake tin (you know the one with the tube in the middle and the prongs/feet at the top).
You’ll need three big mixing bowls – into one, add: egg yolks, 130 g caster sugar, vegetable oil, milk and vanilla bean paste. Use the paddle attachment for your stand mixer (or just use the whisk attachment for an electric hand mixer) and start at a slow speed to combine everything together. Once combined, mix on high for at least 10 minutes until the yolks have thickened, are paler in colour and the volume has doubled.
Into a second mixing bowl, add: flour, potato starch, baking powder and a pinch of salt. Use a balloon whisk to mix everything together before sifting in 1/3 of the flour and the ground cardamom to the egg yolks. Use a rubber spatula to fold through. Once you are left with little to no visible flour streaks, add the next 1/3 and repeat the folding until all flour is added.
Use the rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl and the bottom to ensure there are no flour pockets lurking. Leave to one side.
Into your final mixing bowl, add: egg whites and cream of tartar. Using the whisk attachment, mix the whites on a medium to high speed until they begin to foam and stiffen. Start to add the remaining sugar whilst mixing in stages. Go little and often to ensure the sugar dissolves before adding more.
Once all the sugar is added, allow the mixer to continue for a few minutes until you are left with a glossy, stiff meringue. Add 1/3 of the whisked egg whites to the egg yolk bowl and mix well to combine. Don’t stress about being all nicey nice and gentle here – you are introducing a portion of the whites to loosen the yolks.
Add half of the remaining whipped whites to the bowl and gently fold through. You want to be left with a smooth, well combined mix before adding the remaining whites. Fold through again.
Grab your cake tin and lightly spray the base and sides with some water to prevent the sponge from sticking too much. DO NOT GREASE OR LINE YOUR TIN OKAY. Transfer the cake batter to the tin and use the back of a spoon to evenly distribute.
Pop in the oven and bake for 40 minutes. Check for doneness (toothpick test or a bouncy, returnable top) before removing from the oven.
Immediately turn the cake upside down (trust in this) and place a cold tea towel over the top of the tin to help cool down the sponge. Once the towel is warm, rinse and repeat until the tin is cool to touch. Doing this will prevent the cake from going saggy and deflating. Leave to completely cool.
When the cake is cool, make the whipped custard mascarpone by adding the mascarpone, custard powder, icing sugar and vanilla bean to a mixing bowl. Use the whisk attachment to mix until smooth.
Pour in the double cream and mix again until you reach medium peak. My advice would be to mix the rest by hand to ensure you don’t overwork the cream. If you do and it becomes too stiff, add more double cream to loosen.
Use half of the cream to crumb coat your sponge. Pop in the fridge and leave to set for 30 minutes.
Use the second half of the cream to smooth over and decorate as you wish. Pop back in the fridge to set for 30 minutes.
Gently spoon on top the cooled rhubarb compote. Don’t go crazy here, use any leftover compote to serve alongside a slice of cake.
Slice your rhubarb batons however you wish (I was mad and sliced them at a 45-degree angle to tessellate but also, I have no life so save yourself the hardship) and carefully place on top of the compote. Pop back in the fridge until serving.
My Extra Bite besties will know what this section is about but for everyone else, this is where I drop my tips and tricks to ensure you nail each recipe included in the recipe. You’ll find more detail, pictures, and key points (imo) highlighting any tripping points and how to work through them. Think of this part as offering the assurance you need and if there is STILL somehow some ground I haven’t covered, you can drop me a message and I’ll offer up some more advice if you need it.
In today’s ‘R&R’, you’ll find A LOT of images to help you through key parts of the main bake and I talk a lot about rhubarb, how to get it perfectly pink and how to use the leftover poaching liquor to create more magic in the kitchen (who doesn’t love jelly and ice cream?).
Time to roll them sleeves up, let’s get into it.
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