CAKE ACCESSORIES RECIPES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200ºC (180ºC Fan). Brush a 2lb loaf tin with butter and line with baking parchment. Brush parchment with butter. In a large bowl, beat together butter and 225g of the caster sugar until pale and creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, incorporating each egg before adding the next. Beat in the flour and the zest. Scrape into prepared loaf tin and smooth top. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. In a small bowl, stir together the lemon juice and remaining caster sugar. Prick the warm cake all over with a skewer, then pour over the drizzle. Let cool completely in tin. 

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 150°C (130°C fan) mark 2. Grease, then line the base and sides of a 20.5cm (8”) deep round cake tin with baking parchment.  Put the raisins, sultanas and cocktail cherries into a very large pan with the 150ml Aperol and orange zest. Cook on a medium heat, until the dried fruit absorbs the Aperol and barely any liquid is left on the bottom of the pan. Add the butter, sugar and spices and heat gently to melt, stirring occasionally to help dissolve the sugar.  Remove from the heat and leave to cool for 5 minutes. Stir in the flour and beaten eggs until combined. Immediately tip the mixture into the prepared tin and spread until level.  Bake the cake for 1 hour and 45 minutes to 2 hours, until the top feels dry to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cover the cake with foil if it looks like it’s browning too quickly.   Poke the top of the cooked cake with a cocktail stick. Evenly spoon over the remaining 1tbsp of Aperol. Cover loosely with foil and leave cake to cool completely in the tin. When cool, remove from tin and decorate or serve.