Can I get it to rise?

[Horus]

Thought that would get your attention
Feeling a bit peckish this afternoon and I fancied a bit of cake, but the cupboard was bare. So after a quick gander in the kitchen cabinets I found some Sultanas, so I decided to bake a cake, it is as we speak in the oven hopefully baking away, I will let you know how I go on later.

[LovelyLadyLux]

Ok - I think I thought what you thought I'd think

Hope the cake tastes terrific!!

Did you bake from scratch? Are you icing? Are we getting a photo?

Banana cake with walnuts used to be my favour bake from scratch cake. It wasn't super light and fluffy - was a substantial but tasty cake.

[Kiya]

Yum!! I need to taste this sultana cake..........yummy!!

[Horus]

Well it turned out a complete success and although I say so myself it tastes delicious, nice and moist and not to dry at all. At first I thought I had over done the baking as I did it at a quite low temp, but in a well pre-heated oven so it would not become dry or burned.

Here it is just taken out of the oven:


I turned it out after about 5 minutes and it looked nicely done all over.


I could not wait for it to cool down so I sliced it while it was still warm, at first I thought it may be a little dry so added some butter to a couple of slices and although it added to the overall enjoyment it was not needed and the plain piece was just as tasty, very buttery and fruity, just the job with a nice cup of tea.


And yes I did eat them all myself with a little help from Annie, I cannot see it lasting past tomorrow.

[Kiya]

It looks delicious

I got to have a go at this baking.............the last time I tried doing rock cakes & they were exactly that..............rockcakes

[Horus]

If anyone fancies a go

8 ounces of Plain Flower
4 ounces of sugar
3 medium eggs
6 ounces of butter (or 4 ounce butter & 2 ounce margarine, my preferred mix)
2 level teaspoons of Baking Powder
1 good pinch of salt
2 Tablespoons of milk
4 ounces of Sultanas

I also add a pinch of Cinnamon and a pinch of Nutmeg (just my preference)

Method:
Weigh out everything and leave to get to room temperature (it’s easier to mix)

Using a large enough bowl sift the flour, baking powder, salt and any spices through a sieve into your bowl. I like to do this twice by returning it all into another bowl and sieving it through again as I reckon it all blends better.

Cut up the butter/margarine into slices and add to the flour mix, but don’t handle it too much that it starts to melt.

Using just your finger tips crumble the flour and butter/margarine together until it looks like breadcrumbs. Keep bringing it all into the middle of the bowl as you crumble so you get a good even mix, but don’t let it get warm and sticking together so work quickly and don’t wet your hands. A good tip here is to keep your sieve handy with a little more plain flour and if it looks like your mix keeps working large pieces of butter around while the rest is forming a breadcrumb texture, just sieve a little more flour into your mix and carry on working the mixture. It may need you to do this a couple of times until it is all looking like breadcrumbs with no large lumps, don’t worry about adding the extra flour it wont make any overall difference.

Next add all of your sugar and give it a quick mix with your hand to mix it in, now add all of the Sultanas and do the same until you think its well mixed, again don’t get it too warm by handling it too much.

Beat the eggs until they are mixed and add into the bowl with the other ingredients and mix in using a fork, don’t whisk the mix just keep folding it until it has blended.

At this point add the milk a bit at a time, but be careful as you don’t want the mix to become gloopy or the sultanas will all sink to the bottom as it bakes. You want the mix to look shiny and to stick to the fork, but it must not be dry either, so be prepared not add any more of the milk if you think it will make the mix too runny.

Grease and heavily flour a baking tin and put the mixture into it using a spoon and spread it evenly. (if it pours the mix is too sloppy, add a bit more flour)

Tap the baking tin down on a hard surface to get it settled and leave for about five minutes.

Baking:
The secret is to have a hot oven and then bake at a low temperature.
Pre-heat your oven for about 20 minutes on Gas Mark 5

Put the baking tray on about the fourth shelf down from the top and turn the heat down to Gas Mark 2 and bake for about 2 hours. Resist the temptation of having a quick peek, but when it is an even brown on the top it should be done. (You can always test it by using a warm meat skewer into the mix)

So there you go, anyone can do it, I expect you all to be having Sultana cake and tea within the next few days.

[Kiya]

Ok that's me got the recipe copied, next time I'm at Morrison's I'll get all the ingredients & have a go

[Horus]

That's the way Kiya I expect that sometime next week you will make a post and mention that you are eating a piece of Sultana cake to H's recipe I could become more famous than Mr Kipling (who we all know makes exceedingly good cakes)

And think of the look of pride on Roy's face when he opens his lunchbox and his mates say "Oooh that looks nice, who made it?" and he says "my mum"
..................... "she also makes rock cakes"

[Kiya]

Roy isn't allowed a piece of cake no! no! no! why do you think we're on a healthy diet
but I am of course

He has started this silly diet " Insanity " you'd probably see it online somewhere & Insanity it is with the workout he has to do each day for 45mins better him than me

[Horus]

But my cake is very low in calories, less than 4 cals per large slice and only 5 if covered in butter

[Kiya]

I believe you well that's me looked out the baking tins from back of the cupboard, they're washed & ready must be years since they were used they're still like new

[Horus]

Excellent, I am eagerly awaiting the results
What's left of mine, about half (had another chunk with a cuppa about 11 ish ) is keeping nice and fresh in one of those large size 'zipper' bags.

[Kiya]

Zipper bags now I'm lost where do you get this zipper bags

[Grandad]

But my cake is very low in calories, less than 4 cals per large slice and only 5 if covered in butter

Oh come on Horus, where did you get those figures from I can see at least 200 cal in each slice or did you slice it on a bacon slicer set to thinnest?

[Horus]

Oh come on Horus, where did you get those figures from I can see at least 200 cal in each slice or did you slice it on a bacon slicer set to thinnest?

I can assure you Grandad that a 2" thick slab of my cake contains no more than 4 calories and only 5 if plastered in best butter, it is almost as low as my chocolate cake which contains less than 2 calories per large wedge!

Zipper bags now I'm lost where do you get this zipper bags

You can get them anywhere Kiya where that they sell stuff like Kitchen roll, Baco Foil, Cling Film, that sort of thing. We have a shop called Home Bargains, don't know if that chain exists near to you, but the bags are common enough, you probably call them sandwich bags or similar. They are a clear heavy weight bag (re-useable) and they have a plastic bit that slides across and seals the top edge and they come in boxes of various sizes, I buy a box of about 15 that are A4 size for about £1. They are really good if like me you use smaller quantities of things like bread as you can separate it into smaller amounts and put the bags into the freezer, it works for loads of things.

I bet you are now saying "Oh now I know what he is on about"

[Grandad]

Horus I don't want to labour the point but a McVities Jaffa cake contains around 45 calories (or 45 kilocalories to be precise.) An ordinary Scone of 70g contains around 230 Cals. Are we talking about the same units of measure?

If so, my 2000 calorie diet would allow me to consume 400 slices of your excellent cake with a generous spread of butter, in a day????

[LovelyLadyLux]

I think Horus' calories counter was derived from a cookbook made in Mars where there is less gravity so therefore everything packs less punch!

[Horus]

You are entirely correct in your assumptions Grandad, I am very keen on calorie control, for example a quarter of my dinner plate sized Creamy Chicken & Mushroom pie comes in at an unbelievable 1.2 calories including vegetables!

[Kiya]

Yip I got you now on the zipper bags, I think the only time I got one of these bags when taking out a lump some of money from the bank & put into one of these, smaller size of course

I have other one's I've used for sandwich's the "Quick and Easy Press and Seal" they're also handy in the kitchen to freeze any thing

BTW.....on yer cake recipe you have set your oven to Gas 5..... I have a electric fan assisted oven ,what is Gas 5 converted

[Grandad]

You are entirely correct in your assumptions Grandad, I am very keen on calorie control, for example a quarter of my dinner plate sized Creamy Chicken & Mushroom pie comes in at an unbelievable 1.2 calories including vegetables!

We are obviously talking different metrics so I will let it rest there.