MIDI STRAWBERRY SPONGE: make ahead, healthier

Please go to:

Small Household Scrumptious Midi Strawberry Sponge (updated 2024)

CHERRY CHOCOLATE SHEET CAKE, quick & easy crowd-pleaser, no-icing sugar, butter & baking chocolate

There is nothing like an American 'sheet' cake for a crowd...

Chocolate Sheet Cake studded with fresh cherries with cocoa not chocolate 
(for amateur gardeners in a strenuous Sunday session) 

67 loves the idea of American sheet cakes which are as it says on the tin: cake baked in a large flat tray to feed a crowd.  The look of the cake is so tidy and neat.  Usually served in squares or rectangles, the cake is thinner and flatter than usual.  Taste isn't affected but somehow the eating of it is different, more pleasurable.

Americans tend to use special recipes for sheet cakes and they are rich, moist and dense.  But translating American measurements to Imperial (UK) is not easy and many an unsuspecting baker has come a cropper.  67 instead turns to reliable standards from its recipe box.

In this one, 67 used a favourite one-bowl 8x8inch/20x20 cm chocolate cake, multiplied the ingredients by 1.5 and baked it in a 11x9in/28cmx23cm tin.  The tin was - strictly speaking - not really large enough for the amount of batter; 67 has now located a 12x13inch/31x33cm tin which should produce the requisite sheet cake thinness.

Even so, the more-than-a-sheetcake was moist, delicate and fine-crumbed with a mellow dark chocolate overtone -- rather special.  And the cherries soaked in (optional) brandy were gorgeous! 

67goingon50's recipe is healthier than most -- it has no butter.  It is also ideal when stores of baking chocolate are getting low but the cupboard has cocoa in abundance.  

The recipe is adapted from the late Michael Barry, the head of London's first commercial radio station.

Cost: £3.00'ish plus cost of topping (4/2024)
Feeds:16-20

Ingred:

   225gm/7.9oz self raising flour (plain flour, add 2 tsp baking powder)
   6 heaped tablespoons cocoa powder
   1.5 baking powder
   1.5 tsp baking soda

   165gm/5.8oz sugar
   225 ml sunflower oil
   225 ml mill
   1 tsp vanilla
   3 large or 4.5 small eggs

  couple of handfuls fresh cherries, pitted and halved

  brandy

Gilding the sheet cake lily with
double cream and extra chocolate topping  

No-Icing-Sugar Chocolate Topping (opt - requires baking chocolate)

75gm/2.6oz 70% baking chocolate
85 ml milk or cream (if no cholesterol worries)

 
Garnish: couple of handfuls fresh cherries, coarsely chopped, soaked in brandy for 2 hours and drained OR baking cherries blanched in boiling water  OR sprinkles 

  

Method:

CAKE

1. Preheat oven to 160C/325F
2. Line a 13x9in/33cmx23cm (or 12x13inch/31x33cm) tin with greaseproof paper 
3. Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder & soda into a large bowl; hand whisk till blended
4. Add sugar, then milk, oil, eggs & vanilla.  
5. Using electric beaters or a wooden spoon beat until smooth, dark brown and creamy. 
6. Bake 15 min; reduce heat to 150C/300F.  Cook another 15-20 mins but 10 mins before the end, insert a skewer in the centre; if it comes out clean, it's done.   
7. Cool 15 mins in tin; transfer to cooling rack 
8. When completely cool: drizzle over No Icing Sugar Icing and add fruit, if using

No Icing Sugar Icing (requires baking chocolate) 

1. Melt chocolate in a bowl over but not touching simmering water
2. Off the heat, add milk or cream; blend well.
3. Dribble over the cake 
4. Scatter over drained cherries
5. Use leftovers as a sauce, on the side, or for another occasion
6. Garnish, if liked

Comments:

'Absolutely lovely; you could sell this! And yes I could taste the cherry brandy!'  Retired 86 year old priest

'I love this because it's not over-sweet and the chocolate has a lovely mellowness'  Retiree

Please leave a Comment in the box below

This recipe  & advice has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  They may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.

HEALTHY STRAWBERRY RIPPLE ICE CREAM

One of the nicest ways to turn the biggest uk crop of strawberries into a healthy frozen treat...

Low-fat/sugar Strawberry Ripple Ice Cream with Chocolate Madeira fingers
'As good as any shop ice cream; doesn't taste low-fat' ; 'Amazing & creamy; great substitute for cream & custard' 'the strawberry blobs & ripples are absolutely glorious.'

Strawberry crops are timed to be at their best around now, to coincide with Wimbledon and other outdoor events.  Lockdown means there are plenty of beautiful berries available. 

Take advantage.  Freeze lots for the winter; if you're still stuck at home, make jam.  Make a salad a winning event by adding strawberries: Instant Balsamic Strawberries with Ham Salad (Triple Duty with other protein options) is delicious and  quick.

Or try this very healthy Strawberry Ice Cream beguilingly rippled with fresh strawberry compote.  Refreshing and lightly creamy, it's zero-fat.  The exciting swirls of fruity sweetness have reduced levels of added sugar and don't load on the calories.  

67's Strawberry Ripple Yoghurt Ice is adapted from the beautiful and talented Lorraine Pascal. The recipe is so easy and quick your kids can make it, though they will need help for the strawberry compote.   

Yoghurt ices aren't creamy in the way that custard and cream based ices are  but testers found this treat unexpectedly like normal ice cream.   

Cost: £4'ish
Feeds: 4-5

Ingred:

Yoghurt Ice Cream 
    450gm/15.8oz plain 0-fat Greek-style yoghurt (67 uses Fahy)
    1/4-1/2 cup icing sugar (67 used 4 tablespoons)
    1 tsp vanilla

Rich, intense strawberry compote

Strawberry Compote
    350gm/12.3oz hulled strawberries, quartered if large
    1/4 cup water
    1-3 tbsp sugar, depending on berries
    1 tsp finely grated lemon zest

Method:

QUICK & EASY LO-FAT POTATO SALAD, frugal, quick, kid-friendly

Outstanding potato salad that's quick, easy and frugal...

photo 9/5/17

Doesn't look like much but utterly fabulous.  And quick!
'I love potato salad; this was outstanding with great crunchy bits' 'Incredible.'  Tasters 

When life's really busy or too darned hot, this frugal potato salad will make life easier.  From start to finish, it's ready in minutes and - even better -  the kids will love to help make it.

It can sit in the fridge for a day or so, deepening its flavours; doubling or tripling the recipe won't be a problem.

To make it a main course salad, at the last minute, mix in hard boiled egg or cubes of cold meat/fish. Other salad ingredients like finely chopped celery, cooked green beans or asparagus (!) and finely sliced radish add colour and texture. 

Cost: £2.25
Feeds: 6-8 as a side

Ingred:
   1 kilo/2 pounds small potatoes, halved OR potatoes chopped in 2inch/4cm cubes
   4-5 trimmed spring onions, white & green bits, thinly sliced 
   at least 1 cup yoghurt-mayonnaise
    pepper & salt

Method: