Rachel Allen - Cake - 200 fabulous foolproof baking recipes

Prep time: 25 minutes

Baking time: 50–60 minutes

Ready in: 2 hours

Serves: 6–8

225g (8oz) butter, softened, plus extra for greasing

225g (8oz) caster sugar

4 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

225g (8oz) plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

50ml (2fl oz) milk

25g (1oz) cocoa powder

Icing sugar, for dusting

For the crumble topping

125g (4½oz) plain flour, sifted

75g (3oz) caster sugar

75g (3oz) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes

75g (3oz) dark or milk chocolate, in chips or roughly chopped into pieces

23cm (9in) diameter spring-form or loose-bottomed cake tin with 6cm (2½in) sides

First make the crumble topping. Using your fingertips, rub together the flour, sugar and butter in a large bowl until it resembles thick breadcrumbs, then mix in the chocolate pieces. Set aside in the fridge while you make the sponge.

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), Gas mark 4, and butter the sides and the base of the cake tin. If you’re using a spring-form tin, make sure the base is upside down so there’s no lip and the cake can slide off easily when cooked. Cream the butter until soft in a large bowl or in an electric food mixer. Add the sugar and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.

Whisk the eggs and vanilla extract together in a small bowl for a few seconds or just until combined, then gradually add the eggs to the creamed butter and sugar mixture, beating all the time. Sift in the flour and baking powder and fold in carefully, then add the milk and mix gently to combine. Tip half of the cake mixture into another large bowl, then sift the cocoa powder into this bowl and fold it in.

Place the two different cake mixtures in the prepared tin by alternating heaped tablespoonfuls of the vanilla batter with the chocolate one, then, with a skewer or similar implement, gently draw swirls through the cake mixture to ‘marbleise’ it. Try not to over-mix or you won’t get that wonderful marbled effect.

Scatter the crumble mixture evenly over the top of the cake mixture and bake for 50–60 minutes or until the crumble is golden and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then loosen around the edges using a small, sharp knife and remove the sides of the tin. Place the cake (sitting on the base of the tin) on a wire rack and allow to cool completely.

Use a palette knife or metal fish slice to loosen the bottom of the cake from the base of the tin, then slide the palette knife or fish slice under the cake and carefully ease it onto a plate. Dust with icing sugar to serve.

Lemon crumble cupcakes

This recipe takes lemon cupcakes to the next level. The lemon curdis easy to make – though you could use a bought variety, of course – and adds a wonderfully sweet-sharp citrus softness. The crumble topping is quick to put together, meanwhile, and adds a great contrasting crunch.

Prep time: 30 minutes (excluding the lemon curd)

Baking time: 30 minutes

Ready in: 1 hour 30 minutes

Makes: 12 cupcakes

200g (7oz) butter, softened

200g (7oz) caster sugar

4 eggs

200g (7oz) self-raising flour

Juice of 1 lemon

150g (5oz) lemon curd

For the crumble topping

75g (3oz) plain flour

75g (3oz) caster sugar

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

100g (3½oz) butter, chilled and cut into 1cm (½in) cubes

12-cup muffin tray and 12 muffin cases

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), Gas mark 4, and line the muffin tray with the paper cases.

First make the crumble topping. Sift the flour into a bowl, then add the sugar and lemon zest and mix together to combine. Use your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour until the mixture forms coarse flakes and crumbs, then set aside in the fridge until needed.

To make the cupcake batter, cream the butter in a large bowl or in an electric food mixer until soft. Add the sugar and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.

Whisk the eggs together in a small bowl for a few seconds or just until mixed, then gradually add them to the creamed butter mixture, beating all the time. Sift in the flour and add the lemon juice, then fold in gently to incorporate.

Divide half of the batter between the muffin cases, filling each about one-third full. Add roughly ½ tablespoon of lemon curd to each paper case, so that it forms a small dollop in the middle. Then divide the other half of the batter between the cases, spooning it over the lemon curd. Finally divide the lemon crumble mixture between the cupcakes.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until nice and golden on top and lightly springy to the touch in the middle. Don’t worry if some of the curd bubbles over the top of the cupcakes while they cook.

Allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing from the muffin tray and placing on a wire rack to cool down completely.

Lemon curd

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Ready in: 30 minutes

Makes: 300g (11oz)

75g (3oz) butter

150g (5oz) caster sugar

Juice and finely grated zest of 3 lemons

2 eggs

1 egg yolk

In a saucepan over a very low heat, melt the butter with the sugar, lemon zest and juice. Place the eggs and egg yolk in a bowl and beat together well, then pour into the pan.

Stir carefully over a low heat until the mixture has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Take care not to let the mixture get too hot, or the eggs may scramble.

Remove from the heat and pour into a bowl or a sterilised jar ( tip). The lemon curd will thicken further as it cools. Stored in the fridge, it will keep for a couple of weeks.

Orange curd

Make in the same way, substituting the lemons with two oranges and reducing the amount of caster sugar to 125g (4½oz).

Tip To sterilise jars for jams and preserves, wash them in hot soapy water, then rinse and dry. Place the jars upturned on a baking tray in the oven (preheated to at least 130°C/250°F/Gas mark ½) for approximately 15 minutes or until completely dry. Leave them upturned on a clean tea towel until ready to use. Alternatively, you can put them through a hot cycle in the dishwasher.

Tropical cake

Fresh pineapple is almost reason enough to head to sunnier climes – tangy slices dripping with juice can be one of the great culinary pleasures of a holiday in the tropics. The pineapples we get here can be a little dry by comparison. For this recipe it’s fine to use tinned pineapple, however, as it is more predictable in the amount of moisture and sweetness it contains. With the coconut and mango, this cake is a real celebration of tropical flavours.

Prep time: 25 minutes

Baking time: 45 minutes

Ready in: 2 hours

Serves: 8–12

250g (9oz) tinned pineapple (drained weight of a 432g tin)

200g (7oz) soft light brown sugar