CAKE HEAVEN
For the toffee popcorn & chocolate cake, see page 23
Butter pecan dulce de leche coffee cake
SERVES 9
For the batter
non-stick cooking spray
115g (4oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature
215g (7½oz) packed brown sugar
175ml (6fl oz) sour cream
2 large free-range eggs
180g (6oz) plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp salt
300g (10½oz) tinned dulce de leche
For the streusel
4 tbsp unsalted butter
55g (2oz) brown sugar
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
120g (4¼oz) plain flour
60g (2oz) roughly chopped pecans
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4. Line a 20cm (8in) square baking tin with parchment paper or mist it with non-stick cooking spray.
2 Using a microwave-safe bowl and a hand mixer, cream together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
3 Beat in the sour cream, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. The mixture may appear runny, but this is normal.
4 Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing between additions. Add the flour, baking powder, bicarb and salt and mix until incorporated.
5 Transfer half the batter to the tin and smooth the top with a spatula.
6 Pour the dulce de leche over the top and carefully smooth it out across the batter. Cover with the remaining batter and smooth it into an even layer.
7 Rinse out the bowl to make the streusel. Melt the butter in the microwave. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the top and stir with a fork. Stir in the cinnamon and flour. The mixture will be lumpy. Fold in the pecans.
8 Sprinkle the streusel mixture over the top of the cake batter, using your fingers to break up any big clumps.
9 Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the centre of the cake is firm. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Cook’s tip: if you have a nut allergy, simply leave out the pecans. But don’t skip the streusel – it’s a must!
Recipe taken from Easy One-Bowl Baking by Kelli Marks, published by Rockbridge, £9.46.
Blueberry, lemon & elderflower layer
SERVES 10-12
375g (13oz) unsalted butter, softened
375g (13oz) caster sugar grated zest of 2 lemons
2 tsp vanilla extract
6 free-range eggs
375g (13oz) gluten-free self-raising flour
1 tsp xanthan gum
2 tbsp elderflower cordial
100g (3½oz) fresh blueberries
