WALNUT CAKE

The most amazing Walnut Cake ever! It has a slight caramel taste, it's layered with vanilla pudding and finished with an amazing walnut topping. It's crunchy and creamy at the same time. Give it a try! :)

Ingredients for the dough :

• 500 g flour
• 200 g icing sugar
• 2 tbs honey
• 200 g butter
• 2 tbsp milk
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp baking soda

Ingredients for the walnut topping :

• 300 g walnuts
• 120 g butter
• 100 g icing sugar
• 2 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp water

Ingredients for the pudding :

• 0,5 L milk
• 1 pack vanilla pudding powder
• 1 tbsp flour
• 1 tbsp potato starch
• 200 g butter
• 2 tbsp icing sugar

Start with making the pudding. Add a cup of cold milk to a bowl and mix in the pudding powder, flour and potato starch. Place the remaining milk in a pot and warm it up on medium heat. Add the cold milk mixture and mix till it thickens. Put aside and let it cool.

Mix the butter with icing sugar on high speed for 5 minutes. Add the pudding and mix till smooth.

For the dough, sieve the flour, icing sugar and baking soda into a large bowl. Add all the remaining ingredients ( make sure that the eggs and butter are room temperature). Knead the dough till smooth. Share the dough into two equal parts. Grease a 24 x 35 cm baking pan and place baking paper on the bottom. Lay the first part of the dough equally, pushing towards the sides.

Bake at 180°C (350°F) for about 15 minutes.

Before you bake the second part, make the walnut layer by placing

all the ingredients in a pot over medium heat and mix together. Make sure it doesn't boil. Spread it on the dough and bake at 180°C (350°F) for 20 - 25 minutes, then let it cool.

Start building the cake by placing the first layer of the cake at the bottom, then spread the pudding and place the second layer of the cake with the walnut layer at the top.

Yumm! :)

CHEESECAKE

This is probably my most favorite cheesecake so far! The consistency is creamy as can be and the crunchy bottom makes it even better. It is one of the easiest cakes I have ever made, what makes me love it even more! ;)

Ingredients for the biscuit crust :

• 200 g biscuits
• 100 g butter

Place the biscuits in a food procesor and grind till you get a fine sand texture. Melt the butter and mix it with the biscuits, first with a spoon then with your fingers. Make sure the butter is not too hot so you don't burn your self!

Grease a 23 cm baking pan and line it's bottom with baking paper. When the mixture has a texture of wet sand, place it in the baking pan and spread around evenly, pushing towards the bottom. Bake the biscuit crust at 180°C (350°F) for 10 minutes. Let it cool aside while making the cheese filling.

Ingredients for the cheese filling :

• 800 g white cheese
• 250 g icing sugar
• 200 ml soured cream
• 3 eggs + 1 egg yolk
• 60 g tbsp cake flour (3 tbsp)
• 2 tsp vanilla extrac

Sieve the icing sugar into a large bowl and add the white cheese. Mix first on low then on high speed for about 3 minutes.

Add the soured cream and sieve in the flour. Mix for another 3 minutes on high speed. Add the vanilla extract and start adding one egg at a time. Beat the whole mixture for a finale 4 minutes.

Pour the mixture onto the biscuit crust and bake at 160°C (315°F) for 50 minutes.

This Cheesecake will go perfectly with fruit or a caramel glaze.

So go on, get creative! ;)

APPLE PIE WITH PUDDING

Is there such a thing as a perfect apple pie? I have tried so many varieties and loved them all, although this one must be the lightest thanks to the vanilla pudding. If you love a good apple pie then consider this one as a must bake! ;)

Ingredients for the dough :

• 340 g (2 cups) wheat flour
• 210 g (1 cup) wholewheat flour
• 110 g (0,5 cup) sugar
• 250 g butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1,5 tsp baking powder
• 0,5 tsp salt

For the apple filling :

• 1,5 kg apples
• 3 tsp cinnamon
• small pack of vanilla sugar

Vanilla Pudding:

• 3 packs of vanilla pudding powder
• 1,5 L milk
• 5 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp butter

Sieve the flour into a large bowl, add all the remaining ingredients and knead the dough until smooth.

Share the dough into two equal parts, form them into balls. Place one part in the fridge for 20 minutes and the other in the freezer for an hour.

Grease a 24 x 35 cm baking pan and lay the first part of the dough equally. Make some wholes in the dough using a fork.

Peel the apples and cut them into small pieces or grate them. Place them on the dough and sprinkle with cinnamon and vanilla sugar.

Mix the vanilla pudding powder with 1 cup of milk, place the rest of the milk in a pot with the sugar and butter. Bring the milk to boil and add the dissolved pudding slowly while mixing all the time.

When the pudding thickens put it on the side and let it cool slightly.

Spread the pudding over the apples.

Take the frozen dough out from the freezer and grate it on top of the pudding evenly.

Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 45-50 minutes. Let it cool and sprinkle some icing sugar on top if you like.

Well this is what I call yummy! :)

POPPY ROLL

Poppy cake is a must bake in my household every Christmas.

This year I wanted to try something new and I made this delicious and beautifull Poppy Roll. My family and friends loved it so I guess it will become a tradition.

With this recipe you will make three Poppy Rolls, perfect to share with your family and friends :)

Ingredients for the dough :

• 400 g flour
• 100 g sugar
• 20 g dry yeast
• 150 g melted butter
• 100 g warm milk
• 6 egg yolks at room temp. (leave the egg whites for the poppy filling)
• 2 tsp rum
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 0,5 tsp salt

Sieve the flour into a large bowl and mix with the dry yeast.

Add the rest of the ingredients and mix with your hand. Make sure the milk is warm and the melted butter is not too hot.

Knead the dough until it's not sticky (about 5 min.) and form a ball.

If the dough is too sticky, add more flour. Cover the bowl with a linen or cotton cloth and leave aside in a warm place for an hour to rise.

Poppy filling :

• 500 g poppy seeds
• 100 g raisins
• 50 g finly chopped walnuts
• 150 g brown sugar
• 3 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp butter (room temp.)
• 6 egg whites
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Put the poppy seeds in a bowl and cover them with boiling hot water. When cool, drain the water well and grind twice in a meat grinder.

Put the raisins on a drainer and rinse them with boiling hot water. (this will make them very soft).

Whisk the egg whites till they are stiff. Mix all the ingredients together, add the egg whites at the end and mix in gently.

When the dough is ready divide it in three equal parts.

Sprinkle some flour onto your chopping board and roll the dough in a rectangle shape, about 3mm thick.

Divide the poppy filling on three, spread it on the dough leaving 3cm clean on both ends.

Roll the dough with the longer sides inwards.

Grease baking paper with vegetable oil and roll it around the poppy Rolls twice.

Place the Rolls on a baking tray with a 5cm gap between each other.

Bake at 190°C (375°F) for 35-40 minutes.

You can now decorate the Poppy Rolls as you desire. Be carefull when moving them around cause it's easy to brake them.

Hope you enjoy this recipe and try it out! Merry Christmas! :)

MINI GINGERBREAD CAKE

What is Christmas without a Gingerbread Cake? The smell will fill your house with the Christmas vibe and after you try it, it will make you hungry for more. 

In this recipe I will show you how to make a 23 cm cake with three layers, as this size is more common. To make a mini 10 cm cake I have divided the ingredients in half and it has worked out beautifully.

Ingredients for the cake:

• 370 g flour
• 370 g brown sugar
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 300 ml buttermilk
• 220 ml vegetable oil
• 120 ml milk
• 3 eggs
• 1,5 tsp vanilla extract
• 0,5 tsp salt

Sieve all the dry ingredients into a large bowl and mix using a whisk till all is combined. In a seperate large bowl combine all the wet ingredients using a whisk. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix gently till everything is combined. If you feel like the batter is too thik, you can add a bit more milk.

Divide the batter equally in three 23 cm baking pans. Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and bake for 30-35 minutes or untill the toothpick comes out clean.

Ingredients for the cream cheese icing :

• 340 g cream cheese
• 150 g butter (room temp.)
• 400 g icing sugar
• 4 tsp  rum
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix the butter in a mixer on high speed for 3 minutes, add the cream cheese, rum and vanilla extract and mix for another 2 minutes. Turn the speed on low and start mixing in the icing sugar. If the mixture is too thin add more icing sugar, if it is too thick add more cream cheese or butter.

Now all the decorating is up to you, have fun with it ;)

Hope you enjoy, Merry Christmas!

CHRISTMAS MINI CHOCOLATE CAKE

Mini cake is a perfect option if your having a friend over or if you want to make a small desert. It's quick and easy - just the way I like it ;)

Ingredients :

• 6 tbsp milk
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 3 tbsp cocoa powder
• 4 tbsp sugar
• 4 tbsp flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Add the milk, oil, egg, salt and vanilla extract to a bowl and whisk till combined.

Sieve in the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and whisk again till all is combined.

Share the batter equally between two 10 cm baking pans.

Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 30 minutes.

If you have just one 10 cm pan like me, bake one cake at a time.

For the icing between the cake layers I have used cream cheese icing, you can find the recipe for that in the Christmas Red Velvet Cake post by scrolling down ;)

I have topped the cake up with a cream cheese drizzle :

• 60 g cream cheese
• 1 cup icing sugar
• 2 tbsp whipping cream
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Mix the whipping cream on low then high speed for about 5 minutes or till stiff. Seperatly mix the cream cheese with icing sugar and vanilla extract till you get a creamy consistancy. Gently add the whipped cream to the mixture and mix using a whisk till all gets combined.

Easy, quick, yummy! What else can you want from a cake :)

As always Enjoy!

CHRISTMAS RED VELVET CAKE POPS

Cake pops is a grate way to use up any remains of a cake or cupcakes. Here I have used some Red Velvet cupcakes to make these wonderful cake pops.

Ingredients :

• ready baked red velvet cake
• cream cheese
• chocolate of choice
• food coloring of choice

Crumble up your red velvet cake finely. Depending on how much cake you are using, add a few spoons of cream chees so the cake becomes sticky. I have used about 10 red velvet cupcakes and added about 2 tbsp of cream cheese.

The perfect consistency is when you can form balls which keep their shape. Use your hands to do so.

After forming balls (or shape of your choice), place them in the fridge for 15 minutes to let them firm up.

In a small bowl melt the chocolate (of your choice).

Take the cake pops out of the fridge, take a cake pop stick and dip it's end in the melted chocolate, then stick it into the cake pop about half way. Repeat with every cake pop, then place them in the fridge for another 15 minutes.

After that time take the cake pops out of the fridge and coat them in melted chocolate, tap them gently to get rid of the excess chocolate and place them horizontaly in a cup to dry. If you want your cake pops to be colorfull, add some food coloring to the melted chocolate.

Next you can decorate your cake pops any way you desire.

Have fun! :)

CHRISTMAS RED VELVET CUPCAKES

Cupcakes are such a grate thing to make on any occasion. They are delicious, easy to make and look beautiful. Plus their red color, already makes me think of Christmas!

Ingredienst :

• 270 g butter
• 4 eggs
• 3 tbsp buttermilk
• 235 g flour
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 250 g sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1,5 tsp cider vinegar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp red gel food coloring

Sieve the flour, cocoa powder, sugar and salt into a big mixing bowl. Add butter at room temperature and start mixing on low speed. Start adding eggs one at a time and mix for one minute.

Separately, mix the buttermilk with vanilla extract and red gel food coloring. Add to the mixture and increase the speed to medium.

In a cup place the baking soda and add the vinegar. Let it sit for few seconds and add to the mixture. Continue mixing on medium speed for 1 minute, then stop the mixer and mix by hand to make sure all ingredients are combined.

With this recipy you will be able to bake around 26 cupcakes.

Fill your cupcake forms about half way full and bake at 170°C (338°F) for 22-25 minutes.

Ingredients for the cream cheese icing:

• 150 g butter
• 240 g cream cheese
• 700 g icing sugar

Mix the butter with the cream cheese on high speed for 2 minutes, change the speed to low and start adding the icing sugar in sections. If the icing is to thin for your liking, add more icing sugar, if it is to thick add more cream cheese.

Always make sure your cupcakes are cool before you put the icing on top of them.

Now it's time for decorating and enjoing the magic of these amazing cupcakes, Yumm... Enjoy! :)

CHRISTMAS RED VELVET CAKE

Ho ho how could I not make a Red Velvet Cake for Christmas! :)

Perfect in color, perfect in taste. Easy and fun to make. This baby here is my new addiction!

Ingredients :

• 250 ml buttermilk (1 cup)
• 1 tbsp white vinegar
• 220 g sugar (1,1/2 cup)
• 340 g flour (2 cups)
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 120 g butter
• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp red gel food coloring

Mix the butter with sugar on high speed for 5 minutes. Set the mixer to medium speed and start adding eggs, one at a time.

Add the buttermilk, vanilla extract and red food coloring.

In a small bowl place the baking soda and add vinegar, without mixing let it sit for couple seconds, then add to the mixture.

Turn the mixer down to low speed, sieve through the flour and cocoa powder. Let it mix on low speed for one minute.

Place The batter in two 23 cm baking pans. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Let the cakes cool and place them in the fridge before adding the icing.

Ingredients for the creme cheese icing :

• 80 g butter
• 120 g cream cheese
• 400g icing sugar

(If you don't like your icing to be very sweet, you can add less icing sugar.)

Mix the butter with cream cheese for 2 minutes on high speed. Change the speed to low and start adding the icing sugar in sections, giving every section about 30 secounds to mix in well.

Before you add the icing to the cake, make sure the cake is cold so the icing can keep it's shape.

And there you have it! A perfect Christmas cake, hope you Enjoy!

CHRISTMAS GINGERBREAD  COOKIES

Christmas gingerbread cookies are perfect for decorating your Christmas table, cake or even Christmas tree. They will make your home smell beautiful and of course they are yummy!

Ingredients:

• 260 g all-purpose flour (2 cups)
• 2 tbsp honey
• 150 g granulated sugar (3/4 cup)
• 1,5 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup milk

Sieve the flour on a pastry board and add 2 tbsp of hot honey, mix it with a knife by chopping. Start adding sugar, spices and baking soda. At the end add the butter and egg.

Knead the dough by hand and add a tsp of warm milk at a time. Do this for about 5 minutes, till the dough is smooth.

Sprinkle the pastry board with flour and roll the dough out till it is 1 cm thick. Cut out your desired shapes and place them on a baking sheet. Bake the cookies at 180°C (350°F) for 10 - 12 minutes. Gather the remaining dough and roll it out again for more cookies.

I have used Royal Icing on top of my cookies to make them look even more gorgeous. Nice and simple as always! :)

COCONUT CAKE

Coconut cake is my new favorite! It will win the hearts of all who will try it. It looks perfect as a winter, snow cake, but is also great for any occasion and any time of the year. Give it a try!

Ingredients for the cake:

• 4 eggs
• 200 g sugar
• 180 g cake flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 115 g butter
• 240 ml coconut milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 115 g coconut flakes

Whip the butter with sugar in a mixer for 7 - 10 minutes.

Start adding one egg at a time. Add the coconut milk and vanilla extract. After that's all combined put the mixer aside. Sieve the flour and baking powder and add the coconut flakes into the mixture and mix it gently with a spatula.

For two layers of cake, share the batter in two 20 cm baking trays.

Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 30 - 40 minutes.

Ingredients for the filling:

• 1 package of cream custard powder
• 1 tbsp flour
• 1 tbsp starch
• 2 tbsp icing sugar
• 250 g butter
• coconut milk
• 1 tsp coconut or vanilla extract

Follow the instructions on the pack of the cream custard powder, mix it with the right amount of hot coconut milk (replacing regular milk). Let it cool. Mix the butter with flour,icing sugar and starch until all is combined. When the custard is cooled, start adding it in sections to the mixture, add the coconut or vanilla extract.

After adding the filling to the cake, place it in the fridge for an hour.

Simply must bake! :)

JELLY CUPCAKES

Super easy way to treat your friends and family.
Takes minimum effort to make and the end result is fantastic. Give it a try!

All you need is few bags of jelly of your choice. Mix each with hot water. Use half of the amount of water that is required in the instructions on the bag. When the powder has dissolved, pour the mixture into silicone cupcake molds and place in the fridge for 2 hours or over night.

Simply top them up with some whipped cream and the job is done! Enjoy :)

BLUEBERRY JAM PANCAKES

Some say breakfast, some say dessert, I say why not both! I love to treat my self with pancakes atleast once a week, and these American style pancakes with blueberry jam, topped with Maple syrop are the ones to go for!

Ingredients for the pancake batter :

• 200 g ap flour
• 1,5 tbls baking powder
• 0,5 tsp salt
• 3 tbls granulated sugar
• 450 ml milk
• 2 eggs
• 3 tbls melted butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Sieve all dry ingredients to a large bowl and mix together.

Seperate the egg whites from the egg yolks and beat them till stiff.

In a seperate bowl mix all the wet ingredients till combined, then pour the mixture into the bowl with dry ingredients and whisk till combined. Add the egg whites to the mixture and whisk very gently for no longer then 1 min.

Preheat a frying pan to medium/high heat.

Pour the mixture in sections and wait about 1,5 min. on one side and 1 min. on the other.

The size of the pancakes will depend on the amount of batter poured over the pan.

You can use any jam u like for these pancakes, my choice was blueberry jam and a drizzle of Maple syrop on top.

So here is my brekfast and dessert. Can it get any better? ;)

GINGER & LEMON CREPE CAKE

Crepe Cake is an excellent dessert which you can also serve as breakfast. There are endless flavors to choose from. My choice for an autumn Crepe Cake is ginger and lemon, layerd and topped with lemon flavoured whipped cream. Yummy!

Ingredients for the Crepe Cake batter :

• 750 g milk ( 3 cups )
• 60 g melted butter
• 8 eggs
• 375 g ap flour ( 2,5 cups )
• 2 tbls lemon juice
• 150 ml water (0,5 cup)
• 3 tsp ground ginger
• 100 g granulated sugar (0,5 cup)
• 0,5 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Sieve through all the dry ingredients into a large bowl and whisk till combined. In a seperate bowl mix all the wet ingredients (make sure all are in room temperature). Pour the mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients and whisk till all combined.

Preheat a frying pan on a medium/high heat and add a little bit of butter or oil so the cake batter doesn't stick. The size of the pan will determine the size of the cake.

Pour a thin, even layer of the batter and let it sit for 1min. - 1,5 min,

then turn it on the other side and let it sit for another 1 min.

Repeat this process till you use up all the batter.

Let the cakes cool on the side before you add the whipped cream.

Ingredients for the whipped cream :

• 700 ml whipping cream
• 2 tbls icing sugar
• zest of 2 lemons

Whisk the whipping cream with icing sugar till stiff (about 5 min.), then gently mix in the lemon zest.

Layer the cake with the creme and place it in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving.

Isn't this a beautiful way to serve pancakes? Enjoy! :)