Spiced Walnut Puff Cakes with an Apple, Cinnamon & Pumpkin Filling

Spiced Walnut Puff Cakes with an Apple, Cinnamon & Pumpkin Filling

Photography By Ctrlaltdelete Design Solutions 2016 (all rights reserved)

Now I know what many of you may be thinking-Pumpkin in a cake; with Apple; together!?

Yes you read it right and I kid you not, it's delicious! Kinda like an apple sauce but more exciting and Moorish  A very light, moist and nutty sponge that is aromatic with an icing that gives a luxurious finish without being overpowering. So simple yet incredibly satisfying, perfect for any occasion! 

What will I need?

1 x Large mixing bowl

Measuring jug

Measuring scales

Whisk

Sift

Large Metal Spoon

Peeler

Dome Multiple Cake Tin OR Muffin Tin

Medium cooking pan

Food Processor

Silicone Spatula

Sift

Metal spoon

Small Bowl

Small Whisk/Fork

Ingredients

For the Cakes

250 ml almond OR soya milk

1tsp Fresh lemon juice

80ml Vegetable Oil (or any other plain cooking oil)

100g Unrefined sugar (caster, granulated OR Soft)

1 tsp Vanilla Extract (NOT Essence)

125g Wholemeal flour

125g plain unrefined white flour (or just regular plain flour)

2 tsp Baking powder

1 tsp Baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp mixed spice

1 tsp ground ginger

½ tsp Sea salt

Handful Walnuts roughly chopped.

For the Filling

2 x Large Eating Apples of your choice

150g Freshly cooked pumpkin

½ tsp. Mixed Spice

½ tsp. Cinnamon

1 tbsp. Agave Nectar OR Maple Syrup

Pinch of Himalayan Salt OR Sea Salt

For the Caramel & Lemon Drizzle Icing

150g Icing Sugar OR Egg & Dairy-free Icing Sugar (preferably golden)

2 tsp. Fresh Lemon Juice

¼ tsp Natural Caramel Flavouring

Method

Pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees C (16o Degrees if Fan Assisted)

 For the cakes

1. Pour the milk into the mixing jug, add the lemon juice and let curdle for 5 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the oil and sugar until well combined.
3. Sift All your dry ingredients together in another separate bowl.
4. Gradually add your lemon milk mixture and flour in alternated stages to your sugar and oil mixture until just combined.
5. With a large metal spoon, fold in your chopped Walnuts and carefully fold into the wet mixture with a large metal spoon.
6. Using a dessertspoon, carefully fill each of the cake moulds up to the top with the cake mixture. Let bake for approx. 35 mins OR until a sharp knife OR skewer comes out clean.
7. Leave the cake to cool completely on a wire rack.

 For the Filling

1. Place a splash of cold water into a medium size cooking pan, bring to the boil then down to a simmer, then place your chopped apple, cover and let cook until tender-about 10 minutes. Drain and cool under a little running cold water.
2. Place all the filling ingredients into a food processor and blitz until smooth.
3. With a spatula, Scrape the mixture into a sift and push with then back of metal spoon to remove any lumps.
4. Spoon the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a long nozzle.
5. Take one of the cakes and push the nozzle of the filled piping bag through the base and squeeze a little of the mixture into it. Repeat with all of the cakes.

NOTE: If the cakes are overfilled, cracks will form and cause a messy result, less is more!

For the Drizzle Icing

1. Place all the ingredients into a small bowl and mix with a small whisk OR fork to remove any lumpy.
2. Spoon into a piping bag OR bottle and simply create a zigzag pattern across the tops of the cakes, scatter with a few more chopped walnuts. Leave to set, then serve and enjoy!

Serving Suggestions

Simply with your favourite brew of course! These little sweet delights would also make the perfect addition to an afternoon tea.

If you're not a fan of icing, these are wonderful served warm with lashings of dairy-free custard (especially almond!), coconut nice-cream OR sweetened Soya Cream & a drizzle of maple OR Date Syrup.

Celebration Soy Loaf with Sage, Red Onion, Chestnut & Apple Stuffing

Celebration Soy Loaf with Sage, Red Onion, Chestnut & Apple Stuffing

Photography By Ctrlaltdelete Design Solutions (copyright 2016 all rights reserved) 

What with New Years Eve looming (my oh my that’s come around fast!), I thought ‘why not post up a recipe that is a little special, something comforting that still oozes Christmas and festivity!’. I actually made this scrumptious concoction for mine and my husbands Christmas Day main, along with many a festive delight (I was up until midnight cooking and baking before one finally rolled into bed!) it was an utter triumph to the point that every guest wanted a slice-there were 10 of us around the table so quite a gathering!

My Soya loaf is very versatile, have it served like a traditional roast with all the trimmings and lashings of veggie gravy, cold with salads, jacket spuds and pickles, sliced up in sandwiches OR even slice it up and make into a pie-the list is endless! This loaf also makes for a great weekday family meal if you fancy something a little different.

A super duper easy to make yet stunning centre piece for a family gathering for sure; Let’s get cracking!

What will I need?

1 x 1Ib Loaf Tin

1 x Large mixing bowl

Masher

Medium Pan

Frying Pan

Food processor (not essential but it’ll make your life easier!)

Sharp Knives

Measuring Scales

Measuring Spoons

Ingredients

For the Soya Loaf

12 Linda McCartney Sausages defrosted

1 tsp. Mixed Spice

1 tsp. Cinnamon

Zest of half an orange

Pinch of Himalayan Rock Salt OR Sea Salt

Freshly ground Black Pepper to taste

For the Stuffing

600ml Cold Water

1 x Medium Red Onion HALF roughly chopped

Small handful Fresh cranberries plus extra for decoration

1 x Small eating Apple of your choice

1.5 small wholemeal bread rolls

1tbsp. Dried OR Fresh Sage

38g Soya OR Sunflower Butter

3 x Fresh Chestnuts

Freshly ground Black Pepper to taste

Pinch of Himalayan Salt OR Sea Salt

Method

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees C (160 degrees C of fan assisted).

For the Soya Loaf

1. Line your loaf tin with baking parchment (NOT greaseproof) and set aside.
2. Place all the defrosted sausages in a large mixing bowl along with all the other ingredients and mash until everything is well combined, then set aside.

 For the Stuffing

1. Add the water to a medium size pan with the onions, bring to the boil then bring down to a simmer and let cook for 5 minutes until tender, then drain.
2. Tear the bread rolls, place in a food processor and blitz for a couple of seconds until you get a mixture of fine and course crumbs. Tip these into a large mixing bowl.
3. Roughly chop the chestnuts and blitz these also and add to the breadcrumbs along with all the other dry ingredients and cooked red onion. Set aside.
4. Melt the Soya/Sunflower Butter in a frying pan and pour half into the bread crumb mixture.
5. Add the fresh cranberries to the remaining buttered pan and cook until tender, squish a little with the back of a spoon to release some of the juices, then add this to the breadcrumb mixture.
6. Give your stuffing a good stir; I like to mash it a little to release yet more juics from the onions and Cranberries.

 Now for the fun bit, the assembly!

1. Slice the remainder of the red onion and place each piece down the centre of the loaf tin.
2. Arrange a single line of fresh cranberries down each side of the onion slices.
3. Carefully spoon half of the soya mixture over the top of the onion and cranberries, then spread with the back of a pallet knife OR spoon as evenly as you can. TIP! Take small dollops of the soya mixture and place randomly, this will make it easier to spread.
4. With you hands, place the stuffing mixture down the centre of the first layer of soya mixture in a sausage shape.
5. Carefully place the remaining soya mixture over the top of the stuffing layer. Spread evenly as before.
6. Place in the centre of the oven and let bake for about 45-50 mins OR until golden brown.
7. Leave to cool for 10 minutes before tuning out of the tin and removing the parchment paper.

 That’s it! I hope you enjoy making (and devouring) this wonderful savoury delight as much as myself and family did-a real crowd pleaser!

For serving suggestions please see intro.