Hummingbird Bakery Mother’s and Father’s Day Treats: An Extract from Cake Days

3. Place the butter in a separate large bowl, along with the flour, oats and orange zest. Rub all the ingredients together by hand into a crumb-like consistency, then stir in the dark and light brown sugar.

4. Drain the orange juice from the dried fruit and stir the fruit into the oat mixture. Tip the mixture into the prepared baking tray, pressing it down into the base and corners of the tin. Bake for 25–30 minutes or until deep golden-brown in colour, then remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tray before cutting into slices.

VARIATION To make these crunchies extra-special, try drizzling about 30g (1oz) melted white chocolate over the top of the cooked mixture and allow to set before cutting into slices.

CHOCOLATE GUINNESS CAKE

Rich, dark and chocolaty, the Guinness gives this sponge extra depth and keeps it moist. We’ve matched this cake with tangy cream cheese frosting, which goes just perfectly.

Serves 12–14

FOR THE SPONGE

250ml (9fl oz) Guinness

250g (9oz) unsalted butter

80g (3oz) cocoa powder

400g (14oz) caster sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla essence

140ml (5fl oz) buttermilk

280g (10oz) plain flour

2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

½ tsp baking powder

FOR THE FROSTING

50g (1¾oz) unsalted butter, softened

300g (10½oz) icing sugar

125g (4½oz) full-fat cream cheese (such as Philadelphia)

Cocoa powder, for dusting (optional)

One 23cm (9in) diameter

spring-form cake tin

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F), Gas mark 3, then line the base of the tin with baking parchment.

2. Pour the Guinness into a saucepan, add the butter and gently heat until it has melted. Remove the pan from the heat and stir the cocoa powder and sugar into the warm liquid. Mix together the eggs, vanilla essence and buttermilk by hand in a jug or bowl, and then add this to the mixture in the pan.

3. Sift together the remaining sponge ingredients into a large bowl or into the bowl of a freestanding electric mixer. Using the mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand-held electric whisk, set on a low speed, pour in the contents of the pan. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and continue to mix thoroughly until all the ingredients are incorporated.

4. Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and bake for approximately 45 minutes or until the sponge bounces back when lightly pressed and a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Set aside to cool, and then remove from the tin on to a wire rack, making sure the cake is cold to the touch before you frost it.

5. Using the electric whisk or the freestanding mixer with paddle attachment, mix the butter and icing sugar together until there are no large lumps of butter and it is fully combined with the sugar in a sandy mixture. Add the cream cheese and mix in a low speed, then increase the speed to medium and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy.

6. Place the cooled cake on to a plate or cake card and top generously with the cream cheese frosting. The cake can be decorated with a light dusting of cocoa powder.

BOSTON CREAM CUPCAKES

A variation on the famous Boston cream pie, we couldn’t stop eating these cupcakes during our research! Essentially a moist vanilla sponge filled with custard and topped with a rich chocolate frosting.

Makes 12–16 cupcakes

FOR THE SPONGE

80g (3oz) unsalted butter, softened

280g (10oz) caster sugar

240g (8½oz) plain flour

1 tbsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

240ml (8½fl oz) whole milk

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla essence

FOR THE FILLING

250ml (9fl oz) whole milk

½ tsp vanilla essence

2 large egg yolks

50g (1¾oz) caster sugar

1 tbsp plain flour

1 tbsp cornflour

FOR THE FROSTING