Everyone should have a fail-safe but impressive baking recipe or two in their repertoire.
LEMON DRIZZLE CAKE
Serves 10-12
Ingredients
¾ cup grapeseed or vegetable oil
3 free-range eggs
1 tbsp finely grated lemon rind
¼ cup lemon juice
1 cup plain thick yoghurt
2½ cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
1½ cups caster sugar
Lemon drizzle icing
¾ cup white sugar
¼ cup lemon juice
Method
Preheat oven to 160C. Grease a 2.5-litre-capacity bundt tin*.
Place the oil, eggs, lemon rind, lemon juice and yoghurt in a bowl and whisk to combine.
Sift the flour and baking powder into a separate large bowl. Add the caster sugar and mix to combine. Make a well in the centre and add the egg mixture. Whisk to combine.
Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 45-50 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Allow to stand for 10 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack and allow to stand for a further 10 minutes**. Gently remove from the tin.
Lemon drizzle icing: Gently stir the sugar and lemon juice together. While the cake is still hot, place on a cake stand or serving plate and spoon over the lemon drizzle icing. Allow to set for 10 minutes before serving.
Cook’s notes
* To grease a bundt tin, brush it with softened butter and refrigerate until the butter is set.
** Letting the bundt cake stand, inverted, on a wire rack, helps to release it from the tin more easily.
CARROT CAKE
Serves 10-12
Ingredients
½ cup grapeseed or vegetable oil
2 free-range eggs
1¼ cups brown sugar, firmly packed
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups grated carrot, firmly packed (about 3 carrots)
1¾ cups flour
2½ tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground nutmeg
½ cup plain thick yoghurt
1 cup walnuts or pecans, roughly chopped
Cream cheese frosting
500g cream cheese, chopped and softened
2/3 cup icing sugar, sifted
¼ cup lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
Method
Preheat oven to 160C. Lightly grease and line the base and sides of 2 x 20cm round cake tins with non-stick baking paper.
Place the oil, eggs, sugar and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer and whisk on high speed for 8 minutes or until well combined and thick. Add the carrot and stir through.
Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and ginger over the mixture. Add the nutmeg, yoghurt and walnuts and stir to combine.
Divide between the prepared tins and bake for 35-40 minutes or until just cooked when tested with a skewer.
Allow to cool in the tins for 15 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Cream cheese frosting: Place the cream cheese, icing sugar, lemon juice and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer and whisk until smooth.
To assemble, place one cake on a cake stand or plate and spread with half the cream cheese frosting. Top with the remaining cake and frosting and serve.
CINNAMON SCROLLS
Makes 12
Ingredients
1 tbsp instant dried yeast
1⅓ cups lukewarm milk
2/3 cup caster sugar
4½ cups flour, plus extra for dusting
¼ tsp salt
1 free-range egg
2 extra free-range egg yolks
150g unsalted butter, chopped and softened cinnamon filling
125g unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1½ tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp vanilla extract
Cream cheese frosting
125g cream cheese, chopped and softened
60g unsalted butter, chopped and softened
1 cup icing sugar, sifted
1-2 tbsp milk
Method
Place the yeast, milk and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer. Stir to dissolve.
Add the flour, salt, egg and extra yolks. Using the dough hook attachment, beat on low speed for 5 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Add the butter, a little at a time, and beat until combined (the dough will be very sticky).
Place on a lightly floured surface and gently fold until a smooth dough forms. Place in a clean greased bowl and cover with a damp tea towel. Allow to stand in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Cinnamon filling: Place the butter, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla in a bowl and mix until smooth.
To assemble, grease a 20 x 30cm slice tin. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to a 25 x 60cm rectangle. Spread with the cinnamon filling, leaving a 1cm border. Starting from one long edge, roll up the dough tightly to enclose filling. Trim the ends and slice into 12 pieces.
Arrange scrolls in the prepared tin, cut-side up, and cover with a damp tea towel. Allow to stand in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Preheat oven to 180C. Bake the scrolls for 20-25 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes.
Cream cheese frosting: Place the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium speed until smooth. Add the icing sugar and beat until combined.
Add the milk, one tbsp at a time, until the frosting is a spreadable consistency. Spread the frosting over the warm scrolls, to serve.
Cook’s note
To make the scrolls ahead of time, make and form the scrolls and allow to rise. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight.
In the morning, remove scrolls from the refrigerator and allow to stand for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 180C. Keep the baking dish close to the oven while it preheats to help the scrolls come to room temperature. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden. Follow the remaining steps.
Edited extract from Even More Basics to Brilliance by Donna Hay, HarperCollins, $60
