Japanese Souffle Cheesecake

Recipe from Alex Goh's Fantastic Cheesecakes
Makes one 9" cake

160g cream cheese
25g butter
120ml milk
40g flour
30g corn flour
4 eggs, separated
100g caster sugar
pinch of salt

1. Grease and line the bottom a 9" pan and wrap the outside of the pans with foil. (I omitted the greasing and lining since I was using a springform pan)


2. Place cream cheese, butter and milk in a double boiler (bain-marie) and stir until melted and thick. Remove and set aside.


3. Add in flour and corn flour to the above mixture, followed by egg yolks and mix well.


4. Whisk egg whites until foamy then add in sugar gradually then whisk until soft peaks.


5. Add 1/3 of egg whites into the yolk/flour mixture, followed by the rest of the whites. Fold in gently.


6. Pour mixture into pans and bake in a water bath in a preheated oven of 160C for 45-50 mins until the top is golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.


7. Cool completely before refrigerating.

Vanilla Sponge Cake

Makes one 8" cake. Half quantities for 6".

55g water
50g vegetable oil
20g caster sugar
4 egg yolks
80g cake flour (I substituted with 64g plain flour and 16g cornflour, mixed well)
2g baking powder (I did not bother weighing, I used 1/2 tsp)
1 tsp vanilla paste

4 egg whites
65g caster sugar
Pinch of cream of tartar


1. Preheat oven to 180 degree celsius (I found it worked better at 170 for me) and line bottom of tin with greaseproof paper.

2. Separate egg whites and egg yolks into 2 mixing bowls

3. Sift flour and baking powder together.

4. In another bowl, beat egg yolks and vanilla paste with the sugar (20g) until sugar dissolves. Slowly mix in the oil and water, stirring till well mixed.

5. Stir in flour gently till the mixture is well mixed.

Egg white portion
6. In a clean and dry bowl, whisk egg whites till frothy and add in cream of tartar. Whisk till almost soft peak.

7. Add sugar gradually and whisk till firm peaks.

8. Fold 1/3 of meringue into the egg yolk mixture. Then pour the lightened egg yolk mixture into the remaining egg white and gently fold till well-incorporated.

9. Pour the batter into the cake tin. Smoothen the surface and gently tap the tin on the tabletop to release the air bubbles inside.

10. Bake on the middle shelf for about 35-40 minutes. Cake is done when inserted skewer comes out clean.
(Try not to open the oven door during the first 20 min otherwise the cake will deflate. If cake top browns, cover with aluminium foil)

11. Remove cake from the oven and immediately leave it inverted on cooling rack till it is cool.

12. When cake is cooled, frost the cake and sandwich layers with whipped non-dairy whipping cream. Decorate as you wish. Keep refrigerated.

Oreo cheesecake

Taken from Kraft
Makes 1 8" cake.

Half the recipe to make a 6" cake

1 pkg. (1 lb. 2 oz.) OREO Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, divided
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
4 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed ( I left this out, it's fattening enough!)

1. Coarsely chop 15 of the cookies; set aside. (I coursely chop about 4 cookies for my 6" cake, you can add more if you want)

2. Finely crush remaining cookies; mix with butter. (I put 1 tube package of cookies, sans the cream, in the food blender)

3. Press firmly onto bottom of 13x9-inch pan. Refrigerate while preparing filling.

4. Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. 

5. Gently stir in whipped topping and chopped cookies. Spoon over crust; cover.

6. Refrigerate for 4 hours or until firm.

Read my blog post here.

Carrot Cake

Recipe taken from Mich Turner's Spectacular Cakes
Makes 1 6" round or square pan

25ml dark rum
100g sultanas
175g plain flour
2tsp ground cinnamon
1tsp ground nutmeg
1tsp bicarbonate of soda
150ml sunflower oil (I use canola oil)
75g golden caster sugar (I use white fine sugar)
75g light brown sugar
2 medium eggs, beaten
Zest of 1 lemon
Zest of 1 orange
175g carrots, peeled and grated (I use about 80g of grated carrots and found it just nice for a cake this size)
55g dessicated coconut
55g chopped walnuts
1tsp vanilla extract (I omitted this because I reckon the cinnamon and nutmeg would overpower the vanilla anyway)
1tsp glace ginger (optional)

For syrup:
75g light brown sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 orange


1. Pour rum over sultanas and infuse for 1 hour.

2. Preheat oven to 150 degree celsius (140 degrees celsius for fan-forced).

3. Have all ingredients prepared at room temperature. Grease and line cake tin.

4. Sieve flour together with ground cinnamon, nutmeg and bicarbonate of soda.

5. Beat together the sunflower oil, both sugars and eggs until smooth.

6. Stir the flour mixture into the smooth batter. Add lemon zest, orange zest, carrots, dessicated coconut, walnuts, sultanas, vanilla extract and chopped glace ginger, and stir well to combine.

7. Spoon mixture into prepared tin and bake for 1 hour 30min or until skewer comes out clean. (I suggest checking the cake at 45min. Mine was done at about 50 minutes)

8. While the cake is baking, prepare the syrup. Place the sugar in a jug and add the sieved orange and lemon juices. Stir well.

9. Once the cake is baked, remove from oven and immediately pierce it with a skewer several times. Carefully spoon or pour over the citrus syrup then leave the cake to cool before removing from the tin. (I pour about 2/3 of the syrup and found it sufficiently moist. You can pour all if you want yours to be more moist)

Optional: You can spread a layer of cream cheese frosting if you like.

Read my blog post here

Chocolate Sponge Cake

Recipe for one 8" round tin

80g cake flour, sifted
66g vegetable oil or melted butter
32g castor sugar
4 egg yolks
2g baking powder
1 pinch of baking soda
1tsp vanilla paste (optional)
12g cocoa powder
60g hot water (for dissolving cocoa powder)

4 egg whites
62g castor sugar
1 pinch cream of tartar



1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius

2. Dissolve the cocoa powder and baking soda together in the hot water.

3. Separate egg whites and egg yolks into 2 separate bowls.

4. Beat the egg yolks with sugar (32g) until sugar dissolves. Slowing mix in vegetable oil, and liquid cocoa mixture from Step 2.

5. Stir in flour mixture till even.

6. In separate mixing bowl (make sure it is greaseless and clean), whisk the egg whites till frothy, add in the pinch of cream of tartar and beat till almost soft peak.

7. Add in sugar (62g) in 3 batches and whisk till pale white with firm peaks.

8. Fold 1/3 of the egg white meringue into the egg yolk mixture. Then pour the lightened egg yolk mixture back into the remaining meringue and fold lightly till even. Be careful not to overfold.

9. Pour sponge cake batter into (ungreased) cake tin, smoothen the surface and lightly tap to release air bubbles.

10. Bake in the center shelf of oven (cake must be in center of oven) for 35-40 minutes.

* Try not to open the oven door during the first 30 minutes or cake will deflat.

If the top browns, quickly cover a piece of aluminium foil over it at 30 minutes and continue to bake.

11. Test doneness with a skewer, it should come out clean if cake is ready.

12. Remove sponge cake from oven and immediately invert of cooling rack to cool. Remove from tin only when cake is completely cool.

Chocolate Yule Log

(from All Recipes)

5 eggs, separated
1 cup sugar, divided
1/2 cup cake flour
1/4 cup baking cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

MOCHA CREAM FILLING:
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons instant coffee granules


1. Line a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan with parchment paper; grease the paper.
( I doubled recipe proportions and got 3 trays measuring 13" x 10" x 1" each)

2. Place egg whites in a small mixing bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.

3. In a large mixing bowl, beat egg yolks on high until light and fluffy. Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar, beating until thick and lemon-colored. Combine flour, cocoa and salt; gradually add to egg yolk mixture until blended.

4. Beat egg whites on medium until foamy. Add cream of tartar; beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining sugar, beating on high until stiff peaks form. Stir a fourth into chocolate mixture. Fold in remaining egg whites until no streaks remain.

5. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 12-15 minutes or until cake springs back (do not overbake).

6. Cool for 5 minutes; invert onto a linen towel dusted with confectioners' sugar. Peel off parchment paper. Roll up in the towel, starting with a short side. Cool on a wire rack.

7. In a mixing bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add sugar and coffee granules. Beat until stiff peaks form; chill. Unroll cooled cake; spread filling to within 1/2 in. of edges. Roll up again. Place on serving platter; chill.

( I omitted this step and spread swiss meringue buttercream instead)

8. Frost cake. Using a fork, make lines resembling tree bark.
( I used swiss meringue buttercream. Click here for recipe)

Vanilla Apple Cake

Recipe taken from Sweet & Simple Bakes

250g/9oz unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
250g/9oz golden caster sugar (or normal caster sugar)
4 eggs, beaten
250g/9oz self-raising flour
1 vanilla pod, split, seeds removed and reserved (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
3 small Bramley apples, peeled, cored and cut into wedges (or any other type of cooking apple, if not apple of your choice)
2 tbsp Demerara sugar
¼ tsp ground cinnamon

1. Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Butter a 20cm/8inch springform tin, then line the base with baking paper.

2. Beat the caster sugar and butter together until the mixture turns pale and fluffy.

3. Add the eggs, flour and vanilla seeds, then beat together quickly to make a smooth batter.

4. Tip into the prepared tin, then lay the apple wedges on top, poking them halfway into the mix. Don’t worry if the apples appear crowded – they’ll shrink as they cook.

5. Sprinkle with the Demerara and cinnamon, then bake for 1 hour 5 mins, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean and the sponge is risen and golden.

6. Leave to cool for a few mins, then release the tin and cool the cake completely on a wire rack.

Victoria Sandwich Cake

Recipe taken from Sweet & Simple Bakes
(Makes one 8" cake. For 6" cake, see ingredients in brackets)

For The sponge
175g (100g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
175g (100g) caster sugar
3 eggs (2 eggs), at room temperature, beaten
175g (100g) self-raising flour
Pinch of salt

For The Filling
4-6 tbsp strawberry jam, or your own choice of flavour
1 tbsp caster sugar

Buttercream (optional)
75g unsalted butter, at room temperature
175g icing sugar
Few drops of vanilla extract


You will need 2 sandwich tins (cake pans) 2 x 20cm (8 in) with depth of at least 5cm (2 in). Grease and base line the bottom of the tins with greaseproof paper or baking paper.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/350°F/gas mark 4.

Cream the butter and sugar together in a mixing bowl using a wooden spoon or mixer until the mixture is pale in colour and light and fluffy. This can take up to 5 minutes or more to achieve depending on if you are using a wooden spoon or mixer.

Add the beaten egg, a teaspoon at a time, beating well after each addition *see tip below*

Sift the flour and salt and carefully add to the mixture, folding in with a metal spoon or spatula.

Divide the mixture equally between the tins and smooth over with a spatula.

Place the tins on the same shelf in the centre of the oven and bake for 25 – 30 minutes until well risen, golden brown and beginning to shrink from the sides of the tin.

Remove from the oven and allow to stand for 3 – 5 minutes

Loosen the cakes from around the edge of the tins using a palette knife. Turn the cakes out onto a clean tea towel, remove the paper and invert them onto a wire rack (this prevents the wire rack from marking the top of the cakes).

When completely cool, spread the jam on the bottom sponge and place the 2nd sponge on top to sandwich them together.

To finish off, sprinkle the top of the cake with caster sugar.

If you wish to add the optional buttercream, add the butter, icing sugar and vanilla extract to a mixing bowl with a wooden spoon or mixer and beat until light and fluffy. Spread the buttercream carefully over the jam

*Tip: to have all ingredients at room temperature before you commence, should the mixture curdle when incorporating the eggs, add 1 tablespoon of flour and all will come together without any problems.*