Raspberry flecked Sour Cream Cake / Bolo de Natas Azedas e Framboesas desidratadas.

Today is National Bundt Cake Day and, as a true Bundt lover, I couldn't miss it.

In case you've never noticed, there's 29 Bundt Cake recipes here on the blog.

My choice today is this absolutely divine Nigella Lawson recipe. A cake that I've already made and that is absolutely divine and to die for!

As Nigella wrote in the book (At My Table): "this cake is perfect for slicing and eating with a cup of tea or coffee. The sour cream makes for a firm but velvety soft crumb and the freeze-dried raspberries that are folded into the batter punctuate it with sharpness".

Happy National Bundt Cake Day.

Sweet World Round Up - Chaja Cake / Bolo Chaja.

After a very hectic Summer and not having had the time to write this post in time, here it is! Finally!! the round up of the 30th edition of the Sweet World.

We've asked you to make a Chaja Cake and, just in case you don't know what is a Chaja Cake, you can read everything about it in this post.

Only four of us made the cake but, saying that, the all four cakes are super gorgeous and beautiful and we are very grateful to the ones that support the SW month after month. Thank You!!

Meanwhile (and unfortunately I couldn't make it), Susana challenged you all to make a Clafoutis for the 31st edition of the SW and hers look so gorgeous and delicious...

The SW is now taking a Summer break and will be back on the 20th of September with a new exciting theme. Stay tuned and drool over these gorgeous Chaja Cakes!

__________________

Olá, olá!!

Depois de um Verão em Portugal, onde matei saudades de Lisboa, da família, de amigos da vida e amigas foodies e bloggers; um Verão com alguns altos e muitos baixos momentos; um Verão com altas e baixas temperaturas; com dias de praia e Sol e calor e dias de chuva, chuviscos e céus cinzentos...

e após umas férias que, por motivos pessoais e familiares e tristes, se prolongaram mais que o previsto...

muito, muito atrasado e acompanhado de um enorme pedido de desculpas, aqui vos deixo, finalmente, o Round Up da 30ª edição do nosso SW, cujo tema foi o Bolo Chaja.

Caso não tenham lido ou desconheçam as origens do Bolo Chaja, leiam este post e ficarão a saber tudo.

Apenas 4 de nós tiveram tempo ou paciência para o testar mas, dito isto, sejam 1, 4 ou 5.000, a felicidade e gratidão será sempre enorme para com todos os que, mês após mês aqui estão, ávidos por conhecimento e dispostos a conhecer e descobrir novos sabores e combinações.

Muito, muito OBRIGADA a todos, SEMPRE!!

Entretanto (e infelizmente eu não consegui participar), A Susana lançou aqui, o tema da 31ª edição do SW.

O Clafoutis!!

Viram que lindo e apetitoso ficou este Clafoutis da Susana?

O SW está agora de férias e voltará no dia 20 de Setembro com mais um, muito interessante e delicioso tema (eu adoro!!! aviso já!).

Esperamos poder voltar a contar com a presença de todos os "veteranos", "noviços" e "curiosos" participantes.

Até lá, deliciem-se com estes lindos Bolos Chaja!

Susana - Basta Cheio.

Victoria Sponge Cake - Sweet World.

As you can read here, Victoria Sponge Cake is the theme for the 29th edition of the Sweet World! 29th!! Do you believe it? Amazing!! to say the least!!

Sponge Cake is a cake based on flour (usually wheat flour), sugar, butter and eggs, and is sometimes leavened with baking powder. It has a firm yet well-aerated structure.

In the United Kingdom a sponge cake is produced using the batter method, while in the US, cakes made using the batter method are known as butter or pound cakes. Two common British batter-method sponge cakes are the layered Victoria sponge cake and Madeira cake. The Victorian creation of baking powder by English food manufacturer Alfred Bird in 1843, enabled the sponge to rise higher than cakes made previously.

Cakes made using the foam method are not classed as sponge cakes in the UK; these cakes are classed as foam cakes, which are quite different. These cakes are common in Europe, especially in Italian patisseries. The cake was first invented by the Italian pastry chef Giovan Battista Cabona (called Giobatta), at the court of Spain with his lord, the Genoese marquis Domenico Pallavicini, around the middle of the 16th century.

The sponge cake is thought to be one of the first of the non-yeasted cakes, and the earliest attested sponge cake recipe in English is found in a book by the English poet Gervase Markham, The English Huswife, Containing the Inward and Outward Virtues Which Ought to Be in a Complete Woman (1615).

Though it does not appear in Hannah Glasse's The Art of Cookery made Plain and Easy (1747) in the late 18th century, it is found in Lydia Maria Child's The American Frugal Housewife (1832), indicating that sponge cakes had been established in Grenada in the Caribbean by the early 19th century.

Variations on the theme of a cake lifted, partially or wholly, by trapped air in the batter exist in most places where European patisserie has spread, including the Anglo-Jewish "Plava", Italian Génoise, the Portuguese Pão-de-ló, and the possibly ancestral Italian Pan di Spagna ("Spanish bread").

Derivatives of the basic sponge cake idea include the American chiffon cake and the Latin American Tres Leches Cake.

Bienenstich (Bee Sting Cake) / Bolo Picada de Abelha.

Bienenstich - Bee Sting Cake is the theme for this month and the 28th edition of the Sweet World!

Bienenstich or Bee Sting Cake is a German dessert made of a sweet yeast dough with a baked-on topping of caramelized almonds and filled with a vanilla custard, buttercream or cream.

There are many stories surrounding its rather unusual name.

One story is about two royal pastry chefs who stole honey from a beehive on the banks of the Rhine in 1474, to bake a special cake for their king. The Bee Sting Cake was the result - possibly thus named on account of the numerous stings they were subjected to.

According to another story, the cake may have earned its name from its honey topping. Apparently, a bee was attracted to it, and the baker who invented the cake was stung.

Another source cites a legend of German bakers from the 15th century who lobbed beehives at raiders from a neighboring village, successfully repelling them, and celebrated later by baking a version of this cake named after their efforts.

Stories and legends might differ on its origins but, they all agree on how delicious is this fabulous cake.

Want to make a Bee Sting Cake?

Bubbie Smigel Cake with Mocha Frosting / Bolo Mármore com cobertura de Chocolate e Café.

This month for the Rainydaybites Cookbook Club, we are cooking from the gorgeous Kerry Diamond and Claudia Wu, Cherry Bombe Cookbook .

A book full of recipes and stories from 100 of the most creative and inspiring women in food.

This cake was the second and last recipe challenge of the month and, as Marta "ingredient of the month" is Chocolate, I thought it would be a great idea to post the recipe and share it with you all.

I love the texture and moisture of cakes with soured cream and this cake, though it seems like a simple marbled cake, it's a marbled cake taken to the next level and it was a hit here at home.

This recipe is a treasured family recipe from Karen Leibowitz, the San Francisco based writer and restaurateur behind The Perenial and the original Mission Chinese Food.

Pumpkin Cake with Browned Butter Streusel for the Virtual Pumpkin Party / Bolo de Abóbora com Streusel de "Beurre Noisette" para a Festa Virtual da Abóbora.

It's Virtual Pumpkin Party Day again and I so love to cook with pumpkin, that I couldn't miss this day for anything in the world!

Last year I created this fabulous Pumpkin and Coconut Caramel Flan to celebrate the day but, this year, as I have so many things up to my sleeve, I decided to make a recipe from one of my favourite books at the moment!

This cake is any "pumpkin lovers" dream as it's moist, full of spicy and autumnal flavours and totally perfect for these autumnal days.!

The recipe s from Brian Hart Hoffman "Bake from Scratch" cook book and it's a real delight.

I have to say that the browned butter streusel topping is just to die for so, in case you want to give this gorgeous and delicious cake a go, here is the recipe and..., just in case you want to have a look and check all the fabulous bloggers that are celebrating this day and all the fantastic delights they cooked, check Sara's blog and enjoy the pumpkin feast.

Happy Virtual Pumpkin Party Day!!

Pomegranate and Chocolate Cake / Bolo de Chocolate e Romã.

This chocolate cake it's an absolute dream for any chocolate lover.

Rich, dense, intense, chocolaty and super moist, this cake is a stunner and was literally devoured in a few hours, by all the chocolate lovers in this household.

The recipe is from John Gregory-Smith new cook book "Orange, Blossom & Honey".

A book full of mouthwatering Moroccan recipes and every and each page is a journey to the souks and streets of Morocco.

This is the first recipe I made from the book and I chose this one, not because of the chocolate but mostly because of the pomegranate.

Pomegranate is the chosen ingredient from Marta as the "ingredient of the month" and, as soon as I saw this recipe, I knew I had to make it straightaway, not just because I'm surrounded by chocolate lovers here at home, but also because I wanted it at Marta's table, to celebrate October and the pomegranate!

Citrus Cake with Citrus Frosting and Candied Oranges and Lemons / Bolo de Citrinos com frosting de Citrinos e Laranjas e Limões Confitados.

After being unable to take part on Deborah's Rainydaybites Cook Book Club for the last two months, this month I couldn't miss it at all. Specially being this month chosen book, a baking book.

The book Deborah choose for September is the Brian Hart Hoffman "Bake from Scratch" book. A book full of mouthwatering cakes, cookies, breads, sweet breads and a lot more.

As the first recipe challenge, Deborah chose this citrus cake and, although here at home everybody else are chocolate lovers, me, I'm the total crazy citrus lover and so, this cake was right up to my taste.

I have to say that even the chocolate lovers of the house loved it and the cake went down a storm with all of them so, success!!

The original cake is a 4 layers cake and the frosting is made with cream cheese. I halved the recipe and made a 2 layers cake and used mascarpone cheese to make the cake.

I'm leaving you the original and complete recipe but, feel free to halve it as I did.

Neapolitan Baked Alaska.

18th edition of our Sweet World and here is the theme:

Baked Alaska!! It's Summer time and therefore, the theme had to be something light and refreshing and we thought, Susana and myself, that a Baked Alaska would be a wise choice.

After reading lots of controversial posts about the origins of Baked Alaska, I found this one very explanatory and thoughtful.

You can also read interesting posts about Baked Alaska here, here and here but, basically and despite all the invention and origin claims, a Baked Alaska is no more than a cake, topped with solidly frozen ice cream, the whole enveloped in meringue and then browned and served while still warm from the oven.

Want to participate? Here are the rules:

1. You have until the 20th of July to make and publish your Baked Alaska. 
2. That same day, 20th of July, Susana will let you know in her blog, the theme for the 19th edition of the Sweet World.
3. You'll have to leave your Baked Alaska link here, in this post, in order to be featured in the monthly round up that, this time and exceptionally (because I'll be enjoying my more than deserved holidays), will be published here, on the 15th of August.

Chocolate and Cherry Cake / Bolo de Chocolate e Cerejas.

This June, Marta chose cherries as the ingredient of the month.

Who doesn't love cherries?

I certainly love them and they are very highly positioned as one of my top, top favourite fruits.

Chocolate, cherries and cream are a combination made in heaven and this cake, that I wanted to try since last year, is one of the best cakes I ever had.

Actually, I love Simmone Logue cakes. They are always so moist, flavourful and balanced that I almost dare to say that this author is a "cake fairy".

This chocolate and cherry cake that I'm sharing today and this Victoria Sponge that I've already made twice are, until today, my favourite cakes of all times!

The recipe, of course, is from Simmone Logue "In the Kitchen" cookbook. A book that I treasure as one of the best books I have.

Forgive me the total lack of "cake slices" photos but, I took this cake to a party and before I noticed, there was only crumbs on the plate. YES! That's how good and delicious it is!

In case you want to try it and corroborate my opinion, here's the recipe.

Spanische Windtorte.

Spanische Windtorte (Spanish wind torte) is an Austrian dessert and is one of the most complex to create and serve as it is composed mostly of meringue and whipped cream.

Often called "the fanciest cake in Vienna", it is a dessert that became popular during the Baroque period and the Austrian and the Spanish reference is due to the Austrian House of Habsburg and their fascination with Spain which was very similar to the Russian nobility's fascination with French culture.

A Spanische Windtorte consists of rings of meringue that have been baked into a cylindrical form with a bottom and a top lid. The piping of the meringue and the subsequent baking process require patience and careful attention to detail or the cake will not be symmetrical. When the shell of the torte is done it is then filled with whipped cream, fresh berries (usually strawberries), chocolate shavings and/or currants.

It was featured as the technical challenge in episode 4 of season 6 of The Great British Bake Off and is now the theme for the 17th edition of the Sweet World.

I confess that straight after we (Susana and myself) chose the theme, I started feeling very nervous and full of butterflies in my tummy..., Specially when I started reading the recipe.

The more I read it, the more nervous and confused I was so, I had to watch a lot of YouTube videos in order to understand the structure of this intricate dessert.

Even if I'm normally ok with meringue due to the amount of Pavlovas I make, this cake really got me all freaked out.

I remember watching the contestants making it on The Great British Bake Off, but I didn't remember the details, specially the part where it needs to go three times into the oven...

Anyway! I tackled it and I think it's an "ok" Spanische Windtorte. Not perfect, but acceptable and once more, I conclude that dainty and delicate bakes are not for me as I'm more of a rustic baker :))).

I admit that this is a real challenge and it requires patience and "meringue making" skills but, if you're like me and love a challenge, don't be scared and make a Spanische Windtorte!
This recipe is from my book, "The Great British Bake Off - Celebrations".
Just another detail...
Don't expect perfectly neat slices because, with meringue, you know that's not possible so, in this case, messy slices are synonymous of "perfection"... :))).

Spiced Apple Cake with thick Vanilla Custard / Bolo de Maçã com Especiarias e Custard de Baunilha.

This cake, that is named a "cake" but for me, is more a cross between a tart and a pie, is one of the most beautifully delicious "cakes" we had later.

Everybody raved about how delicious it was and, certainly, it's a keeper and a recipe to make more often.

Darren Purchese (and pardon my ignorance), is a Chef that I truly admire but only came across, throughout my must beloved TV program, Masterchef Australia.

Chef Darren is one of the "bad guys", the one setting up the dreadful and very scary challenges for eliminations but the thing is...

OH LORD!!! His creations are pure pieces of art!!! and, who cares being eliminated from a competition over such gorgeous creations? I certainly wouldn't!

I didn't know anything about this gorgeous book until..., "this devilish (cook book addicted) girl" showed me the cover of "Lamingtons & Lemon Tart" on the Instagram "private messages". It was love at the first sight and I couldn't help but buy the book and I love it! Thank you so much Inês!!!

I told you already! Australia is my "dream Country" and everything that comes from there, I can't resist it. Specially if it's a book that is all about "Aussie" desserts and puddings but notched up by a great Chef - meaning - Chef Darren Purchese...

NO more talking...

Just a great and super delicious cake, filled with (for me), the best apples in the world: the Pink Lady Apples!

Carrot and Coconut Cake / Bolo de Cenoura e Coco.

A sweet and delightful carrot cake for Marta and her "ingredient of the month".

Almost everybody (and I certainly do), loves carrot cake, specially if it's a moist and flavoursome one.

This Rachel Khoo recipe, from the "Little French Kitchen" is moist, is delicious and a joy to eat for (like me), carrot cake and coconut lovers.

Chocolate and Whisky Bundt Cake / Bund Cake de Chocolate e Whisky.

This cake was made in January for the Burns night supper but I totally forgot about it in the blog "drafts", which is a real shame because is to die for!

Although I don't like to drink whisky (at all!!), I don't mind it in food and specially, I don't mind it in this cake.

It works fantastically well with the chocolate and both complement each other in such a way that either, flavour or texture, are absolutely stunning. The cake itself, is absolutely delicious and moist and I'm seriously thinking of making it again soon.

The recipe is from Melissa Forti gorgeous book "The Italian Baker" and I wrote about it in this post.

The Violet Bakery Lemon Drizzle Loaf / Bolo Drizzle de Limão da Violet Bakery.

For Marta and her "ingredient of the month" which is the lemon, I couldn't not make my favourite cake. The Lemon Drizzle!

There's another recipe for a Lemon drizzle cake here on the blog. A Raymond Blanc recipe which for me was the best until now. Until now because after trying this Violet's one, I changed my mind.

This cake is moist, delicious, lemony and everything you want a lemon drizzle cake to be so, you better try it because you'll fall in love with it!

The recipe is from Claire Ptak, The Violet Bakery Cookbook. A stunning book that I truly adore and if you ever have the opportunity, don't miss a visit to her beautiful Cake Shop and Café in Hackney, east London. I went there last October and had the best Coconut layer cake ever and you can trust me because I love my coconut cake so, I'm very demanding on that matter...

Sweet World Challenge and the Battenberg Cake / Bolo Battenberg e o Sweet World.

It's Sweet World Day and this month, for our 14th edition, we decided (Susana and myself of course...), to ask you to make a Battenberg cake!

Is it a difficult cake to make?

Honestly? No! 

Is it good? Depends on which recipe you follow. This one was to die for. Sensational!! 

But... What is a Battenberg? 

According to my researches, the most common story is that it was an English creation to celebrate Queen Victoria’s granddaughter’s marriage. 

In 1884 Princess Victoria married Prince Louis of Battenburg and this cake represents the uniting of England and Germany. 

Marzipan is a favourite in Germany and the Battenberg cake is named after a town in Hesse. 

It encases light sponges, which suit British palettes and it is thought to be a fusion of the particular tastes of the two countries. 

Because marzipan was fairly expensive at the time, encasing the cake in it elevated the treat to a level of indulgence, while at the same time, a slice of it went very well with one of Britain’s favourite pleasures, a cup of tea. 

However, this is an unconfirmed theory and nobody knows the exact way the Battenberg was made. Similar cakes to the Battenberg also exist, such as the domino cake, church window cake and Neapolitan roll. 

There is also dispute over how many squares of cake make up a Battenberg. Some cakes call for nine squares in the checkerboard, others call for four. 

Some say the four sections represent the Prince’s of Battenberg. Louis, as mentioned above, along with his brothers Alexander, Franz-Joseph and Henry. 

This theory falls apart as some traditional Battenberg cakes have more sections but the thing is, no matter the amount of sections, it is indeed a very delicious cake that I'd never made until now and that was a real delight. At least, this Luis Troyano version which has a Persian twist. 

As you might be guessing by now, the Battenberg Cake recipe I'm leaving you today is from Luis Troyano "Bake it Great" gorgeous cook book and I'm very pleased with the final result! 

In case you don't know, Luis Troyano was one of the 2014 Great British Bake Off finalists and I'm a Great British Bake Off addicted...

Saint Mark / São Marcos.

As you can read here, the theme for the 13th edition of the Sweet World is to create a Saint Mark Cake.

A Saint Mark is a layered dessert that features two layers of genoise sponge, one layer of a Chantilly cream mixture and a layer of an egg yolk creamy kind of curd.

There are different versions of this pudding, some of which include a layer of chocolate sauce or, versions like the one I followed that are finished with a layer of liquid caramel.

This cake is sold in all "old fashion" Patisseries in Portugal and I part of my childhood. So much, that I always thought it was a Portuguese cake.

It's made in big rectangular trays, cut into individual squares and sold wrapped in baking paper.

According to the research I did, the only accurate information I found was that it's a Spanish cake, from the Castile-Leon region.

Apparently this dessert was created in honour of the Monastery and Convent of Saint Mark. The date and name of its creator are unknown.

This was the first time I've made a Saint Mark and I followed this recipe.

Did I like it? YES!

Did I fall in love with it? NO!

The ones that ate it (family and friends), loved it so..., I suppose it's a matter of taste!

Hidden heart Chocolate Loaf / Bolo de Chocolate com coração escondido.

As I wrote last year, we don't celebrate Valentine's Day here at home but, all at the same, I like to leave suggestions for those who celebrate and that's why last year I made a cake very similar to the one I'm leaving you today. Nothing special, just a sweet treat to surprise your person on Valentine's Day.

Happy Valentine's Day to all of you and hope you enjoy the sweet hidden heart cake.

Danish Dream Cake.

According to Bronte Aurell, the author of the ScandiKitchen cook book, this cake is originally from Brovst, a village in Jutland.

In 1965, a young girl baked her grandmother's secret family recipe in a competition and won.

The cake became a favourite since then and it's baked in all Danish households.

The cake itself is light and fluffy and the delicious and moreish coconut topping is truly delicious, specially for the coconut lovers, which I am.

Prinsesstårta (Princess Cake).

As you can read here, the theme for this month's Sweet World is to create a Princess Cake.

A Princess Cake (Prinsesstårta) is a traditional Swedish layer cake consisting of alternating layers of sponge cake, pastry cream and a thick domed layer of whipped cream that is topped with marzipan, giving the cake a smooth rounded top.
The marzipan overlay is usually green, sprinkled with powdered sugar, and often decorated with a pink marzipan rose.
The original recipe first appeared in the 1948 Prinsessornas Kokbok cookbook, which was published by Jenny Åkerström, the teacher of the three daughters of Prince Carl, Duke of Västergötland.
The cake was originally called grön tårta (green cake), but was given the name Prinsesstårta or "Princess Cake" because the princesses were said to have been especially fond of the cake. The princesses were Princess Margaretha (1899–1977; later Princess of Denmark), Princess Märtha (1901–1954; later Crown Princess of Norway), and Princess Astrid (1905–1935; later Queen of the Belgians).
The cake is widely featured in Tom McNeal's book "Far Far Away".
This was the first time I made or tasted this cake and the only thing I can say is that this cake is to die for.
Everybody that tasted it was impressed and even some friends, that are not what we call "sweet tooth", couldn't resist it.
It's delicate, moist, delicious and very addictive and the marzipan layer adds that extra explosion of flavour.
Saying that, if, like me, you never tried a Prinsesstårta before, just try it because you'll be in love.
This recipe is a mix of recipes because after doing lots of research throughout my books and throughout the internet, I couldn't decide for one particular recipe and therefore, I decided to take what I liked from each one of them and make the cake that, according to everything I read, would be the closest as possible to the real version.
For the final decoration, you can do whatever you want.
I decorated mine with the marzipan rose, some marzipan leaves that I tinged with darker green food colouring, and white icing to create a "branch" effect, but you can use melted chocolate, only the rose or, whatever you think is appropriate.