by Aisha Zakari | May 29, 2022 | Food & Kitchen
Sponge cake (or yellow cake) is a soft, spongy, and delicious cake with a brownish outer surface and a whitish inner surface. This is made with lots of egg, sugar, and flour and I’ll be telling you how to make sponge cake recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 cup of flour
- 3 tablespoons of milk (optional)
- 3 tablespoons of oil
- 4 eggs
- ¼ cup of sugar
- ¼ cup of butter
- ½ tablespoon of vanilla essence
Tools Needed
- Whisk
- Spatula or paddling stick
- Baking pan (desired shape)
- Parchment paper
Procedures for Preparation of Sponge Cake
STEP 1: Crack your eggs and separate the yolks from the white in different bowls.
STEP 2: Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350F.
STEP 3: In your bowl of yolks, give this a whisk and add milk, oil, and vanilla essence.
STEP 4: Gradually sift the flour into the bowl and give this a stir. Mix till well incorporated and set this aside.
STEP 5: In the bowl of whites, using a hand mixer, beat for 20minutes from medium to high till it begins to foam.
STEP 6: Add in sugar and continue beating till stiff peaks. Here, you see the egg whites looking thick, creamy, and white.
STEP 7: Now add this to the bowl of yolks. Fold it in and mix.
STEP 8: Get your clean baking pan. It’s time to bake this sponge cake recipe.
STEP 9: Grease the pan with butter and add parchment paper on the sides and bottom of the pan. You may also dust with flour after greasing.
STEP 10: Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Do not full to the brim to avoid pouring whilst baking.
STEP 11: Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle of the pan. Do not open the oven while baking.
STEP 12: Remove from the oven using a hand glove or mittens.
STEP 13: Allow it cool for 5-10 minutes or place it on a rack for easy air ventilation.
STEP 14: Enjoy!
Recipes that Best Goes with It
Sponge cake goes with ice cream, milkshakes, and of course soft drinks like Coca-Cola, etc.
How to Serve Sponge Cakes
Sponge cake should be served to friends, loved ones, and family immediately as it cools off. You can also enjoy sponge cakes with these 3 different ways of making chocolate sauce.
Occasion to Serve Sponge Cakes Best
This delicious sponge cake recipe can be served any day, anytime, and anywhere. It could serve as a lunch box for kids, birthday parties, or after-party snacks.
Nutritional Value of Sponge Cakes
This snack is packed with benefits such as low calories when eaten, a good source of energy, and of course, the unique flavors in your kitchen.
How to Store Sponge Cake?
Store in the freezer for 2-3 days. I suggest you wrap before storing and also, consume within a day. Enjoy!
FAQs
Can I use butter or margarine for my sponge cake?
With margarine, you get a softer and fluffy texture in cakes than using butter. Butter has great taste and smell but it makes cake dense and dried out the moisture. Margarine should be your go-to when making this sponge cake.
What is the difference between regular cake and sponge cake?
A very good difference between regular cake and sponge cake is that the latter is made with lots of eggs while the former contains baking powder or baking soda.
What is the difference between butter cake and sponge cake?
Butter cake relies on butter or margarine and some leavening agents such as baking powder and baking soda whereas Sponge cake relies on the beaten eggs and air that gets into it.
What are the four types of sponge cakes?
These are Swissroll sponge, Devil’s food cake, Forrest sponge cake, Angel Food Cake, and many other types of sponge cakes.
What is the secret to sponge cake?
The secret to sponge cake is in its texture, the eggs, and the absence of leavening agents like baking soda and baking powder. In sponge cake, the leavening agents are in the eggs and the air is gotten from beating them using the mixer. Sponge cakes are soft, light, fluffy, and airy and this is a result of beating egg whites.
Conclusion
Are you in the kitchen already? Whisk up this recipe and tell us how you did making this soft, fluffy, spongy, and delicious sponge cake recipe. Be sure to let us know when you do in the comment section.
by Aisha Zakari | Apr 2, 2022 | Food & Kitchen
Shortbread, as the name implies is a finger food to munch in every now and then. This shortbread recipe can be made with just a few ingredients that are mostly lying in your pantry. Let’s get baking.
What is Shortbread?
Shortbread is a traditional Scottish snack with a recipe of one part sugar, two parts butter, and three parts flour. Shortbread doesn’t contain any leavening agents such as baking powder or baking soda but mainly just 3 ingredients. Isn’t that interesting?
Ingredients
2 ½ cups of flour
1 cup (227g) of cold temperature butter (not margarine)
½ cup of sugar
Procedures for Preparation of Shortbread
STEP 1: In a bowl, add butter and sugar.
STEP 2: Cream this together using an electric mixer for around 5-7 minutes until it becomes creamy, light, soft, and fluffy. Then;
STEP 3: Add in the flour and mix this together till the mixture looks like crumbs. Set the mixer aside.
STEP 4: Lightly grease a baking tray, transfer the dough into it. Now, use your hands to spread it around the edges of the tray.
STEP 5: The dough will be crumbly but you should be able to press it easily along the edges of the tray. Be careful when pressing.
STEP 6: Using a fork, poke in holes and sprinkle sugar all over the top of the dough.
STEP 7: Now, preheat the oven to 350F to help bake this shortbread recipe. Then;
STEP 8: While preheating, place the baking tray into the fridge for 20 minutes before finally baking.
STEP 9: Place the baking tray in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until the edges get brown and not the top. The edges alone should be brown.
STEP 10: You can cut out the edges and enjoy just the insides but if you like the crunchy brown sides, enjoy. You can still sprinkle more sugar on the top while it’s still warm.
How to Serve Shortbread
Shortbread can be served over tea, a cup of warm milk, or a cup of coffee. You can also enjoy this by drizzling over Caramel Sauce or chocolate sauce
Occasion(s) to Serve Shortbread Best
This recipe can be enjoyed over breakfast with friends, family, loved ones, and even as a couple. It can also be made for Christmas, birthdays, or any other occasion to entertain guests.
How to Store Shortbread
Shortbread recipe can be stored in metal tins, air-tight containers, or Ziploc bags for at least 10 days in the refrigerator. If you want them to last longer, freeze them.
Nutritional Value of Shortbread
This sweet tooth delicacy is packed with calories and consuming more than 2-3 may just make you add in weight. But if you’re lucky and do not add in weight no matter what you eat, you can enjoy this snack. But be careful with your teeth too.
Conclusion
Shortbread recipe are very light and easily digestible as they are finger-licking and easy to munch on. You can also cut out your own desired shapes and enjoy this any day and anytime. Let us know in the comment section when you give this recipe a try.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How is shortbread made?
Shortbread is made from flour, sugar, and butter. These ingredients are mixed till crumbs are formed and then they are baked in the oven for 20-25 minutes.
Can you make shortbread without an electric mixer?
You do not need an electric mixer to whip up this delicacy at home but be ready to put your hand to work. Whisk or beat the butter and sugar together till light, creamy and fluffy.
Should butter be cold or room temperature for shortbread?
Cold temperature butter is preferable when making a shortbread recipe so as to prevent the dough from being greasy and difficult to roll. Have your butter sit in the refrigerator for around 20 minutes.
Why is my shortbread not crispy?
There are many reasons why this may be happening to you. It could be the temperature of the oven is not set right, the dough was pressed out or too dry, insufficient butter and maybe overbaking. Be sure to measure your ingredients correctly and follow the right procedures.
Are shortbread cookies the same as butter cookies?
No, they are not. Butter cookies are lighter and softer in appearance whereas shortbread is dense.
How long does shortbread take to harden?
Simply put it in the fridge to chill for at least 15-20 minutes till it hardens.
Why are there holes on shortbread?
Not only do the holes beautify the shortbread, but it also helps in evenly distributing heat and making baking easy.
What is the difference between Scottish shortbread and regular shortbread?
There’s no difference between both shortbreads as the procedures and ingredients are all the same.
by Aisha Zakari | Oct 5, 2021 | Food & Kitchen
You only need a few ingredients to make your own chocolate sauce/syrup at home and it tastes just as better as the one you buy from the stores. So, what are you waiting for? Try making something new this weekend!
This chocolate recipe gives you a sweet, smooth, goo-ey, and chocolat-ey taste – this is the chocolate sauce you should try at home.
How to Make Chocolate Sauce?
There are different ways to making this chocolate sauce but there are no fancy ingredients – just sugar, cocoa powder, and a few more that is most probably in your pantry. Isn’t that amazing? I’ll be sharing with you four different ways to make this delicious and addicting recipe chocolate sauce.
Chocolate Sauce Recipe I
In making this chocolate sauce, a little bit of work and attention will be given to the pot for a while as you keep stirring so as to avoid burning and ending up with zero results and a messy work area.
Ingredients for Chocolate Recipe I
¼ cup of cocoa powder.
¾ tablespoon of sugar or more.
A pinch of salt.
1 cup of water.
½ teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Procedures for Chocolate Recipe I
- In a bowl, sieve cocoa powder and sugar together to remove all lumps and traces of dirt.
- Mix till well combined.
- In a pan over medium heat, add in water and salt.
- Pour in the cocoa mixture and bring to a boil till sugar is completely dissolved. Give this a stir.
- Allow to cook till it begins to thicken.
- Reduce heat and leave to simmer. Stir constantly.
- Remove from heat, add in vanilla extract.
- Stir this and let it cool.
- Transfer this to a container or a jar. Tada. This is how to make a chocolate sauce but optimum attention is required here.
- Refrigerate if needed.
Chocolate Sauce Recipe II
The method in how to make this chocolate sauce is different from the first. In this one, there is a twist which is the incorporation of flour. This is to give it a thick texture and a glossy look, the same job as the butter.
Ingredients for Chocolate Recipe II
¼ cocoa powder
2 teaspoons of flour
2 pinch of salt
1 cup of milk.
2 teaspoons of sugar
2 tablespoons of butter
½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
Procedures for Chocolate Recipe II
- In a bowl, sieve cocoa powder, flour, salt, and sugar to remove lumps and traces of dirt.
- Give this a mix.
- In a pot over medium heat, add in a cup of milk and butter.
- Allow to melt and dissolve completely.
- Add in vanilla extract.
- Give this a stir.
- Add the cocoa mixture to the pot and stir again.
- Cook on low heat for 5 minutes till it begins to thicken.
- Turn off heat when thick.
- If too thick, add more milk and if too thin, cook for 2-3 more minutes for perfect consistency.
Chocolate Recipe III
This is the simplest and easiest method on how to make a chocolate sauce as you won’t overwork yourself or even be in the kitchen. You could do this over the counter or in the dining area. Let’s get to the ABC method.
Ingredients for Chocolate Recipe III
1 cup of icing sugar
2 tablespoons of cocoa powder
½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
3 tablespoons of milk
Procedures for Chocolate Recipe III
- In a bowl, add in a cup of icing sugar.
- Add cocoa powder and vanilla extract.
- Give this a mix.
- Add in the milk but spoon after spoon so you can mix this gradually till you get a perfect combination.
Chocolate Sauce Recipe IV
This is another simple method as you’ll only need chocolate bars! It’s pretty easy to make this chocolate sauce.
Ingredients for chocolate recipe IV
Chocolate bars
Butter
Milk (optional)
Procedures for Chocolate Recipe IV
- In a pot over heat, add in water and leave to boil.
- Turn off heat.
- Crush or break chocolate bars.
- Pour these bars into a bowl that can withstand heat.
- Place this bowl over the top of the pot and allow the heat to penetrate the bowl so as to melt the chocolates.
- Add in butter as it begins to melt.
- Add in milk if you wish to.
- Give this a stir.
Recipes That Goes With Chocolate Sauce
Indulge yourself with this sweet sauce as you drizzle over pancakes, waffles, and even brownies. This sauce can even be eaten with doughnuts or used as a filling. In addition, this can be spread over bread, cakes, cupcakes, and ice cream.
Ways to Serve
The chocolate sauce should be served cold.
Occasions to Serve Best
This sauce can simply be made any day to enjoy and relax. It can be eaten with other confectionaries for lunch and dessert.
Health Benefits of Chocolate Sauce
Chocolate sauce is mostly made out of cocoa powder which is gotten from the cocoa bean. Cocoa beans have antioxidants also known as flavanols which have been proven to help lower inflammation and blood pressure. In addition, they help in improving blood flow to the heart and in blood clotting.
How to Store?
Simply pour this sauce in a jar or a container and refrigerate.
Conclusion
Ta-Da! That’s your own homemade chocolate sauce right there in 4 different ways. Everyone loves chocolate, for breakfast, lunch, snacks, and even dinner. I suggest you try this over bread and in doughnuts. Enjoy!
Comment below when you make this or intending to!
You could also check on 2 different ways of making your caramel sauce.
