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A selection of pastry recipes from An Irish Country Kitchen by Mary Kinsella, published by Appletree Press.
TEA & SUPPER CAKES
Our selection of recipes continues with an attractive and delicious chocolate confection:
CHOCOLATE MARBLE CAKE
This is very like “Chapel Window”. Three different colours are generally used with the basic cake recipe divided into three, but with the layers arranged one on top of the other and put to bake in the same tin. It can be served plain or, as here, coated with a chocolate icing and garnished with citrus peel or nuts.
Serves 10
Preparation Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 11/4 –11/2 hours
Oven Position: centre
Oven Temperature: gas 4, 180°C, 350°F
Ingredients:
cake: 8oz flour 225g 2 cups
pinch of salt
6oz butter or margarine 175g 3/4 cup
6oz caster sugar 175g 3/4 cup
3 eggs
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
a few drops of vanilla essence
1 dessertspoon cocoa blended with 1–2 tablespoons water
red or green colouring
chocolate icing: 8oz cooking chocolate 225g 8 squares
knob of butter
2 tablespoons milk
thin strips lemon rind
Method for cake: Line and grease a deep 8-inch cake tin. Prepare as for Basic Cake, omitting cocoa and colouring. Put one-third of the mixture onto a plate and add the blended cocoa to it; mix well together. Take out half the remaining mixture and put onto a plate; add the green or red colouring to it and mix well together. Leave the remaining one-third plain. Fill the tin alternating the colours, one large spoonful at a time, and bake for 11/4 hours. Allow to cool.
Method for chocolate icing: Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of hot water; add the milk and mix well together. Add knob of butter and beat until smooth. Pour the chocolate icing over cake and decorate with lemon strips.
WALNUT LAYER CAKE
This cake uses the basic cake mixture with chopped walnuts added. The decoration and topping of flowing white icing makes temptation irresistible.
Serves 10
Preparation Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 30–35 minutes
Oven Position: centre
Oven Temperature: gas 4, 180°C, 350°F
Ingredients:
cake: 4oz margarine 100g 1/2 cup
8oz brown sugar 225g 1 cup
2 eggs
8oz flour 225g 2 cups
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
1/4 pint milk 150ml 5/8 cup
4oz finely chopped walnuts 100g 1 cup
frosting: 2 egg whites
10oz sieved icing sugar 275g 11/4 cups
2 tablespoons lemon juice
filling and decoration: 2oz chopped walnuts 50g 1/2 cup
6 walnuts
Method for cake: Line and grease two 7-inch cake tins. Cream the margarine and sugar together for 10 minutes until light and fluffy. Beat the eggs one at a time into the creamed mix. Fold the sieved flour, salt, baking powder, milk and chopped walnuts into the creamed sugar and margarine mix. Divide the mixture between the two prepared tins and bake for 30 to 35 minutes.When baked, cool on a wire rack.
Method for frosting: Put egg whites, icing sugar and lemon juice into a bowl and whisk over a pan of gentle simmering water for four to five minutes; remove from the heat and continue whisking for a further two minutes while the frosting cools and stiffens to the consistency of whipped cream. Quickly sandwich the layers of sponge with three or four table spoons of frosting and sprinkle the chopped walnuts over frosting. Cover top and sides of the cake with remaining frosting and decorate with walnut halves. Store in an airtight tin.
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