One-bowl cakes are the forgotten gems in the world of home baking.
Many home bakers believe there are only two options for making cakes at home: 1) commercial cake mixes, or 2) complicated, multi-step recipes developed by professional chefs. But there’s another way: one-bowl cakes are all-natural, quick and easy to prepare.
They’re as much about what isn’t required as what is:
- you don’t need multiple bowls
- you will not need to cream the fat (e.g., butter, shortening or oil) with the sugar
- you will not need to separate the eggs
- you will not need to alternately add ingredients while simultaneously mixing
- you will not need to use cake flour or any other fancy flour
- you will not need to sift flour
- you do not need to own or use a heavy-duty stand mixer.
You’ll be able to create a multitude of cakes everyone loves to eat, from classic layer cakes and Bundt cakes to old-fashioned cakes and modern innovations. The ever-popular lay-flat concealed wire-o hardcover binding, with full color throughout, makes this book even more convenient.
In addition to the cake recipes, there are over 50 recipes for icings, glazes, syrups and sauces.
That lay-flat binding though, I honestly don’t know why anyone would print a recipe book in any other format. It’s so much easier to work from. The recipes in Piece of Cake by Camilla are clear and easy to follow and most recipes are made up of pantry staples. The instructions are easy enough that anyone should be able to follow. This is a really useful resource for the home baker with plenty of information about substitutions, alternate pan sizes etc…
The bonus here is that clean-up is always easy with these one-bowl recipes and honestly – aside from the weight gain, clean-up is the worst part about baking.
Happy Baking!
Yield: 9
Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake
Sticky toffee pudding is a favorite British dessert consisting of moist cake flooded with a decadent toffee sauce (“pudding” is synonymous with “dessert” in England). My husband thinks it is one of the best desserts ever, and I wholeheartedly agree. The name alone makes me weak in the knees. I’ve simplified this classic British dessert while simultaneously making it more delicious than ever (if I do say so myself).
Ingredients
- 8- inch square metal baking pan, 20 cm, sprayed with nonstick baking spray with flour
- 8 oz pitted dates, 250 g, chopped
- 1 tsp baking soda, 5 mL
- 1 cup boiling water, 250 mL
- 3 ⁄4 cup packed light brown sugar, 175 mL
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter, 90 mL, softened
- 1 tsp vanilla extract, 5 mL
- 11 ⁄3 cups all-purpose flour, 325 mL
- 1 tsp baking powder, 5 mL
- 1 ⁄2 tsp salt, 2 mL
Toffee Sauce
- ⁄2 cup packed light brown sugar, 125 mL
- 1 ⁄8 tsp salt, 0.5 mL
- 1 ⁄2 cup heavy or whipping cream, 125 mL, 35%
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter, 90 mL, cut into small pieces
- 1 tsp vanilla extract, 5 mL
Instructions
- 1. In a large bowl, combine dates, baking soda and boiling water. Let stand for about 30 minutes or until cooled to room temperature.
- 2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
- 3. Add brown sugar, eggs, butter and vanilla to date mixture. Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat for 2 minutes, until blended (mixture will appear slightly curdled). Add flour, baking powder and salt. Beat on low speed for 1 minute. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl with a spatula. Beat for 15 to 30 seconds, until blended.
- 4. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan.
- 5. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Prepare Toffee Sauce while cake bakes.
- 6. Set pan on a wire rack. Poke holes all over top of cake with a toothpick. Pour 1⁄2 cup (125 mL) of the sauce over cake. Let cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes. Cut cake into squares and serve warm with the remaining sauce.
- In a medium saucepan, combine brown sugar, salt, cream and butter. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking constantly. Reduce heat and simmer, whisking, for 2 minutes, until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla. Let cool for 5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Use while still warm.
Notes
Storage: Store the cooled cake in the refrigerator in a cake keeper, or loosely wrapped in foil or plastic wrap, for up to 5 days. Warm cake, wrapped loosely in foil, in a 350°F (180°C) oven before serving.
Tip: Eight ounces (250 g) pitted whole dates yields approximately 2 cups (500 mL) chopped dates.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
9Serving Size:
1 grams
Amount Per Serving:Unsaturated Fat: 0g
Courtesy of Piece of Cake! by Camilla V. Saulsbury © 2011 www.robertrose.ca Reprinted with permission. Available where books are sold
