Chocolate Slab/Sheet Cake - a là Nigella Lawson

How handy is a slab/sheet cake when you have to feed a crowd?  Very, of course :=)  I have made two recently - one for the 125th anniversary of our Historical Society building (which used to be the Chermside State School), and one for our local indie bookshop The Quick Brown Fox for their third birthday.  

This is a Nigella Lawson recipe; I have all her cookbooks, and have made many of her recipes over and over.  Apparently, there used to be a website which detailed all the "errors" in her recipes; oddly I have found very few, if any, over the years.  Anyway, this one is a beauty and feeds a crowd; these moist, chocolatey cakes went down well with both sets of guests!

the more bling the merrier!

Serves a crowd (from 12 big 'uns to 48 wee bites):

ingredients:

125 mL/4 oz milk (full-fat or your choice)

2 tsp white wine or apple cider vinegar

250 mL/8 oz water

200g./7 oz butter, at room temp. and chopped into chunks

20g./0.7 oz cocoa powder (the good stuff 'cos that's your chocolate flavouring)

200g./7 oz caster sugar

1 tsp bi-carb soda

a pinch of sea salt 

300g./10.5 oz plain flour

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract or paste

For the icing:

50g./1.8 oz butter, at room temp. (unsalted if you fancy - I don't!)

3 Tbs milk

2 Tbs cocoa powder

150g./5.3 oz icing sugar (sifted)

1 tsp vanilla extract or paste

And lots of sprinkles to decorate!!

Method:

Whack on your oven to 180C/350F to heat up

Grease and line your shallow 33cm x 23cm (13 x 9 inch) baking dish with baking paper

Grab a large jug, pour in the milk and the vinegar, give it a good stir, and set aside while you make the cake batter

And into your heavy-based saucepan, you pour in the water, add the chopped-up butter, and the cocoa powder, and place over a medium heat - give it a stir now and then till everything is well-combined and the butter melted in - and then put aside to cool slightly

Now your sugar, bi-carb, salt and flour go into a medium-sized bowl, and you whisk/fork it to combine

The eggs and vanilla go in with the milk in its jug, and you whisk very well to get it beautifully combined - no eggy bits lurking, please

Tip the dry stuff (sugar, flour etc) into your chocolatey saucepan, and beat well!

Then add the wet stuff :=), and beat again till you have a lovely, smooth batter

Pour into your prepared baking tin, and whack it into your pre-heated oven on the middle rack

While the cake is baking, get your icing ingredients together, so you can pour it over the cake once it comes out of the oven - you want the cake to still be warm

Check your cake after 17 minutes; both times my cake was ready then, but give it the whole 20 if needed

Icing: butter, milk and cocoa into a medium saucepan over low-medium heat; stir/whisk till smooth and combined (don't boil)

Then tip in the icing sugar and vanilla, and whisk away till well-combined

Your slightly-cooled cake (which you took out once your cake skewer was poked into its chocolatey heart and came out clean) is ready for the icing, so pour it over the cake sitting happily in its baking tin

And throw on that bling!  As much as you like!

Let it all cool and settle down in the tin, then cut up into the required-size pieces

I put mine into the fridge overnight, as it helped set the icing, and let it all relax into its cakey deliciousness (and you can store in an airtight container for up to 5 days, says Nigella)

eggs and milk

vanilla paste

Notes:

Nigella says you can freeze this for up to 3 months.  But who would? :=); it's not going to last in my house or at any event

I accidentally typed coffee instead of cocoa powder into the icing mix, and I am actually thinking a teaspoon or 2 of coffee powder would probably go down really well in the icing.  I might try that next time, as we all know coffee enhances the flavour of chocolate!

Had a bit of a discussion recently about what is a wet or a dry ingredient; I think most Aussie cooks would call sugar a 'dry', but it seems that (some?) American cooks call it a 'wet' - interesting ...

Also had a discussion about using a cake skewer rather than toothpicks as (it seems) American cooks do.  As well as being efficient (and lasts forever), it is so much more environmentally-friendly than using wooden picks.  So please let me suggest you buy a cake skewer, friends!

yep, vinegar

bi-carb (baking) soda

ingredients gathered

getting the batter together

ready for the dry and the wet :=)

dry in; ready for the (extra) wet stuff

getting the icing together

baked and blinged!

And I hotfooted it down to the bookshop, so they could stash it away in their fridge for the celebrations the next day.

Theresa, co-owner (with her SIL Anna) of the bookshop, at the birthday celebrations,
(with my cake)

(This is a photo from Instagram, so the comments came along too.)  

And let's not forget this building/event (Mr P. is the President and I am the Vice President of the Society).

the Chermside & Districts Historical Society building

(Sorry for the dodgy photo; the sun was in the wrong place.  Winter sun, building facing the west ... )

I didn't make the top one :)

We had over 80 people for the Historical Society event, so the pieces of cake were very tiny :=)  Everyone had a fabulous day at this event.  Many past students of the school caught up after decades!

In My Kitchen - August 2025

I am writing this hurriedly as I need to get this post all done before we go away for a few days.  We are heading to Mr P.'s old hometown of Toowoomba again; something to do with his work, I think - hehehe.  And also to catch up with a friend/podmate who lives up there.  (FYI, I am part of an Instagram pod - a group of gals who love to take photos, and travel and eat ...).

I have to say we have been having a tough time of it lately.  Mr P. has serious health issues, and life is very uncertain.  It was a bit funny though when we saw the specialist who kept saying: I feel like you don't believe me!  Hubby and I were confused, but people say we must not have reacted the way he thought we would.  I guess he expected weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth, said I to Mr P.!

Oh well, what can you do?  We will just keep on keeping on, taking each day as it comes.  Let's jump into our kitchen happenings anyway!  Our local indie kids' bookshop is turning three on August 1st, so I am making a (Nigella) chocolate slab cake for the birthday party.  Baking always makes me happy!  And I baked a pretty pink raspberry, lemon and coconut cake last week.  Yes indeed, life is better with baking! 

so pretty in pink!

In My Kitchen:

I preserved the organic lemons from our friend's tree

and I bought some goodies on my birthday trip away

Princess Pia gave me this glorious bundt tin for my birthday

I made this chocolate slab cake for the Historical Society

It was the 125th birthday of our building (which used to be the Chermside State School), so we had a party, of course!

Yep, I bought me some black pepper, and a medley!

that Dubai chocolate was a bit sad!

The Dubai chocolate block was mostly all choc and no pistachio filling, so kinda disappointing for this little black duck.

and then there was this Dubai choc block from Coco88 - so good!

gorgeous espresso cups made by our friend Brooke

A couple of years ago, our neighbour asked if we could ask our friend Brooke from Red Door Studio Ceramics to make her some cute cups.  Which we did, and she did, and they sat in said neighbour's kitchen ever since.  She has gone into aged care now, so she most kindly gave the cups to us, to love and cherish!

and I made nut butter biscuits

I finished off the remains of a jar of hazelnut butter, and of peanut butter, to make these fab biscuits.  So easy, and so good.

fruit and veg. from a country shop (and lemons from Princess Pia)

a few goodies I bought at that same country produce store

a memoir by food writer Bee Wilson

and the curveball - a cute, tin frog made in Vietnam

c. Sherry M.

Be a part of our friendly IMK community by adding your post here too - everybody welcome!  We'd love to have you visit.  Tell us about your kitchen (and kitchen garden) happenings over the past month.  Dishes you've cooked, preserves you've made, herbs and veg. in your garden, kitchen gadgets, and goings-on.  And one curveball is welcome - whatever you fancy; no need to be kitchen-related.  

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Cinnamon Tea Cake

Back in the days of yore, we had Home Ec.(onomics) classes in High School.   Remember those?  The boys got to do woodworking while we girls had to learn how to cook and sew - oh the joy!  Anyway, one of the things we had to master was the cinnamon tea cake.  I haven't made one in many a year, but I had fun making Nagi's version from her book RecipeTin Eats:Tonight.

Even though the recipe looks kinda long, it's really very easy to make, and it is bloody delicious!  Come to think of it, our tea cakes are like an American coffee cake - you have it with tea, rather than it being made with tea - just like those American coffee cakes, which are made to eat with coffee rather than a cake made with coffee flavouring of some sort, which is what we Aussies and English refer to when we say coffee cake.  Phew, have I cleared that up now? :=)

sweet, spicy and delicious

Serves 8-12:

ingredients:

For the cake:

300g./10.5 oz plain flour

4 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp sea salt or cooking salt

125g./4.5 oz butter, softened to room temp.

150g./5.3 oz caster sugar

2 large eggs, at room temp.

2 tsp vanilla paste or extract

170 mL/5.8 oz milk, at room temp.

Cinnamon Butter Swirl:

150g./5.3 oz brown sugar

1 Tbs ground cinnamon

75g./2.7 oz butter, melted

Vanilla Glaze:

125g./4.5 oz soft icing sugar, sifted (or whisked)

5-6 tsp milk

1/2 tsp vanilla extract or paste

cinnamon-y!

you guessed it!

vanilla paste

full-cream, cow's milk

Method:

Turn on your oven to 180C/350F to heat up

Grab your 23cm/9 inch springform tin, grease with butter and line with baking paper

Make the cinnamon swirl by placing the sugar, cinnamon and butter into a small mixing bowl and give it a good mix to combine

Now for the cake:

Flour, baking powder and salt combined, in a bowl

Grab another bowl, and beat the butter and sugar on medium-high for 1 minute, or till smooth and fluffy, says Nagi

In go the eggs, one at a time, and beat 'em in

And in goes the vanilla, then half the flour and half the milk

Beat a bit more with your electric beaters, until juuuust mixed in - don't worry about the lumpage, if any

And now for the other half of the flour, and the milk till lump-free, but no longer than 15 seconds! Nagi instructs us

Into the cake tin goes half the batter, which you spread evenly

Then you're going to dollop half the cinnamon butter across the batter - and swirl with a knife

And yep, you pour/spoon in the rest of the cake batter, and on goes the rest of the cinnamon butter, which you also swirl gently thru the batter

And now you bake for 40 minutes, or till the skewer in the middle of the cake comes out clean - the top will be golden and have cracks

Cool for 10 minutes in the tin, then pour over the glaze, which you have made by adding milk in increments of a teaspoon or 2 to the icing sugar, then the vanilla is stirred in

Let the cake cool for another 15 minutes in the tin, then take it out and serve warm

Nagi says you can store in the fridge (in an airtight container, I say) for 5 days

ground cinnamon (even tho it's probably really cassia)

Just a wee side note to cinnamon - we mostly see Dutch cinnamon, which is in fact cassia rather than true cinnamon.  So I bought some real cinnamon recently, and I have to say, it had less pizzazz than the pseudo stuff.  Less flavour, and less aroma, so I guess I'll stick with the Dutch cinnamon (cassia) instead.

Notes:

Notes?  Do I have any for this?  Mmm ... nope

ingredients gathered

make the cake batter

adding that swirl thru the batter

golden-brown and crackly on top

mix together the glaze

pour the glaze over the cake, and leave for 15 mins.

yep, it's disappearing fast :=)

into the hungry mouths of family and friends

Smoked Salmon, Wasabi and Radish Finger Sandwiches

Well yes, for sure, I know this is a wee bit late or a wee bit early, but here we have a recipe from Donna Hay's cookbook Christmas, for your delectation.  I love a bit of smoked salmon any time of year, don't you?  I made this for Cookbook Club in December 2023, can you believe?  And honestly, the way this year is flying by, it WILL be Christmas before I can blink.

I know I've mentioned before checking out the salmon run in Pitlochry in Scotland; we've also been to the Salmon Ponds in Tasmania.  They have salmon and trout in the ponds, and you can throw in some fish food, or check out the museum.  Or walk through the Gardens and enjoy the heritage trees.  Oops, I sound like an ad, but truly it's worth a trip to any part of Tasmania at any time of year.

Anyways, let's enjoy some fishy fingers!  Reminds me of Dr. Who.  Remember the first episode with Matt Smith?  He was voraciously eating weird foods, and then he tried (and loved) fish fingers and custard.  Mm, maybe not for me ...  Though you never know - a salty morsel with some sweet custard could be a thing :=)  

creamy, fishy, herby - what's not to like?

Makes 12 fingers:

ingredients:

225g./8 oz cream cheese, at room temp.

2 tsp wasabi paste

2-3 tsp lime zest

2 tsp lime juice  (my optional extra)

8 thick slices of white bread (or bread of your choice)

4 small radishes, thinly sliced

200g./7 oz smoked salmon   (Donna says to use 250g. but she didn't add the boiled egg mash-up)

2 large eggs, hard-boiled and mashed, with salt, pepper and mayo

your choice of herbs, to be strewn on top of the fingers - Donna says to use miso leaves but you can add chives or parsley or whatever ...

Freshly-cracked black pepper, to serve

Method:

Throw the cream cheese, (well, gently) wasabi, lime zest and juice into a small bowl and combine well with a fork or whisk

Lay out your bread onto a board or bench, then spread two thirds of the cream cheese mixture over the 8 slices of bread

The radish slices go over 4 slices of the bread, and then you place the other 4 (un-radished) bread slices over the tops, cream cheese-side down (so, resting on the radish), so now you have 4 lovely sandwiches!

So spread the other third of the cream cheese over the top of the 4 sandwiches, and then spread over the mashed egg mixture

On go the smoked salmon slices over the eggy, mayo mixture - beautiful!

Trim the crusts of your sandwiches, and then cut each into three fingers (the bread, not your own)

On go the herbs and the pepper!

Serve daintily on a pretty platter

Notes:

Donna gives slightly larger quantities of the cream cheese, radish and salmon, but I decided to add the boiled egg mixture to these fingers, to give some Swedish smörgastarta vibes

Use lemon zest and juice if you prefer

gather your ingredients

combine the cream cheese mixture

spread the egg mixture over the cream-cheesed slices of bread

and slap on the fish!

the Grinch was eyeing these off :=)

Oops, nearly forgot to mention the verdict for the Mushroom Killer trial - she was found guilty on three counts of murder, and one of attempted murder!  I feel sorry for her kids, and the fellow who survived but without his wife, sister and brother-in-law.  Very sad.

so tasty, so fishy :=)

zest and juice your lime

radish

you guessed it!