Chocolate Praline Bundt Cake

When we were kids, my brother and I were obsessed with Guylian chocolate seashells. In all fairness, I'm still very partial, but Chris is a champion Guylian destroyer, especially at Christmas. I can't believe I've never done this cake before.

It's not the prettiest bundt I've ever made, but form follows function for this one. It's all about the taste. It's a beautiful blend of chocolate and smooth hazelnut flavours, which just remind me of our favourite chocolates. Strangely, it also reminds me of when my husband and I were at Uni, and spent most morning's watching Bob Ross and scoffing these... 

Ingredients:

• 225g butter
• 350g golden caster sugar
• 100g soft brown sugar
• 4 medium eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 310g plain flour
• 40g good quality cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 200ml vanilla yoghurt 
• 75ml chocolate milk
• 2 tablespoons of Nutella
• Jar of Nutella (minus 2 tablespoons!)
• Chocolate pralines to decorate

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to gas 3/160 c
2. Prepare a regular sized bundt tin - 2.4l, 10 cup, 10 inch with Cake Release spray and dust with flour mixed with a little cocoa.
3. Cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. 
5. Add the extract.
6. In a separate bowl, measure out the flour, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda and salt.
7. Pour the yoghurt and chocolate milk into a jug and stir in the chocolate spread.
8. Sift in a third of the flour mix followed by half the yoghurt mix. Repeat this until everything is combined.
9. Give everything a quick mix on a low speed for about 10 seconds.
10. Pour the mix into your prepared tin. 
11. Bake in the centre of the oven for about 1 hour 15 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. 
12. Leave the cake to cool for ten minutes before removing from the tin.
13. When the cake is fully cool, pop the Nutella into a jug and heat in the microwave for around 30 seconds to loosen it. Tip over your cake and decorate praline chocolates.

Where to buy this stuff:
Cake Release

Nordic Ware Bundt Tin
Guylian Chocolate Seashells

Bloggers: Please respect the fact I am sharing my own ideas and basic recipe. Blood, sweat and many tears have gone into getting this right, so you may enjoy a perfect bundt. If you wish to re-blog a recipe from these variations, please credit my blog and link to this original post rather than pasting the recipe on your own page.

Lebkuchen Bundt Cake

When I was in year eight at secondary school, my German teacher brought in some festive goodies for our last lesson before Christmas. This is when I discovered Lebkuchen; a little german gingerbread style biscuit with enough spice in it to ward off any 'bah humbug' feelings you may be harbouring. I've bought these little biscuits every year since.

Yesterday, my friend Vicki and I were discussing the foods which we have to buy at Christmas - just because we always have. This is where the Lebkuchen bundt was born. If I could bottle the smell of this cake, I'd be a very rich lady. Spice up your life.

Ingredients:

• 225g butter
• 350g golden caster sugar
• 100g soft brown sugar
• 4 medium eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 350g plain flour
• 2 tsp mixed spice
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 4 tsp ginger
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 250ml vanilla yoghurt 
• 3 Lebkuchen biscuits, whizzed up in a food processor to a fine dust or 'flour'
• Icing sugar to decorate
• 1 Lebkuchen biscuit to decorate

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to gas 3/160 c
2. Prepare a regular sized bundt tin - 2.4l, 10 cup, 10 inch with Cake Release spray and dust with flour.
3. Cream the butter and sugars until pale and fluffy.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. 
5. Add the extract.
6. In a separate bowl, measure out the flour, spices, bicarbonate of soda and salt.
7. Pour the yoghurt into a jug.
8. Sift in a third of the flour mix followed by half the yoghurt mix. Repeat this until everything is combined.
9. Stir in the Lebkuchen 'flour'. 
10. Give everything a quick mix on a low speed for about 10 seconds.
11. Pour the mix into your prepared tin. 
12. Bake in the centre of the oven for about 1 hour 15 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. 
13. Leave the cake to cool for ten minutes before removing from the tin.
14. When the cake is fully cool, mix the icing sugar with enough water to make a very runny icing. Tip over the cake and decorate with a Lebkuchen biscuit.

Where to buy this stuff:
Cake Release

Nordic Ware Cathedral Bundt
Lebkuchen

Bloggers: Please respect the fact I am sharing my own ideas and basic recipe. Blood, sweat and many tears have gone into getting this right, so you may enjoy a perfect bundt. If you wish to re-blog a recipe from these variations, please credit my blog and link to this original post rather than pasting the recipe on your own page.

Penguin Bundt Cake

Before we start, I've had to say this to everyone today - the biscuit, not the bird. I'm not a pervert.

It started with the plastic penguins. I was looking for festive cake decorations, and decided the average snowman was just not for me. Granted, they are not essential to the taste of the cake, but you have to admit, they're ace...

This is the perfect alternative to claggy old fruit cake, and there's no hint of dryness whatsoever. This recipe produces a super moist cake that your party attendees will love. This one was made for my work's Christmas buffet - no complaints! Oh, and it actually tastes of Penguin biscuits...

Ingredients:

• 225g butter
• 450g golden caster sugar
• 4 medium eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 310g plain flour
• 40g good quality cocoa powder
• 2 Penguin biscuits, whizzed up in a food processor to a fine dust or 'flour'
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 200ml vanilla yoghurt 
• 75ml chocolate milk
• 1 heaped tablespoon of chocolate spread
• Jar of chocolate spread (minus 1 heaped tablespoon!)
• Naff penguin figures to decorate - strictly optional... 

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to gas 3/160 c
2. Prepare a regular sized bundt tin - 2.4l, 10 cup, 10 inch with Cake Release spray and dust with flour mixed with a little cocoa.
3. Cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. 
5. Add the extract.
6. In a separate bowl, measure out the flour, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda and salt.
7. Pour the yoghurt and chocolate milk into a jug and stir in the chocolate spread.
8. Sift in a third of the flour mix followed by half the yoghurt mix. Repeat this until everything is combined.
9. Stir in the Penguin biscuit 'flour'. 
10. Give everything a quick mix on a low speed for about 10 seconds.
11. Pour the mix into your prepared tin. 
12. Bake in the centre of the oven for about 1 hour 15 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. 
13. Leave the cake to cool for ten minutes before removing from the tin.
14. When the cake is fully cool, pop the chocolate spread into a jug and heat in the microwave for around 20 seconds to loosen it. Tip over your cake and decorate with those little plastic fellas... Or not...!

Where to buy this stuff:
Cake Release

Nordic Ware Holiday Tree Bundt
Plastic Penguin Figures
Sugar Snowflake Sprinkles
Green Cake Board

Bloggers: Please respect the fact I am sharing my own ideas and basic recipe. Blood, sweat and many tears have gone into getting this right, so you may enjoy a perfect bundt. If you wish to re-blog a recipe from these variations, please credit my blog and link to this original post rather than pasting the recipe on your own page.

Babycham Bundt Cake

When I think of Christmas nostalgia, I fondly remember the Babycham glass that I was allowed to use at my grandparents' house when I was little. In my eyes, drinking my festive Britvic 55 from it was the epitome of being grown up. I later found out that my grandad got it with his points at the petrol station down the road. All that glitters and all that. 

This week I've been thinking of those quintessential festive faves. I couldn't resist buying a pack of Babycham and transforming it into a bundt. I've added a little ginger, which seems to work nicely with the sparkling pear flavours in the perry. Anything fizzy makes a beautifully soft cake too. 

Ingredients

• 225g unsalted butter
• 100g of vegetable fat 
• 550g golden caster sugar
• 100g soft brown sugar
• 6 medium eggs
• 450g plain flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 200ml bottle of Babycham
• 1 jar of white chocolate spread
• Choice of decorations

Method

1. Grease and flour a regular sized bundt tin (2.4l, 10 cup, 10 inch).
2. Soften the butter and vegetable fat and then cream in the sugar in stages.
3. Add the eggs one at a time on a slow setting.
4. Add all the remaining dry ingredients to a large bowl.
5. Add the vanilla extract to the Babycham.
6. Sift in 1/3 of the dry ingredients, followed by 1/2 of the liquid. Repeat until all the flour and liquid is used up. Fold it in gently...
7. Tip: at this stage it will look a proper curdled mess. It will rectify itself... 
8. Give the whole thing a quick mix for about 10 seconds or until well combined. Magic.
9. Spoon the mix into the prepared tin and give it a good whack on the worktop. Because the cake has fizzy stuff in, it will hold a lot of air bubbles. The bang brings them to the surface.
10. Bake at gas 3/160 C for about an hour and a half. Just turn it after about an hour.
11. It should be shrinking from the sides and a skewer should come out clean.
12. Let it cool in the tin for ten minutes then turn it out. 
13. Allow to cool fully before icing. 
14. Warm the chocolate spread in the microwave until it's runny, then pour over the cake. 

Where to buy this stuff:
Cake Release
Babycham
Candy Cane Sprinkles

Bloggers: Please respect the fact I am sharing my own ideas and recipe. Blood, sweat and many tears have gone into getting this right, so you may enjoy a perfect bundt. If you wish to re-blog a recipe from these variations, please credit my blog and link to this original post rather than pasting the recipe on your own page. 

Please see my Creative Commons Copyright information for more details. Thank you.

Giveaway: The Manchester Cookbook

I've been leafing through this little beauty over the last couple of days; I love it already. The Manchester Cookbook is a brilliant idea. It's packed with recipes and stories from 55 local restaurants, cafés, delicatessens, pubs, producers and suppliers. Contributor Aiden Byrne said “The vibe in and around Manchester is electric, the sense of positivity is contagious and the number of restaurants that are opening is proof of this.” Yes Aiden, we are indeed a city of cocktail drinking, food loving folk, who occasionally love to cook at home too.

Whether you live in Manchester or not, this is a little corker. If you are a native to the city, you'll adore this book, which is packed with recipes from some of your favourite restaurants, if not, it'll make you want to visit then recreate some of these dishes in your own kitchen. I'm already planning to make my own corned beef in an ode to Mr Thomas' Chop House! If you've never tried it, I must insist you correct this. Other highlights include The Dish Ran Away with the Spoon's Eton Mess Cake, and some some of Harvey Nic's favourite cocktails (see pics below).

What's even better is that I have three copies to give away! That's right, you could win one of your very own. It's currently sold out, but I'm assured more will be on their merry little way, very soon indeed.

Pictures: Meze Publishing

The Manchester Cook Book retails at just £14.95 and will be available soon in all of the businesses featured in the book as well as select local gift shops, book shops including Waterstones and online at www.amazon.co.uk.

How to Enter

• Simply follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter widget below.
• To be in with a chance of winning you must complete ALL the mandatory fields.
• All entries will be checked and verified before a winner is announced.
• Rafflecopter will pick three random winners.
• The competition runs until 12am on 31st December 2015.
• Please see the Terms and Conditions on the Rafflecopter widget for the rules and more information.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Spiced Apple and Cranberry Bundt Cake

I have made so many versions of a 'spicy bundt' that it's becoming a bit of a habit, but I'm making no apologies for it. Christmas baking is about that wonderfully spicy smell which permeates the house; a smell so good that even Yankee haven't mastered it.

On my last trip to Tesco, I found a tin of Princes ready made pie filling. Intrigued. It was always going to go one way or the other; thankfully, this went my way. It's like stewed fruit in a thick, spicy syrup, which is ready to stick in your pastry case. I had to try it in a bundt... These ready-made wonders seem commonplace in America, but this is the first time I've seen them here.

The result is a very moist cake, which is a bit like a pudding to be honest. That syrup somehow ripples throughout the batter, even when fully mixed in, and you'll get lovely chunks of fruit throughout. If you're struggling to find this tinned beauty, try a nice thick jam instead.

Ingredients:

• 225g butter
• 450g golden caster sugar
• 4 medium eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 360g plain flour
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 tsp cinnamon
• 3 tsp ginger
• 1/2 tsp mixed spice
• 250ml vanilla yoghurt 
• 100g tinned apple and cranberry pie filling (I used Princes from Tesco) 
• Icing sugar and apple juice to decorate - optional.

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to gas 3/160 c
2. Prepare a regular sized bundt tin - 2.4l, 10 cup, 10 inch with melted butter and dust with flour. I used the Nordic Ware Cinnamon Bun tin. 
3. Cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. 
5. Add the extract.
6. In a separate bowl, measure out the flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt and spices.
7. Pour the yoghurt into a jug.
8. Sift in a third of the flour mix followed by half the yoghurt. Repeat this until everything is combined. 
9. Tip in the tinned pie filling.
10. Give everything a quick mix on a low speed for about 10 seconds.
11. Pour the mix into your prepared tin. 
12. Bake in the centre of the oven for about 1 hour 20 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. 
13. Leave the cake to cool for ten minutes before removing from the tin.
14. When completely cool, make the glacé icing by mixing icing sugar with enough apple juice to make a runny consistency.

Where to buy this stuff:
Cake Release
Apple Pie Filling

Bloggers: Please respect the fact I am sharing my own ideas and basic recipe. Blood, sweat and many tears have gone into getting this right, so you may enjoy a perfect bundt. If you wish to re-blog a recipe from these variations, please credit my blog and link to this original post rather than pasting the recipe on your own page.

Comptoir Libanais, Manchester

Urgh, that thing when you had plans that fell through... Then you have to decide where else you could go, but it's cold, and windy, and you're not sure whether you have frost bite in your left little toe. But hark! You remember about Comptoir Libanais, and rabbit so quickly to your pals that you are quite incoherent for a moment.

We arrived at Comptoir Libanais, once again, in the middle of an end of days style storm. It was wet, blowing a gale, and my hair looked like I'd had some sort of breakdown. We were welcomed by very excitable staff, who seemed genuinely keen to get us in, settled and with drink in hand.

I'd never had Lebanese food before, but I have to tell you, I was very excited. I love bits; spicy bits and dips with lots of variety. There's a special place in my heart for a belly-busting roast, but bits will win hands down every time. With this in mind, we decided to opt for the mezze, partially because it removed the trauma of having to choose from such a wonderful menu.

First up though, a delicious strawberry cocktail and a beer to warm us up a sniff.
Arak Strawberry Collins - Bloom gin & Arak served up in a classic Collins style with fresh strawberries

Almaza – Lebanese beer

Mezze

• Falafel - Chickpeas, broad beans, coriander, parsley, garlic and peppers: They look so boring, but taste so wonderful. Perfect when dipped in things.
• Hummus - Smooth rich chickpea puree with tahini and lemon juice: Sometimes a bit bland, but this had a lovely taste and texture. Lots of pitta was consumed with this. 
• Baba Ghanuj - Smoked aubergines, tahini and lemon juice with pomegranate seeds: Aubergine is normally a bit slimy and untrustworthy in texture for me, but this was gorgeous! Loved the tangy pomegranate seeds.
• Fattoush - Baby gem lettuce, cherry tomatoes, radishes, red onion, mint and parsley, with toasted pita bread, fresh pomegranates and sumac dressing: It's like a good version of salad... 
• Lahme Man’ousha - Oven baked flat bread with minced lamb, diced onions, pepper and chilli topped with mint leaves, pomegranate seeds, a wedge of lemon and pomegranate molasses: God this was outstanding! Spicy meat on soft bread. Nice...
• Sojok in Pomegranate Molasses - Spicy Armenian sausages with tomato, parsley and pomegranate molasses: Sausages in sweet stuff; what's not to love about this?
• Jawaneh - Chargrilled marinated chicken wings served with harissa and garlic sauce: I have form for getting chicken wing sauce all over my face, so usually skip them. Couldn't resist though because they smelled amazing. I mitigated the risk by using a knife and fork. Playa...
• Batata Harra - Lebanese spiced fries with red pepper, fresh coriander, garlic and chili: These are like little spicy roasties. Loved their crispiness!
• Pickles - Dead sea pickles: I am a total freak for pickles. These were exceptional! Perfect for dipping. 
• Pitta Bread - Soft, warm bread, perfect for dips: We ate way too much of this, and then it was seamlessly replenished by our waitress. Then we ate more.
• Harissa, mint and yoghurt, garlic and tahini sauces: Dips rock my socks; and these were no exception. 

Mixed Grill - Lamb kofta, chicken kofta, chicken shish taouk served with vermicelli rice: So imagine you've just eaten everything above, then this appears. I could have cried. Word of advice; the mezze is enough. You do not need a mixed grill, despite what your initially hungry belly will tell you. At a push, share one! It's bloody good though. Those chicken pieces are pretty hardcore. 

Baklawa and a selection of Lebanese pastries: I was pathetic by this stage. I managed little nibbles, like a wee rodent, then sat with the face on until the lovely tea arrived. 

Fresh Rose Mint Tea served in a silver teapot - A healthy blend of green tea, fresh mint, rose water and sugar: I presumed I wouldn't like this because it has fresh mint in it (fresh mint being the Devil's weed). Poured from a height, the smell of this permeated the air with sweet mint and rose. It's utterly delicious. They blend it in house, otherwise I'd have bought several kilos. Tetley just isn't the same...

An unexpected evening out at Comptoir Libanase turned into a little cracker. The service was exceptional, and the food was some of the best I've had in a while. I'm already looking forward to going back for brunch of some description. Turns out I'm a big fan of Lebanese food. 

Cinnamon Swirl Bundt Cake

I absolutely adore cinnamon. I use it in my baking all year round, but this time of year requires its use in vast quantities. This makes me very happy indeed. What's better than a lung full of icing sugar and cinnamon eh? This tin demanded that I use lots of the stuff, and a Christmas party with our pals seemed the perfect time for its maiden voyage.

This cake stinks of Christmas; literally. The aroma from the cinnamon icing sugar just seems to permeate the air around you. You can keep your festive candles and pot-pourri; this wins.

This is a very simple cake to make too, but has all the impact of a big cinnamon kiss to the face. Give it a go.

Ingredients:

• 225g butter
• 450g golden caster sugar
• 4 medium eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 350g plain flour
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp ginger
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 250ml vanilla yoghurt 
• Zest of 1 small orange 
• Icing sugar and cinnamon to decorate

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to gas 3/160 c
2. Prepare a regular sized bundt tin - 2.4l, 10 cup, 10 inch with melted butter and dust with flour. I used the Nordic Ware Cinnamon Bun tin. 
3. Cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. 
5. Add the extracts.
6. In a separate bowl, measure out the flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt and spices.
7. Pour the yoghurt into a jug, and add the zest.
8. Sift in a third of the flour mix followed by half the yoghurt. Repeat this until everything is combined. 
9. Give everything a quick mix on a low speed for about 10 seconds.
10. Pour the mix into your prepared tin. 
11. Bake in the centre of the oven for about 1 hour 15 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. 
12. Leave the cake to cool for ten minutes before removing from the tin.
13. When completely cool, dust the cake with a mix of icing sugar and cinnamon. If you want to do the drizzle too, mix a little icing sugar with some water to make a runny glaze, and drizzle over, willy-nilly.

Where to buy this stuff:
Cake Release
Nordic Ware Cinnamon Pull-Apart Tin

Bloggers: Please respect the fact I am sharing my own ideas and basic recipe. Blood, sweat and many tears have gone into getting this right, so you may enjoy a perfect bundt. If you wish to re-blog a recipe from these variations, please credit my blog and link to this original post rather than pasting the recipe on your own page.

Cabana, Manchester

So we were well peckish, and about to go and watch Anthrax and Slayer; a Brazilian meat emporium was the obvious choice (nods to Sepultura). We arrived in Manchester to near 'end of days' style weather, and threats of going on a carousel, which incidentally never materialised. 

Cabana is one of the latest openings in the newly refurbished Corn Exchange. I've already tried quite a few of the new places, but was captivated by Cabana's twinkly lights and meaty promises. When I was asked to review it, I jumped at the chance. Pre-gig was the perfect opportunity - two birds and all that. 

We were enthusiastically greeted by a young chap whose name I unfortunately didn't catch, but he was very keen to tell us all about Cabana and was spot on with his recommendations! 

Two for one cocktails... my old friend. We couldn't resist veering away from the food menu to warm those cockles (cockles that were almost frozen off by that Arctic style blast outside). For some reason I appear not to have taken pictures of them all; that was obviously eagerness to drink them.

We were a bit over-faced by the menu, so were happy to run with whatever our chappie recommended. I must apologise for the quality of the pictures; it was quite dark inside and outside looked like it might never be light again.

Starters
Guaca-molho: I love a bit of guacamole with tortilla chips. I could cane my own body-weight in them, and on occasion, have come pretty damn close! I liked the little bits of sweet onion mixed in.

Spicy Malagueta chicken wings: That Malagueta sauce is on everything, including a big bottle on the table. Overkill? Nope. It's immense! Sweet, a little spicy and all kinds of ace. Run with it. 

Parmesan and wild honey: Who would have thought that this would be so great? I can't say I've ever had parmesan in chunks before, but this was bloody marvellous!
Pulled pork sliders: Little bits of pulled pork rammed inside dough balls. Very clever. I tried to eat mine in some sort of lady-like fashion. Don't bother, it makes more mess! Down in one please.

We were a little surprised when the manager suggested that we both have the same main, but ran with it. Feel bad about that two birds comment now, because that's what we had!

Spicy Malagueta chicken skewers: There's that sauce again, but I was secretly quite pleased! Those little charred bits from the grill were absolutely delicious. The sauce is perfectly sweet, and turns quite sticky when cooked. Mouth is watering whilst writing, again. 

Sides
Sweet potato and standard fries: Exactly what you would expect; crunchy fries which were well seasoned. It was nice to have a bit of both.
Rio beans: One of my favourite items that we tried. These beans had a lovely after-kick from what we thought may be smoked paprika. Lovely.
Homeslaw: This is a 'dressing' style coleslaw for all of those mayo haters out there. Really crunchy with a subtle tang that went well with the sweet chicken.

We declared ourselves way too full to attempt a dessert, for we feared that we had already eaten enough to make us nod off through Raining Blood. We did however perk ourselves back up with another Caipirinha, which seemed to do the trick.

I'm very excited by everything that's going on in the Corn Exchange. Firstly, there are lots of lovely restaurants and bars in the same venue, meaning you're never far away from somewhere to have a quick drink before or after your meal. Secondly, it's a stones-throw from Victoria Station, so there's little wasted travelling time. Lastly, it's all inside which is perfect for nesh people like me. I'm not a fan of winter and all the horrors which accompany it.

Go to Cabana with your mates if you like barbecue charred meats, plentiful sides, chatty staff and lovely cocktails.


Disclaimer: I was invited to Cabana to try out their meaty goodness. I was under no obligation to get excited about that sauce, eat so many beans or talk their waiter's head off.