The Hummingbird Bakery Life is Sweet: 100 original recipes for happy home baking. Tarek Malouf
set as it cools.
Makes one 23 x 32cm (9 x 13in) cake, to slice as desired
For the cake
55ml (2fl oz) whole milk
55ml (2fl oz) water
50g (2oz) unsalted butter
2½ tsp dried active or instant yeast
265g (9½oz) plain flour
50g (2oz) caster sugar
½ tsp salt
1 large egg
For the gooey butter filling
310g (11oz) unsalted butter, softened
160ml (5½fl oz) condensed milk (sweetened)
160g (5½oz) golden syrup
2 large eggs
90g (3oz) plain flour
1½ tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Icing sugar, to decorate
One 23 x 32cm (9 x 13in) tin
1. To make the cake, preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F), Gas mark 4. Grease the tin with butter and dust with flour.
2. Heat the milk, water and butter in a small saucepan over a low heat until the butter has melted. Allow to cool until lukewarm, sprinkle the yeast over the top and stir. Leave for 10 minutes.
3. Put the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a freestanding mixer or a bowl you can use an electric whisk in and mix together with a fork. Pour in the yeast mixture and egg and mix for 2 minutes at a medium speed, making sure you scrape down the sides of the bowl as you go, until combined. Switch to the dough hook and knead for 10 minutes on a medium speed.
4. Pour the dough into the prepared tin – it will be soft and sticky. Press the dough into the tin so that it fills it up completely, pressing it up the sides of the tin. Set aside while you make the filling. The dough will rise a little in the tin as you prepare the filling – this is normal.
5. Using a freestanding electric mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand-held electric whisk, beat the butter for around 5 minutes on a medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add two-thirds of the condensed milk and beat on a medium-high speed until light. Add the syrup and mix thoroughly.
6. Add the eggs, one at a time, on a lower speed, mixing in between each addition, and then continue beating on a medium-high speed for about 2 minutes until the batter is light and fluffy. Mix in the flour and remaining condensed milk, a little at a time, alternating between the two ingredients. Add the vanilla and salt at the end and mix well.
7. Spoon and spread the filling over the yeast dough and bake for 30 minutes or until golden. The filling will be slightly wobbly, but it will set as it cools. Dust the cake with icing sugar once cool.
Oatmeal Spice Cake
A moist, spiced sponge, rich with molasses and brown sugar and topped with a lovely coconut and pecan crust. Be careful when finishing the crust under the hot grill – you want it bubbly and brown, but not burnt to a crisp!
Makes one 23 x 32cm (9 x 13in) cake, to slice as desired
For the spice cake
90g (3oz) rolled oats
290ml (10fl oz) boiling water
200g (7oz) plain flour
1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
1½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground nutmeg
115g (4oz) unsalted butter, softened
200g (7oz) soft light brown sugar
110g (4oz) caster sugar
2 large eggs
2 tbsp pure cane molasses, such as Meridian
For the coconut topping
55g (2oz) unsalted butter
200g (7oz) soft light brown sugar
120ml (4fl oz) whipping cream
100g (3½oz) shredded or desiccated coconut
120g (4oz) chopped pecans
One 23 x 32cm (9 x 13in) tin
1. To make the cake, preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F), Gas mark 4. Line the tin with non-stick baking parchment.
2. Mix the oats and boiling water together in a bowl and set aside. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg.
3. Using a freestanding electric mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand-held electric whisk, cream the butter and sugars together for around 5 minutes on a medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, on a lower speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Add the molasses and mix until just incorporated. Next, add the dry ingredients on a low speed, making sure not to overbeat, until just incorporated and mixed through. Stir in the oats and water mixture by hand.
5. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 30–35 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin for about an hour before you put the topping on.
6. To make the coconut topping, gently heat the butter, brown sugar and cream in a saucepan until the sugar is dissolved, and then take off the heat. Add the coconut and pecans and mix well.
7. Spread the topping over the cake and put under a hot grill for 2–3 minutes, until the topping is bubbly and browned. Do not step away from the grill – it can burn very easily.
7Up Pound Cake
Recipes using various carbonated soft drinks abound in vintage American recipe booklets. Most church groups and school parent-teacher associations still produce these spiral-bound booklets, with recipes donated by their members. This simple pound cake is made moist and slightly citrusy by using 7Up, but you can substitute your own favourite lemony fizzy drink.
Makes one 900g (2lb) loaf cake, to slice as desired
165g (6oz) unsalted butter
320g (11oz) caster sugar
3 large eggs
200g (7oz) plain flour
1 tsp grated lemon zest
½ tsp vanilla extract
90ml (3fl oz) (less than a third of a can) 7Up or other lemon-lime carbonated drink
One 900g (2lb) loaf tin
1. Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F), Gas mark 3. Line the loaf tin with non-stick baking parchment.
2. Using a freestanding electric mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand-held electric whisk, cream the butter and sugar together for around 10 minutes on a medium-high speed until very light and fluffy.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition, beating only until just incorporated. Remember to scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Mix in the flour, lemon zest and vanilla extract until thoroughly mixed, but do not overbeat. Fold in the 7Up or equivalent by hand.
4. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and level the surface. Bake for about 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean and the top bounces back when lightly touched. Cool briefly in the tin and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.