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A selection of cake recipes from An Irish Country Kitchen by Mary Kinsella, published by Appletree Press.
TEA & SUPPER CAKES
ORANGE CAKE
This cake, with its lovely sweet flavour of orange, is generally filled with butter icing and topped with a water icing and orange segments.
Serves 10
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Oven Temperature: gas 4, 180°C, 350°F
Cooking Time: 1–11/2 hours
Oven Position: centre
Ingredients:
cake: 9oz plain flour 250g 21/4 cups
pinch of salt
6oz margarine 175g 3/4cup
6oz caster sugar 175g 3/4 cup
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 eggs
rind from orange
1 tablespoon orange juice
icing: 8oz icing sugar 225g 1 cup
2–3 tablespoons boiling water
orange segments
Method for cake: Line and grease a deep 8-inch cake tin. Prepare as for Basic Cake and bake for 1–11/2 hours.
Method for icing: Sieve icing sugar into a bowl. Add water and beat until smooth. Pour over cake. Decorate with orange segments.
To vary: For sharper, less sweet flavour, make it a lemon cake by simply substituting lemon rind, lemon juice and lemon segments.
ALMOND RING
They say this is very similar to what Americans call almond coffee cake or coffee ring – the piéce de resistance of a Sunday breakfast westwards across the water. Hard to believe, since it’s one of the richest Irish inventions.
Serves 8–10
Preparation Time: 25 minutes.
Proving time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 25–30 minutes
Oven Position: top
Oven Temperature: gas 6, 200°C, 400°F
Ingredients:
dough: 1lb flour 500g 4 cups
1/2 oz fresh yeast (or 1 teaspoon dried yeast) 15g 1 tablespoon
2–3 tablespoons tepid milk
2 tablespoon sugar
1/2 pint milk 275ml 11/4 cups
2oz sugar 50g 1/4 cup
2oz margarine 50g 1/4 cup
egg yolk
filling: 2oz margarine 50g 1/4 cup
4oz raisins 100g 2/3 cup
2oz chopped cherries 50g 1/4 cup
2oz sugar 50g 1/4 cup
2oz ground almonds 50g 1/4 cup
2 teaspoons cinnamon
icing: 8oz icing sugar 250g 1 cup
2–3 tablespoons water
2oz chopped almonds 50g 1/4 cup
Method for dough: Sieve the flour and salt into a bowl and leave in a warm place. Cream the yeast, 2 tablespoons of sugar and 2 or 3 tablespoons tepid milk together; leave in a warm place for approximately 20 minutes until the surface is covered with bubbles. Put milk and margarine into a saucepan, bring to the boil and allow to cool to point where it’s tepid. Pour the creamed yeast mixture into the flour, along with sugar and egg yolk; mix to a loose dough with the milk mixture. Knead well on a floured board or worktable. Shake a little flour into bowl; return dough to bowl, cover with damp cloth and leave it in a warm place for 40 to 50 minutes until dough has doubled its original size.
Method for filling: Melt margarine, add raisins, cherries, sugar, ground almonds and cinnamon. Mix well together and allow to cool.
Method for completing rings: Roll out the dough into a long strip 18 inches by 8 inches.Spread the fruit mix over the dough and roll up. Avoid spreading fruit too close to the edges.Shape into a round ring and set ring on a lightly greased baking sheet. Cover and leave to rest in a warm place for 25 minutes, then put into the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. When baked, place on a wire tray to cool. Sieve the icing sugar into a bowl, add two or three tablespoons boiling water, and mix well together. Pour icing over the ring and sprinkle with chopped almonds.
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