Devils food cake

Ingredients

For the cake

• 75g spreadable butter
• 250g light soft brown sugar
• 3 medium eggs, lightly beaten
• 100g dark chocolate chips
• 175g plain flour
• 2 teaspoons (10ml) bicarbonate of soda
• Pinch of salt
• 185ml milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the frosting

• 150g chocolate chips (dark, milk or white will work well)
• 90g butter
• 160 ml condensed milk

Method

For the cake

1. Preheat the oven to 180˚C (165˚C Fan assisted), 350˚F, gas mark 4. Prepare two 20cm non-stick sandwich tins.
2. Cream the butter and the sugar together and beat well. This will have a strange texture- not pale and fluffy like usual creaming – because of the high proportion of sugar to butter. Then gradually add the egg, beating well all the time.
3. Melt the chocolate in a bowl set over hot water or in the microwave (about 2-21/2 minutes on full power). Let it cool a little, then stir gently into the creamed mixture.
4. Combine the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt and add, gradually and gently, to the creamed mixture, alternating with the milk and vanilla.
5. Spoon into the sandwich tins, dividing it evenly, and smooth the tops. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the cakes are springy and a knife inserted in the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool for a couple of minutes in the tins, then turn out on to a rack to cool completely.

For the frosting

1. Put everything into a small saucepan and stir over a low heat until the chocolate and butter have melted and it becomes a smooth mixture. Remove from the heat and let it cool until it can be spread.

jane ashers devils food cake

Mrs Robins fruit cake

Mrs RObin's fruit cake:

4oz marg
6oz granulated sugar
6oz currants
6 oz sultanas
2oz chopped peel
1 cup (8 liq oz) water
1 level tsp bicarb
1 heaped tsp mixed spice
2 beaten eggs
4oz pl. flour
4 os SR flour
pinch of salt.

1. place marg, sugar, currants, sultanas, peel, water, bicarb and mixed spice into a pan, bring to boil and simmer 1 minute. Pour into a large mixing bowl and allow to cool.

2. line a 7 inch square (or 8 inch round) tin with greased, greaseproof paper.

3. add eggs, flours and slat to cooled mixture, mix well, pour into tin.

4. bake centre oven at gas 4/350F for 1 1/4 hours

Spiced cranberry vodka

100g/3.5oz dried cranberries.
50g/2oz prunes.
125g/4oz golden caster sugar.
1 cinamon stick, broken into pieces.
1tbsp juniper berries, roughly crushed.
zest 1 orange.
70cl bottle vodka.

1, put all ingredients into a clean steralised 1liter bottle.
2, leave for 2 weeks in a cool dark place, shaking bottle every now and then.

too serve strain into glasses and enjoy.

Fruity mincemeat with almonds

4 bramley apples, peeled, cored, and grated.
350g/12oz light muscovado sugar.
zest and juice 1 lemon
zest and juice 1 orange.
1 tsp ground cinnamon.
1/4 tsp each, ground nutmeg, cloves, and all spice.
100g/4oz dried cranberries
100g/4oz sultanas.
100g/4oz raisins.
100g/4oz currants.
100ml/3.5floz brandy
85g/3oz flaked almonds.
100g/4oz shredded suet or light shredded vegetable suet.

1,put the grated apple and any juices, sugar, and orange and lemon zests and juices into a large sauce pan.
2, bring gently too a simmer, stirring until the sugar has melted.
3, turn off heat and stir in the spices, dried fruit and brandy, set aside until cool.

4, once cool stir in the almonds and suet.
5, divide into steralised jars, or plastic containers for freezing.

will keep in the fridge unopened for 3 months, in freezer 6 months.