Baking recipes

READY, SET, BAKE!

This month FRAN STEVENS, aka The Food Wife, has some great bakes for a warming afternoon tea on a cold winter’s day.

DAIRY-FREE BANANA AND CHERRY LOAF CAKE

Makes 8-10 slices This is a bit of a favourite in our house at the moment. Using up over-ripe bananas, no need for butter as it uses vegetable oil, and using frozen cherries to get little bursts of extra fruitiness.

It’s great to make with kids, as it’s an all-in-one method that just needs stirring together (another benefit of using oil over butter).

To make this a bit more naughty you could also add 100g of broken dark or white chocolate (dairy-free if required) to the mix at the same time as the cherries.

Ingredients 2 large/3 medium/4 small very ripe bananas, mashed 110g vegetable oil 60g caster sugar 170g self raising flour 2 eggs, beaten 1 tsp vanilla extract 100g frozen pitted cherries In a large bowl, mix the bananas, oil, sugar, flour, eggs and vanilla together.

Fold in the cherries.

Pour into a lined 2lb loaf tin and bake for 50 mins, or until golden, risen and springs back to the touch.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for half an hour before transferring to a wire rack.

LEMON LOAF CAKE

Makes 8-10 slices Lemon cake is a firm favourite at our house. If I’m making a gluten-free version then I go for my Lemon and Blueberry Polenta Cake, which can also be made dairy-free. This is a bestseller on my market stall. First though is a more traditional lemon loaf cake with a lemon icing. The sponge is flecked with lemon zest and I adorn the icing with candied lemon slices and more zest. Ingredients 190g softened butter/margarine 190g caster sugar 2 unwaxed lemons, zested 3 eggs 190g plain flour 1 tsp baking powder Pinch of salt 1 heaped tbsp sour cream

For the icing 2 lemons, juiced 200g (royal) icing sugar

Method Preheat the oven to 170°C fan.

Cream together the butter, sugar and lemon zest. Gently beat in the sour cream, flour, baking powder and salt.

Pour into a lined loaf tin and bake for 50-60 minutes until cooked through.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Make the icing by combining the lemon juice and icing sugar to a smooth consistency. Pour over the cooled cake and allow to set.

Decorations If you like you can decorate with candied lemon zest and slices. To make these make a sugar syrup with equal parts sugar and water (50g/50ml of each is enough to make enough for the top of the cake). Add thin slices of lemon and/or the zest to the syrup on a gentle simmer and cook for about 10 minutes. Remove the pieces into a non stick surface, such as some greaseproof paper, until ready to use.

Lemon & blueberry polenta cake

Makes 12 pieces Ingredients 225g caster sugar 225g softened butter 4 eggs 75g quick cook polenta 150g gluten-free flour 1½ tsp gluten-free baking powder 2 unwaxed lemons (zest only) 2 tbsp lemon curd 150g blueberries

For the drizzle 100g caster sugar 2 lemons (juice only)

Method Preheat the oven to 180°C fan.

With an electric mixer, beat the sugar and butter together for a couple of minutes until light and fluffy. after each addition (don’t panic if the mixture looks curdled!)

Add the lemon zest and lemon curd and beat again.

Fold in the polenta, flour and baking powder, until combined. Add half the blueberries and fold again.

Pour into a lined square or rectangular tin (I used a brownie pan) and level, then place the remaining blueberries dotted over the surface.

Bake in the oven for 40 minutes (the top should be a mid-dark brown). Whilst this is baking make the drizzle by combining the lemon juice and sugar in a bowl.

Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack (still in the tin). Use a fork to pierce the top of the cake all over. Pour over the drizzle and leave for 30 minutes, until removing from the tin, and leaving to fully cool on the rack.

Once cool, cut in to 12 equal pieces.

Before adding the blueberries you could dust them in a small amount of the flour to help stop them sinking. The ones you place on top will go into the batter as it cooks but should provide a more equal distribution.

• thefoodwife.co.uk

Award Winning, Family Run Farm Shop Established for over 40 years Selling Quality Local Produce Open 7 days a week HOME & LOCALLY REARED FRESH MEAT, POULTRY & GAME HOMEMADE SAUSAGES, BURGERS & FAGGOTS HOG ROASTS

LOCAL CHEESES & HOME COOKED MEATS LOCALLY GROWN VEGETABLES, FRUIT & SALADS HOMEMADE CAKES & PIES LOCALLY MADE CHOCOLATES (IN OUR NEW CHOCOLATE COUNTER) FINE WINE, LOCAL ALE & CIDER PRESERVES & CHUTNEYS GIFT HAMPERS

www.allingtonfarmshop.co.uk TEL: 01249 658112 Allington Bar Farm, Chippenham, SN14 6LJ

1 Church Street Bradford-on-Avon BA15 1LN 01225 868686

theswanbradford.co.uk

theswanbradford @stayswan swanbradford

*****ALPINE BAR NOW OPEN*****

Mulled wine, hot chocolate, espresso martinis & more…

It’s a great venue for an informal get together with friends & family

AUTHENTIC THAI FOOD (prepared by our Thai Chefs) Available 7 Days a Week

Thai Chilli Restaurant Open 12 noon – 3pm & 6pm – 10pm (Thai Takeaway and local non-contact delivery service also available)

PUB CLASSICS MENU (available all day)

Available 7 Days a Week Open 12 noon – 3pm & 6pm – 10pm Our pub also offers a great selection of real ales, lagers, ciders, wines & soft drinks.