Mochaccino Bar Cakes

 

There really should be some kind of feature on Pinterest to be able to block a certain kind of picture and for me that would be C-A-K-E! Not that I eat it much anymore, or bake it for that matter, rather opting for a healthier lifestyle but the kids still cry out for a bit of homebaking if not for afternoon tea for school lunches. I usually make the basics but there was something with chocolate and coffee that caught my eye one day and that was it. That’s all I could think about so the Mochaccino Bar Cake was made.

 

 

The recipe I used was my standard No Fuss Fudge Cake which uses no eggs or dairy and is made with your basic pantry staples. It really is my ‘go to’ recipe for any cake. I just change it up with flavours and the pans I bake it in. This little bar cake pan is a favourite of mine. Just enough for little hands to hold and the right size for me if I’m feeling a little indulgent. A good strong cup of instant (or espresso if you have it) is all you need to add to my recipe.

 

 

I added a little coffee liquid to the icing mix which changed it up again slightly and sprinkled lightly with a little shake of cappuccino chocolate powder I had in the pantry.

 

 

When the kids ate them they said they tasted like coffee. I said “that’s strange” and they ate them anyway. My little boy does like the odd sip of coffee and still likes his ‘baby cino’ if we’re ever out for a coffee. He did devour them. 

 

 

A not too sweet treat for young and old, these Mochaccino Bar Cakes are sure to please. 

 

 

Salted Caramel Filled Chocolate Espresso Cupcakes

 

I have added coffee to this basic cake mix before in the form of the above and also a plain coffee cake below. The recipe is so versatile. You really should give it a go.

 

 

Coffee Cake

 

No Fuss Fudge Cake

• 1 and half cups plain flour
• 3 tablespoons cocoa
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup strong coffee
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 6 tablespoons oil (I use canola)
• 1 teaspoon bicarb soda
• half teaspoon salt

Icing:

• 1 cup icing sugar
• 1 tbs butter
• enough strong coffee to make a spreadable consistency

1. Turn oven to 180 C (375 F). 
2. Grease a mini bar pan well. 
3. Put the flour, sugar, cocoa and coffee in a bowl. 
4. Add  vinegar, oil, baking soda and salt. 
5. Mix until smooth. (Mixture is runny.) 
6. Pour into the pan. 
7. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. 
8. Cool for 10 minutes then take out of tin. 
9. Ice with coffee icing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Iced Mandarin Yoghurt Cakes

Winter in Australia means an abundance of citrus fruit and my fridge has been full of mandarins for a week or so now. They are so delicious and sweet at the moment but the kids are starting to get a bit over them. I know they would eat them made up into something else so based my recipe on this Greek Yoghurt Cupcake recipe by Natasha’s Kitchen.

I had Greek yoghurt to use up and, in the past, I’ve used yoghurt in cakes and it made a very moist cake with a lovely creamy taste.

 

The house smelt amazing as they came out of the oven and my ‘chief taste tester’ was keen to grab one as soon as they landed on the kitchen counter.  They were perfect un-iced or just right with an icing made with the juice of half a mandarin. This is a great recipe and one that I’ll try again with orange or lemon.

 

Iced Mandarin Yoghurt Cakes

(Adapted from “Natasha’s Kitchen” Greek Yoghurt Cupcakes with Blackberry Frosting)

 

• 1 2/3 cups SR flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 6 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 large egg, room temp
• 1 large egg white, room temp
• 1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup plain Greek Yogurt 
• juice and rind of 1 medium (or 2 small) mandarins

 

 

1. Preheat oven to 150 deg C (fan forced oven).
2. Prepare cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
3. Mix first five ingredients in a bowl.
4. Melt butter. Add whole egg and egg white plus remaining ingredients.
5. Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.
6. Scoop cake mixture into cupcake liners and bake for 20 mins (approximately) or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
7. Ice with a mixture made from 1 cup of icing sugar, the juice of 1/2 a mandarin and a tablespoon of butter (melted). 
8. Can be eaten un-iced.

 

 

 

 

Kiwifruit, Coconut & Lime Cakes

I know what you’re all thinking. “Oh Anne had too many kiwifruit and they needed using up.” And you’d be right. I like to buy the large box. The kids like them and they are pretty nutritious but they get a bit tired of them day in, day out. I can remember a few years ago finding a recipe for Kiwifruit, Coconut & Lime Muffins which was a great flavour combination and they tasted really good. I don’t know about you but I’m a bit tired of muffins. Give me a cake any day. I don’t think there’s that much different but cakes, to me, are a lot more moist and soft.

I didn’t want to reinvent the wheel with the recipe either and went for that stock standard coconut cake recipe. You know the one? One cup coconut, one cup self raising flour, one cup of sugar and one cup of milk. Its the easiest cake around and lovely and moist on the inside and crunchy on the outside.

You can add just about anything to it and today I thought the grated zest of one lime and two chopped kiwifruit would just be perfect.

This coconut cake recipe is best made in a loaf pan but I prefer to bake the cakes in a muffin pan or mini loaf pan. They freeze really well and there’s no cupcake paper to deal with for fumbling fingers at lunch time.

These should keep the youngsters happy this week but heaven help the daughter if she finds a ‘green bit’ in her cake (even though she will eat kiwifruit). No harm in trying I suppose.

Kiwifruit, Coconut & Lime Cakes

• 1 cup coconut
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup self raising flour (1 cup plain flour and 2 tsp baking powder)
• 1 cup milk (I used skim – like that’s going to make much of a difference)
• 2 kiwifruit, peeled and diced
• zest of one lime (don’t worry if you don’t have lime zest – lemon would do or just omit)

1. Heat oven to 175 deg C (or 375 deg F).
2. Prepare baking pans, either a Texas muffin pan greased or with cupcake papers or a loaf pan lined with baking paper.
3. Combine coconut, sugar and flour.
4. Add milk and mix well.
5. Fold through chopped kiwifruit and lime zest.
6. Spoon into muffin pan until 3/4 full.
7. Bake for approx 25 mins or until golden brown.
8. Allow to cook in tin before removing.
9. Makes 12 Texas size muffin cakes.

Orange Yoghurt Spice Cakes

I had oranges and plain Greek yoghurt that needed using up and I always make this Orange Yoghurt Cake but do you think I could find the recipe. I couldn’t even find it online. I was going to have a guess at it but didn’t want to waste ingredients in case it was a flop. Instead, I relied upon my old favourite, the No Fuss Fudge Cake and just tweaked that. I’ve also been loving Chai tea since my weekend meditation retreat towards the end of last year and really felt like adding some spices to complement a mug of Chai tea.

I was lucky enough to receive a variety of teas from Nature’s Cuppa and they make a Chai blend in a tea bag. It was gorgeous, with just the right blend of peppery warmth and spicy flavours. Its my regular treat just before bedtime.

Nature’s Cuppa also have a great range including all of your regular blends like Ceylon, Earl Grey, English Breakfast, Green, herbal teas and even a coffee.  Their tea is certified Fairtrade®. Fairtrade® means better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fairer terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing http://bellalunawitches.com/event/5349 world. The Fairtrade® label is your independent guarantee that this product meets international Fairtrade® standards.

My son loved this mini loaf in his lunch box. It was nice just with a light sprinkling of icing sugar and didn’t need any frosting. Adding yoghurt to a cake makes a lovely dense mixture without being too heavy. I think this would work well with lemon too.

Orange Yoghurt Spice Cakes

• 1 cup orange juice
• 1 tsp orange zest
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup Greek yoghurt
• 1.1/2 cups self raising flour
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves (optional)
• 6 tbs oil (I used Canola)
• 1 tbs vinegar
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• icing sugar to dust

1. Preheat oven to 170 deg C. Oil cake pan. (Cake can be made into cupcakes, mini loaves, a loaf pan or round pan.)
2. Mix all ingredients together and mix well.
3. Bake for approx 20 mins or until golden brown.
4. Allow to cool slightly in pan before turning.
5. Once cool, dust with icing sugar to serve.

Disclaimer:  This is not a sponsored post. This product was provided for editorial consideration. I was sent some Nature’s Cuppa tea and coffee to try and all opinions and photos are my own. 

Home baked vs store bought baked goods

Can you tell the difference? Which do you prefer, home baked vs store bought baked goods?  I’ve always preferred home baked goods over store bought. I want to share how to get the most out of baking from scratch to save yourself a few dollars and also discover the taste of freshly baked goods.

I might be a little weird but whenever I see basic baking ingredients in front of me, for example flour, butter, eggs and sugar, I get excited. How they come together to form a simple cookie or cake, always amazes me. I dislike box cake mixes or ready made baked goods with a passion. (I must admit that I tend to buy the cheapest possible box cake mix to make the kid’s birthday cakes. They only eat the icing at this stage of their life.) As much as I’d love to munch on a decadent cookie or cake everyday of the week, I know this isn’t good for my health or the health of my kids. If anything, they get a low fat, low sugar (usually fruit or vegetables added) muffin for the weekly school lunch box and after school is usually a couple of homemade cookies with a glass of milk. I try to mix it up a little each week but usually go back to the basics.

It’s always best to have a basic recipe you can rely on. That’s what I do. I have a basic muffin, cookie and cake recipe. These recipes have little or no eggs (a definite cost saver) or butter/oil and basic flour, sugar etc.  If you’ve got a couple dollars leftover on your shopping budget, pick up a different packet of nuts, for example, or chocolate chips or sprinkles etc. The kids will never know the difference and you get to use up the leftover fruit or vegetables (pureed) in a cake or the last few bits of dried fruit taking up room in the pantry.