Total Time : 3 hours

Bake Time : 20-22 mins

Prep Time : 1 hour

Cool Time : 10-15 mins

I saw this Fraisier cake on The Great British Baking Show and though I was intimidated by it I had to try it. I'm glad I did , it was a lot of fun and turned out pretty well. Why dont you give it a try as well?😊

Ingredients for cake:

• 3 large eggs + 2 egg whites ( saved from mousseline cream)

• 1 cup sugar

• 1/2 cup all purpose flour

• 1/4 cup cornstarch

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 2 tbsp Rum/Kirsch

Ingredients for cream mousseline:

• 2 and 1/2cups whole milk

• 2 tbsp Kirsch/Rum

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 3 eggs + 2 egg yolks from the cake above

• 3/4 cup caster sugar

• 1 cup corn starch

• 2/3 cup butter

Ingredients for simple syrup:

• Juice of one lemon

• 1/4 cup caster sugar

• 1/2 cup water

• 2 tbsp Kirsch

Ingredients for marzipan:

• 1. • 3/4 cup of almond flour (blanched and finely ground)

     • 1/3 cup powdered sugar

     • 1 Tbsp water

     • 1/4 tsp almond extract

Ingredients for decorating

• 1. • 2 lb strawberries

Steps:

Make the mousseline cream:

• Add milk and vanilla to a saucepan over medium heat and let is simmer. Do not let is boil.

• Whisk the eggs and egg whites in a stand mixer till they are frothy and light yellow and add in the Kirsch/Rum

• Now add the cornstarch to the egg mixture and whisk till fully incorporated

• Now pour the warm milk in the whisked eggs slowly whisking it continuously so that the eggs do not scramble

• Now pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan over medium heat and start whisking. You can not stop whisking else the milk will burn

• Keep whisking till the mixture is kinda thickened

• Remove from the heat and add in the butter

• Transfer the mousseline cream to a jelly roll pan and cover with saran wrap and put in the fridge to chill for 3-4 hours

Make the sponge cake:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F

• Grease and flour one 8 inch cake pan

• Combine and sieve the flour, cornstarch and salt. Set aside

• Add eggs + egg whites and vanilla extract + Kirsch/Rum to the stand mixture and beat well till they form a yellow ribbon

• Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and stir in gently not to deflate the eggs

• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 20 mins till top is golden brown.

• Use a toothpick and make sure that the cake is fully baked

• Let sit in the pan for about 5 mins and then turn it out

• Let the cake cool on the wire-rack for 10-15 mins till fully cooled before you start assembling the cake.

Make the marzipan:

• Mix the powdered sugar and almond flour. You can either do it through a sieve or a food processor

• Add the water and almond extract and keep mixing till the flour comes together to form a dough

• Start with a little water , you can add a few more drops if required. The dough should not be too wet

Make the simple syrup:

• Combine water , sugar and lemon juice and heat over high flame for a few mins till fully combined and it comes to a boil

• Make sure that you dont heat for too long as if the mixture becomes too thick the cake wont absorb it

Assemble the cake:

• Take a 10" cake board and place a 9.25" diameter cake ring on top of it

• Place a 4" cake collar on the inside of the cake ring

• Split the cake into 2 and take the lower half and put it in the center of the cake ring

• Generously brush the cake top with a lot of simple syrup

• Take about 3/4 lb strawberries of the same height and remove the green stems and slice them lengthwise

• Arrange them between the cake collar and outside of the cake with the cut side facing outside and the pointed side up

• Now layer the top of the cake with half the mousseline cream

• Cut the remaining strawberries (keep 8-10 whole strawberries) into 2" pieces and distribute them evenly on top of the cream

• Now generously brush the other cut side with the simple syrup and place the syrup side down on top of the cake assembled so far

• Now spread/pipe the remaining mousseline cream on top of the cake and also make sure that all the crevices between the cake and strawberries are filled up with cream

• Take half the marzipan and roll into a disk

• Take another cake ring to measure the size and cut the disk into the same size

• Place the marzipan disk on top of the second layer of mousseline cream

• If you want you can take the remaining half of the marzipan and roll into a disk

• Take a plunger tool and cut out some flowers. Arrange the flowers around the cake

• Take the remaining 8-10 strawberries and arrange them in the middle of the cake

• Cover and chill the cake for another 3-4 hours

• Remove the ring and cake collar before serving

Enjoy! 😊

Total Time : 7 days

Bake Time : 45-50 mins

Prep Time : 20mins

Cool Time : 10-15 mins

Christmas is not Christmas without Plum Cake. Have fond memories of papa getting Plum Cake from Goa. I dont think this beats that but it comes close😊

Ingredients for the caramel:

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1/4 cup water

Ingredients for the cake:

• 1 cups all purpose flour (you can substitute half for spelt flour as well) +1 tbsp s

• pinch of salt

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 2/3 cup oil /yogurt or butter

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1 tsp cinnamon powder

• 1/4 tsp clove powder

• 1/2 tsp ginger powder

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 3 eggs

• 1 1/4 cup dry fruits and nuts (cashews, candied orange peels, tutti frutti, cherries, raisins dates)

• Rum for soaking and to feed the cake (optional) I prefer Old Monk

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

• Coat a 9 in cake bowl or a 8x4 bread pan

• If soaking the fruits in rum do this for a week in advance for best flavor . If not proceed to the next step

• Make the caramel : Take sugar in a pan and let it melt and then caramelize - make sure that the sugar does not burn

• Once its dark enough take out from the stove and add water - the sugar will set and crackle

• Now put the vessel back on the gas and stir till all the sugar melts - another 5-10 mins

• Once caramel is made set it aside to cool

• Now mix the dry ingredients i.e. flour, spices and baking powder and set it aside

• If using butter/yogurt/oil add butter/yogurt/oil and sugar to a mixer and beat till fluffy

• Add the eggs one by one, then add vanilla extract and beat well

• Drain the soaked fruits and coat them with 1 tbsp of all purpose flour so that they donot sink in the batter

• Add the dry ingredients i.e. flour plus spices to the butter , egg sugar mixture till well combined - donot overmix

• Add the caramel syrup prepared above to the cake batter

• Then add the coated nut mix to the mixture above

• Bake in prepared bread pan or cake pan for 45-50 mins or unless skewer comes out clean

• After removing from oven, leave on wire rack for 10-15 mins

• Let cool completely

• If you want to feed the cake do so every week with good quality rum - I use old monk however that is not suitable for children

• If not feeding the cake , enjoy!

Total Time : 3 hours

Bake Time : 20-22 mins

Prep Time : 1 hour

Cool Time : 10-15 mins

My son wanted to bake a cake for his dad's birthday and my husband loves strawberry mousse cakes so we decided to give it a try. Turned out pretty nice. Why dont you give it a try as well?😊

Ingredients for cake:

• 3 large eggs

• 1/3 cup sugar

• 1/2 cup all purpose flour

• 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp vanilla essence

• 3/4 cup diced strawberries

Ingredients for strawberry mousse:

• 2-3 cup strawberries

• 1 cup sweet condensed milk

• 2 cups heavy cream

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1/4 cup sugar

• 12 oz cream cheese

• 6 sheets or 1/2 oz unflavored gelatin

Ingredients for simple syrup:

• Juice of one lemon

• 1/4 cup caster sugar

• 1/2 cup water

• 2 tbsp Kirsch

Garnish:

• 10-15 strawberries

• Handful blueberries

Steps:

Make the sponge cake:

• 1. • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

• Line a 9" springform pan with parchment paper

• Beat eggs and sugar in stand in mixer at high till it frothy and almost white in color

• Add in the vanilla essence

• Sift flour and baking powder in another bowl

• Fold in diced strawberries and dry ingredients in the egg and sugar mixture

• Pour batter into springform pan

• Bake for 20-22 mins

• Remove from mold and let it cool on wire rack for 10-15 mins

Make the strawberry mousse:

• Add strawberries and condensed milk into a food processor and puree them

• Add heavy cream and sugar to the food processor and mix till fully incorporated in the puree

• Add the cream cheese and mix well

• Add water and gelatin in a saucepan and heat on stove till gelatin fully dissolves

• Add this dissolved gelatin into the mousse mixture and mix well

• Spread the simple syrup on the top of the cooled cake

• Pour the prepared the mousse on top of the cake

• Cool the cake in the refrigerator for an hour

• Now cut the remaining strawberries lengthwise and arrange them from flowers from outside all the way in

• Place a handful of blueberries in the middle

• Place in the fridge again for 3-4 hours or till ready to serve

Enjoy! 😊