By Natty P

Re: Nut Free Cakes
13 Oct 2008 12:50

Having recently discovered that 2 of my children are nut allergic I am now forced to home bake cakes! I havent done ths since school and unsurprisingly have had a few disasters. I have a fan oven and follow recipies to the letter but they turn out flat, uneven and dry. Help! I'd love to make a chocolate sponge for my sons birthday.

Replies

By gilldoteee

Re: Nut Free Cakes
13 Oct 2008 13:04

I'm sorry that your children have nut allergies; it must have been a nasty shock to realise this. I am going to suggest that you get in touch with the Anaphylaxis Trust, run by my nut-allergic friend Hazel, for advice. www.anaphylaxis.org.uk

I also suggest that you look for chocolate made by Kinnerton who produce what is very nearly the only nut-free chocolate in the world. Marks & Spencer also sell nut-free chocolate.
In the meantime, I recommend this recipe for chocolate fudge cake which has never failed for me.
Chocolate Fudge Cake
Cake
4 tablesp cocoa powder
125g (4 oz) margarine
225 ml (8 fl oz) water
125 ml ( 4 fl oz oil)
350 g (12 oz) castor sugar
225 g (8 oz) self raising flour
or plain flour + 2 teasp baking powder
125 ml (4 fl oz) milk
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 teasp bicarbonate of soda
1 teasp vanilla essence
Topping
75 g (3 oz) icing sugar
25 g (1 oz) cocoa powder
40 g (1 1/2 oz) butter
2 tablesps water
50 g (2 oz) castor sugar

Double quantities for 3 x 2lb loaf tins, which take 1 hour to bake. Also use double quantities of icing (topping only)

Method
Put the cocoa, margarine, water and oil in a large saucepan and heat until melted and boiling. Take pan off the heat and beat in the sugar and flour, then stir in the milk. Add the eggs, soda and vanilla essence and beat thoroughly to make a thick glossy batter. Pour into a greased and lined 1 kg (2 1/2 lb) loaf tin. Bake at 180º C (350º F or Gas Mk 4) for 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 hrs until firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out cleanly. Leave in the tin until completely cold. Turn out and carefully strip off the lining paper.

Topping
Sift the icing sugar and cocoa powder into a mixing basin. Measure the butter, water and sugar into a saucepan. Set over a low heat and stir well, until the sugar has dissolved and the butter melted. Bring just to the boil, then draw off the heat and pour at once into the sifted ingredients. Beat with a wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth; then allow to cool, stirring occasionally, until the frosting is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.
Tip
If you have a cooking thermometer, the cakes are done when they reach 100º C on the inside.

By Guernsey Moo

Re: Nut Free Cakes
13 Oct 2008 17:51

Hi all, I'll have a look at that website to. It must be awful for your children to have a nut allergy. I have to carry an epi-pen for myself - so far my 2 children seem ok. If you have a fan oven be sure to lower the temp. They cook at a higher temp, so if your recipe calls for 180C cook at 160C (I find if you drop it by 20C it works OK). That may be why you're having problems - good luck!

By Lingster

Re: Nut Free Cakes
14 Oct 2008 07:13

Have you tried looking on this website for ideas and Delia's step-by-step techniques? She has lots of ideas and her recipes work.

By Saffy.

Re: Nut Free Cakes
14 Oct 2008 09:04

I always use a splash of milk and a teaspoon of baking posder in my cakes - I've foudn that adding these two really makes a difference........ (I've got a fan oven as well).

XX

By Lynne

Re: Nut Free Cakes
14 Oct 2008 10:25

Remember when using a fan oven any recipe you follow you must lower your oven temp by 10 degrees and the time by 10 mins, your cakes will be tremondous then