Jelly & Ice Cream Cake

For mini me's birthday this year she asked for a jelly and ice cream cake. Normally I would bake several cakes plus cupcakes for party bags but this year I was really disorganized and hadn't prepared anything. Fortunately Jane Asher has a very quick and easy recipe which requires no baking what so ever. 

Perfect for parties, BBQs and as it keeps it in the freezer it lasts a long time.My only warning is the jelly goes a bit hard in the freezer so if it isn't getting used in the one sitting remove the jelly before putting it back in the freezer.

I went for a Raspberry Ripple cake but I think this would be delicious with chocolate swiss rolls and mint choc chip ice cream.

Ingredients:

3 Large Swiss Rolls

2 Litres Soft Ice Cream

3 Different Coloured Packets of Jelly

1 Quantity Butter Cream

Directions:

1. Cut all the swiss rolls into slices approx 5mm thick. Line the base of a springform tin with the slices, and then add a layer round the side.
2. Fill with the ice cream, making sure it is well pushed down. Cover the top with more swiss roll, then wrap in clingfilm and freeze. This can be done a couple of weeks ahead.
3. Make up the jellies separately but using only half the amount of water for a firmer set. Pour each jelly into a non-stick cake tin / swiss roll tin and chill to set.
4. Put a sheet of baking parchment on a board or tray. When the jelly is set, turn it out on to the baking parchment and return to the fridge until all 3 colours are ready.
5. Cut jelly shapes with cutters and keep them on a tray lined with baking parchment in the fridge until needed. This can be done a few days ahead.
6. Undo the side of the cake tin and remove the ice cream cake. Put it on the cake board and cover it with a thin layer of butter cream, using a hot palette knife to smooth it evenly. Keep the cake in the freezer until ready to serve.
7. When ready, position the jelly shapes and serve the cake immediately.

Coffee and Walnut Cake

I made this cake at the end of last year (before the chaos of having a puppy) but completely forgot all about it until I was reading the latest issue of Cake Decorating today which featured more or less the same recipe. So, I decided to dig out my photo and recipe and publish it on this blog. I find that this is quite an easy cake to make and is really just a variation on my basic sponge mix that I use for most cakes / cupcakes. I'm lazy and use coffee essence but instant coffee and boiling water is just as good. 

Coffee and Walnut Cake

(Makes 2 8inch round cakes)

Ingredients:

250g Butter, softened

250g Caster Sugar

250g Self Raising Flour, sifted

4 Eggs

2 tsps Baking Powder

2 tsps Coffee Essence (or 3tsp strong instant coffee dissolved in 2tbsp boiling water)

100g Walnuts, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/gas mark 3. Grease 2 round cake tins.
2. Put the butter and the sugar in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy and well mixed. Turn the mixer up to high speed, slowly add the egg and beat until everything is well incorporated.
3. Add the flour, baking powder and coffee essence and continue to mix on a medium speed until all is incorporated. Stir in the chopped walnuts.
4. Divide the batter evenly between the tins. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes for sponge, or until a skewer comes out clean.
5. Leave to cool slightly before transferring to a wire rack.

Coffee Butter Cream Icing

Ingredients:

150g Butter, softened

300g Icing Sugar,

2tsp Coffee Essence (or 2tsp strong instant coffee dissolved in 1tbsp boiling water)

8 Walnut Halves for decoration

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, half the icing sugar and coffee essence until smooth – this can take several minutes with a hand mixer. Gradually add the remainder of the icing sugar and beat again until the buttercream is smooth and creamy.

Apple and Blackberry Crumble Cake

Sorry it has been so long since I lasted posted in my blog. Life has been fairly hectic over the past few months. Redecorating kitchen and living room, Christmas and New Year and just when things were finally getting back to normal I went and got a puppy. I’m hoping that I can now get back to baking.

This recipe was in a copy of Woman magazine. It looked so good that I had to make it.

I used frozen blackberries that I had defrosted overnight as I was struggling to find fresh ones. I'm sure you could substitute the apple and blackberries for any other type of frozen or tinned fruit.

Delicious served warm with custard. I think this will be a firm favourite over the winter.

Apple and Blackberry Crumble Cake

(Makes 9inch round cake)

Ingredients:

275g Butter

50g Plain Flour

50g Demerara Sugar

225g Caster Sugar

4 Eggs, beaten

175g Self Raising Flour

50g Ground Almonds

1 tsp Baking Powder

2 Small Bramley Apples, sliced

225g Blackberries

Directions:

1. Heat the oven to 180C / Gas Mark 4. Grease and line a 9 inch spring-clip cake tin.
2. With your fingertips rub 50g of the butter into the plain flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the demerara sugar and set aside for the topping.
3. Cream together the rest of the butter with the caster sugar until light and creamy. Gradually beat in the eggs until the mixture is smooth, adding a little of the flour if it starts to curdle. Fold in the flour, almonds and baking powder. Spread the mixture in the tin.
4. Arrange the apple slices on top, then scatter over the blackberries topping with the crumble mixture.
5. Bake for 50 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool cake in the tin for 5 minutes then turn out.