Michelle Darmody: Beat it — cakes you can make without a mixer
Chocolate cake
Not everyone has space in their kitchen to store mixers and larger baking items. There are many recipes that can be made without such equipment. What you will need, however, for the recipes included here are two 8-inch round cake tins, a weighing scales, a large spoon for stirring, and a relatively strong arm. If you have a sieve, to sieve the baking powder that is a bonus.
I usually choose loose-base or springform when I am purchasing cake tins. I find it much easier to remove the cake afterwards, particularly if I have not lined my tin precisely. In these instances, some of the mixture inevitably escapes the parchment, sticking to the tin.
Other recipes that you can make without a mixer are items such as brownies, which necessitate being flat and squidgy, or crumbles and scones. None of these need a large amount of air added into them. Most cake recipes call for the butter and sugar or the eggs to be whipped and whisked before the other ingredients are added. The cakes included here are dense and tasty rather than light and airy.
If you do want to invest in a mixer some of the hand-held ones are quite powerful nowadays. They will not work for bread dough or anything too tough but are perfectly adequate for sponges and icings. A countertop mixer can be a hefty investment so it is worth shopping around for one that suits you and your kitchen.
- 225g soft butter
- 180g golden caster sugar
- 225g self-raising flour
- 2 tsp baking powder, sieved
- 100g mixed nuts, chopped
- 3 eggs, lightly beaten
- 40 mls of strong coffee
- 200g cream
- 200g dark chocolate, broken into small even-sized pieces
- 1 tsp soft butter
- a handful of chopped nuts to decorate
Pre-heat your oven to 180degrees. Line an 8 inch round, loose base or springform tin with baking parchment.
Place the softened butter and the caster sugar into your mixing bowl and combine completely with a wooden spoon. Add in the other ingredients and stir until everything is combined. Scoop into your prepared tin.
Bake for 35 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes and then place on to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the icing, place the cream into a heavy-based saucepan and heat until it is shivering [If you watch the cream heating, the surface will begin to 'shiver' just before it boils].
Stir in the chocolate pieces and the butter and take off the heat.
Continue stirring until they form a smooth glossy liquid. Allow it to cool and solidify enough so you can spread it like soft butter. Ice your cake and sprinkle the chopped nuts on top.
- 230g flour
- 3 tsp of mixed cake spice
- the zest of 3 oranges
- 1 level tsp of bread soda, sieved
- 110g of cold butter, cubed
- 80g of crystalised ginger, finely chopped
- 80g of walnuts, chopped
- 100g muscovado sugar
- 110g treacle
- 100g golden syrup
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 280 mls milk
Line an 8-inch round springform or loose-based tin with parchment and preheat your oven to 180 degrees.
Put flour, spices, zest, bread soda, and butter into a bowl, and rub between your hands until it starts to resemble breadcrumbs. Add the ginger and walnuts.
In a saucepan, gently warm the milk, sugar, treacle and golden syrup together. Stir occasionally until the sugar dissolves. Lightly mix it into the flour mixture, then add the egg. Beat with a wooden spoon until well combined.
Scoop the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 35 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the centre. Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes and then place onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- 200g soft butter
- 150g golden caster sugar
- 100g ground almonds
- 100g self-raising flour
- 1 tsp baking powder, sieved
- 1 tsp almond essence
- 4 eggs
- a handful of slivered almonds
- to decorate: 3 tbs of apricot jam
Preheat your oven to 180 degrees and line two 8-inch round springform or loose-based tins with parchment.
Add all of the cake ingredients into a large bowl and beat together with a wooden spoon until completely combined. Scoop into your prepared tins.
Sprinkle the slivered almonds over one of the cakes.
Bake for 30 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tins until you can handle the cakes with comfort. Place them onto a wire rack.
Spread half of the apricot jam on top of the warm cake without the slivered almonds. If it has risen in the centre you can trim it slightly.
Before serving, spread the rest of the jam on the same cake and sit the other cake on top so the slivered almonds are visible.
