Mini Zingi Loaves

Recipe based on 'How to be a Domestic Goddess' by Nigella Lawson.

So after having my recipe book for so long, I have finally decided to invest in mini-loaf tins. Along with a couple of 6-well donut tins, and a cupcake carrier case. No one cares about that, but I had to say it.

When selecting which mini-loaf tins to invest in, I was wavering between getting individual mini loaf tins (approximately 1/2 of a regular loaf), 6-well tins (approximately 1/3 of a regular loaf), and a 8-well tin (around 1/4 of a regular loaf). I was overwhelmed by the choice alone, so had to let Nige decide for me. In this book, she uses the 8-well tins, so they were what I opted for.

Now as I mentioned, I had invested in donut tins, and I have been having a lot of fun with them (I will update my blog as soon as possible), and realised that my other new purchase was not getting used, so I changed my plan of making more donuts, and debut homemade mini loaves... to myself.

Lovely whipped batter

As Ms. Lawson was my deciding factor for the tin, it only seemed fitting that the recipe I used first, was the one that swung the vote: Mini Lime-Syrup Sponges.

Syrup... somehow eclipsed by those
gorgeous loaves in the background!

I didn't have lime at home, but I did have an organic (non-waxed) orange, and a lemon, so I used the zest and juice from the orange, together with some of the juice from the lemon. It turned out that I did not need the lemon juice, but it did add a certain lightness to the flavouring.

I decided to make a double batch as 8 mini-loaves to take to work just wouldn't do, and thank goodness I did! I'm unsure whether I neglected to read it, or it simply wasn't there, but how full should the wells be?! Yes, yes, I understand the concept of dividing the batter equally across 16 wells, however with my non-fan, and quite frankly, dodgy, oven, I am limited to baking one tray at a time, so I fill them accordingly.

Syrupped!

I decided to fill the wells approximately 3/4 full, and as you can see from the pictures, they rose magnificently. Too magnificently.

And on the inside...

Taste and texture were perfection... and they may have been even stickier if the loaf size was more appropriate.

Definitely one to be tried again.

Available at Samara's Baked Goods

Quadruple Chocolate Loaf Cake

Recipe base from Feast by Nigella Lawson through Not Quite Nigella.

I should have known that the recipe was too elegantly simple and indulgent to have come from anyone other than Nigella Lawson.

After my recent spat of sub-par cakes, I have been wandering through the endless wasteland of internet recipes, trying to find an interesting cake to make to somehow redeem my tattered reputation. I stumbled across this recipe on notquitenigella.com and as I had all the ingredients, I figured I could give it a go.

I'm not a huge fan of chocolate cake, and still feeling rather wary of cakes after the succession of relative failures, I didn't have the highest of hopes, but I'm no quitter.

This was a very easy cake to make... the hardest part was mixing the dry ingredients into the wet without over beating it. This was all alleviated once the hot water was added.

First attempt - milk chocolate chips

When I made this cake for a second time, I combined the wet with dry ingredients with a wooden spoon, added the water, and then went back to the hand mixer.

Having made three of these cakes two days in a row, I would say that I preferred the first cake where I used milk chocolate chips. I had nearly run out of milk chocolate for the second batch, so I used dark chocolate chips, that in my mind made it far too rich.

Second batch - mainly dark chocolate chips

I have to say that my first experience of this cake set a positive precedent, and it is so simple to make that I recommend this as The Go-To chocolate cake recipe.


Available at Samara's Baked Goods

Banana and Cinnamon Muffins

Recipe base from Hummingbird Bakery book.

Using Pyrex cupcake tin (only good kind I could find in Stockholm so far), the recipe yielded 24 cupcakes. The recipe was meant to make 12 muffins, however this is with a larger size cup, so I was expecting 18, and was pleased to get to 24 cakes that filled their cases.

I did not mash the bananas too thoroughly, so cakes took around 26-29 minutes to cook thoroughly. I ran out of filmjölk (Swedish substitute for butter milk), so topped up with whole milk (approximately 2:1). First batter, I accidentally put the vanilla extract in with the dry ingredients, rather than the buttermilk-egg mixture, however I do not feel that it had an adverse effect on the results.

I mixed the caster sugar and ground cinnamon together (approximately 4:1) in a little bowl for an even topping. I preferred the cakes that had the topping put on just before baking as opposed to the ones that were topped and had to wait before their bake.

Ran out of cupcake cases, so made two mini loaf-lets, using 'free standing' cardboard cases. The cases were over full (perhaps 1 cm left after the batter went in), and consequently the cakes spread into a more comical rotund shape. Next time I use such cases, I will place them in a baking tin to prevent the spreading effect.

Loaf check @ 35 minutes - still far too moist, however the colour is good, so placed foil caps over them to prevent burning

Loaf check @ 45 minutes - still too moist. Returned to oven inside cake tins (along with foil caps), to give a bit more support

Loaf check @ 55 minutes - too moist

Loaf check @ 65 minutes - one loaf seems ready, the other is still not completely set. Returned both to the oven with tins and caps for 7 minutes

Loaf check @ 72 minutes - oops! Forgot to put the timer on. The skewer is not coming out completely clean, however I think that is down to the banana, plus I am tired, so I am taking it out. It will have to do. Will cool over night, and wrap in foil to take to work for fika tomorrow. It will be eaten either way!

The loaves were a disaster. There is far too much banana in there to bake properly in this format.

Muffin rating #1: 9/10
Loaf rating #1: 0/10

BanBan Bread

Originally based on Hummingbird Bakery Banana Loaf

I had to specify that the Banana Loaf recipe I used was on original base, but this cake has developed so much more for me.

The simple glory of the BanBan Bread

I have been making BanBan Bread fairly regularly for nearly 2 years now, and it is one of my most reliable recipes that I turn to when I have a banana surplus. It never fails. It's deceptively moist and delicated spiced that every complex mouthful is amazing. I am not a huge fan of banana cake, but I can easily put away a healthy slice of this cake, and still want more.

Only the lonely

Winter Chic

For my most recent bake of this, I dressed it up a bit with some vanilla cream cheese frosting, which gave it a surprisingly chic and wintry new look. I am always happy to eat cake without icing, but this gave a nice creamy accent.

Available at Samara's Baked Goods

Notes from original trial
Made 2 quantities, banana was probably above the recommended 200g per cake (I didn't weigh it exactly as they were frozen in bags; I think I used around 410g for the entire mixture).

Used light muscovado sugar rather than soft brown.

Batter seemed a little stiff for my liking, however I will always trust a recipe once!

Topped with brown sugar as I had a tiny bit left, but couldn't be bothered to put it back in the cupboard.

Cake Check @ 50 minutes: both cakes are baking well, lovely dark golden colour, smell good. Not leaving the skewer entirely clean but close, so covered with foil and popped back into the oven for 10 minutes.

Cake Check @ 60 minutes: both cakes pass the skewer test, however I am wary of the moistness of a banana cake so returned to the oven with their foil caps with the heat off for another 10 minutes to be sure.

Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf Cake

Baking two Lemon Poppy Seed Cake based on a recipe found on Tesco.com (LINK).

Comments made directly on site after a first attempt at this cake; using these as a guidance on this time.

Cake Check @ 45 minutes - nice colour, however cake was far from being baked through. Covered with foil to prevent burning, and exchanged cooking shelf from a sheet to a traditional griddle style, and set timer for 15 minutes. Will check after 10 minutes.

Cake Check @ 60 minutes - Foil has done its job. One cake has passed the skewer test, however the other one is still not set. Replaced the foil and returned to the oven with the under-done loaf at the back of the shelf for another 5 minutes.
Weigh the mixtures when doing multiple cakes to ensure even amounts?

Cake Check @ 65 minutes - removed the cake that was done to cool. The other cake was setting but not there yet, so returned to the oven with its foil cap for another 10 minutes.

Cake Check @ 75 minutes - second cake has finally set. Returned to oven with foil cap for another 5 minutes.

80 minutes baking time in total.

It is late, so will take the cakes in to work whole; I am not bothered enough to slice them up.

Note to self:
Where recipe says 1.3 cups sugar for sauce, use 1/3 cup.
Use caster sugar for syrup (Strösocker Finkornigt)
Don't stir the syrup, it makes it crystallise

Rating #1: 9/10
Rating #2: 9/10 (a little bit drier than I wanted - perhaps from using the correct amount of syrup??)

a bit flatter than I'd like, but very tasty