Gingerbread

This month at The Cake Slice Bakers, the four selected recipes from the book which we are currently baking from, World Class Cakes by Roger Pizey, are :

Coffee and Walnut Cake

Paul A. Young's Torta Gianduja

Caribbean Coconut Cake with Rum

Gingerbread

Members can choose any one of these recipes to bake. My choice is Gingerbread.

This is a simple and easy bake. I've made half a recipe, bake in a 8-1/2x4-1/2 inch loaf pan. The only changes I made was to use Lyle's Golden Syrup instead of dark corn syrup, and brown sugar instead of superfine sugar, as indicated in the recipe. 

From the photo in the book, the cake is beautifully decorated with a lace pattern using royal icing. Of course, the frosting can be spread over the cake instead, but I've decided to omit the frosting.

The gingerbread turns out moist, soft and tender, though the colour is not as dark as other gingerbread. And the taste of the ginger is rather mild. I was thinking that some chopped crystallized ginger mixed into the batter would be nice.

Overall this is a nice moist, soft cake. Great with a cup of warm tea.

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Danish Apple Cake

The Cake Slice Bakers, an online group of lovely bakers are starting from a new book starting this month, World Class Cakes by Roger Pizey, to bake for a year, once a month. Each month, four recipes are selected from the book and members can choose any one of these recipes to bake. I am a returning baker, having baked with TCS a few years ago while Katie (one of the founders of this group) was the administrator. Over the years, the group has been managed by a few administrators and now the running of TCS is taken over by Anabel of Oven Delights. I'm happy to be back baking with TCS!

To kick start the bakes from this book, the first four selected recipes are :

Bee Sting Cake

Danish Apple Cake

Maple Syrup and Pecan Layer Cake

Chocolate and Rum Canneles

My chosen cake to bake : Danish Apple Cake

Could not decide between Bee Sting Cake and Danish Apple Cake, but since I have lots of apples in my refrigerator, Danish Apple Cake it is! This is a very simple and easy cake to bake. The only changes I've made was to reduce the sugar to 130gm. Apples are peeled and cored, cut into 1/2-in wedges, and arrange around the top of the cake, pushing them slightly into the batter. Some brown sugar is sprinkled over the batter and apples before the cake goes into the oven. The baking time took longer to bake, about 60 minutes. 

As soon as the cake was baked, I brushed the top with a thin layer of apricot glaze.

The cake bakes up nice and golden.

It may be sliced and served while still warm, and was suggested by the author that it's the most delicious when served warm from the oven with a scoop of ice cream. Too bad I don't have any ice cream!

But we are happy to eat it as it is! This cake is delicous, though it is a little sweet for me even though I've reduced the sugar quite a bit. The crumbs are buttery, moist, tender and wonderful with the golden raisins and apple slices. 

A slice is good with a cup of hot tea or coffee. This would make a wonderful plain butter cake without the fruits, one that I plan to bake one of these days. 

My first bake from World Class Cakes by Roger Pizey, and it is a keeper recipe, Looking forward to more baking from this lovely book. Get the book and join us. you may get full info here. 

Linky is for TCS members only

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