Apricot Loaf

1 cup milk
1 cup All Bran
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
125g chopped, dried apricots
1 tbsp honey
1 cup SR flour

Put milk, bran, brown sugar, chopped apricots and honey into bowl, mix well. Cover, stand overnight. The next day add sifted flour, mix well. Put mixture into an 8x4 greased and lined loaf pan. Bake in a moderate oven for 1 hour or until cooked.

Any dried fruit can be substituted for the dried apricots, for example dates.

Ginger cake with pistachio praline

melted butter for greasing
185g butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp treacle
1 egg
2 egg yolkds
1 cup SR flour
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup milk
125g glace ginger, finely chopped

Pistacio praline:
1/4 cup pistachios, finely chopped
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp water

Lemon icing:
75g butter, softened
75g cream cheese, softened
1.5 cups icing mixture
finely grated zest of 1 lemon

1. Preheat oven to 160C. Grease a 23cm loose bottomed fluted quiche tin with butter and line base with baking paper. Put butter and brown sugar in a bowl and cream until light and fluffy. Add treacle and mix well to combine. Add egg and yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour, ground ginger and cinnamon, in batches, alternating with milk, and stir to combine. Stir in glace ginger.
2. Pour mix into prepared tin. Sit tin on an oven tray and bake for 1 hour our until cooked when tested with a skewer. Cool in tin for 15 mins before turning out onto a wire rack to coll completely.
3. To make pistachio praline, line and oven tray with baking paper. Spread pistachios on baking paper. Pute sugar and water in a small saucepan over a medium heat and stir until sugar is dissolved and mixture comes to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 6-8 minutes turns a rich golden colour. Spread over pistachios, then stand at room temp for 20 mins or until a firm toffee forms. Break into pieces, put in a food processor and process until desired consistency.
4. To make lemon icing, put all ingredients in a bowl and beat until light and fluffy. Spread over cake then top with praline.

Olive oil lime cake

3/4 cup caster sugar
rind and juice of 1 lemon
2/3 cup olive oil
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla essence
1 1/3 cups SR flour, sifted
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
extra rind of 1 lime, shredded.

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Line base and sides of a small loaf tin with baking paper. Put caster sugar and rind in a food processor and process for 1 min or until finely chopped.
2. Add oil, eggs and vanilla to processor. Process for 1 min or until combined. Add flour and process for 30 secs or unti ljust combined. Pour mix into prepared tin. Bake for 20-25 mins or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Stand cake on a wire rack for 10 mins befoer turning out.
3. Put sugar, water and juice ina med heavy based pan over a low heat. Cook, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Cook for 4-5 mins or until thickened. Add 1/2 the extra rind, swirl to combine and cook for 1 min.
4. Put cake on a wire rack over a tray. Spoon over sugar syrup then top with remaining extra rind. Stand for 10 mins and serve.

Coconut Cake

250g unsalted butter
1.5 cups caster sugar
1 cup milk
4 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tsp cocount essence
1.5 cups shredded coconut
3 cups SR flour, sifted
3 cup of frosting
2 cups flaked, shredded or dessicated coconut

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Line base and sides of a deep 20cm round cake pan with baking paper. Put butter and sugar in a large heavy based saucepan over a low heat and stir until butter melts and sugar starts to dissolve.
2. Remove pan from heat and stand for 8-10 mins or until lukewarm. Stir in milk, egg essence, coconut and flour. spoon into prepared tin and smooth top. Bake for 30-35 mins or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Stand on a wire rack for 10 min before turning out to cool.
3. Cut cake in half crossways and spread top and bottom half with 1/2 cup frosting. Spread remaining frosting over cake and sprinkle with cocount (can toast coconut).

Apple and Hazelnut cake

150g hazelnut meal
150g almond meal
1.5 cups caster sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
150g unsalted butter, melted
5 red apples, cored, thinly sliced
2 tbsp sugar

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Line a deep 20cm round cake tin with baking paper. Combine hazelnut and almond meals and caster sugar in a small bowl. Put eggs and vanilla in a large bowl and whisk to combine.
2. Add hazelnut mixture and melted butter to egg mixture and stir to combine. pour into prepared tin. Top with apple slices and sprinkle with sgar. Bake for 35-40 mins or until cooked when tested witha skewer. Stand on a wire rack for 10 mins before turning out to serve.

Chocolate walnut cake

1.5 cups caster sugar
1 cup rice bran oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tsp vanilla essence
1 cup buttermilk
1.5 tsp bicarb soda
2 tsp white vinegar
1.25 cups SR flour
extra 1.25 cups plain flour
1/4 cup dark cocoa powder
1 cup walnuts, finely chopped
200g milk choc, to serve
10 small milk chocolate easter eggs to serve
10 small dark chocolate easter eggs to serve

Chocolate glaze
1/2 cup caster sugar
2 tbsp dutch cocoa powder
3/4 cup water
1 tsp vanilla essence

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Grease 6-8 cup fancy fluted ring tin with melted butter then dust with flour.
2. Put sugar and oil in the small bowl of an electric mixer and beat until well combined. Add egg and vanilla, then beat until mixture is thick and pale yellow. Put buttermilk, bicarb soda and vinegar in a jug and mix until well combined.
3. Sift flours and cocoa into a large bowl. Make a well in the centre of dry ingredients and buttermilk mixture, egg mixture and walnuts and stir to combine.
4. Spoon mixture into prepared tin and smooth surface. Bake for 1 hour or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Stand tin on a wire rack for 10 mins before turning out to cool completely.
5.To make choclate glaze, put all ingredients in a small heavy based pan over a low heat. Cook, tirring for 3-4 mins or until sugar is dissolved. Simmer for a further 4-5 mins or until mix is thickened. Set aside to cool.
6. Put cake on baking paper over a wire rack. Spoon and brush glaze onto cake. Using a vegetable peeler, peel stirps of chocolate to form curls. Arrange curls around top edge of cake, then fill hole with easter eggs. Cut cake into wedges to serve.

3 minute sponge with jam and cream

1 cup SR flour
1 tsp cornflour
1 cup caster sugar
3 tbsp milk
2 tbsp melted butter
3 eggs
finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp baking powder

Filling
4 tbsp raspberry jam
200ml thickened cream, whipped
icing sugar for dusting
fresh raspberries to serve

1. Preheat oven to 190C. Grease 2 x 20cm round cake tins with melted butter, then line each with baking paper.
2. Sift flours into the large bowl of an electric mixer. Add sugar, milk, extra butter, eggs and zest and whisk on high for 3 mins or until light and fluffy. Fold in baking powder.
3. Pour mixture into prepared tins. Bake 18-20 mins or until golden and cooked when tested with a skewer.
4. Remove cakes from oven and leave in tins for 5 mins. Turn on to wire racks, cool.
5. Spread jam over 1 cake. Top with cream, then other cake. Dust with icing sugar and top with raspberries.

Banoffee buttefly cakes

2 cups SR flour
1 cup caster sugar
140g unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 ripe bananas mashed
300ml thickened cream
395g can caramel filling
icing sugar for dusting

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Put 15 paper cases in holes of standard size muffin tins. Put flour, sugar, butter, buttermilk, egg and vanilla in the large bowl of an electric mixer and beat for 3 mins or until creamy. Stir in banana until just combined.
2. Spoon mix into cases and bake for 30-35 mins or until puffec and golden. Stand in tin for 5 mins, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
3. Whip cream until soft peaks form. Cut tops off each cake. Put a little caramel on each cake, then top with a little cream. Cut cake tops in half, form a buttefly shape on each cake, dust with icing sugar and serve.

banana and pineapple cake with rum frosting

olive oil for greasing
2.5 cups SR flour
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 cup caster sugar
1 cup shredded coconut
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup rum
1/2 cup olive oil
440g crushed pineapple in juice
2 ripe bananas, mashed
2 cups flaked or shredded coconut, lightly toasted

Rum frosting:
200g unsalted butter, chopped
1 Tbsp rum
2 cups pure-icing sugar, sifted

1. Preheat oven to 180 C. Spray base and sides of a 23cm cake tin with oil, then line with baking paper. Sift flour and nutmeg into a large bowl, the stir in sugar and coconut. Beat together eggs, rum and oil, add pineapple and beat to combine.
2. Make a well in centre of dry ingredients, add egg mixture and banana and stir until just combined. Pour mix into prepared tin and smooth surface. Bake 1 hour or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Stand for 10 mins before inverting on a wire rack to cool.
3. To make rum frosting, put butter in the small bowl of an electric mixer and beat until pale and creamy. Add rum and spoonfuls of icing sugar and beat until mix becomes thick and creamy. Spread frosting over cake then sprinkle with coconut.

Lemon polenta cake

2.5 cups SR flour
3/4 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup polenta
250g butter, melted
finely grated rind and juice of 2 lemons
3 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup lemon marmalade

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Line a 22cm round cake tin with baking paper. Combine flour, sugar and polenta in a large bowl. Add butter, lemon rind, 1/3 cup of lemon juice, egg and sour cream and stir until just combined. Spoon mix into tin and smooth surface. Bake for 55-60 mins or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Stand for 10 mins before turning out to cool.
2. Put cake on a wire rack over a tray or plate. Set a small heavy based pan over a low heat, add marmalade and remaining lemon juice and stir until mix is hot and combined. Spoon mix over cake and leave to stand for 10 mins.

Pear and almond butter cake

5 medium pears peeled
80g butter
120g brown sugar
300g unsalted butter, very soft
250g caster sugar
4 eggs
150g wholemeal SR flour
150g ground almonds
2 tsp vanilla extract
100g dark choc bits
50g flaked almonds
cream, to serve

1. Preheat oven to 170C. Line base and sides of a 24cm springform tin with baking paper.
2. Cut each pear in half, core and cut half in to 3 wedges. Set a med heavy based frying pan over high heat. Add butter and sugar and stir until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved. Add pear and cook 8-10 mins or until pear is soft and caramelised. Set aside.
3. Put unsalted butter and caster sugar in an electric mixer and beat until light and silky. Add eggs and mix to combine. Add flour, almonds and vanilla, and mix to form a smooth batter.
4. Spoon batter into prepared tin. Sprinkle over choc buttons, spoon over pear mix and scatter with flaked almonds. Sit tin on an oven tray and bake for 1 hour or until cake is cooked when tested with a skewer. Sit cake on a wire rack to cool slightly. Serve in wedges with a dollop of cream.

Coconut Lime Syrup Cake

Ingredients (serves 8)

• 125g butter, chopped
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 1/2 cups self-raising flour, sifted
• 1 1/4 cups caster sugar
• 1 1/4 cups desiccated coconut

• Lime syrup

• 3 limes, rind finely shredded, juiced
• 1/2 cup white sugar

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Lightly grease and line a 6cm deep, 22cm (base) springform cake pan.

2. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat (see shortcut). Transfer to a bowl. Add eggs and milk. Stir until combined.

3. Combine flour, sugar and coconut in a bowl. Add milk mixture. Stir to combine. Spread mixture into pan. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

4. Make lime syrup Combine 1/2 cup lime juice and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes or until syrupy. Stir in lime rind.

5. Pour hot lime syrup over hot cake. Allow cake to cool in pan before releasing side of pan. Cut into slices and serve. Shortcut Heat butter, uncovered, in a heatproof, microwave-safe bowl on MEDIUM (50%) for 1 to 2 minutes until almost melted. Stand for 1 minute before adding eggs and milk.

Yoghurt, honey and chocolate cake

130g plain flour
130g SR flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
140g honey
280g butter, melted
170g plain yoghurt
110 g raw sugar
150g dark choc bits
extra butter, melted for greasing
extra 100g dark choc melted
vanilla
double cream to serve

1. Preheat oven to 170 C. Sift flours, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Beat eggs ina separate bowl until light and fluffy, then add honey, butter, yoghurt and sugar. Whisk well, then fold in flour mixture and choc bits.
2. Grease and line a 24cm round springform tin. Pour in mixturcae and sprinkle over vanilla. Bake for 45-50 mins or until skewer comes out clean. Cool for 10 mins then turn out onto a wire rack.
3. Put cake on a cake stand, drizzle with extra choc and serve with cream.

Upside down lemon and blueberry cakes

2/3 cup lemon butter
250g blueberries
125g butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 cup SR flour, sifted
1/2 cup plain flour, sifted
cream or custard to serve

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Line bases of 6 large muffin tins with baking paper. Put 2 tsp of lemon butter in each hole and top with blueberries.
2. Beat butter, sugar and vanilla until light and creamy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Gently fold n flours and remaining lemon butter. Spoon into tins over blueberries.
3. Bake for 20-25 mins or until cakes are cooked through when tested with a skewer. Stand cakes for 5 mins then turn out to cool. Serve with custard or cream.

Flourless orange rosemary cake

2 oranges
4 eggs
1 cup caster sugar
2 cups ground almonds
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1 tsp baking powder
1 bunch rosemary

syrup:
2 oranges
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar

1. Put unpeeled oranges in a saucepan and fill with cold water. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 mins. Drain, fill with fresh cold water and bring to a simmer again. Simmer for a further 20 mins and drain and allow to cool.
2. Preheat oven to 180C. Grease and line an 18cm round cake tin with baking paper. Chop oranges and put in food processor with eggs, sugar, almonds, coconut and baking powder.
3. Pick rosemary into sprigs. Finely chop 2 tblsp of rosemary and add to processor. Process to a thick puree. Pour into tin and bake for 1 hour and 10 mins or until a skewer comes out clean. Stand for 20 mins before removing from tin.
4. To make syrup, remove zest from oranges using a vegie peeler. Cut zest into long fine strands. Juice oranges and strain juice into a saucepan. Add water and sugar and heat until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a simmer and simmer without stirring for 10-12 mins, swirling the pan often until the mixture forms a syrup.
5. Pour some of the syrup over cake whilst still warm. Cool completely. Add orange zest and some rosemary sprigs to remaining syrup and swirl to infuse flavour. Serve cake with remaining syrup poured over and topped with zest and rosemary. Serve with cream.

Lemon and poppyseed cakes

melted butter for greasing
2/3 cup warm milk
1/4 cup poppy seeds
2 small lemons
250g unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups caster sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
3 cups SR flour
rind of 2 lemons
extra 1/2 cup caster sugar
1/4 cup water

Lemon icing:
1 1/2 cups icing sugar, sifted
20g butter, softened
juice of 1 lemon

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Brush 12 frian moulds with melted butter. Combine milk and poppy seeds and stand for 30 mins.
2. Meanwhile put lemons in a pan and cover with water. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Drain. Put lemons in a bowl of iced water for 5 mins.
3. Drain lemons, cut into quarters and remove seeds. Put lemon, butter and caster sugar ina food processor, then process for 1 min until almost smooth. Add egg and process for a further 30 secs. Transfer to a bowl, andd flour and milk mixture and stir until just combined. Spoon mixture into prepared moulds until 2/3 full and smooth the surface. Bake cakes for 45 mins or unil cooked. Leave in moulds for 5 mins before turning out on a wire rack.
4. Combine rind, extra sugar and water in a pan. Stir over a low heat until sugar is dissolved. Bring to boil, reduce heat, simmer for 5 mins.
5. To make icing, put icing sugar in a bowl, slowly add lemon juice and stir with a wooden spoon until a paste forms. When cakes are cool, spoon icing over each. Stand for 10 mins to set.

Raspberry butter cake

Melted butter for greasing
1/2 tsp bicarb
1 cup cold water
4 cups plain flour
1 tsp cream of tartar
250g unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups caster sugar
4 eggs
300g frozen raspberries, partially thawed
icing sugar to dust

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Grease a 6 cup ring fancy cake tin with melted butter. Combine bicarb and water in a jug. Sift flour and ceram of tartar together in a large bowl.
2. Beat butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer until light and creamy. Add eggs, 1 at a time beating after each addition. Add flour and water mixture. Using a large metal spoon, gently stir until well combined. Add raspberries and stir until combined. Spoon batter into prepared tin.
3. Bake for 1 - 1 1/4 hours or until a skewer come out clean when inserted into centre. Stand cake on a wire rack for 15 mins before turning out, then leave to cool completely. Dust with icing sugar before serving.

Coffee pecan streusal cake

175g butter, softened
1/3 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup honey
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups SR flour
3/4 cup milk

streusel:
3/4 cup plain flour
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
50g butter, chilled, chopped
2 tsp instant espresso powder
1/4 cup pecan nuts
2 tbsp honey

1. preheat oven to 160C fan-forced. Grease a 22cm ring pan.
2. make streusal: place flour and sugar in a bowl. Rub in butter until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in coffee, pecans and honey until combined and set aside.
3. using a mixer, beat butter, sugar and 1/3 cup honey until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until combined (mixture may curdle). Stir in milk and flour alternately in batches, until combined.
4. spread 1/3 of batter in prepared pan. Top with half the streusel. Spread with another 1/3 batter. Sprinkle with remaining streusel. Spread with remaining batter.
5. bake for 1 hr 10 mins or until a skewer comes out clean. Cake may need to be covered with foil if over browning during cooking. Stand in pan for 5 mins then turn out onto rack.
6. microwave remaining honey until melted and drizzle over the cake.

Lemon Tea Cake

To start, grease an 18cm round spring form pan and heat your oven to 180
degrees celcius.

Cake
Ingredients:
1 cup self raising flour, sifted
1/2 cup castor sugar
60g butter, cubed
1 egg, lightly beaten

Method:
Mix dry ingredients.
Rub butter into dry ingredients until crumbly.
Add egg to form a soft dough.
Press 2/3 of mixture into cake tin.

Sauce
Ingredients:
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup castor sugar
60g butter
1 egg, lightly beaten

Method:
Place all ingredients into saucepan.
Heat and stir until sauce thickens
Pour over cake mixture in cake tin.
Sprinkle with remaining cake dough.

Bake for 35 mins.

Butter Cake with Vienna Cream Icing

Butter Cake

125g (4oz) butter
1/2 tspn vanilla
1/2 cup castor sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
1/3 cup milk

Have butter at room temperature, beat butter with vanilla until light and creamy, add sugar, beat until light and fluffy; add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in half the sifted flour with half the milk, stir until combined. Add remaining milk and flour, stire in lightly, then beat lightly until mixture is smooth. Spread into greased tin, bake as directed in individual recipes. Cooking times are the same as for packet butter cake mix.

Cooking Times:

28 x 18cm lamington tin 30 mins
20cm ring tin 35 mins
30cm x 25cm swiss roll tin 20 mins
25 x 8cm bar tin 30 mins
loaf tin 50 mins
18cm round cake tin 1 hr 10 mins
20 cm round cake tin 50 mins
23cm round cake tin 45 mins
15cm square cake tin 1 hr 10 mins
20cm square cake tin 55 mins

Oven temp: 180 degrees

Vienna Cream

125g (4oz) butter
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
2 tablespoons milk

Have butter and milk at room temperature, place butter in small bowl of electric mixer, beat until butter is as white as possible, gradually add about half the sifted icing sugar, beating constantly, add milk gradually, then gradually beat in the remaining icing sugar; mixture should be smooth and easy to spread with a spatual

Chocolate Vienna Cream - basic recipe and add 2 tablespoons sifted cocoa to icing sugar.