Hummingbird Bakery Traditional Brownie

Continuing on my search for the perfect brownie, I decided to try the traditional brownie from the hummingbird bakery. It was nice, moist and chocolatey with a lovely flaky, crunchy top that I like. Its a bit more cakey and less gooey than Nigella's brownies. Which sort of brownie do you prefer? 

 melt chocolate and butter 

 add sugar 

 add flour

 add eggs 

 ready to go in the oven 

 i love the flaky top 

 sprinkle with icing sugar 

200g dark chocolate, roughly chopped
175g unsalted butter
325g caster sugar
130g plain flour
3 eggs
icing sugar to decorate

• Preheat the oven to 170C.
• Put the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (do not let the base of the bowl touch the water).
• Leave until melted and smooth.
• Remove from the heat.
• Add the sugar and stir until well incorporated.
• Add the flour and stir until well incorporated.
• Finally stir in the eggs and mix until thick and smooth.
• Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking tray and bake in the preheated oven for about 30-35 minutes, or until flaky on the top but still soft in the centre.
• Be careful not to overcook otherwise the edges will become hard and crunchy.
• Leave to cool completely before dusting with icing sugar, to decorate.

Carrot Cupcakes

I used the same Hummingbird Bakery recipe to make these carrot cupcakes as well as the 3 layer carrot cake. Just thought they deserved a post of their own :) Click here for the recipe.

 delicious cupcakes 

 cream cheese frosting 

 sprinkle with chopped pecans 

 voila! 

Carrot Cake

I made this lovely carrot cake as a birthday cake for a colleague at work.  I used the recipe from the Hummingbird Bakery cookbook and it turned out really well. I modified the recipe slightly as I didn't have any walnuts to hand but lots of pecans. Everyone was suitably impressed and I think it's probably better than the other carrot cake I made earlier in the year but it's a very close call. I do love a good carrot cake - if you have a better recipe, do let me know!  

adding pecan nuts 

 lots and lots of grated carrots! 

ready to frost 

 layers of frosting between each cake

 3 layer carrot cake which was slightly wonky! 

 topped with whole and chopped pecans 

 with candles :) 

Recipe adapted from the Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook
Carrot cake
300g light brown sugar
3 eggs
300ml sunflower oil
300g plain flour
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon mixed spice (or ground ginger)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
300g carrots, grated
100g shelled pecan nuts (or walnuts)

3 x 20cm cake tins

• Preheat the oven to 170C.
• Put the sugar, eggs and oil in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment and beat until all the ingredients are well incorporated. 
• Slowly add the flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, cinnamon, mixed spice, salt and vanilla extract and continue to beat until well mixed. 
• Stir in the grated carrots and pecan nuts but hand until they are all evenly dispersed. 
• Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tins and smooth over with a palette knife. 
• Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and the sponge bounces back when touched.
• Leave the cakes to cool slightly in the tins before turning out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely. 
• When the cakes are cold, put one on a cake stand and spread about 1/4 of the cream cheese frosting over it with a palette knife. 
• Place a second cake on top and spread another quarter of the frosting over it. 
• Top with the last cake and spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides. 
• Finish with pecans. 

Cream cheese frosting (you need 2 quantities for this recipe) 

300g icing sugar, sifted

50g unsalted butter, at room temperature

125g cream cheese, cold

• Beat the icing sugar and butter together in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment onmedium-slow speed until the mixture comes together and is well mixed.
• Add the cream cheese in one go and beat until it is completely incorporated. 
• Turn the mixer up to medium-high speed.
• Continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy, at least 5 minutes.
• Do not overbeat, as it can quickly become runny. 

Chocolate and Hazelnut Cupcakes

I got an invitation to take part in this month's 'We Should Cocoa' challenge. The idea is to bake something with chocolate each month which must include a special ingredient chosen by the host. This month's host Choclette has chosen hazelnuts which immediately made me think of Nutella. I decided to use a recipe from the Hummingbird Bakery cookbook and am really pleased with how it's turned out. The cake is moist and chocolatey and the filling of Nutella is divine. The frosting is really light and fluffy with the right hint of nutella goodness in it.

mix the ingredients 

until you get a sandy consistency 

make a well in the centre of each cake 

and fill with nutella spread 

pre frosting 

light ad fluffy frosting

adding nutella to the mix 

delicious frosting 

Makes 9 cupcakes of the size shown
Hazelnut and Chocolate Cupcakes
100g plain flour
20g cocoa powder
140g caster sugar
1.5 teaspoons baking powder
a pinch of salt
40g butter, at room temperature
120ml whole milk
1 egg
120g Nutella
whole hazelnuts to decorate

• Preheat oven to 170C.
• Put the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment and beat on slow speed until you get a sandy consistency and everything is combined. 
• Slowly pour the milk into the flour mixture, beating well until all the ingredients are well mixed. 
• Add the egg and beat well.
• Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until 2/3 full and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until the sponge bounces back when touched. 
• Leave the cupcakes to cool slightly in the tray before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely. 
• When the cupcakes are cold, hollow out a small section in the centre of each one and fill with a dollop of Nutella. 

Hazelnut and Chocolate frosting
250g icing sugar, sifted
80g butter, at room temperature
25ml whole milk
80g Nutella

• Beat the icing sugar and butter together in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment on medium-slow speed until the mixture comes together and is well mixed. 
• Turn the mixer down to a slower speed.
• Slowly pour in the milk, then when it is all incorporated, turn the mixer to a high speed. 
• Continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy, at least 5 minutes. The longer the frosting is beaten, the fluffier and lighter it becomes. 
• Stir in the Nutella spread by hand until evenly mixed into the frosting. 
• When the cupcakes are cold, spoon the frosting on top and decorate with whole hazelnuts on top. 

Raspberry Cheesecake Brownie

This recipe is from one of my favourite books - The hummingbird bakery cookbook. I had lots of fresh raspberries and thought what better to try than this delicious recipe. The description in the book says "This triple-layer dessert looks irresistible when sliced: a slim layer of brownie topped with cheesecake and covered with raspberry-flavoured whipped cream. The three elements combine beautifully" I really can't describe it any better. This is truly a delicious and decadent dessert. 

brownie base 

adding cheesecake layer

straight from the oven 

making the cream topping 

top with fresh raspberries 

yummy! 

Brownie

200g dark chocolate, roughly chopped

200g unsalted butter

250g icing sugar

3 eggs

110g plain flour

Cheesecake

400g cream cheese

150g icing sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

Cream topping

300ml whipping cream

100g icing sugar

150g raspberries, plus extra to decorate

a 33x23x5cm baking tray

Preheat the oven to 170C

For the brownie: 

• Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water.
• Leave until melted and smooth. 
• Put the butter and sugar in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment and beat until all the ingredients are well incorporated. 
• Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well and scrapingany unmixed ingredients from the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula after each addition. 
• Gradually beat in the flour, mixing well after each addition, then turn the mixer up to high speed and beat in the melted chocolate and mix thoroughly. 
• Pour into the prepared baking tray and smooth over with a palette knife. 

For the cheesecake: 

• Put the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla extract in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment and beat on slow speed until smooth and thick. 
• Add one egg at a time, while still mixing. 
• The mixture should be very smooth and creamy. 
• The mixer can be turned up to a higher speed at the end to make the mix a little fluffier and lighter, but be careful not to overmix, otherwise the cheese will split. 
• Spoon on top of the brownie and smooth over with a palette knife. 
• Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, or until the cheesecake is firm to the touch and light golden around the edges. 
• The centre should still be pale.
• Leave to cool completely, then cover and refrigerate for 2 hours, or overnight if possible.

For the cream topping: 

• Put the cream, sugar, raspberries in a freestanding electric mixer with a whisk attachment and beat until firm but not stiff. 
• Turn the brownie out onto a board and turn the right way up.
• Spread the topping evenly over the brownie and decorate with more raspberries.