Pineapple and Fig Upside-down Cake

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cortijoblog pineapple cake

PINEAPPLE AND FIG UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

I am still experimenting with using the breadmaker to make cakes and this is the recipe for a pineapple and fig upside-down cake baked in the breadmaker.

carrot cake

Pineapple and Fig Upside-down Cake

INGREDIENTS for the TOPPING

  • 60g butter
  • 100g brown sugar
  • 6 pineapple slices, patted dry
  • 6 pieces of dried figs, soaked overnight in the pineapple juice and then patted dry

INGREDIENTS for the CAKE

  • 115g butter
  • 150g sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 195g self-raising flour
  • 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup milk

METHOD

  1. For the topping, melt the butter in a small saucepan.
  2. Divide the butter between the two tins and use a small brush to grease the sides.
  3. Sprinkle the bottoms of the tin with the brown sugar.
  4. Arrange three slices of pineapple on the bottoms of both tins.
  5. Arrange the dried figs in the centre of each pineapple slice
  6. Measure out the flour, baking powder and salt.
  7. Soften the butter in a bowl using an electric whisk.
  8. Break in the eggs and whisk well.
  9. Alternately add some of the flour and some of the milk, beating well.
  10. Divide the cake mixture between the two tins and cook each one for 35 minutes (or until cooked) on the breadmaker BAKE setting.
  11. Leave to cool for 5 minutes and then turn out onto a baking rack.

Carrot Cake

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cortijoblog carrot cake

CARROT CAKE

I am still experimenting with using the breadmaker to make cakes and this is the recipe for a carrot cake I have just made. Next time, I will use two rectangular cake tins so that I can sandwich the two halves of the cake together.

carrot cake

Carrot Cake

This recipe is easy to prepare and only requires turning after 20 minutes.

 

INGREDIENTS for the cake

  • 85g walnuts, roughly chopped
  • 1 orange, zested and juiced
  • 225g self-raising flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 175g brown sugar
  • 175ml sunflower oil
  • 1 heaped teaspoon cinnamon
  • 3 eggs
  • 280g carrots, roughly grated

INGREDIENTS for the ICING

  • 50g icing sugar
  • 50g butter, softened
  • 100g cream cheese
  • 1 orange, zested and juiced
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice

METHOD

  1. Oil and line the cake tins
  2. Measure out the flour, baking powder and salt.
  3. Add the sugar and oil to a bowl and whisk well.
  4. Break in the eggs and continue mixing.
  5. Gradually tip in the dry ingredients and beat well.
  6. Stir in 2 tablespoons of orange juice, orange zest, cinnamon, carrot and nuts, and mix well.
  7. Divide the cake mixture between the two tins and cook each one for 35 minutes (or until cooked) on the breadmaker BAKE setting.
  8. Leave to cool for 5 minutes and then turn out onto a baking rack.
  9. To make the icing, cream the butter and icing sugar together until smooth.
  10. Beat in the cream cheese.
  11. Add the orange zest and lemon juice, and mix well.
  12. Put some of the icing on top of one of the cakes.
  13. Spread out with a knife and sandwich the two halves together.
  14. Spread the rest of the icing over the top of the cake.

Lemon and Olive Oil Drizzle Cake

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LEMON AND OLIVE OIL DRIZZLE CAKE


Lemon and Olive Oil Drizzle Cake

This cake is made from lemons and extra virgin olive oil. It is one of the cakes that I make in the bread-maker.

 

INGREDIENTS

  • 250 g sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 lemons
  • 120 ml olive oil
  • 100 ml milk
  • 275 g self-raising flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder

For the drizzle

  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 50 g sugar

METHOD

  1. The recipe uses 3 lemons. Zest all the lemons and use 2/3 of the juice for the cake and 1/3 of the juice for the drizzle.
  2. Place the silicone liner in an 18cm cake tin.
  3. Whisk together the sugar and eggs.
  4. Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil and milk, and mix thoroughly.
  5. Fold in the flour and baking powder.
  6. Pour the mixture into the tin and bake in the bread-maker on the BAKE cycle for about 1½ hours until cooked.
  7. Take the cake out of the tin and cool on a wire rack.
  8. Prepare the drizzle by heating the remaining lemon juice and sugar in a saucepan.
  9. Prick the top of the cake with a skewer and pour over the drizzle.

Cleaning Olive Oil Containers

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If we have a good olive harvest, we generally fill these 25-litre containers when we mill the oil. They are a bit of a pain to clean but I’ve found a good method to ensure that they are ready for next year.

  1. Use an outside hose to rinse out as much oil and sediment possible.
  2. Bring inside.
  3. Fill the kettle and bring to the boil.
  4. Meanwhile, fill the container to the 1st line with cold water and some washing-up liquid.
  5. Put on the lid and shake well.
  6. Clean the outside of the container with washing-up liquid and a sponge.
  7. Empty.
  8. Rinse with cold water.
  9. Fill the container to the 5th line with hot water.
  10. Put on the lid and shake well.
  11. Leave until the kettle is ready and then undo the lid and empty.
  12. Pour the boiling water into the container.
  13. Shake well.
  14. The container will expand with the steam, so gently release the pressure by undoing the lid, covering it with a dishcloth.
  15. You will need to release the pressure about 5 times, shaking the container thoroughly after each time.
  16. Undo the lid and empty.
  17. Completely fill the container with cold water. Empty and make sure that the water runs clear. Continue rinsing with cold water if it doesn’t.
  18. Fill the container with a small amount of cold water and add a minute amount of sodium meta-bisulphate to sterilise.
  19. Replace the lid and leave until needed.

Prawn and Garlic Pasta

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prawn garlic pasta

 

PRAWN AND GARLIC PASTA

This prawn and garlic pasta dish is easy to prepare and takes about 15 minutes to make.

prawn and garlic pasta

INGREDIENTS

  • spaghetti or linguine
  • 360g frozen prawns
  • 4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • a bunch of parsley with the leaves and stalks, finely chopped
  • 1 small tin of anchovies, finely chopped
  • a pinch of chilli powder
  • a can of tomatoes or 500g cherry tomatoes
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 glass of white wine
  • 2 tablespoons tomato sauce

METHOD

  1. Heat the water for the pasta in a large saucepan with a teaspoon of salt.
  2. Heat 1/4 cup of olive oil in a large, deep frying pan.
  3. Add the garlic, parsley and anchovies and grind in some black pepper.
  4. Fry for a couple of minutes and then add the tomatoes and tomato sauce and mash well to break up the tomatoes.
  5. Add the prawns, a splash of white wine and a knob of butter and mix well.
  6. When the pasta is cooked, transfer to a colander, saving back some of the cooking liquid.
  7. Put the pasta into the frying pan and mix well.
  8. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.