Baking with Elliott

Chocolate Bunny Cupcakes

It’s now officially Spring, which means many things BUT it means Easter is around the corner, so here is my first Easter themed blog post of 2023.

I can’t believe how bad I’ve been at uploading on here and my YouTube channel this year but thats all about to change, as I’ve had some time off work and been able to focus on getting som content made – just the process of editing and uploading – so you may be seeing me a little more often over the Easter period (shhhh, just in case I go missing again).

The start of the Easter themed baking comes in the form of these chocolate bunny cupcakes… A super simple yet effective way of celebrating. These consist of a chocolate cupcake, topped with a chocolate French meringue buttercream, chocolate ganache and a whole chocolate bunny. This is a lot of chocolate but not in a overly sickly way – so for the chocoholic, its the perfect recipe!

Anyway, let’s keep things short and sweet – there’ll be plenty coming from me in the coming weeks. Let’s get started, shall we?

Ingredients:

Cupcakes:

175g butter, room temperature.

175g granulated sugar.

2 eggs.

1 tsp vanilla extract.

145g plain flour.

30g cocoa powder.

1 tsp baking powder.

2-3 tbsp whole milk (to achieve the perfect consistency).

Buttercream:

125g granulated sugar.

31ml water.

35g eggs yolks.

1 whole egg.

250g butter, room temperature.

200g dark chocolate, melted and cooled ensuring its not hot.

20g cocoa powder.

Decoration:

Ganache (60g dark chocolate + 40g milk chocolate + 100ml double cream).

Easter sprinkles (optional).

12 mini chocolate bunnies (I used the ones available in M&S here in the UK).

Method:

Before you et started on the recipe, you’ll want to do some prep work. I like to start by weighing up all of my ingredients, lining my muffin pan with tulip cases and getting any equipment I may need such as a stand mixer and paddle attachment. Don’t forget to preheat your oven to 180˚c/350˚f.

To get started on the recipe, you’ll want to make the cupcakes. For this recipe, I used the all in one method, which works really well for cupcakes as its quick, easy and faff free.

Simply take all of your ingredients and place them into the mixing bowl – mix together on a low speed to start, working your way up to a medium-high speed. You may find the mixture isn’t smooth and glossy – to help this, simply add a tablespoon of milk at a time, until you have ted desired consistency.

Give the bowl a really good scraping down, just to incorporate any bits that may not have been fully worked in.

Divide the cake mixture between the muffin cases, filling them around 2/3 or 3/4 of the way full and then placing into your preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes (or until a tester comes out clean).

While the cupcakes are baking, you can make your buttercream – which is my French meringue buttercream. The only additional steps I have that aren’t on the main recipe are adding the melted chocolate, cocoa powder and vanilla once the buttercream has been made. You treat it the same way as any other buttercream, giving the bowl a good scraping down and chilling or using straight away. It’s a very stable buttercream to use immediately, not like cream cheese icing which isn’t stable at all.

Once you have the cupcakes and buttercream made, you can finish the cupcakes up.

Simply pipe the buttercream on top of each of the cupcakes, with as much or as little buttercream as you’d like. I went with a plain round tip, but you can use whichever nozzle you’d like.

I had some ganache left over from another recipe (which you’ll see very soon, surprise surprise, its something Easter themed), so top each of the cupcakes with some of the ganache again you can use as much or as little as you’d like. I also had some Easter sprinkles in the cupboard, so dashed some of those over to add a little extra Easter flair.

Then top each of the cupcakes with a mini chocolate rabbit and enjoy.

A very simple and straight forward recipe but one that will go down very well when shared, trust me.

That’s all for today guys, I hope you enjoyed. If you did, don’t forget to share this recipe with your family and friends and enjoy it. I’ll be back soon with another blog post and YouTube video, so join me then. In the meanwhile, don’t forget to check out my other social’s – Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. The YouTube tutorial will be linked down below.

Oreo Cake

by bakingwithelliott Leave a Comment

The classic Oreo is good enough on its own but combine that with a cake and you get this beauty.

This cake consists of a lot Oreo, which is perfect for those who are fans of Oreo. Starting with 3 layers of of Oreo cake, sandwiched and coated with an Oreo French buttercream, finished with a chocolate drip and whole Oreos – what’s not to like?

If you have a friends or family members birthday coming up or a bake sale, this cake would be the perfect one to make and share – I promise this will be popular.

I made this cake in 2022 for a family member but can’t remember who it was for or when but it’s been a while since I made this. Now felt like the perfect time to share this recipe.

Anyway, let’s get started, shall we?

Ingredients:

Cake:

350g butter, at room temperature.

350g granulated sugar.

350g plain flour.

2.5 tsp baking powder.

6 eggs.

2 tsp vanilla extract.

100g Oreo crumbs.

Buttercream:

250g granulated sugar.

62ml water.

70g egg yolks.

500g butter, at room temperature.

1 tsp vanilla extract.

75g Oreo crumbs.

Ganache (for drip):

100ml double cream.

60g dark chocolate chips.

40g milk chocolate chips.

Decoration:

Oreos.

Method:

Before we get into the recipe, it’s best to do some prep. I personally like to start by weighing up all of my ingredients, lining my cake tins with parchment paper and like to get any equipment I may need ready – such as a stand mixer, paddle attachment and spatula. Now is also the ideal time to preheat your oven to 180˚c/350˚f.

To get started on the cake batter, simply take a mixing bowl and place in the butter and sugar. Beat the two together until they are lighter and fluffier in colour and consistency – due to the amount of each ingredient, it will take a short while to achieve this consistency, around 7-10 minutes is my usual sweet spot (although this will vary, depending on where you are and the climate).

You can then gradually add in your eggs, one at a time, beating well in-between each addition. If you add the eggs too quickly, you will find the mixture may split or curdle – not ideal. Now is also the perfect time to add in the vanilla extract, mix until fully incorporated.

Add in the dry ingredients and mix on a low speed to start with, working your way up to a medium-high speed and continue to mix until you have a smooth cake batter with no traces of raw ingredients (unless its a little of the dry ingredients near the top of the bowl) – a minute or so usually works best for me with this recipe.

Now you can add in the Oreo crumbs, folding them in until they are fully incorporated into the cake batter – this will also incorporate any bits that may not have been fully worked in from earlier on.

Take the cake batter and divide it between your cake tins – the recipes provided will make 3 layers of cake for each. you can eyeball the amount places into each tin but you could also use weighing scales to get a more accurate amount into each tin. Once the cake batter is in the tins, simply spread and level out the cake batter, this is to ensure consistent baking.

Place into your preheated oven and bake for 30-35 or until a tester comes out clean when inserted into the centre of the cake.

Buttercream:

To start on the buttercream recipe, grab a small-medium saucepan and place in the water and granulated sugar and mix the two until combined, then place on the hob over a medium-high heat. You want this mixture to reach 121˚c, it takes a short while.

While you’re waiting for your mixture to come up to temperature, you can work on the egg part.

Whisk together the egg yolks and whole egg over a medium-high speed until everything is combined and the mixture is a pale yellowish colour and increased a significant amount.

Once your sugar mixture has come up to 121˚c, you can remove it from the heat and steadily pour it over the egg mixture over a low speed. Once all the mixture has been added, crank the speed upto a high and whisk until you can touch the bottom of the bowl with the back of your hand.

Now that the mixture has whisked together and is cool enough, you can start adding your butter, piece by piece. At first, you may notice the mixture looks quite loose and this is normal. As the butter is added and incorporated, the mixture will thicken and start looking like a buttercream.

Add in the vanilla and whisk until everything has been fully incorporated.

Simply add the Oreo crumbs once the buttercream has been made. Mix until fully incorporated – it should become a speckled grey sort of colour.

Decoration:

Once you have everything made and ready, you can start the assembly of the cake. To start, take a cake stand/board/plate and place a small blob of buttercream into the centre, then place your first layer off cake onto it, pressing down to secure it in place. Pipe a ring of buttercream around the outer edge off the cake (and a thin layer for inside of the ring), then fill in the centre of the ring with the same buttercream and top with the next layer of cake – repeat the process until you have used all your cake layers.

I then like to pipe the buttercream around the cake, as neatly as possibly but it doesn’t need to be perfect, as when we are smoothing it out, it will fill many of the gaps. Take your scraper and scrape around the edge, until you have a smooth enough finish, this is really up to you but most like quite a neat finish.

Now that the cake is as smooth as you’d like it, simply make the ganache. Heat cream until its almost reaches a boil, then pour over your chocolate and allow it to sit for around a minute and stir until smooth, well combined and has taken on a thickened consistency but is still fluid enough to drip.

Using a piping bag (or whichever way works best for you) apply your drip, do it as you usually would. I always try and make the length of the drips vary but whatever makes you happy, you do.

Pipe rosettes around the top outer edge, I went with 8 but you can do as many or as few as you’d like – its your cake. Then to finish, simply fill the centre with some ganache and place whole Oreo biscuits between the rosettes and you’re done!

Vanilla + Oreo Cake

by bakingwithelliott Leave a Comment

It’s been a while since I’ve had the time to sit and edit a video and blog post – so glad to be back!

This week I’m starting with a video I recorded last August – it was a cake for my cousins 21st Birthday, if you’ve been around a while, you might remember me making a cake for her 18th Birthday!

My cousin isn’t big on flavours or decoration, so kept it simple. The bottom tier was a vanilla cake with a vanilla buttercream and the top cake was a chocolate cake with a Oreo buttercream, which is pretty simple but works well together.

If you’re looking to make a celebration cake, this will give you the basic framework you need to make a cake like this or similar.

Anyway, let’s get started, shall we?

Ingredients:

Cakes:

8 inch vanilla cake:

525g butter, softened.

525g granulated sugar.

7 eggs.

525g self raising flour.

1 tsp salt.

2.5-3 tsp vanilla extract.

Milk (optional, only if needed).

6 inch chocolate cake:

350g butter, softened.

350g granulated sugar.

6 eggs.

300g self raising flour..

50g cocoa powder.

1 tsp vanilla extract.

Buttercreams:

Vanilla buttercream (for 8 inch vanilla cake):

500g granulated sugar.

125ml water.

140g egg yolks.

1,000g butter, room temperature.

2.5-3 tsp vanilla extract.

Oreo buttercream (for 6 inch chocolate cake):

250g granulated sugar.

62ml water.

70g egg yolks.

500g butter, at room temperature.

1 tsp vanilla extract.

50g Oreo crumbs.

Simple Syrup (optional):

300g grnauilastyed sugar.

300ml water.

White chocolate drip:

50g white chocolate (good quality).

50g double cream.

Decoration:

Oreo biscuits (whole and broken).

White chocolate chips.

Edible glitter (optional).

Method:

Cakes:

To start todays recipe, I will be starting with making the cake sponges. Although there is two different recipes, its the same process (the same goes for the buttercream), so to make there process quicker and less repetitive, I will share one method and apply the variation at the end for you to use, if you use this recipe.

Place the cakes into the oven and bake for 25-30 for the 8 inch cakes and 30-35 for the 6 inch cakes – or until a tester comes out clean when inserted into the centre of the cake.

Now that the cakes are baking its the perfect time to get the simple syrup and buttercream made.

Simple Syrup:

If you’re using simple syrup on the cake sponges, simply place equal amounts of water and sugar into a saucepan, bring to the boil and then cool fully before intending to use.

White chocolate drip:

The white chocolate ganache for the drips is super easy, simply heat the cream to almost a boil, pour it over the chocolate and allow it to sit for a minute or so. After that time, stir until smooth – you may find it’s very liquid and this is normal. Cover with clingfilm, allowing it to touch the top of the ganache and then place in the fridge and allow to firm up.

Once you want to use it, simply warm up using small bursts of heat from a microwave until you have the perfect consistency -this doesn’t take very long, so be careful.

Buttercream:

While you’re waiting for your mixture to come up to temperature, you can work on the egg part.

Whisk together the egg yolks and whole egg over a medium-high speed until everything is combined and the mixture is a pale yellowish colour and increased a significant amount.

Add in the vanilla and whisk until everything has been fully incorporated.

If you think the mixture is too loose, don’t worry. Continue to mix it over a high speed until it thickens and place in the fridge and chill until firm.

** For the Oreo buttercream, simply add the Oreo crumbs once the buttercream has been made. Mix until fully incorporated – it should become a speckled grey sort of colour.

Decoration:

Seeing as this is a two tiered cake, it’s easier to ice the cakes separately, then stack them. To make the stacking process even easier, chill the cakes in the fridge for a short while before you intend on stacking – trust me on this one.

Once the cakes are stacked, you can decorate and finish them. For me this was very simple but you can alter it to suit your occasion.

Around the bottom edge of the vanilla cake, take your sprinkles and make a boarder around, I used the Halo brand sprinkles but you can use whatever you like. I then apply the drip, which wasn’t perfect but I couldn’t change once it was applied.

Around the top of the Oreo cake and where the 2 cakes meet, I pipe shells with the vanilla buttercream – this isn’t required but I liked how it looked. You can do whatever you like – choose creatively!

I added a few whole Oreos around the side of the Oreo cake, then broke some Oreos into roughly quarters, then place on top of the Oreo cake, inside of the piped shells. I also add some white chocolate chips, just for decoration. As a finishing touch, I used the edible spray glitter and added a generous amount around the cake, to add a little shimmer (if you use this, be aware it gets everywhere).

Chill in the fridge until it’s needed, then enjoy. I do find allowing the cake to come to room temperature the best way to enjoy it!

Strawberry Cake

by bakingwithelliott Leave a Comment

Valentines Day is just around the corner – so why don’t you try something a little different this year by showing the ones you love in baking form this year?

Whether its a husband/wife, boyfriend/girlfriend, best friend or situationship, make an impact by making them a cake. This is a strawberry cake – 3 layers of strawberry cake, filled with strawberry jam and finished with a tangy strawberry cream cheese icing.

This would be the ideal car to make for valentines day due to the colour but can be enjoyed all year round.

Anyway, let’s get started, shall we?

Cake:

250g butter.

250g granulated sugar.

4 eggs.

1 tsp vanilla extract.

80-100g strawberry jam (homemade or good quality store bought).

250g self raising flour.

Cream Cheese Icing:

300g butter, at room temperature.

300g icing sugar.

150g soft cheese, at room temperature.

50-100g strawberry jam (homemade or good quality store bought).

Filling:

Strawberry jam (homemade or good quality store bought).

Decoration:

Heart sprinkles.

Method:

To get started on the recipe, you’ll want to do some prep work. I like to start by weighing up all of the ingredients, preheating the oven to 180˚c/350˚f and getting anything else you may need ready, such as a stand mixer and tins.

To start, place the butter and sugar into a bowl and beat them together until they are lighter and fluffier in colour and consistency.

Once you’ve achieved light and fluffy, you can go ahead and add in the eggs, one at a time – beating well in-between each addition. Repeat the process until all of your eggs have been fully added. This is also the time you’ll add in the vanilla.

Now add in the strawberry jam and mix until its fully incorporated – this will change the colour of the mixture, which is expected.

After the jam has been added and is fully incorporated, you can go ahead and add in the flour and mix until a clear cake batter has formed.

Give the bowl a really good scraping down, this is just to incorporate any bits thats may not be fully incorporated. Take the cake batter and split it between your three six inch cake tins, spreading and levelling as best as you possibly can to ensure the most even bake.

Transfer into the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a tester comes out clean, when inserted into the centre.

While the cake is baking in the oven, its the perfect time to make the cream cheese icing that will be used to fill and decorate the cake.

To make the cream cheese icing, take a bowl and place in the butter and icing sugar – beat the two together until they are lighter and fluffier in colour and consistency, this may take a little while.

Once you’ve achieved the desired consistency, you can gradually add in the soft cheese – don’t add it all at once, please take your time when adding it into the mix.

After all of your soft cheese has been added, you can then add in the jam – you will find adding this in stages really helps to keep a thick consistency. Once all of the jam has been added, make sure to give the bowl a good scraping down

Gingerbread Cake

by bakingwithelliott Leave a Comment

Nothing is quite as warm and festive as gingerbread, right? Today I’m sharing my recipe for a gingerbread cake.

It may not be your traditional style of cake but I wanted to still make something gingerbread flavoured and well, this is the end product. This is the perfect alternative to a traditional fruit cake (which many don’t really like).

The cake consists of three layers of gingerbread cake, sandwiched and coated with a spiced vanilla French buttercream. The buttercream is what ties this cake all together, its vanilla but with a slight hint of cinnamon and ginger.

This takes a little time but when its on the christmas table, it will stand out but in the right way.

Anyway, let’s get started, shall we?

Ingredients:

Cake:

450g plain flour.

3 tsp baking powder.

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda.

3 tsp ground ginger.

175g butter.

175g black treacle.

175g golden syrup.

1 egg.

300ml whole milk.

Buttercream:

250g light brown sugar.

62ml water.

70g egg yolks.

1 whole egg.

500g butter.

2-3 tsp vanilla extract.

1 tsp ground ginger.

1 tsp ground cinnamon.

Decoration:

Blonde chocolate spread – for the drip.

Halo gingerbread sprinkle mix.

Method:

To get started on the recipe, you’ll want to do some prep work. I like to start by weighing up all of my ingredients, lining my 3×6 inch cake tins with parchment paper and get any equipment I may need such as a stand mixer and spatula ready. Don’t forget to preheat your oven to 180˚c/350˚f.

To start on the cake, simply take a saucepan and place in the butter, light brown sugar, black treacle and golden syrup. Place this on the hob on a medium heat and allow the butter to melt, then start stirring this until smooth and melted.

While the saucepan comes does its job, into your mixing bowl, place the plain flour, raising agents and ground ginger. Mix together until they are well combined.

In a separate bowl, add in the milk and egg. Whisk well together until combined – set aside until needed.

Allow the liquid mix in the saucepan top cool for 5-10 minutes before using.

Taker your mixing bowl with he dry ingredients in and start the mixer on a medium speed, then gradually and carefully add in the liquid mix. Mix until everything is well combined.

Now add in your milk and egg mixture and mix together until well combined.

Give the bowl a good scraping down, just to incorporate any bits that may not be fully worked in from earlier on.

Divide the cake batter between the 3 cake tins, I eyeballed it but you can actually measure and weigh to ensure more accuracy.

Bake for the oven for 25-30 minutes (or until a tester comes out clean when inserted into the centre of the cake).

While the cakes are in the oven baking, you can go ahead and make the buttercream, which is a French spiced vanilla buttercream.

To get started on the buttercream simply place the light brown sugar and water into a saucepan and mic together until combined. Place on the hob over a medium-high heat, it should reach 121˚c – it takes a little time.

While you’re waiting for the sugar mix to come up to temperature, you can take your mixing bowl and place in the egg yolks and whole egg. Whisk on a high speed, until they are well combined. They should have increased in volume, quite considerably and be much paler in colour.

Once they are both ready, you can go ahead and turn the mixer speed down to low/medium and steadily add in the sugar mix – this is extremely hot. Please be careful while working with it. After it has all been added, crank the speed up to high and whisk until the bottom of the bowl can be touched with he back of your hand.

Now you can touch he bowl, gradually add in the butter, mixing well in-between each addition. As you add the butter towards the end, it should thicken, this is usual with my recipe.

Add in the vanilla extract and mix well, then the ground spices and mix until they have been fully worked in.

Scrape down the sides and bottom of your bowl, incorporating any bits that may not have been fully incorporated – set aside into a bowl and chill until needed.

Once you have everything made and ready, you can start the decorating.

Simply take your board/stand/plate and pipe a small amount of buttercream into the centre of it and place the first layer of cake, pressing it down to secure it in place. Pipe a ring of buttercream around the outer edge of the cake, then fill the centre and smooth it out as best as you can, ensuring it’s level. Then repeat the process with the layers of cake, not forgetting to pipe the buttercream around the sides and on top of the cake.

Smooth and level out the buttercream as much as you can, use a small offset palette knife to create a swirl on top of the cake.

Around the bottom edge of the cake, use some of the sprinkles to create a small border that will add colour and dimension.

Chill in the fridge for 10-15 minutes, just to allow it all to firm up a little.

Then warm up some blonde chocolate spread and make a drip all around the top edge, try to make them of varying lengths. On top, around the same edge, pipe rosettes,a s many or as few as you’d like. Don’t forget to top the rosettes with the same sprinkles and you’re done!

Panettone Bread and Butter Pudding

by bakingwithelliott Leave a Comment

Today I’m sharing my take on a panettone bread and butter pudding. This is the perfect dish to make on Christmas Day evening, it uses leftovers and makes the perfect pudding to share with friends and family on and over the holidays.

As many may be aware, Christmas is the time of indulging and have a good time, which sometimes leads to over buying bits and pieces you may not need and therefore leading to food waste. To prevent this, I make use of the baked goods as best I possibly can. You may remember I made a batch of mini panettone, well I made them with the intentions of making this recipe.

After a long time of people asking for a bread and butter pudding since my bread pudding recipe has been one of the most viewed recipes on my blog since it was published (madness for a recipe that I actually thought wouldn’t do very well).

I like to keep things short and sweet as nobody has time to waste around the holiday season, so why not get this made soon. Its the perfect pudding to make after christmas but keep up the festive spirit.

Anyway, lets get started, shall we?

Ingredients:

6-8 mini panettone.

Butter (a generous amount to grease pudding bowl and butter the bread).

70g sultanas.

2 tbsp demerara sugar.

1 lemon, zested.

1 tsp ground mixed spice.

3 eggs.

300ml milk.

150ml double cream.

1 tsp vanilla extract.

icing sugar (optional, to dust).

Method:

Before you eat started on the recipe, you’ll want to do some prep work. I like to start by weighing up all go my ingredients, getting any equipment I may need, greasing my pudding bowl generously with butter and when the item comes, preheat your oven to 180˚c/350˚f.

To start on the recipe, take your mini panettone and slice them in half lengthways , repeat the process until you have them all done.

Then take the panettone halves and generously butter them with unsalted butter (use salted butter if you’d like) – set aside until needed later on.

Into a bowl, add the eggs, milk, cream and vanilla extract into a bowl and whisk until everything is fully combined. Set aside until needed a little later on.

Take your buttered pudding bowl and start to layer in your buttered panettone halves into it, not forgetting to add the inclusions (a little with each addition. You will need to make sure there is even coverage all over, any bits left over can be scattered over the top and will work its way in). Repeat the process until you have added everything into the pudding bowl.

Now take the liquid mixture and pour over the top of the panettone, ensuring the tops of the bread have been coated in the mixture. Cover with clingfilm and leave to rest for 60 minutes.

After the resting period, remove the clingfilm, cover with foil and bake in your preheated oven for 40-45 minutes – at the end of the baking period, the mixture should be puffy, this is normal for this recipe.

This is best served fresh from the oven and served with cream or ice cream, whichever you prefer.

Gluten Free Chocolate Brownies

by bakingwithelliott Leave a Comment

T’is the season for sharing – so here are some gluten free brownies, perfect for any occasion but even better this Christmas.

I know that having an intolerance or allergy to gluten makes things much harder, especially when trying to find something you’d like that isn’t restricted. I know many places now offer some sort of gluten free option but often its very boring and lacklustre.

These brownies may be simple but trust me, they are perfect to make and share with your friends and family, especially those who can’t consume gluten.

The one thing these brownies have thats different it texture. Due to them being gluten free, the texture isn’t quite the same as a standard brownie, it may feel a little more granular, so not as smooth but this isn’t too badly noticeable.

Anyway, lets get started, shall we?

Ingredients:

210g butter, melted.

340g granulated sugar.

4 eggs.

1.5 tsp vanilla extract.

65g cocoa powder.

150g gluten free plain flour (my personal favourite is Doves Farm).

200g milk chocolate (chips or roughly chopped bar, plus extra for on top of the brownies).

Method:

Before you get started on the recipe, you’ll want to do some prep work. I like to start by weighing up all of my ingredients, lining a 9×9 inch square cake tin with parchment and get any equipment I may need. Don’t forget to also preheat your oven to 180˚c/350˚f.

To start on the brownies, place melted butter into a bowl and add in cocoa powder and mix the two together until they are well combined. The mixture should be smooth and glossy – this is what you’re looking for – it should also slightly thicken.

Add in all of the granulated sugar and mix until its been fully incorporated into the mixture – you will notice a change in consistency, it will become much more granular due to the amount of sugar being added at once.

Now you can add in your eggs and vanilla extract, whisk until everything is fully combined. The mixture should have taken on a looser consistency due to the amount of moisture being added – this is fine and what is expected.

Give the bowl a good scraping down – this is just to incorporate any bits that haven’t been fully worked in from earlier on.

Now take the flour and chocolate chips and add them in. Fold them into the wet mix until you have a brownie batter – this should look good enough to eat (but don’t, or do – I can’t tell you what to do).

Take some chocolate chips and scatter them generously on top – more chocolate because what not? You don’t need a reason to add more chocolate to anything. Anyone who says otherwise, shouldn’t be trusted.

Transfer the tin into the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes or until slightly more baked looking around the edges and a little more undone in the centre.

Once baked, remove from the oven and allow to cool. For the best brownies, cool to room temperature, then cover with clingfilm and chill in the fridge overnight. It enhances the flavour and makes them much easier to slice up.

Whenever you’re ready, slice into as many or as few pieces as you’d like. I like 9 as its a a good amount and they’re generous portions.

Yule log

by bakingwithelliott Leave a Comment

A Yule log or bûche de Noël is a classic Christmas, they can be found in all stores in the confectionary aisle at the supermarket, especially now were around the holidays.

You could just be a standard person and buy one but why do that when you could make one at home and show off your baking skills and abilities, plus its the perfect treat to make with friends/family/kids, as the decorating process can be done anyway that suits you.

This would be the perfect centre piece on the table Christmas Day or even Christmas Eve. It’s simple but the wow factor is in the flavour, which is way better than anything you can buy off the shelf. This would be the perfect activity to do on a lazy Christmas Eve or whenever you’re feeling it.

Seeing as this cake is made of a Swiss roll, which is a fatless sponge cake – the shelf life is short, a maximum of 2/3 days before it becomes too dried out to enjoy.

Anyway, let’s get started, shall we?

Ingredients:

Swiss roll:

155g caster sugar.

250g whole egg.

105g plain flour.

30g cocoa powder.

1 tsp baking powder.

Chocolate buttercream:

300g butter, at room temperature.

500-600g icing sugar.

30g cocoa powder.

2 tsp vanilla extract.

Method:

Before you get started on the recipe, you’ll want to do some prep. I like to start by weighing up all of my ingredients, line a large Swiss roll pan with parchment paper, get any equipment I may need, such as a stand mixer and metal spoon and lastly, don’t forget to preheat your oven to 220˚c.

Sift together your dry ingredients, passing through a sieve to remove any lumps. Repeat this process at least 2-3 times, set aside until needed, later on.

Start by placing the sugar and eggs into the bowl and whisk on a high speed until the mixture is much lighter and fluffier – you should be able to make an ‘s’ with the mixture.

Add in the dry ingredients, folding them using a metal spoon. Be careful not to knock too much air out as you incorporate the dry ingredients – losing some is normal but if you lose too much, you’d be better off starting over again. to help at this stage, use a metal spoon, the thinner the better, it will cut though the mixture without much damage.

Carefully transfer the cake mixture onto your Swiss roll pan, spreading out, ensuring you have a level and consistent layer of batter. Then place into the oven and bake in your preheated oven for 6-8 minutes – the bake time is much quicker on this cake, if you bake for too long, it will take on a biscuit like texture.

Immediately from the oven, flip the cake on to a layer of parchment bigger than the cake, removing the layer that in on top, then roll the cake while still warm and allow to cool while still rolled up – trust the process. If you unravel it, it will more than likely crack as you work with it.

While you wait for the cake to cool down, make the buttercream. Simply place butter into a mixing bowl and beat until light and fluffy, then gradually add in the icing sugar and cocoa powder. Once they have been incorporated, you can add in the vanilla and give the bowl a good scraping down.

Once you’re ready, unroll your Swiss roll and spread a generous layer of buttercream all over the cake, then roll the cake back up,.Trim a little piece away for the extra part that makes this look lie a branch. As my cake was quite large, I was able to get two but one is more than enough.

Decorate the outside however you’d like, I piped chocolate buttercream to make it look like log or trunk but you can spread it over to give it texture. The choice is really up to you!

Finish with some greenery and berries, if you’re using.

Mince Pie Slices

by bakingwithelliott Leave a Comment

Tis the season to be jolly and all of that, so why not make these mince pie slices – a little different to the usual but all in all, a tasty bake.

I know, mince pies can be hit or miss – but they are an essential at this time of year. As soon as the weather gets chilly and halloween has passed, you’re good to start on Christmas. Do you like mince pies at Christmas?

These are traditional at all, they don’t have a pastry case, nor lid and they have a layer of frangipane, which weirdly works really well with mincemeat. Then finished with flaked almonds, which work and bring everything together as well as adding a little decoration and texture.

Anyway, lets get started, shall we?

Ingredients:

Pastry base (use half for this recipe):

90g granulated sugar.

1 egg.

225g butter, chilled.

375g plain flour.

Pinch of salt

1 large jar of mincemeat for the filling.

Frangipane topping:

150g butter, at room temperature.

150g granulated sugar.

2 eggs.

150g ground almonds.

20g plain flour.

1-2 tsp almond extract.

Method:

Before you get started on the recipe, you’ll want to do some prep work. I like to start by weighing up all of my ingredients, lining my 9 inch square baking tin with parchment paper, get any equipment I may need, such as a mixing bowl and/or food processor and lastly, don’t forget to preheat your oven to 180˚c/350˚f.

To start, you’ll want to make the base. Simply start by combining the egg and sugar together until well combined – set aside until needed, a little later on.

Into a food processor, place the flour, salt and butter – then pulse until they are combined. The mixture should take on a slightly more yellow colour – then you can add in the egg mixture and pulse until a dough forms.

Knead the dough on the surface until smooth, bring into a disc shape and cut in half. Use half for this recipe and save half for something else.

Place into the base of your 9 inch lined square cake tin, then spread and level out as best as you can, then bake in your preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until lightly golden around the edges.

Top the pastry base with a jar of mincemeat, spread and levelling out to ensure a consistent layer – set aside until needed.

Terry’s White Chocolate Orange Cookies

by bakingwithelliott Leave a Comment

Cookies, they’re always a good idea right? Especially these Terry’s white chocolate orange cookies.

I remember when they were released but they couldn’t be found for love or money, so I finally found them with plentiful supply, so thought I’d put them to use with these cookies.

As a cookie should be, its both crispy on the outside and softer in the centre – studded with the roughly chopped chocolate orange and finished with them, its really packed. If you like the recombination of chocolate and orange, these cookies are on the list, for sure.

Anyway, lets get started, shall we?

Ingredients:

75g butter, at room temperature.

75g light brown sugar.

75g granulated sugar.

1 egg.

1 tsp vanilla extract.

250g plain flour.

1/2 tsp baking powder.

200g terry’s white chocolate orange, roughly chopped (plus extra for on top of the cookies).

Method:

Before you get started on the recipe, you’ll want to do some prep work. Start by preheating your oven to 180˚c/350˚f, weighing up all of your ingredients, line your baking trays with parchment paper and get ay equipment you may need, such as a stand mixer (with a beater attachment), spatula and ice cream/cookie scoop.

To get started on the cookie dough, take a mixing bowl and place in the butter, granulated sugar and light brown sugar. Then beat them all together until they are well combined. – the mixture should be lighter and fluffier, in colour and consistency.

Once you’ve achieved that consistency, you can then go ahead and give the bowl a good scraping down, just to incorporate any bits that may not have been fully incorporated.

Then add the egg, beating well – you will notice the consistency change as you add the eggs in, this is completely normal and you shouldn’t worry about it too much, unless the mixture has scrambled (which it shouldn’t do).

Then go ahead and give the bowl another scraping down, again just to incorporate any bits that may not have been fully worked in from earlier on.

Now add in the plain flour, baking powder and salt, passing them through a sieve first, just to remove any lumps that may be in the dry mix. You can then add in the chocolate orange.

Fold all of the drey ingredients in by hand, this is to achieve the best consistency possible. Try your best not over mix the dough, as it will ruin the texture of the cookies.

As the dough doesn’t need chilling, you can process it straight away. Take your scoop and scoop up a generous amount of the cookie dough, ensuring its’s level with the scoop – then roll it in your hands until its smooth, flatten and fill the centre of the cookies with cranberry sauce then round off and place onto a lined baking tray and bake them off.

When you place the cookies onto the baking trays, allow them to have space around them as they do grow and expand while baking and you ideally don’t want them to batch together.

Once you have your trays filled, you can go ahead and place them into your preheated oven and bake for 18-22 minutes. I recommend checking them at 18 minutes but they may need more time.

Immediately once they are removed from the oven, top each cookie with a 2 segments and allow to firm up.

Although it may be tempting to eat these straight from the oven, allow them to cool to the stage where you can pick them up at least. They are best enjoyed warm or at least reheated!

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