Cakes

Creamy Raspberry and Oat Cake

A perfect party cake, this pink beauty will be a great table centrepiece. The addition of fresh raspberries keeps it light, and the crème fraiche  keeps it from being too rich. Embrace the pink!

Serves: 8 Prep time: 15 mins ( 4 hours for soaking oats) Bake time: 20 mins

Ingredients

100g Jordans Porridge Oats (You can use Traditional Chunky Quick & Creamy or Organic Porridge depending on what you fancy!)
150ml half fat crème fraiche
50g caster sugar
300g raspberries
150g butter, softened
150g caster sugar
3 eggs
½ tsp vanilla extract
50g ground almonds
150g self raising flour

Soak the oats in the crème fraiche and caster sugar for 4 hours, or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 180 c/ 170 c fan/ 375 F. Prepare 2 x 20cm loose bottomed cake tins.
Mash 200g of the raspberries, and divide between the cake tins.
Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, and stir in the eggs slowly, beating between each addition. Stir in the vanilla and the ground almonds. Fold in the flour.
Divide the mix between the prepared tins, and bake for 20 mins or until a skewer comes out clean.
When the cakes are cooked through, turn out of the tin and cool on a rack.
Spoon the crème fraiche and oats mixture over both halves. Divide the reserved raspberries over both halves, and put the cake together. Serve.

Sticky Pear Upside Down Cake

It doesn’t get much better than this. Sticky-soft pears and a spongy cake base filled with crème fraiche for a lovely lift.

Serves: 8 Prep time: 15 mins Bake time: 20 mins

Ingredients

100g Jordans Porridge Oats
3 pears, peeled and thinly sliced150g, plus 30g butter softened
3 eggs, beaten
150g self-raising flour
A pinch of salt
½ tsp vanilla extract
½ tsn ground cinnamon
300g half-fat crème fraiche

Preheat the oven to 180 C. Line 2 x 20cm loose bottom cake tins. Divide the 30g butter and the 30g sugar between the tins and melt in the oven for 5 minutes. Line the base with the pears, and sprinkle with the oats.
Blend the butter and sugar, add the eggs and mix well. Stir in the salt, vanilla and ground cinnamon. Fold in the flour.
Divide the mixture between the cake tins and bake for 20 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Turn out on a rack to cool.
To serve, spoon the half-fat crème fraiche over one cake, and top with the other.

Easter Simnel Cake

This lovely, light fruit cake is perfect for Easter. Use some pretty ribbon to decorate and you've got an instant centre piece for your Easter feast. And did you know that the eleven marzipan balls traditionally placed on top of Simnel cake are to represent the apostles...? True fact.

Serves: 11 Prep time: 45 mins Bake time: 90 mins

Ingredients

220g plain flour
Pinch of salt
¼ tsp baking powder
100g currants
100g glacé cherries, chopped
200g Jordans Nut and Seed Muesli
200g butter
Grated rind of 2 lemons
220g caster sugar
4 eggs, separated
500g golden marzipan
Beaten egg, to brush

Preheat the oven to 175 C/ 350 F/ Mk 4.
Line a 20cm deep cake tin.
Sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder.
Stir in the currants and glace cherries, and then stir in the Muesli.
Cream together the butter, orange rind and sugar, and beat in the egg yolks.
Whisk the egg whites until they are stiff, and fold in a spoon full of the flour mix.
Now mix in half of the flour mix, and then half of the butter mix. Repeat until the mixture is all incorporated.
Spoon half of the mixture into the base of the cake tin. Roll out a third of the marzipan into a 20cm disc, and lay over the cake mix. Spoon the remaining cake mixture over the top. Cover loosely with a disc of greaseproof or baking parchment paper.
Bake for an hour and a half, or until a skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool and then remove from the tin.
Set aside on a rack to cool. To finish, preheat the grill. Roll out another third of the marzipan into a neat 20cm disc and use to cover the cake. Roll the remaining marzipan into 11 balls, and place around the edge of the cake.
Brush with beaten egg and grill until golden.

Strawberry Country Crisp Mini Muffins

These charming little mini muffins are a little special. For an extra pink kick (and to be loved even more by little girls) bake in mini pink cake cases too.

Makes: 20 Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 15 mins

Ingredients

75g dried strawberries (easy to buy online)
2 eggs, beaten
100g butter
75g caster sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
100g self-raising flour
75g Jordans Strawberry Country Crisp
A few fresh strawberries, chopped, to decorate

Preheat the oven to 170 C/ 320 F/ Mk 5. Line a mini muffin tin with cake cases.
Cream together the eggs, butter and sugar.
Add the vanilla extract.
Fold in the flour, add the Jordans Country Crisp and freeze-dried strawberries.
Spoon into the mini muffin papers and top with a half or quarter of fresh strawberry.
Bake for 15 minutes, until golden.

Apricot & almond breakfast muffins

As tasty as they are wholesome, enjoy these breakfast muffins as a perfect early treat and they'll keep you going until lunchtime. Though if you have two, we won't tell anyone!

Makes 12 Prep time: 15 min Cook time: 30 mins

100g ground almonds
100g dried apricots, chopped
100g Jordans Superberry Muesli
2 eggs, beaten
100ml oil
75g caster sugar
100g self-raising flour

Preheat the oven to 180 C/ 350 F/ Mk 4.
Blend together the eggs and oil until well mixed. Add the sugar and fold in the flour, then stir in the almonds, apricots and the muesli.
Spoon the muffin mix into cases, or a prepared muffin tin.
Sprinkle a little muesli on to each muffin, and bake for 30 mins.
Serve warm or cool.

Friendly Fairy Cakes

Mich Turner from the fabulous couture cake company – the Little Venice Cake Company treats us to this recipe for perfect little friendly fairy cakes.

Makes: 12 large fairy cakes Prep time: 30 Bake time: 15 Decoration time: 15

Ingredients

For the cake:
200g softened unsalted butter
200g unrefined golden caster sugar
200g self-raising flour
3 eggs (beaten)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2tsp baking powder 

For the topping:
200g unrefined icing sugar
2tsp cocoa powder
Green food colouring  

The cakes:

Preheat the oven to 180c.
Use a 12 hole cupcake tin and pop a little paper case into each space.
Cream together the softened butter and sugar until smooth. Slowly add the beaten eggs and vanilla extract.
Sift the flour and baking powder together. Stir into the butter and sugar mixture until combined.
Spoon the cake batter into the cases until they are about two thirds full.
Bake for 12-15 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted.

The topping:

Blend the icing sugar with water a little at a time until it reaches a smooth but not too runny consistency.
Divide into 3 bowls.
Dissolve the cocoa powder in a little boiled water and add to one portion of icing.
Colour another portion green with green food colouring.
Use a teaspoon to gently flood the top of each cake with icing, spreading it out to the edge of the paper case using the back of the spoon in small circular movements.
Allow to set for 1 hour before serving.

The Muesli Lover's Muffin

Food blogger 'The Muesli Lover' sent us this delicious recipe for muesli muffins. Use fresh or frozen blueberries, or even frozen 'fruits of the forest' found in most supermarkets. The Muesli Lover tell us to "devour for breakfast with a dash of yoghurt and sliced banana or with a creamy latte on the go".

Makes around 10-12 muffins     Prep time: 15 mins    Cook time: 20 mins  

200g organic plain flour 
1 1/2 tsp baking powder 
1/2 tsp salt 
100g Jordans Organic Muesli
250ml organic plain yoghurt 
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 
1 organic egg, beaten 
120g organic light brown sugar  
100ml organic full fat milk 
90ml organic vegetable oil 
140g frozen organic blueberries 

Prepare muffin tins, by either lining with papers or greasing and flouring. Preheat oven to 200 C/ 180 C fan oven/ Mk 6.
In a large bowl sift together flour, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, stir together muesli, yoghurt and bicarbonate of soda. Let this stand for a minute then add beaten egg, sugar, milk and oil. Stir well.
Pour wet ingredients into dry, and stir until just combined, adding the frozen fruit at the last minute. Don't stir too much.
Spoon immediately into muffin tins and check after 20 minutes to see if cooked (should be risen and knife or skewer should come out clean). Cook for 10 minutes more if needed. Cool on a wire rack.

Country Crisp Easter Loaf

This yummy Easter treat it perfect for a chocolate fix. More of an afternoon sugar hit than a morning loaf, serve it in small slices with tea in old-fashioned chine cups for a little seasonal afternoon tea treat.

Serves 8-10 Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 50 mins

150g sunflower spread
100g unrefined caster sugar
1 egg, beaten
75ml milk
200g plain flour
1 tbsp cornflour
1 tspn baking powder
100g Jordan’s Country Crisp Chocolate
125g marzipan, diced

To finish:
50g dark chocolate (70%)
50g unrefined caster sugar
2 tbsp boiling water
50g Jordan’s Country Crisp Chocolate

Preheat the oven to 180 C/ 170 C fan oven/ Mk 5. Line a 2lb/ 900g loaf tin with baking parchment.
Beat together sunflower spread and sugar until light and creamy. Stir in egg and milk gradually, alternating with a spoonful of flour.
Fold in remaining flour, the cornflour and the baking powder. Fold in Jordans' Country Crisp Chocolate.
Spoon half of the mix into the prepared loaf tin. Add the marzipan, then the remaining cake mix. Bake for 50 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted.
Leave in the tin to cool slightly while you melt the chocolate for the topping. Melt the chocolate over a pan of simmering water, or in the microwave.
Stir the boiling water into the sugar, and then stir all into the chocolate. Set the cake on a rack, and spoon over the chocolate icing. Spoon over the Jordan’s Country Crisp Chocolate, and press into the chocolate icing.
Leave to cool completely before slicing.

Lemon Muesli Cake

Thanks goes to Jordans' fan Ilene for this tasty recipe. This is a hearty flourless cake, similar in texture to a polenta cake, but with a richer, nuttier flavour. The tangy lemon syrup adds a lovely freshness and the addition of Fruit & Nut muesli makes it even more special. Ilene suggests it's served with a dollop of lightly sweetened Greek yoghurt.

Serves: 8-10 Prep time: 35 mins Cook time: 45 mins

200g butter, softened 
200g golden caster sugar 
300g Jordans Nut & Seed Muesli 
3 eggs 
4 lemons 
1 tsp baking powder 
6 additional tablespoons golden caster sugar 
Greek yoghurt, lightly sweetened with honey (if desired)

Grease and line a 20cm loose-bottom cake tin. Preheat the oven to 170c/Gas mark 4.
Whizz the muesli in a food processor until it is finely ground. You want it to be the texture of ground almonds, so keep processing in short bursts until it reaches that consistency.
Put the butter and sugar into a large bowl and beat it until it is light and fluffy. Add in the eggs one by one, beating well after each addition.
Stir in the ground muesli and baking powder, then add the grated zest of one of the lemons and the juice of half a lemon. Mix well and pour the mixture into the prepared tin, then level the top.
Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 45-60 minutes. Check the cake after 45 minutes – it's ready when a skewer comes out clean.

The topping:

While the cake is baking, grate the rind from 2 lemons and extract the juice from the remaining 3 1/2 lemons. Place the lemon rind and juice in a small saucepan with the 6 tablespoons of sugar. Stir to combine and then heat over low heat until the sugar has dissolved.
When the cake is done, remove it from the oven and prick it all over with a skewer, then pour the lemon syrup over the hot cake. It seems like a lot of syrup, but it will all soak in
Leave the cake to cool in the tin, then remove it and wrap it in foil or put it in an airtight tin. You can serve it straight out of the tin, but it is also lovely warmed up.

Country Crisp Pear & Chocolate Crumble Cake

This is a lovely dessert; fruit, chocolate and a cakey texture too.

For the pears:
30g butter
30g golden granulated sugar
2 pears, peeled and thinly sliced

For the cake:
75g butter, softened
75g golden caster sugar
3 eggs, beaten
75g self raising flour
50g chocolate chips
150g Jordans Chocolate Country Crisp
1 tsp vanilla extract
Single cream, to serve

Serves: 6 – 8 Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 30 mins

Preheat the oven to 180 C fan/ 200 C/ Mk 6. Prepare a 23cm/ 9 inch tin.
Heat the butter in an open pan over medium heat, and add the pear slices. Cook for 2 minutes, then sprinkle over the sugar. Turn the slices, then cook for a further 2 minutes. Set aside while you mix the cake.
Cream together the butter and half of the sugar until creamy. Add the eggs in 3 batches, and stir until well combined. Fold in the flour, and then the chocolate chips. Spoon this in to the base of the prepared tin, and sprinkle over half of the Jordans Country Crisp. Arrange the pears decoratively on the surface, and sprinkle with the remaining Jordans Country Crisp.
Bake for 30 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the cake comes out clean. Serve warm with single cream.

Raspberry Yoghurt Muffins

This wonderful recipe for these light and tasty muffins has been leant to us by St Helen's Farm – the family firm behind some of the UK's best goats' milk products.

Makes 12 muffins Prep time: 20 Cook time: 20

200g plain flour
1/2 tsp salt1
1/2 tsp baking powder
75g Jordans Porridge Oats
1 x 125g tub St Helen’s Farm natural goats milk yogurt
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 egg, lightly beaten
125g light Muscovado sugar
120 ml St Helen’s Farm Goats’ Milk
75g St Helen’s Farm Goats Butter, melted and cooled
75g frozen or fresh raspberries

To Decorate:
50g icing sugar

Pre-heat oven to 200°C or Gas Mark 6. Put 12 muffin cases into a muffin tin.
Sift together the flour, salt and baking powder and set to one side.
Just before baking, mix together the porridge oats, yogurt and bicarbonate of soda. Stand for 1 minute, stir in the egg, sugar, goats’ milk and butter.
Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and stir lightly until just combined, add the raspberries and stir them through gently. The mixture will be quite lumpy, though there should be no dry flour visible.
Spoon the mixture into the muffin cases and bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until tops spring back when touched lightly. Cool on a wire rack.
Make the icing by blending the icing sugar with a little cold water. Drizzle over the muffins and allow to set.

Tropical Tea Loaf

A slab of this tempting tea loaf is the perfect accompaniment to a mug of tea (green tea would be even better). But just because it's called tea loaf, doesn't mean it has to be served with tea... coffee works too!

150g Jordans Crunchy Oats with Tropical Fruits
1 bag of green tea150ml boiling water
120g butter
100g golden caster sugar
50g unrefined dark muscovado sugar
2 eggs, beaten
200g self-raising flour

For the (optional) topping:
1 red eating apple, diced
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp caster sugar

Serves: 10/12 Prep time: 15 minutes (plus 15 minutes soaking) Cook time: 50 minutes

Preheat the oven to 180 C/ 160 C fan/ Mk 4. Prepare a 900g/ 2 lb loaf tin by lining with baking parchment paper.
Put the Jordans Crunchy Oats in a heatproof bowl. Pour the boiling water over the green tea bag, and leave to infuse for 5 minutes. Remove the tea bag and pour the tea over the Jordans Crunchy Oats. Set aside for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, if using the apple for the topping, take a little of the butter and a little of the sugar and melt together in a small pan with the apple. Cook for 1 minute until the apple has softened. Set aside.
Beat together the butter and both sugars. Stir in the eggs until well blended, then the flour. Lastly, fold in the soaked Jordans Crunchy Oats and spoon the mix into the prepared tin. If topping with the apple, spoon this over the loaf.
Bake the loaf for 50 minutes in the preheated oven, until a skewer comes out clean when inserted. Leave to cool in the tin before slicing

Dark Chocolate Country Crisp Muffins

These rich and yummy muffins are the perfect thing to satisfy a mid-afternoon chocolate craving. And because they're made with the 70% Belgian dark chocolate in our Dark Chocolate Country Crisp, they're a little sophisticated too.

120g unsalted butter
120g light brown soft sugar
2tbsp milk
75g self-raising flour
50g pecans, roughly chopped
50g sweetened dried cranberries
2 medium eggs, beaten
½ tsp vanilla extract (optional)
100g Jordans Dark Chocolate Country Crisp

Makes 6 Prep time: 25 mins Cook time: 25-30 mins

Preheat oven to Gas Mark 4/180C/160C fan. Line a muffin tin with 6 muffin cases.
In a small pan, melt butter and sugar over a medium heat until the sugar is no longer grainy. Add the milk and leave to cool for 15 mins before whisking in the eggs and if using the vanilla, add it now.
Mix together the flour, pecans and cranberries in a large bowl, then pour in the cooled butter mixture. Beat until smooth before folding through the Jordans Dark Chocolate Country Crisp.
Using two dessert spoons, fill the muffin cases about ¾ full with the batter. Bake for 25-30 mins until the muffins are springy to the touch. Remove from the oven. Leave to cool for 10 mins in the tin, before transferring to a wire rack.

Meringue Layer Cake

This cake is the perfect thing for when you want to impress. The chocolate and meringue give a rich sweetness tempered by the fresh and tropical flavours of the fruits. Wait for the wows!

3 large egg whites
150g unrefined caster sugar
200g Jordans Dark Chocolate Country Crisp
300ml whipping cream, or Greek yogurt
40g icing sugar, sifted
3-4 passion fruit, seeds pressed through a sieve to give 4tbsp juice
1 ripe papaya, peeled, deseeded and chopped
2 kiwis, peeled and chopped
100g raspberries

Serves 6-8 Prep time: 20 mins, plus cooling time Cook time: 1 hour

Preheat oven to 160C/Gas 3/140C fan. Line 2 x 9” loose bottomed cake tins with non-stick baking parchment.
Whisk egg whites, using an electric hand whisk until stiff peaks form. Gradually whisk in the caster sugar, a tablespoon at a time, until glossy and thick peaks are left, when the whisks are lifted out.
Scatter Jordans Dark Chocolate Country Crisp evenly over the base of the two tins, then divide the meringue mixture between the two, smoothing with a spoon. Bake for one hour until crisp. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tins.
Meanwhile whip the cream or yogurt and icing sugar together until thickened. Stir in half of the passion fruit juice. Chill until ready to assemble.
To serve, place one meringue layer on a serving plate, held on with a blob of cream underneath. Spoon over the flavoured cream. Add second meringue layer and spoon over the papaya, kiwi and raspberries. Drizzle with remaining passion fruit juice.

Apple & Muesli Crumble Cake

Maybe it's the blackberries, or maybe the apple, perhaps it's the wholegrain Jordans Superberry muesli that make this cake taste like fruity heaven.

Recipe serves 8 people Prep time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 1 hour 30 minutes

175g unsalted butter
150g, plus 1 tbsp golden caster sugar
3 eating apples, peeled, cored and cut into 8 wedges, you can try pears too
3 large eggs, beaten
220g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
150g crème fraiche (or mascarpone cheese)
150g blackberries or raspberries

For the muesli topping:
25g unsalted butter
175g Jordans Superberry Muesli

Heat the oven to 170C/fan 150C/gas 4. Butter and line a 20cm round tin with greasproof paper, grease again to prevent the cake sticking.
To make the topping, melt the butter, then mix in the muesli, stir until well mixed and set aside. In a large shallow pan heat 25g butter, add 1tbsp caster sugar and the apple wedges. Cook for about 10 minutes until the apples are soft and golden, set aside to cool.
Beat together the remaining butter and caster sugar until pale, soft and fluffy. Gradually mix in the eggs. Sieve together the flour and baking powder, add to the egg mixture and then carefully, using a large metal spoon fold in, take care not to 'knock' too much of the air out of the mixture. Add the crème fraiche (or mascarpone cheese) and mix until smooth.
Spoon around two thirds of the cake mixture into the tin, level and scatter then over one third of the muesli mixture and a quarter of the berries. Top with the remaining cake mixture and level again. Then scatter on another third of the muesli and arrange the apple wedges and remaining blackberries on top. Finally top with the remaining muesli mixture.
Bake for about 1 ½ hours. If the cake looks like it is browning too quickly then cover it loosely with a piece of greasproof paper which will prevent the top burning.
6. Cool the cake in the tin for 10 minutes and then transfer to a serving plate or just cut it up and eat it right away.

Muesli Muffins

The bananas and mixed spice give these muesli muffins a lovely mellow flavour that goes wonderfully with a big mug of tea.

Makes 12 muffins Prep time: 20 mins Cook time: 20-25 mins

150ml (5fl oz) water
125g soft brown sugar
150g Jordans Natural Muesli
225g self-raising wholemeal flour
½ - 1 teaspoon mixed spice
75g butter, melted
125ml semi skimmed milk
2 eggs
1 small banana, halved and then sliced

Preheat the oven to 200C/fan 180/gas 6 and place 12 large muffin cases in a muffin tin.
Place the water and 75g of the sugar in a saucepan and heat over a low flame until the sugar has dissolved.
Add the muesli and leave to soak for 15 minutes, meanwhile place the flour, mixed spice and remaining 50g sugar in a bowl.
Add the eggs to the measured milk and mix well. Add the soaked muesli and the butter, milk and eggs to the flour mixture and fold in gently, do not over mix, add the banana and fold again, again, do not over mix.
Spoon the mixture into the muffin cases. Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until risen and golden. Leave to cool for 10 minutes in the tin before transferring to a wire rack.

Peach Dessert Cake

Packed full of our friends' – Yeo Valley ingredients, this indulgent cake is perfectly balanced, moist and satisfying.

Serves : 8  Prep time: 20 mins  Cook time: 40 mins

For the peaches:
2 peaches, thinly sliced
20g Yeo Valley Organic Unsalted Butter
20g light brown soft sugar

For the cake:
75g Yeo Valley unsalted butter
75g light brown soft sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs, beaten
100g ground almonds
80g self raising flour
75g Jordans Crunchy Oats Raisin and Almond
450g Yeo Valley Organic Greek Yogurt with Honey
150ml peach juice
23cm springform cake tin

Preheat the oven to 180 C/ 350 F/ Mk 5. For the peaches, put the butter and sugar in the base of the cake tin and warm in the oven for 5 minutes. Mix together. Arrange the peach slices attractively on top of the butter and sugar.
For the cake, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the vanilla extract. Add the eggs and mix in well.
Fold in the almonds and then the flour. Spoon this cake mix on top of the peaches, and sprinkle over the Jordans Crunchy Oats.
Bake for 40 minutes until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
Leave to cool in the tin, before slicing into 8.
To serve, mix together

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