Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

    2 cups white sugar

    1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

    3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

    1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

    1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

    1 teaspoon salt

    2 eggs

    1 cup milk

    1/2 cup vegetable oil

    2 teaspoons vanilla extract

    1 cup boiling water

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two nine inch round pans.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla, mix for 2 minutes on medium speed of mixer. Stir in the boiling water last. Batter will be thin. Pour evenly into the prepared pans.
3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until the cake tests done with a toothpick. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Best-Ever Banana Cake

Sweet, ripe bananas are the key to making a great banana cake. If you'd like me to show you how to cook the perfect banana cake check out my blog The Ultimate Banana Cake.

Prep time :15 mins

Cook time:1 hour (less for smaller cakes)

Makes:1 large cake, 4 small cakes or 12 muffin-sized cakes

• 250g butter, at room temperature
• 1½ cups sugar
  
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 very ripe bananas, peeled and mashed (about 2 cups)
• 2 tsp baking soda
• ½ cup hot milk
• 3 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder

Lemon Icing:

• 50g butter, at room temperature
• 3 cups icing sugar
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• ½ tbsp hot water 

Preheat oven to 170°C fanbake. Line a medium (23cm-diameter) cake tin with baking paper or prepare four 10cm-diameter tins (recycled 425g tuna cans are perfect – just make sure they don't have a plastic coating inside) or 12 muffin tins.
Beat butter and sugar until creamy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then vanilla and bananas.
Dissolve baking soda in hot milk, add to mixture and stir to combine.
Sift in flour and baking powder and fold gently into mixture using a big spoon and a large scooping action to keep the mixture light. Do not over mix.
Spoon mixture into prepared tin(s) and smooth top(s). Bake until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean and the top is springy to the touch. One large cake will take 50-60 minutes, allow 45-55 minutes for medium cakes and about 20 minutes for muffin-sized cakes. Allow to cool in tin(s) and then turn out. Ice when cool. Store in a sealed container in a cool place for 2-3 days or freeze.
To make the Lemon Icing, beat together butter, icing sugar, lemon juice and hot water until creamy. Spread over cake.

Cranberry Swirl Coffee Cake

• Ingredients

    1/2 cup butter

    1 cup white sugar

    2 eggs

 Eggs Large White

    1 teaspoon almond extract

    2 cups all-purpose flour

    1 teaspoon baking powder

    1 teaspoon baking soda

    1/2 teaspoon salt

    1 cup sour cream

    1 (8 ounce) can whole cranberry sauce

•  Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour one 9 or 10 inch tube pan.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the almond extract. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture alternately with the sour cream.
3. Pour 1/3 of the batter into the prepared tube pan. Swirl 1/2 of the cranberry sauce into the batter. Repeat, ending with the batter on top.
4. Bake 55 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown.