Makes 24 Mini Pumpkin Pies or 1 x 23 cm Pie

Ingredients 

Ingredients
175g Caster sugar
175g unsalted butter, softened
175g self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
3 large eggs, beaten
1 tbsp fresh orange juice
2 tsp finely grated orange rind
1 tbsp cocoa powder blended with 2 tbsp hot water

For the icing
100g plain chocolate
15g butter
1 tbsp golden syrup
2 tsp finely grated orange rind

Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C / fan oven 160°C.  Line an 18cm x 25cm cake tin.
Place sugar, butter, flour, baking powder and eggs in a bowl.  Beat with an electric mixed for 3-4 minutes until pale and creamy.
Spoon half the mixture into a second bowl.  Fold in the orange juice and rind into the first bowl.  Fold in the cocoa mixture into the second bowl.                                                            Spoon the two mixtures randomly into the lined tin.  Draw a knife through the mixture to marble.
Bake for 35-40 minutes until firm.  Leave for 5 minutes then turn out and cool completely.

To make the icing
Place chocolate, butter syrup into a bowl set over a pan of simmering water.  Leave until melted.  Stir in the orange rind.  Remove from heat and leave until thick.                           Spread over the cake, then cut into slices.

Ingredients
454g plain flour
454g self raising flour
454g wholemeal flour
4 tsp bextartar
2 tsp bread soda
pinch salt
50g butter
1 litre butter milk

Method
Sieve plain and self raising flours, bextartar, bread soda and salt into a large bowl.  Add the  wholemeal flour and mix well.  Rub in the butter until like bread crumbs.
Pour in the butter milk gradually and bring together with your hands. You may not need to use all the milk or you may need a little extra.

Turn out onto a floured surface and shape into a large circle about 3″ deep and cut into 4.

Place onto a foured tin and bake for 40-45 minutes until the bottom sound hollow when tapped.  Cool on a wire rack.

*This dough can be cut into scones and baked for 20-25 minutes.

Ingredients:
115g (4 oz) baking margarine, softened
115g (4 oz) caster sugar
2 medium eggs, beaten
115g (4 oz) plain flour
7.5ml (1½ tsp) baking powder
65g (2½ oz) lemon curd
zest of ½ lemon

To Decorate:
195g (1 1/4 cups) pure icing sugar
1- 1 1/2 tbs fresh lemon juice
zest of ½ lemon

Method:
Preheat the oven to 190°C /170°C fan oven/375°F,/gas 5. Line 12 cup cake tins with white paper cake cases. In a mixing bowl, beat the margarine with the sugar until pale and creamy-light in texture.

Gradually whisk in the eggs, then add lemon zest.

Sift the flour and baking powder on top. Using a large metal spoon, carefully fold the dry ingredients into the egg mixture.

Spoon a teaspoon of the mixture into the cake cases, and make a slight indent in the mixture. Spoon a little lemon curd on top and then cover with the remaining cake mixture. Bake on the middle shelf in the oven for 16-18 minutes until risen, lightly golden and just firm to the touch. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Sift icing sugar into a medium bowl. Gradually add the lemon juice, stirring with a wooden spoon until a smooth paste forms.  Add the lemon zest. Stir until well combined.  Spread icing evenly over cupcakes. Set aside for 10 minutes to set.

Makes 24 Cupcakes

Ingredient
240g Plain flour
280g caster sugar
3 tsp baking powder
A pinch of salt
240ml coconut milk                                                                                                             80g butter, softened                                                                                                                 1 tsp vanilla extract                                                                                                                   2 eggs                                                                                                                                300g frozen raspberries

Icing
120g unsalted butter, softened
35ml coconut milk
375g icing sugar

Decorations
30g desiccated coconut
24 fresh raspberries

Method
Preheat the oven to 190°C / fan oven 170°C and place paper cases in 2 x 12 hole cupcake trays.

Put the sugar and butter in a bowl and use an electric mixer to mix until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs and beat until combined. In a separate bowl, mix the coconut milk and vanilla extract.  Sieve half the flour, baking powder and salt  mix into the egg mixture followed by half the coconut and vanilla milk. Repeat with remaining flour and milk.  Mix until well combined.

Add the frozen raspberries to the mix and spoon into the paper cases until almost full and bake in a preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until light, spongy and golden brown in colour.  Leave the cupcakes to cool slightly in the tin and then transfer to a wire rack to cool fully.

To make the icing
Beat the icing sugar and butter together using an electric mixer until well mixed.  Turn the mixer down to a slow speed and gradually add the coconut milk.  Once the milk has been fully added, turn up to high speed and continue beating for a further 5 minutes until the icing is light and fluffy.  Spoon the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes and decorate with desiccated coconut.

Yield: 12-16 servings

Cake mix ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 cup cocoa
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter

To make the cake:

1 1/3 cups water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs

Instructions: 

1. Make the cake mix by combining the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk.

2. Using an electric mixer or a food processor, blend in the butter until no lumps remain. (Using the mixer on this makes a dusty cocoa mess, so I prefer the food processor!) This is the dry cake mix part, and you can store it in an air-tight container for several months.

3. Finish making the cake by adding the water, oil, and eggs to the cake mix in a large bowl. Mix on low speed until moistened, and then beat on medium for about 2 minutes.

4. Pour batter into greased and floured pans (one 9×13-inch pan, two 9-inch round cake pans, or cupcakes) and bake at 180C, fan oven 160C.

9×13-inch pan: 35-38 minutes
9-inch cake pans: 30-33 minutes
cupcakes: 19-22 minutes

Delux Chocolate Frosting Mix

Yield: 2 cups

Ingredients: 

1 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups cocoa powder
4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup milk

Instructions: 

1. In a mixing bowl, cream the butter with an electric mixer. gradually beat in the vanilla, cocoa powder, and powdered sugar. Beat in enough milk to achieve a spreadable consistency.

2. Spread frosting on cake right after making the frosting. If you wait too long to spread the frosting, it will lose some of it’s light airy fluffiness when you spread it.

Makes 24 Biscuits

Ingredients
100g softened butter
75g caster sugar
1 large egg, seperated
200g plain flour
Zest of 1 lemon
50g currants
2-3 tablespoons milk
Caster sugar, for sprinkling

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 200C/Fan 180C.  Line 2 baking trays with parchment paper.

Measure the butter and sugar into a bowl and cream together until light and fluffy.

Beat in the egg yolk.  Sieve in the flour and grated lemon rind and mix well.  Add the currants and enough milk to give a fairly soft dough.

Knead the mixture gently on a lightly floured surface and roll out to a thickness of 5mm.  Cut into about 24 rounds using a 6cm fluted cutter.  Place on the baking trays.

Bake for 8-10 minutes. Meanwhile, lightly beat the egg white.  Remove the biscuits from the oven, brush with beaten egg white, sprinkle with a little caster sugar and return to the oven for a further 4-5 minutes or until pale golden brown.  Lift on to a wire rack to cool and then store in an airtight container.