Carrot Cheesecake

There are two very simple ways to put a smile on my face: feed me Carrot Cake or feed me Cheese Cake. And recently, I have discovered that you could "kill two birds with one stone" and feed me Carrot Cheesecake - two cakes combined into one. This recipe was easier than expected and the final result was AMAZING! The cakes set beautifully, the texture was perfect and the taste was indescribable.

This recipe is bound to get you major brownie points with your friends and family and I highly recommend you take the time to make this cake. Although it is a more expensive cake to make, it should definitely be on one's "baking bucket list". 

Ingredients 

Cheesecake 

2 Cups Cream Cheese
1/2 Cup Sugar
2 Eggs
1 tsp All-purpose Flour
1 tsp Vanilla Essence
1/2 cup Sour Cream

Carrot Cake

3/4 Cup Vegetable Oil
1/2 Cup Cream Cheese
- Preheat the oven to 180 C
2-in-1 

1 Cup Sugar
2 Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla Essence
1 1/4 Cup All-purpose Flour
1/2 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
3/4 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
1/4 tsp Salt
1 Cup Carrots (grated)
75 g Walnuts (chopped)

Cream Cheese Frosting 

2 tbsp Butter
1/2 cup Icing Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla Essence
1 tbsp Sour Cream

Directions (In order of preparation)

- Grease the baking tin ( I recommend a springform circular tin)

Cheesecake
- Beat together cream cheese, sugar, eggs and flour until smooth
- Add the vanilla and sour cream and beat until just combined

Carrot Cake 
- In a separate bowl, beat the oil and sugar until smooth
- Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until the mixture is smooth and light (roughly 2 minutes)
- In another bowl, sieve and mix the flour, bicarbonate of soda, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir manually until just combined
- Finally, fold in the carrots and walnuts

- Spread the carrot cake batter into the bottom of your tin
- Pour the Cheesecake mixture over the carrot cake mixture
- Bake the cake for 60-70 minutes (if the top starts to brown, cover with tinfoil at 45 minutes)
- The cheesecake should be slightly soft and jiggly when you remove it from the oven
- The edges of the cheesecake may crack due to the carrot cake rising but that's what the cream cheese frosting is for

Let the cakes cool before icing and once iced, refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Icing
- Combine the butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy
- Mix the icing sugar in slowly and beat on medium for 2-3 minutes
- Add the vanilla and sour cream until combined

ENJOY!!!

Pesto Pizza Wrap

There are not many people who would turn down PIZZA. Being the health conscious individual that I am, I had to get creative when it came to pizza, because as much as I love sinking my teeth into a delicious crispy slice or six, my body cannot afford to indulge as much as it wants to. My solution?

This simple pesto pizza wrap which has become a staple, convenient go-to meal for me. It really does fill the gap and satisfy my pizza cravings.

I am not saying I will never indulge in a full blown pizza from now on, but this is a great way to tuck in at home when one doesn't have the time to make an elaborate meal or when one wants to be calorie conscious:

Instructions:

1. Place the wrap on a baking tray and preheat the oven to 180 degrees

2. Spread the pesto on the base of the wrap and sprinkle feta and chopped nuts on top

3. Bake for roughly 10 minutes (until crispy)

4. Take out the oven and add the avo and rocket

5. Serve immediately and season to taste

As Easy as Pie

"As Easy as Pie"

I never quite understood this saying until recently when I attempted my first lemon meringue pie. It really was one of the simplest treats I have ever baked. This effortless tart requires minimal ingredients and is just simply delicious!

This recipe just has to be shared:

Ingredients:

• 1 Packet Tennis Biscuits (crushed)
• 2-3 Tbsp Margarine (melted)
• 1 Tin Condensed Milk
• 1/2 Cup of Lemon Juice
• 1/2 Cup of Castor Sugar
• 3 Eggs

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180 C
• Crush the biscuits and melt the margarine
• Mix the tennis biscuits and margarine together and press down into a greased pie plate
• Place it into the oven for a few minutes to toast the base
• Mix the condensed milk, lemon juice and egg yolks together
• Pour the mixture into the pie shell
• Stiffly whick the egg whites and gradually add the castor sugar slowly as you are whisking the egg whites
• Spread the meringue mixture over the condensed milk filling and form into peaks
• Bake at 180 C until nice and golden brown (20-30 minutes)

It's as simple as that! The perfect tea time treat!

 

Happy Baking!  

 

The Carrot Cake of all Carrot Cakes

There's nothing quiet like a MOIST Carrot Cake (yes - I know that word sends shivers down one's spine, but there is just no other apt adjective). Now Carrot Cake has to be my "go-to" cake and after trying many different recipes and alternative icings, I have finally found a combination that is THE BEST and it is so easy to make!

After combining a few recipes, I present to you THEE most delicious Carrot & Nut Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe:

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups Sunflower oil
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 tin crushed pineapple (440g)
2 cups grated carrots
3 cups flour
1 cup chopped nuts (pecan or walnuts) - I add more but it's your choice :)
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp vanilla essence
½ tsp salt
Handful of coconut 

Instructions:

- Mix all the ingredients well together
- Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour at 180 degrees

Now how simple is that?? While the cake is baking you can prepare the icing, which does not take you long either!

Icing:

1 Cup Cream Cheese
4 tbsp. Butter
1 Cup Icing Sugar
2 tsp Vanilla Essence
2 tbsp. Sour Cream

Instructions:

- Combine the butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy
- Mix the icing sugar in slowly and beat on medium for 2-3 minutes
- Add the vanilla and sour cream until combined

Once the cake is cool, ice it and decorate with some nuts (optional).

Then for the final step:

EAT & ENJOY!!!!

Happy baking fellow foodies :)

Decadent Chocolate Pudding Cake

Cake Ingredients

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

125g margarine

1/2 cup oil

2 tbs cocoa

1 cup water

2 beaten eggs

1 tsp bicarb

1 tsp vanilla essence

1/2 cup buttermilk

Icing Ingredients

2 tbs cocoa

2 tbs buttermilk

4 tbs margarine

2 cups icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla

250ml Cream and flake (optional)

Cake Preparation

- Preheat the oven to 180

- Mix 2 cups flour and 2 cups sugar

- Boil margarine, oil, cocoa and water

- Add the boiled mixture to flour and sugar mixture

- Mix in the eggs, bicarb, vanilla and buttermilk

- Pour into a greased oven dish and bake for 20 mins

Icing Preparation

- Boil the cocoa, buttermilk and margarine

- Remove from heat and add icing sugar and vanilla

- Beat until smooth

- Ice the cake while hot

Pour over cream and crumbled flake when warm and serve :)

Bacon-wrapped Mushrooms

Even mushroom haters will be eating this dish! Serves 4.

Ingredients

1/2 cup sundried tomatoes in oil, drained

1/4 cup coarsely grated parmesan cheese

1 clove garlic, chopped

16 button mushrooms

8 slices bacon

Preparation

- Blend the tomatoes, parmesan and garlic until pureed

- Carefully remove and discard stems from the mushrooms

- Gently fill the mushrooms with tomato mixture

- Halve the bacon slices lengthways

- Wrap 1 bacon strip around each mushroom

- Cook under a heated grill, turning once, until the bacon is crisp and mushrooms are browned all over.

Homemade Hummus

Source: www.cookingclassy.com/2014/03/hummus/

Ingredients:

1/4 cup tahini

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 tbsp olive oil

1 crushed garlic clove
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 can of chickpeas
2-3 tbsp of chickpea liquid

Paprika (for serving) - optional

Preparation:

1. Blend the Tahini and Lemon Juice together in a food processor for 1 minute 30 seconds (stopping every 30 seconds to scrape down the sides and bottom of processor)

2. Add olive oil, garlic, salt and cumin and pulse mixture for 1 minute (scraping down the sides after 30seconds)

3. Drain the chickpeas over a bowl to retain the liquid

4. Add 1/2the tin of chickpeas to the processed and blend for 1 minute

5. Scrape the sides again and then add the rest of the chickpeas and process for 2 minutes

6. Then add 2-3 tbsp of chickpea liquid (depends on desired consistency)

7. Plate the hummus and sprinkle with paprika if desired

Grilled Balsamic-Garlic Crusted Pork Tenderloin

This recipe was a hit with the whole family and uses only a few ingredients, making it a simple winner of a dish!

Ingredients:

4-5 crushed garlic cloves

2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

2.5 tsp. coarse salt

0.5 tsp. freshly ground pepper

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 pork tenderloins (we used a pork fillet)

2 tbsp. canola oil

Preparation:

1. Stir together garlic, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and olive oil in a small bowl.

2. Rub the paste over the pork and marinade over night or for a few hours if possible. (We marinated for 3 hours).

3. Preheat the oven to 200 C

4. Heat the canola oil in a large heavy pan over medium-high heat. Working in batches if necessary, add pork and brown all over for 4 minutes

5. Transfer the pork to the oven and roast for 20 minutes (turning occasionally)

6. Transfer the pork to a cutting board and try let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

This recipe is compliments of pinterest and credit goes to Kitchen Confidante

Beat 'n Babe Cupcakes

Nearly everyone has a family recipe that passes through the generations. I am lucky enough to have my Gran's cupcake recipe which is practically "unfloppable".

Her Vanilla Cupcakes with Chocolate Butter Frosting are so delicious and so easy that I had to share:

Ingredients:

125g Margarine

170g Castor Sugar

200g Flour

Pinch of Salt

5 ml Vanilla Essence

12,5ml Baking Powder

125ml Milk

3 Eggs

Preparation:

1. Place all the ingredients in a mixing bowl

2. Beat at low speed for 1 minute

3. Spoon into a muffin tin and bake at 190 C for 15 minutes