Chocolate bundt cake

Lets start with the basics, who really doesn't like chocolate right? This is the easiest cake ever! No many equipments are needed and also no fancy ingredients. You probably have everything you need already at home. Have a look at the recipe bellow and lets treat your self and your beloveds with a slice of heaven! 

 Ingredients

Cake

2 cups plain flour

3/4 cup cocoa powder

1 3/4 cups caster sugar

1 1/4 tsp baking powder

1 1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda

3/4 tsp salt

2 eggs

1 cup whole milk

1/2 cup oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup boiling water

Glaze

110 gr. dark chocolate

110 gr. unsalted butter 

1 tbsp corn syrup or honey 

Instructions 

Cake

1. In a small bowl sift all the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, baking, soda, salt), set aside. In a bigger bowl mix eggs, milk, vanilla and oil with a hand whisk. Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet. Add the Boiling water at the end and mix until mixture is smooth.

2. Poor the mixture in a buttered and floured bundt cake tin and bake in preheated oven at 180C for 45-60 minutes or until you tested with a toothpick and it comes out clean.

3. Take the cake out of the oven and leave it on the counter top for 15 minutes. Then flip it over, take the cake out of the tin and leave it out to cool completely.

Glaze

1. Melt all the ingredients in microwave or in double boiler until glaze is smooth.

2. Cover the cold cake and decorate with sprinkles, dry flowers or anything you like. Enjoy!xx

French Madeleines

I love the shell like detailing on these tiny cakes, it reminds me of the seaside. I know you all love them as much as I do! Scroll down and find the recipe! 

Ingredients: 

• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp caster sugar (80 gr.)
• lemon zest from 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup plain flour (80 gr.)
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder (7 gr.)
• 1/2 tsp salt (2.5 gr.)
• 1/8 cup melted butter (25 g.)
• 1 tbsp poppy seeds (15 gr.) optional

Instructions:

• In a mixing bowl add eggs, sugar and mix with a hand mixer on low speed, until it turns in a pale yellow colour. Add the lemon zest. 
• Add the flour, baking powder, salt and mix on low speed.
• add the melted butter and the poppy seeds. Mix until we have a smooth batter. Don't over mix. 
• Refrigerate the batter for at least an hour to get that traditional Madeleine hump. If you prefer you can make it 2 days ahead or leave it over night in the fridge. Thats is going to make even better humped madeleines!
• Brush a Madeleine tin with some melted butter. Scoop the madeleine mix in to the moulds. Fill 1/2 of each shell. You can also use a piping bag for that.
• Bake the madeleines in a preheated oven at 180C degrees for 6-8 minutes. 
• Take them out of the oven and leave them to cool a bit. Transfer them from the tin and dust them with icing sugar. 
• Ready to serve with a hot coffee or tea!

Peanut butter chocolate chip cookies

I am a big peanut butter lover. I can die in the idea of a chocolate fudge cake, filled with peanut butter and jelly. As I had plenty of time I went through my kitchen cabinets to clean them up and see what's going on in there. I found this peanut butter container and I was thinking for a while what can i do with it as the expired day wasn't far. It was the days that I was also thinking a lot of chocolate chip cookies for my morning coffee. Then I said to my self why don't you make peanut butter chocolate chip cookies right? So here I got you the recipe of that little dream bites! 

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cup flour (150 gr.)
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup butter (110 gr.) (room temperature)
• 3/4 cup smooth peanut butter(190 gr.)
• 2/3 cup light brown sugar (75 gr.)
• 2/3 cup caster sugar. (75 gr.)
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup chocolate chips or chopped chocolate (150 gr.)

Instructions:

• In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking soda, set aside. 
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, peanut butter with both sugars. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low, add the vanilla, and egg. Mix well, about 1 minute. Add flour mixture, mix until just combined. 
• Stir in the chocolate chips. (At this stage you can also add any chopped nut or dried fruit if you like).
• Scoop the dough with an ice-cream scoop (about 40-50 grams each) onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and leave them in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
• Spread the chilled cookie balls onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Leave enough space in between the cookies as they will spread during baking. 
• Bake in a preheated oven at 180C for about 10-12 minutes. Don't bake them longer as they will not take any colour and you will end up with over baked cookies.
• Cool completely before serving and store them in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.

Banana muffins

If you ask me, I am always flirting with the idea of having cake for breakfast! Any cake really! From a layer cake full of frosting to any amazing breakfast muffin! Those banana muffins are just gorgeous with your morning coffee! 

Ingredients for 6 muffins:

• 1 mashed banana
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup of flour
• 1/4 cup of oats 
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1/4 chopped pecans
• some more oats for the top

Instructions:

• In a bowl add banana, egg, brown sugar, melted butter, oil, vanilla, water and mix until all combined. 
• In a separate bowl add the flour, oats, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and whisk. 
• Add the dry ingredients in to banana mixture and stir with a whisk until we have a smooth batter. Stir in the chocolate chips and chopped pecans. 
• Divide the batter into 6 lined muffin tin. Sprinkle some oats on the top of each muffin for decoration. 
• Bake the muffin in a preheated oven at 190C degrees for about 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick insert in to a muffin center comes out clean. 
• Leave them in the tin for 10 minutes, transfer in to a cooling rack to cool completely and serve with a cup of coffee. 

Apple crumble cake

This cake it reminds me of my grandma's house. She always have apples in her house. She lives in a small town with many fields around, it's easy to find fresh veggies and fruits. This is my grandma's apple crumble cake. Its perfect for breakfast or even for your afternoon tea and coffee!

Ingredients

for the crumble:

• ½ cup unsalted butter, melted (125 gr)
• 1 ¼ cup plain flour (170 gr)
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar (70 gr.)
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar (68 gr.)
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon 

for the cake:

• 2 cups plain flour ( 270 gr)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature (125 gr.)
• ¾ cup caster sugar (156 gr.)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs
• ¼ cup greek yogurt (20 gr.)
• 2 tbsp milk
• 2 medium green apples, cubes (granny smith)
• icing sugar for dusting

Instructions

for the crumble:

• In a bowl of a stand mixer combine all the ingredients and mix with the paddle attachment until mix looks like sand. 
• Leave the crumble a side.

for the cake:

• In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda.
•  In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter for 2 minutes until it’s light and fluffy.
•  Add the sugar and vanilla and continue to beat for an additional 1-2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. 
• With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients in three editions alternating with the greek yogurt and milk. Finally add the apples and mix by hand. Do not overmix.
• Spread the batter into a prepared pan. Top with crumb and bake in a preheated oven at 180C degrees for 45-55 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean (or with just a few crumbs). Leave it in the pan to cool for 10 minutes before removing from springform pan.
• Dust with icing sugar and serve with vanilla ice cream!

Fluffy pancakes

My favourite thing to do during the weekend is waking up and running in to the kitchen to cook a lovely breakfast to enjoy with my family and friends. A weekend should be a day of being lazy, relaxed and cozy! This is exactly what we all need after a busy working week, running here and there. So here I got you my favourite recipe for super fluffy pancakes that everybody loves!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup plain flour (190 gr.)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 cup whole milk (230 ml.)
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp melted butter (30 gr.)
• oil for the pan
• fresh fruits, chocolate spread, maple syrup or anything else you like to serve your pancakes!

Instructions:

• In a small bowl sift all the dry ingredients (flour, baking, soda, salt, sugar).

• In a separate bowl whisk the milk, eggs, vanilla extract. Add the dry ingredients and combine. Add the melted butter and mix until we have a smooth batter. Be careful to not over mix.

• Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat. Fold a sheet of paper towel in half, and moisten with oil. Carefully rub pan with oiled paper towel.

• For each pancake, spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of batter onto the pan, using the back of the spoon to spread batter into a round circle. 

• Cook until surface of pancakes have some bubbles and a few have burst, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip carefully with a spatula, and cook until browned on the other side, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer to a baking sheet or platter. Continue with more oil and remaining batter. Serve warm, with any toppings you like.