Beatty’s Chocolate Cake

I’ve been looking for a chocolate cake recipe, which makes a moist, yet light cake. I’m happy to announce that I’ve finally found the perfect recipe.

This is Ina Garten’s buttermilk chocolate cake recipe, I think both the buttermilk and coffee contribute to the moistness. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/beattys-chocolate-cake-recipe/index.html

The end result.

Sunday Tea

Yesterday, we decided to call a couple of friends over and serve ‘high tea’, given, that we do make tea one of the more important meals over the weekend. This was our tea menu.

• Mini toasts with a fig and hazelnut spread.
• Gouda cheese with quince paste.
• Mint chutney and cucumber sandwhich.
• Pineapple, almond and cream cheese sandwhich.
• Potato and acorn squash pizza.
• Banana walnut cake.
• A pot of Earl Grey Tea.
• A pot of Spring Oolong Tea.

To add this, our guests got us a box of yummy brownies.

While most of the work revolved around assembly, I’ve posted the ingredients or the recipe for some of the snacks.

Mint Chutney and Cucumber Sandwich

Mint Chutney

• 1 bunch of mint leaves
• 1/4 bunch of coriander leaves
• 4 green chillies
• salt to taste
• lime to taste

Grind the above ingredients together, adding 2 table spoons of water.

Mix in salt and lime.

Potato and Acorn Squash Pizza

This recipe is a slight modification of this recipe from Food Network.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_78783,00.html

• Yukon Gold potatoes, thinly sliced
• Rosemary
• Acorn Squash
• Red Chilli Flakes
• Maple syrup
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400F.

Drizzle olive oil over the potato slices and toss some sprigs of rosemary. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes.

Cut the acorn squash into half, remove the seeds and core. Slice into 1/2 inch thick slices.

Toss with olive oil, red chilli flakes and a dash of maple syrup.

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Allow it to cool and then peel off the outer skin.

Top the pizza base with potatoes and acorn squash, drizzle with olive oil and bake as per the instructions for the pizza base.

Banana Walnut Cake

I used this recipe from the Food Network site, the cake was moist and tasty.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_4050,00.html

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
4 very ripe bananas
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon cinnamon
<1 cup chopped walnuts>

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl combine flour, baking soda and powder, salt.

In a large bowl cream together eggs and sugar.

Stir in mashed bananas, vanilla, oil and cinnamon.

Stir in flour mixture, a third at a time, until just combined.

<I added a cup of walnuts, folded it into the batter before baking>

Divide batter into two 9×5 loaf pans. (I baked it in a greased sqaure dish 8 1/2 inches wide and 3 inches deep)

Bake for an 1 hour.