Sweet Treats from Lily Vanilli
Lily Vanilli's Banana Pecan Muffin Cakes
Delight in a series of sweet, soft and moist muffin cakes for a luscious treat that's perfect for those with a sweet tooth.
Makes 15 portions
Ingredients
270g plain flour
½ tsp. grated fresh nutmeg
½ tsp. cinnamon powder
⅔ tsp. baking powder
Pinch of Salt
200g Lurpak® Baking
220g caster sugar
2 large eggs
70g pecans, roughly chopped, plus extra to top
330ml pureed very overripe banana (pulped by hand or use a blender to puree)
To top
15 whole pecans
Seasonal edible flowers (optional, to decorate)
Banana chips (optional, to decorate)
Desiccated coconut (optional, to decorate)
Cream cheese frosting
125g Unsalted Lurpak® Baking Butter
200g firm full-fat cream cheese, drained of any liquid
250g icing sugar, sifted
1 tsp. Vanilla extract
Equipment
Use cupcake pan or cake tins for individual mini cakes, greased with Lurpak® Baking
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180°C and grease tins generously with Lurpak® Baking Butter
- Sift together the flours, spices, baking powder and salt
- Beat the Lurpak® Baking Butter and sugar together in a mixer until light and fluffy, starting on a low speed, gradually increasing to high. Add the eggs and continue to beat on medium speed for 2 minutes
- Slowly add the dry ingredients until it forms a thick, smooth batter, fold in the pecans, banana pulp, and divide mixture between tins to fill
- Scatter the top of each cake with pecans, and bake on the middle shelf for 15 - 20 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted in the cake's centre. Leave in the tins for 10 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack to cool
- Pipe a dollop of the frosting on top of the cake (optional), then top the cooled cake with some edible flowers, coconut pecans or banana chips
For the Frosting
- Beat the Lurpak® Baking Butter for 4-5 minutes, then add the cream cheese and beat for another 2 minutes. Add the icing sugar and vanilla and beat for another 2 minutes, until smooth and evenly incorporated. You can add a further 50-100g of icing sugar for a firmer frosting if desired
Chef tip: the added rapeseed oil in Lurpak Baking means this cake will stay moister for longer. This is proven. Oil has more lasting moistening effect than just butter alone.
Lily Vanilli's Chocolate Loaf Cake
Create an inspired chocolate loaf that's sure to please friends and family. Add some dark chocolate for that extra bit of decadence. It's lovely served with fresh cream, pecans and berries.
Serves: 8–10
Ingredients
175g unsalted Lurpak® Baking
410g caster sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
315g plain flour, sifted
70g cocoa powder, sifted
80g ground almonds
1 tsp. salt
3/4 tbsp. bicarbonate of soda
285ml soured cream
185ml strong brewed coffee, cooled
Handful raspberries
Shavings of dark chocolate
Dusting of icing sugar
1 x 9" loaf tin, greased and lined
Tip: if you can't get any soured cream you can substitute it for full-fat natural yoghurt
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180˚C fan assisted/gas mark 6
- Cream together the Lurpak® Baking Butter and sugar until very light and fluffy – approximately 4 minutes. Then add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat on a slow speed, gradually increasing until just evenly incorporated
- Mix together all the dry ingredients in a bowl. Add half to the batter, followed by the soured cream and the remaining dry ingredients (keeping beating to a minimum). Once you have a smooth, even batter gradually add the coffee. The mixture will be very wet, so beat slowly to incorporate
- Pour the mixture evenly into the prepared tin and level out to the edges. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a cocktail stick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tins for 20 minutes before turning out on to a wire rack to cool completely
- Scatter raspberries on top, with chocolate shavings and a dusting of icing sugar
Chef tip: Use Lurpak Baking straight from the fridge in the first step of this recipe - it stores at the perfect consistency for creaming with sugar.
Lily Vanilli's Gluten-Free Carrot and Root Vegetable Cake
This no fuss recipe is packed full of vegetables for a filling, and nutritious treat.
Ingredients
400g peeled and trimmed, grated mixed carrots, beetroot & parsnip
1 beetroot, thinly sliced & dehydrated in a low oven (100C for 40-60 minutes, or until completely dry)
90g sultanas
6 eggs
150ml olive oil
300g caster sugar
300g Lurpak® Baking Butter
500g ground hazelnuts (or almonds) – make your own with blanched hazelnuts, ground for 30 seconds in a food processor
Grated fresh nutmeg & cinnamon to taste
2 tbsp. dessicated coconut
60g sunflower and pumpkin seeds, plus extra for dusting
Equipment
2x23cm round cake tins, greased with olive oil or a loaf tin (if using a loaf tin fill the batter almost to the top)
Cream cheese frosting
Makes 650g
125g Unsalted Lurpak® Baking
200g firm full-fat cream cheese, drained of any liquid
250g icing sugar, sifted
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180˚C fan assisted/gas mark 6
- Beat Lurpak® Baking Butter and sugar until light and airy – approximately 5 minutes. Beat in eggs on a low speed to combine and slowly add the olive oil in a steady stream, beating just enough to incorporate completely. Fold in the ground hazelnuts, spices and coconut. Finally fold in the vegetables, sultanas and the seeds
- Divide the mixture evenly between the two pans, or fill the loaf tin and sprinkle the top with more seeds if you like. Bake for 30–40 minutes, or until the top has risen and a cocktail stick inserted into the centre comes out crumby, but clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tins for 10 minutes before turning out on to a wire rack to cool completely
- When cool, you can spread with cream cheese frosting or top with toasted seeds, fresh fruit and beetroot crisps
- To make the cream cheese frosting, beat the Lurpak® Baking Butter for 4–5 minutes, then add the cream cheese and beat for another 2 minutes. Add the icing sugar and vanilla and beat for another 2 minutes, until smooth and evenly incorporated. You can add a further 50–100g of icing sugar for a firmer frosting if desired
Chef tip: You can store this cake for up to a week in the fridge. The Lurpak Baking in the cake helps keep it really moist. It is the perfect consistency for creaming with sugar straight from the fridge moist and adds a light even crumb and golden finish on your bakes.
Lily Vanilli's Citrus and Courgette Friends
This is a great way of using up leftover courgette with a zesty twist. It's a luscious and light bake that's sure to become a family favourite.
Makes: 12
Ingredients
120g plain flour, sifted
200g icing sugar, sifted
Good pinch of sea salt
180g ground almonds
6 egg whites
200g Lurpak® Baking Butter
2 tsp. zest of any combination of unwaxed lemon / lime / orange
Reserve thin slices of citrus fruit to decorate
40g grated courgette, use kitchen paper to soak up excess water
(optional – save peelings from skin of courgette to decorate)
Equipment
One 12-hole cupcake or muffin tray, greased
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180°C fan assisted/gas mark 6
- Melt Lurpak® Baking Butter with citrus zest and allow to cool completely
- Whisk together the flour, salt and icing sugar in a bowl, then whisk in the ground almonds. Whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold the whites into the dry ingredients, lightly stir in the melted butter and finally add the courgette. It should come together into a batter
- Spoon evenly into your prepared cupcake or muffin tray, top each one with a slice of fruit and some courgette peelings (optional) and bake for 15–20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean
- Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring on to a wire rack to cool completely
Chef tip: Add extra flavour by infusing melted Lurpak Baking overnight with citrus zest and store in the fridge - you can use it straight from the fridge the next day without having to re-melt it. Leaving it overnight gives the flavours more time to infuse, resulting in a stronger taste.