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Cakes for Afternoon Tea
By Brenda Hyde
When planning your afternoon tea menu consider
serving a special cake. You'll need just one
thin slice per person. Plan on a beautiful
presentation and serve it as the last course
with two to three other small sweets.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat granulated sugar, butter,
and vanilla at medium speed until well-blended. Add egg and
egg white, one at a time, beat well after each addition. Sift flour
and carefully measure.Combine the flour with the baking powder,
baking soda, and salt, stir well. (I often sift again) Add flour the
mixture to sugar mixture alternately with yogurt, beginning
and ending with flour mixture. Stir in lavender. Pour the batter
into an 8-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350
degrees for about 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in the
center comes out clean. To prepare glaze, combine powdered
sugar and remaining ingredients. Spread on the warm cake.
Cool in pan 20 minutes on a wire rack before removing from
the pan. To serve slice thinly and present on a pretty platter.
Orange Almond Cake
Ingredients:
2 large oranges
6 eggs
1 1/2 cups ground almonds, divided
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. baking powder
Orange slices for garnish
Wash the oranges and boil them whole in enough water to
cover completely for 30 minutes. Drain and allow to cool.
Cut into quarters and remove any seeds. Place in a blender
or processor and chop until it's like a rough puree Beat the
eggs in a bowl until thick and add the orange puree, ground
almonds, salt, sugar, cinnamon, and baking powder. Mix well
and pour into a deep greased and floured 9 inch cake pan. Bake
in a preheated 400 degree oven for 45 minutes or longer, until
the center of the cake is set. Remove the pan to a cooling rack
and allow to cool before turning out onto a serving dish. Serve
garnished with orange slices. You can dust with confectioners'
sugar or use a glaze. Cut into small pieces.
Spice Tea Cake
Ingredients:
1 1/8 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. lemon zest
1/2 tsp. orange zest
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
Pinch each of grounds cloves and nutmeg
1/2 cup choppped pecans
3/8 cup of strong brewed tea
1/3 cup oil
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 large egg
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift the dry
ingredients into a bowl. Mix the wet ingredients
in another bowl. Add the wet mixture to the dry
mixture and stir in nuts. Pour into well greased
bread pan (8x4x4) Bake for an hour until center
of cake tests done with a toothpick. Sprinkle
with sifted confectioners' sugar or glaze.
Coconut Pound Cake
Ingredients:
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup butter, unsalted is best
5 large eggs
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup milk
3 1/2 ounces flaked coconut
1 tsp. coconut extract
Glaze:
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
1 tsp. coconut extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and
flour a 10 inch tube or Bundt pan. In a large
bowl cream together the sugar and the butter.
Fold in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after
each one. In another bowl, sift the flour and the
baking powder, then mix in the coconut and the
extract. Beat this into the creamed mixture and
mix well. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for 1 hour until it tests done. Cool on wire
rack for 5 minutes then transfer to a platter.
Mix together the glaze ingredients into a small pan.
Boil for one minute and pour over the warm cake.
Cream Cheese Pound Cake
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups butter
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
3 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
6 large eggs
3 cups cake flour
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease one 10 inch tube
or Bundt pan. Cream together the butter, cream cheese,
and sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the extracts. Add the
flour and the eggs alternately, beginning and ending with
the flour. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake at for 1
hour and 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the
center comes out clean. NOTES: This is rich, so you don't
really need to glaze it, but the one in the recipe above will
work nicely replaced with almond extract or simply
sprinkle the cake with confectioners' sugar.
Brenda Hyde is a freelance writer living on ten acres in rural Michigan with her husband and three kids. Stop by and visit her garden blog, Garden of Grace & Whimsy, and her photography blog, A Dance of Words & Photos.
SeptemberLady "Born and have lived in Southern MD most of my life. My husband and I just finished building a new home on the family farm, where I hope to retire in the near future.
My interests: Doll collecting, cookbook collector (especially old ones), antiques, family/friend get-togethers, cooking/baking, flower and vegetable gardening, bird-watching."
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Memorial Day: Backyard Grilling
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The Perfect Porch Swing