Cakes for Fundraiser

Another great excuse to make lots of cakes! These were made for the Sharrow Lantern Fundraiser in Sheffield.

I made a chocolate and banana cake, apricot and almond cake, and some lemon and poppy seed buns..

Chocolate and banana cake

2 and 1/2 cups wholemeal self raising flour

1tsp baking powder

8tbsp marg

3 ripe bananas 

2tbsp cocoa powder

1/2 cup of brown sugar

1/2 cup soya milk

pinch of salt

In a bowl mix together flour, baking powder, cocoa powder and salt. In a seperate bowl beat the marg and sugar until light and fluffy. Transfer this to the flour mix then add the soya milk and mashed bananas. Mix until all combined.

Transfer to a greased cake tin and bake for 40mins at 180oC.

This cake would have been really nice with some cranberries and macadamia nuts mixed in too, or maybe brazil nuts!

Apricot and Almond Cake

2 and 1/2 cups wholemeal self raising flour

1 cup dried apricots, chopped

1 cup almonds, grated to a ground powder

8tbsp marg

1/2 cup soya milk

1/2 cup brown sugar

1tsp nutmeg (or cinnamon)

1/2 tsp baking powder

Use the same method as the choc and narna cake. I like to soak the apricots for a while before hand so there nice and soft in the cake. 

Bake for 25-30mins at 180oC

Walnuts would be quite nice added to this cake too, and some juicy sultanas or currants..and ginger!

Lemon and Poppyseed buns

3 cups gluten free flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1tsp baking soda

1tsp salt

2 cups water

3 tbsp agave syrup

2tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

some grated lemon zest

1/4 cup poppyseeds

Mix together dry ingredients, then add the wet. Mix well, then add poppyseeds. 

Pour mixture into bun cases and bake for 25-30mins.

Think cardamom would go really nice in this mix, and banana too..maybe a banana and cardamom icing?!

These little poppets were my favourite, they came out nice and light and fluffy and compact, the gluten free flour has a lovely sweet taste to it (you can buy it in most health food shops and supermarkets, this is the one I used..http://www.amazon.co.uk/Doves-Farm-Gluten-White-Bread/dp/B006MVULLO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1332778942&sr=8-2 )   

I made some for the fairies too..

After all that cake making and after being so good at not eating any of them (only a tiny bun I shared with a friendly fairy) I treat myself to a slice of my housemates homemade chocolate and carrot cake. Yum..yum..YUM!

x

The fundraising evening was a lovely one filled with folky sounds, and was nice to see some friendly faces, who hopefully enjoyed the cakes.

The Sharrow Lantern Carnival is this coming Sunday 1st April and starting at 7.30 at Mount Pleasant Park..http://www.facebook.com/events/409672405714949/