Afternoon Tea: Lemon Curd Victoria Sponge, Banana Loaf, Carrot Cake,

Originally I set myself the rule of only trying new recipes I hadn't yet tried. When this didn't work out, I said to myself I was allowed new dishes and only my very favourite after that. That works very well indeed, except it doesn't. Because it includes EVERYTHING. I am convinced come December, they are going to have to roll me out of camps!

Isaac and Dixon's Lemon Curd Victoria Sponge

A unique twist of a British classic, I just love this one!

Ingredients

225g butter

225g castor sugar

225g cake flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 finely grated lemon zest

4 eggs

4 tblsp lemon juice

Lemon Curd

2 eggs

50g butter

175g castor sugar

2 lemons, zest and juice

Serves 10 people

Method

Beat the butter and sugar until creamy. The sugar must be dissolved. Then add lemon zest, sift in the flour, baking powder into the bowl, add the eggs to the cream mixture a little at time. Beating well after each addition to stop the mixture curdling. Add 1tblsp of flour for each egg using a metal spoon. Then gently fold in the remaining flour. Add as much lemon juice as you need to make a soft dropping consistency. Then place your mixture in a tin lined with baking paper and bake for twenty five minutes or until the cake is ready. The oven here is set at 180 degrees Celsius. 

Making the curd, lightly beat the eggs. And then mix all the ingredients together over a pot of boiling water. Keep stirring until it thickens. Do not allow the curd to boil. The curd needs to then be whisked to make sure it is smooth. Once it is ready, chill it. Before icing your cake, make sure the sponge has cooled. Slice the sponge and pour the lemon curd in the centre, take a knife and spread it liberally. Replace the top half of the sponge and dust icing sugar over the top. Dixon then slices lemon to decorate.

Isaac and Dixon's Banana Loaf

Ingredients

150g butter

2 cups of flour

3/4 cup of sugar

3 bananas mashed

Pinch of cinnamon

3 eggs

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

Syrupy Sauce

75g brown sugar

50g fresh cream

50g butter

Method

Whip together the butter and sugar until creamy. Then add the eggs. Next mash in the bananas. Finally the flour, baking powder and cinnamon. Line a loaf tin with baking paper and pour in the mixture. 180 degrees Celsius is the temperature we set our oven here at Bili but check your own oven guidelines for their recommended temperature for baking cakes. It will vary. As will the time, but we do it for approximately twenty five minutes, just keep an eye on it, and take it out when its ready! To finish heat the cream and brown sugar and butter until syrupy, and drizzle this over the banana loaf slices.

This was intended as an afternoon tea but the guests ran late so we offered it as a second option dessert, hence the snazzy presentation, and it went down a treat!

Joseph from Zunga's carrot cake

Ingredients

1 cup brown sugar 

1/2 cup margarine

1/2 cup oil

1tsp cinnamon

1tsp ginger 

1 and 1/2 tsp baking powder

2 cups flour

1 carrot grated 

1/2 cup mixed nuts chopped up

3 eggs

Cream cheese icing 

230g pot of cream cheese

100g icing sugar

Grated carrot on top 

Method

Melt the sugar, oil and margarine in a pot. Remove from the flame once melted and leave to cool. Add the eggs and flour once cool, and all the spices and baking powder, and finally the carrot and nuts and mix it until all mixed in. Put in the oven at 150 degrees Celsius for thirty five minutes. Mix together the cream cheese and icing sugar until smooth and ice the cake liberally.