Irish Recipes ....

Irish Coffee Cake

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter or margarine, 1/2 cup caster sugar, 1 cup all purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 2 tsp. instant coffee dissolved in 2 tbs. hot water, 2 eggs

Syrup: 2/3 cup strong coffee, 1/2 cup sugar, 3 tbs. Irish whiskey

Topping: 2/3 cup whipped cream, 1 heaped tbsp confectioner’s sugar, 1 tbsp Irish whiskey, chopped hazelnuts.

Instructions: Butter an 8 inch ring pan and coat well with flour. In a bowl cream together the butter and the sugar then add the eggs one at a time. Sift the flour and baking powder and fold in 2/3 of it then add the 2 tbs. strong coffee. Fold in the remainder of the flour. Place in the prepared cake pan and bake in a preheated oven for 35-40 minutes at 350 degrees. Test with a skewer and when done turn out onto a wire rack to cool. To make the syrup heat sugar in coffee until it has all dissolved then boil rapidly for one minute. Remove from the heat and beat in the whiskey. Return the cooled cake to well washed pan and pour the syrup over it. Leave it to soak for several hours. Beat up whipped cream with confectioner’s sugar and whiskey. Turn the cake out onto a serving plate and decorate with cream and chopped hazelnut.

Guinness Cake

Ingredients:

1 cup butter or margarine,1 cup brown sugar, 1 1/4 cups Guinness,1 1/2 cups raisins, 1 1/2 cups currants, 1 1/2 cups golden raisins, 3/4 cup mixed candied citrus peel, 5 cups flour, 1/2 tsp . baking soda,1tsp mixed spice, 1 tsp nutmeg,3 eggs.

Instructions:

Butter and line a 9 inch cake pan with wax paper. Place the butter sugar and the Guinness in a pan and bring slowly to the boil stirring all the time until the sugar and butter have melted. Mix in the dried fruit and peel and bring mixture back to the boil. Simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and leave until cold. Sift flour spices and baking soda into a large mixing bowl, stir in cooled fruit mixture and beaten eggs turn into cake pan and bake in center of preheated oven- 325 degrees for 2 hours. Test with a skewer. When done cool in pan before turning out.

The Best Irish Soda Bread!

6 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

3 tablespoons cornstarch

2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 cups buttermilk

Highly traditional and recommended option: Two tablespoons caraway seeds. Add them to the dry ingredients and sprinkle some on the top when ready for oven.

Preheat oven to 375

Add all the dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix very well Pour in all of the buttermilk into the bowl at once and stir. Stir only until the dough barely holds together. I mean barely!

Do this quickly too!

Divide the dough into two portions. Shape each quickly into a round. Quickly!
Cut a cross 2/3 down into the top of each loaf so that you can see the cut.
-The loaf should come apart about 1/2 inch. Paint the loaf over with buttermilk being sure to get the bottom of the cross cut wet with it. Give the surface of the loaf a bit of texture by cutting into it with a knife or fork if it is too round and smooth. Let loafs rest for about ten minutes . Put into the oven- The baking takes about 30-40 minutes.
The loaf is done when the buttermilk in the bottom of the cross is dry to the touch. Do not handle or cut hot soda bread! Let it cool down on a rack if possible. Wrap in newspaper to keep lightly warm.

Chocolate Potato Cake

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
2/3 cup caster (fine) sugar
2 oz. plain chocolate, melted or 4 level tablespoons cocoa
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup cooked mashed potato
1/2 cup butter
4 tablespoons milk
2 eggs

Cream the butter and sugar with the mashed potato, then add the melted chocolate or the cocoa. Add the beaten eggs, alternately with the flour and the salt. Finally pour in the milk, mixing well, to make a soft dough. Well grease two 8 inch cake pans and divide batter equally between them. Bake at 350 degrees oven for 25-30 minutes. The top will be springy to the touch when done. Cool for a few minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack. Frost with whipped cream or desired frosting.