Topping:
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons water
3 ripe, medium-size bananas
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Cake:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 large egg
1 large egg white
1 cup banana puree (2 medium bananas)
1/2 cup regular or low-fat sour cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Method

1. To make the topping, mix the brown sugar and water together in an 8-inch square metal cake pan or cast iron skillet. Heat the mixture until it begins to boil, reduce the heat and simmer 45 seconds, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
2. When cool, slice the bananas into 1/4-inch thick slices. Arrange them in rows over the melted sugar in the pan, overlapping them slightly. Sprinkle the slices with the lemon juice.
3. To make the cake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
4. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon into a large bowl. Stir in the granulated sugar.
5. In a separate bowl, mix together the butter, egg, egg white, banana puree, sour cream and vanilla extract.
6. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and stir in the wet ingredients until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips. Carefully spread the batter over the bananas and bake for 40 minutes.
7. Remove from oven and allow to cool for at least 20 minutes.
8. Loosen the edges of the cake from the pan and invert on a serving platter.

Use your favorite chocolate cake recipe, baked in a rectangular or square pan.

Cheese layer:
1/3 cup butter, melted
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
2 teaspoons lemon juice
100 ml heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup white sugar

Topping:
500 g (1 lb 2 oz) strawberries, stalks removed
115 g (4 oz) caster sugar
3 Tbsp arrowroot
100 g (4 oz) cherries, rinsed

Method

Cheese layer:

1. In a medium bowl, beat together the cream cheese and lemon juice until soft.
2. Add butter, whipping cream and beat with an electric mixer until batter becomes thick.
3. Add the sugar and continue to beat until stiff.

Topping:

1. Place the strawberries in a saucepan with 6 tablespoons of water. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes until very soft. Stir in the sugar. Cool slightly, and then push through a nylon sieve to remove the seeds. Measure the quantity and make up to 500 ml (18 fl oz) with water if necessary.
2. Put the arrowroot in a saucepan and blend with a little of the fruit purée to make a paste. Stir in the remaining purée and gently bring to the boil, stirring, until thickened. Cool for 10 minutes.

Assembly:

1. Put the cold cake in a square pan (tall sides), pour over the cheese cream.
2. Spoon the thickened purée to cover. Arrange the cherries and a few strawberries on top.
3. Chill for at least 2 hours

Vegetable oil spray for misting the pan
Flour for dusting the pan
1 package (18.25 ounces) plain butter recipe fudge cake mix
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Method

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F.
2. Lightly mist a 10-inch tube pan with vegetable oil spray, then dust with flour. Shake out the excess flour.
3. Set the pan aside.
4. Place the cake mix, cream cheese, water, oil, sugar, eggs, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl.
5. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute.
6. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
7. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping the sides down again if needed. The batter should look well combined.
8. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing it out with the rubber spatula.
9. Place the pan in the oven.
10. Bake the cake until it springs back when lightly pressed with your finger and just starts to pull away from the sides of the pan, 58 to 62 minutes.
11. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes.
12. Run a long, sharp knife around the edge of the cake and invert it onto one rack, then invert it onto a second rack so that the cake cools large side up for 20 minutes more.
13. Slide the cake onto a serving platter. Slice and serve.

2 cups boiling water
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
2 1/4 cups white sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Grease 3 – 9 inch round cake pans.
3. In medium bowl, pour boiling water over cocoa, and whisk until smooth. Let mixture cool.
4. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside.
5. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
6. Beat in eggs one at time, then stir in vanilla.
7. Add the flour mixture alternately with the cocoa mixture.
8. Spread batter evenly between the 3 prepared pans.
9. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Allow to cool.

1/2 cup butter
1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 cups of crushed graham crackers
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese
1 egg
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Method

For crust:

1. In medium saucepan melt chocloate chips and butter over low heat.
2. When all is melted, add crushed graham crackers.
3. Press the mixture into the bottom on a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.

For filling:

1. In a large bowl beat cream cheese until smooth.
2. Gradually beat in condensed milk, then vanilla and egg thoroughly.
3. Pour over the prepared crust.
4. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes until set.
5. Cool in fridge until cold (about 2 hours). Makes 24 one inch squares.

7 tortillas
1 jar of hazelnut chocolate spread
1 can of apricot filling
1 pot of custard
Whipped double cream

Method

1. Put the first tortilla onto a plate and cover with chocolate spread.
2. Follow with another tortilla and a layer of apricot filling.
3. Add another tortolla and a layer of custard.
4. Repeat the whole process once ending with a plain tortilla on top.
5. Cover the top with cream and chill.

Cake:
60 grams plain chocolate, chopped
15 grams unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-processed)
½ cup boiling water
160 grams all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
115 grams unsalted butter, room temperature
227grams granulated white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ cup milk

Mousse:
340 grams good-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Baker’s), chopped
1 1/2 cups chilled whipping cream
3 large egg whites
12 strawberry halves
Cocoa powder

Method

Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and line with parchment paper, a 23 x 5 cm loose bottomed baking pan. Set aside.
2. In a stainless steel or heatproof bowl place the chopped chocolate and cocoa powder. Pour the boiling water over the chocolate and cocoa powder and stir until they have melted. Set aside to cool while you make the batter.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk to combine, the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
4. In the bowl of your electric mixer, cream the butter. Gradually add the sugar and continue beating until the mixture is fluffy (this will take about 3-5 minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and melted chocolate mixture and beat to combine.
5. Add the milk and flour mixtures in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat only until the ingredients are incorporated.
6. Pour the batter in the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for about 35 – 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes.
7. When completely cooled, split the cake in half horizontally; place one half in the same baking pan after you have washed it and save the other half for another use. Arrange the strawberry halves in the small empty space between the pan and the cake.

Mousse:

1. Stir white chocolate and 3/4 cup cream in heavy medium saucepan over low heat just until white chocolate is melted. Cool completely.
2. Beat remaining 3/4 cup cream in another large bowl until peaks form. Using clean dry beaters beat egg whites in medium bowl until stiff but not dry. Gently fold whites, then whipped cream, into white chocolate mixture.
3. Spoon mousse over cake and chill 3-4 hours or overnight.
4. Decorate with sifted cocoa powder and one large strawberry.

Chocolate Sponge:
Eggs -3
Sugar – 75gms /powdered
Cornflour – 1 tbsp
Cocoa – 2 tbsp
Flour – 75 gms minus 3 tbsps
Baking powder – 1 tsp
Pinch of salt
Vanilla essence – 1 tsp

Strawberry Sponge:
Eggs – 3
Sugar – 75 gms
Cornflour – 1 tbsp
Flour – 75gms minus 1 tbsp
Baking powder – 1 tsp
Pinch of salt
Strawberry essence – 1 tsp

Filling :
Cream – 400ml (35% fat)
Strawberry essence -1 tsp (optional)
Powdered sugar – 2-3 tbsp (increase if strawberries are tart)
Strawberries – 200gms/ chopped; reserve 3-4 for decoration

Ganache:
Dark chocolate – 200gms
Cream – 200ml

Method

1. Line & grease a 8″ spring form tin.
2. Sift the cornflour + flour + cocoa + baking powder + salt 3 times. Keep aside.
3. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.
4. Beat the eggs & sugar well till it holds thick ribbons; about 10 minutes.
5. Beat in the vanilla essence.
6. Gently fold in the flour mix, a tbsp at a time, in figure 8 hand movements so that the beaten air doesn’t escape.
7. Turn into the prepared tin & bake for 25-30 minutes/ until done.
8. Remove from tin after 5 minutes, take off the lining & cool completely on rack.

Filling:

1. Whip cream, essence & sugar till it holds peaks.
2. Reserve 1-2 tbsp cream in a baggie for the spiral/ web on top.
3. Fold in the strawberries. Don’t make this too much in advance, since strawberries macerate with sugar, & might make the cream runny.

Ganache:

1. Put the chocolate & cream in a pan. Keep on low heat, stirring constantly, till the chocolate melts. Remove & stir vigorously with a spoon.
2. If you want to pipe decorations on top, pass about 1/4 cup through a sieve & reserve separately.
3. Set aside to cool. It will thicken as it cools & get a spreadable consistency.

Finishing off:

1. Cut each sponge into 2, so there are a total of 4 layers.
2. Sandwich them with the strawberry cream, using 1/3 each time.
3. Spread the ganache over the top & sides of cake. Use sprinkles on the sides if desired.
4. For the marbling, see pictures. Draw a spiral, with the cream in the baggie reserved from the filling, beginning from the centre outwards
5. Then drag a wooden pick from the centre outwards, at a 60 degree angle, to equal points on the edge.
6. Do the same in the opposite direction (ie outwards to the centre) between the earlier lines. This will create a webbed pattern.
7. Pipe a ganache edging if you like. Then finish off with sliced strawberries & flaked chocolate etc. Chill till required.

Cake:
1 3/4 c flour
2 c sugar
3/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 c strong black coffee
1 c buttermilk or sour milk by adding 1 tbls vinegar to 1 c milk
1/2 c vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla

Cherry topping:
1 22 oz can of cherry pie filling (approx. 2 1/2 cups)
2 tbls sugar
2 tbls cherry Kirscher liquor
whipped cream

Method

1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a bowl
2. Add ingredients 7 – 12 while stirring
3. Batter will be thin
4. Add batter to two greased round floured cake pans
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 – 30 minutes.
6. Let cakes cool.
7. To make the cherry filling, combine the pie filling, sugar, and liquor in a bowl.
8. When the cakes are cool, take them out of pans.
9. Cut the top off of one cake so it has a flat top to stack easier.
10. Put cherry filling and a ring of whipped cream between the cakes so that the stick together.
11. Put the cherry filling in the center of the top of the cake and ring with whipped cream.
12. Spread whipped cream on the sides of the cake.