Around The World in 80 Cakes - Guatemalan Pastel de Banano We're edging closer to the top ten so this latest entry comes as no surprise to me. In at number 15, we head to Guatemala for a slice of their Pastel de Banano...which is also commonly known as Banana Bread With Guatemala as one of the top 3 exporters of bananas, this cake is hugely popular, with families all adding their own tweaks to this simple sumptuous bake. Often left as is, variations include the addition of nuts, a drizzling of chocolate or topped with honey. If you're new to baking or want something low on the fuss and frills but heavy on the yum, this one is for you. No fancy pants equipment required, it's just a little mixy mixy, pour and bake. It's moist, tender, dense, heavily spiced, not too sweet, slightly crunchy, incredibly soft and annoyingly moreish. To give this a go, you will need: ❤️‍🔥 Batter: 200 g Plain Flour, sifted 150 g Soft Light Brown Sugar 100 g Walnuts, chopped 1/2 tsp Baking Powder, sifted 1/2 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda, sifted 1 1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon ¼ tsp Ground Nutmeg ¼ tsp Sea Salt 300 g Ripe Banana, mashed  100 ml Vegetable Oil 25 ml Sour Cream, room temp 2 Large Eggs 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste ❤️‍🔥 To Finish: 1 large banana, sliced in half 15 g Demerara Sugar Method: 1. Preheat oven to 160C Fan/180C/360F/gas mark 4 and grease and overline a deep 2 lb loaf tin. The overlined edges will help you remove the loaf once baked. 2. Into a large bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, bicarb, cinnamon, nutmeg and sea salt. Use a balloon whisk to combine. 3. Into another large bowl, add the bananas. Mash using a potato masher or fork until smooth. Add the veg oil, soured cream, eggs and vanilla bean paste. Use the balloon whisk to mix again until smooth. 4. Add the flour and mix well until just combined. Add the finely chopped walnuts and lightly fold through before transferring the batter to your lined tin. 5. Use the back of a spoon to level out the batter before slicing a banana in half and gently placing on top. 6. Generously sprinkle over the demerara sugar, covering the banana and batter – this will give your loaf a lovely crunchy caramelised top. 7. Place into the oven and bake for 60 to 65 minutes until a skewer comes out clean when inserted in the top. 8. Leave to sit in the tin for 5 minutes once baked, before gently removing and wrapping the loaf in clingfilm/saran wrap until cool. 9. Eat warm, cold, on its own or slathered in choccy. #aroundtheworld #cake #bananabread #guatemala #bakingtok

Around The World in 80 Cakes - Portuguese Toucinho do Céu In at number 14, we finally head over to Portugal for their Toucinho do Céu, which intriguingly translates to bacon from heaven. An odd name yes for a cake, but when you realise that lard is a key component, it starts to make sense. Buttery rich, dense and incredibly moist, this didn’t have a traditional light and fluffy cake texture once baked but is more so comparable to a set custard. This is a great gluten free bake, and as someone who does enjoy teaming sweet with savoury, I think the preconception of knowing that lard plays a part may have sabotaged a fair review BUT I do think switching it out for olive oil instead would be an incredibly delicious substitute. I’d also highly suggest increasing the orange zest for a punchier flavour. If you fancy giving this a go, I used the below recipe based on a few Portuguese websites and restaurants. Proceed with caution, I am not here to compensate you for how much you spent on eggs if you don’t like it 😬 400 g Ground Almonds 190 ml Water 350 g Caster Sugar 1/2 tsp Sea Salt 90 g Unsalted Butter, diced 45 g Ibérico Lard (sub for normal lard/olive oil) 8 Large Eggs, yolks only 3 Large Eggs, whole 30 ml Amaretto (sub for orange juice + 1 tsp almond extract) 1 Large Orange, zest only 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste Icing Sugar, to finish Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 140C Fan/160C/320F and grease and line a 20 cm / 8 inch removable base/ springform cake tin. 2. Into a saucepan, add the sugar, water, lard and salt. Place over a medium heat before bringing it to a boil. 3. Once boiling, add in the ground almonds and mix well. Continue cooking the almonds over a low to medium heat for a few minutes. 4. Remove the pan from the heat and add in the butter. Mix to ensure it completely melts and is well incorporated. 5. To the pan, add the whole eggs, yolks, amaretto (if using), orange zest and vanilla bean paste. Use a balloon whisk to mix well before switching out to a rubber spatula to scrape down the base and sides of the pan to ensure everything is combined. You want this to be a coarse but smooth mix. 6. Transfer the batter into your lined cake tin and place onto the middle shelf of the oven for 30 to 35 minutes. You want the top of the cake to be firm and lightly golden. If the cake top is wobbly, place back in the oven for a further 5 minutes to continue cooking. 7. Remove from the oven and allow the cake to sit in the tin for 30 minutes before covering the top with clingfilm. Leave to cool before placing in the fridge overnight to set. 8. The next day, gently remove the cake from the tin and transfer to your serving plate. Dust the top with icing sugar before using a hot knife to slice. #aroundtheworld #cake #portugal #caketok #mukbangeatingshow

Around The World in 80 Cakes - Torta Caprese. In at number thirteen, we head back over to Italy for a slice of sweet, fudgy, nice with their Torta Caprese. Incredibly easy to make and super quick to bake, this is one that would make a great addition to your baking roster, especially considering it is gluten free, meaning yum for most tums. I saw a lot of recipes adding extra bits and bobs but I kept it simple, adding only a few tweaks (the espresso powder mostly just to enhance the depth of chocolate flavour) and found using whole blanched almonds blitzed down till ground gave a better texture than the predone sort but will work either way, if needed. The below is based off a recipe I found on an italian blog so hoping this is close to something authentic! 🫶🏼 To give this a go, you will need: 150 g Dark Chocolate, callets/chunks 115 g Unsalted Butter, diced 100 g Light Brown Sugar (can sub for caster sugar) 3 Large Eggs, separated 1/4 tsp Cream of Tartar 185 g Whole Blanched Almonds ¼ tsp Espresso Powder, optional Pinch of Sea Salt Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 140C Fan/160C/325F and grease and line a 20cm/8 inch loose bottomed/springform tin. 2. If you have an induction hob, add the chocolate and butter to a pan and place over a medium heat, stirring little and often until melted. If you have a gas hob, place the chocolate and butter into a heatproof bowl and place over a pan filled with simmering water. Ensure the base of the bowl doesn't touch the water, mix the chocolate and butter until melted. Leave to one side to cool. 3. In a stand mixer bowl, add the sugar and egg yolks. Use the paddle attachment to mix on a medium speed for 4 minutes until the yolks are lighter in colour and thickened. 4. If you are using whole blanched almonds, add to a food processor and pulse until ground. Go low and slow to avoid the almonds releasing their oil. 5. Add the chocolate, ground almonds, salt and espresso powder (if using) to the yolks and mix well until combined 6. In another mixer bowl. add the egg whites and cream of tartar. Using the whisk attachment, mix on a medium speed until the whites reach stiff peak. 7. In thirds, add the egg whites to the yolk bowl and gently fold through, using a rubber spatula. 8. Add the batter to your lined tin. Use the back of a spoon to level out the batter and place into the oven. Bake for 32 to 35 minutes, until the top is set and the sides of the cake starts to come away from the tin. 9. Allow the cake to sit in the tin for 15 minutes before covering the top with clingfilm to lock in the moisture. Leave to completely cool. 10. Once cool, remove from the tin and use a hot knife to slice. #aroundtheworld #italy #italianfood #torta #cake

Around The World in 80 Cakes - Guatemalan Pastel de Banano We're edging closer to the top ten so this latest entry comes as no surprise to me. In at number 15, we head to Guatemala for a slice of their Pastel de Banano...which is also commonly known as Banana Bread With Guatemala as one of the top 3 exporters of bananas, this cake is hugely popular, with families all adding their own tweaks to this simple sumptuous bake. Often left as is, variations include the addition of nuts, a drizzling of chocolate or topped with honey. If you're new to baking or want something low on the fuss and frills but heavy on the yum, this one is for you. No fancy pants equipment required, it's just a little mixy mixy, pour and bake. It's moist, tender, dense, heavily spiced, not too sweet, slightly crunchy, incredibly soft and annoyingly moreish. To give this a go, you will need: ❤️‍🔥 Batter: 200 g Plain Flour, sifted 150 g Soft Light Brown Sugar 100 g Walnuts, chopped 1/2 tsp Baking Powder, sifted 1/2 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda, sifted 1 1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon ¼ tsp Ground Nutmeg ¼ tsp Sea Salt 300 g Ripe Banana, mashed  100 ml Vegetable Oil 25 ml Sour Cream, room temp 2 Large Eggs 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste ❤️‍🔥 To Finish: 1 large banana, sliced in half 15 g Demerara Sugar Method: 1. Preheat oven to 160C Fan/180C/360F/gas mark 4 and grease and overline a deep 2 lb loaf tin. The overlined edges will help you remove the loaf once baked. 2. Into a large bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, bicarb, cinnamon, nutmeg and sea salt. Use a balloon whisk to combine. 3. Into another large bowl, add the bananas. Mash using a potato masher or fork until smooth. Add the veg oil, soured cream, eggs and vanilla bean paste. Use the balloon whisk to mix again until smooth. 4. Add the flour and mix well until just combined. Add the finely chopped walnuts and lightly fold through before transferring the batter to your lined tin. 5. Use the back of a spoon to level out the batter before slicing a banana in half and gently placing on top. 6. Generously sprinkle over the demerara sugar, covering the banana and batter – this will give your loaf a lovely crunchy caramelised top. 7. Place into the oven and bake for 60 to 65 minutes until a skewer comes out clean when inserted in the top. 8. Leave to sit in the tin for 5 minutes once baked, before gently removing and wrapping the loaf in clingfilm/saran wrap until cool. 9. Eat warm, cold, on its own or slathered in choccy. #aroundtheworld #cake #bananabread #guatemala #bakingtok

Around The World in 80 Cakes - Portuguese Toucinho do Céu In at number 14, we finally head over to Portugal for their Toucinho do Céu, which intriguingly translates to bacon from heaven. An odd name yes for a cake, but when you realise that lard is a key component, it starts to make sense. Buttery rich, dense and incredibly moist, this didn’t have a traditional light and fluffy cake texture once baked but is more so comparable to a set custard. This is a great gluten free bake, and as someone who does enjoy teaming sweet with savoury, I think the preconception of knowing that lard plays a part may have sabotaged a fair review BUT I do think switching it out for olive oil instead would be an incredibly delicious substitute. I’d also highly suggest increasing the orange zest for a punchier flavour. If you fancy giving this a go, I used the below recipe based on a few Portuguese websites and restaurants. Proceed with caution, I am not here to compensate you for how much you spent on eggs if you don’t like it 😬 400 g Ground Almonds 190 ml Water 350 g Caster Sugar 1/2 tsp Sea Salt 90 g Unsalted Butter, diced 45 g Ibérico Lard (sub for normal lard/olive oil) 8 Large Eggs, yolks only 3 Large Eggs, whole 30 ml Amaretto (sub for orange juice + 1 tsp almond extract) 1 Large Orange, zest only 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste Icing Sugar, to finish Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 140C Fan/160C/320F and grease and line a 20 cm / 8 inch removable base/ springform cake tin. 2. Into a saucepan, add the sugar, water, lard and salt. Place over a medium heat before bringing it to a boil. 3. Once boiling, add in the ground almonds and mix well. Continue cooking the almonds over a low to medium heat for a few minutes. 4. Remove the pan from the heat and add in the butter. Mix to ensure it completely melts and is well incorporated. 5. To the pan, add the whole eggs, yolks, amaretto (if using), orange zest and vanilla bean paste. Use a balloon whisk to mix well before switching out to a rubber spatula to scrape down the base and sides of the pan to ensure everything is combined. You want this to be a coarse but smooth mix. 6. Transfer the batter into your lined cake tin and place onto the middle shelf of the oven for 30 to 35 minutes. You want the top of the cake to be firm and lightly golden. If the cake top is wobbly, place back in the oven for a further 5 minutes to continue cooking. 7. Remove from the oven and allow the cake to sit in the tin for 30 minutes before covering the top with clingfilm. Leave to cool before placing in the fridge overnight to set. 8. The next day, gently remove the cake from the tin and transfer to your serving plate. Dust the top with icing sugar before using a hot knife to slice. #aroundtheworld #cake #portugal #caketok #mukbangeatingshow

Around The World in 80 Cakes - Torta Caprese. In at number thirteen, we head back over to Italy for a slice of sweet, fudgy, nice with their Torta Caprese. Incredibly easy to make and super quick to bake, this is one that would make a great addition to your baking roster, especially considering it is gluten free, meaning yum for most tums. I saw a lot of recipes adding extra bits and bobs but I kept it simple, adding only a few tweaks (the espresso powder mostly just to enhance the depth of chocolate flavour) and found using whole blanched almonds blitzed down till ground gave a better texture than the predone sort but will work either way, if needed. The below is based off a recipe I found on an italian blog so hoping this is close to something authentic! 🫶🏼 To give this a go, you will need: 150 g Dark Chocolate, callets/chunks 115 g Unsalted Butter, diced 100 g Light Brown Sugar (can sub for caster sugar) 3 Large Eggs, separated 1/4 tsp Cream of Tartar 185 g Whole Blanched Almonds ¼ tsp Espresso Powder, optional Pinch of Sea Salt Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 140C Fan/160C/325F and grease and line a 20cm/8 inch loose bottomed/springform tin. 2. If you have an induction hob, add the chocolate and butter to a pan and place over a medium heat, stirring little and often until melted. If you have a gas hob, place the chocolate and butter into a heatproof bowl and place over a pan filled with simmering water. Ensure the base of the bowl doesn't touch the water, mix the chocolate and butter until melted. Leave to one side to cool. 3. In a stand mixer bowl, add the sugar and egg yolks. Use the paddle attachment to mix on a medium speed for 4 minutes until the yolks are lighter in colour and thickened. 4. If you are using whole blanched almonds, add to a food processor and pulse until ground. Go low and slow to avoid the almonds releasing their oil. 5. Add the chocolate, ground almonds, salt and espresso powder (if using) to the yolks and mix well until combined 6. In another mixer bowl. add the egg whites and cream of tartar. Using the whisk attachment, mix on a medium speed until the whites reach stiff peak. 7. In thirds, add the egg whites to the yolk bowl and gently fold through, using a rubber spatula. 8. Add the batter to your lined tin. Use the back of a spoon to level out the batter and place into the oven. Bake for 32 to 35 minutes, until the top is set and the sides of the cake starts to come away from the tin. 9. Allow the cake to sit in the tin for 15 minutes before covering the top with clingfilm to lock in the moisture. Leave to completely cool. 10. Once cool, remove from the tin and use a hot knife to slice. #aroundtheworld #italy #italianfood #torta #cake

Around The World in 80 Cakes - Guatemalan Pastel de Banano We're edging closer to the top ten so this latest entry comes as no surprise to me. In at number 15, we head to Guatemala for a slice of their Pastel de Banano...which is also commonly known as Banana Bread With Guatemala as one of the top 3 exporters of bananas, this cake is hugely popular, with families all adding their own tweaks to this simple sumptuous bake. Often left as is, variations include the addition of nuts, a drizzling of chocolate or topped with honey. If you're new to baking or want something low on the fuss and frills but heavy on the yum, this one is for you. No fancy pants equipment required, it's just a little mixy mixy, pour and bake. It's moist, tender, dense, heavily spiced, not too sweet, slightly crunchy, incredibly soft and annoyingly moreish. To give this a go, you will need: ❤️‍🔥 Batter: 200 g Plain Flour, sifted 150 g Soft Light Brown Sugar 100 g Walnuts, chopped 1/2 tsp Baking Powder, sifted 1/2 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda, sifted 1 1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon ¼ tsp Ground Nutmeg ¼ tsp Sea Salt 300 g Ripe Banana, mashed  100 ml Vegetable Oil 25 ml Sour Cream, room temp 2 Large Eggs 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste ❤️‍🔥 To Finish: 1 large banana, sliced in half 15 g Demerara Sugar Method: 1. Preheat oven to 160C Fan/180C/360F/gas mark 4 and grease and overline a deep 2 lb loaf tin. The overlined edges will help you remove the loaf once baked. 2. Into a large bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, bicarb, cinnamon, nutmeg and sea salt. Use a balloon whisk to combine. 3. Into another large bowl, add the bananas. Mash using a potato masher or fork until smooth. Add the veg oil, soured cream, eggs and vanilla bean paste. Use the balloon whisk to mix again until smooth. 4. Add the flour and mix well until just combined. Add the finely chopped walnuts and lightly fold through before transferring the batter to your lined tin. 5. Use the back of a spoon to level out the batter before slicing a banana in half and gently placing on top. 6. Generously sprinkle over the demerara sugar, covering the banana and batter – this will give your loaf a lovely crunchy caramelised top. 7. Place into the oven and bake for 60 to 65 minutes until a skewer comes out clean when inserted in the top. 8. Leave to sit in the tin for 5 minutes once baked, before gently removing and wrapping the loaf in clingfilm/saran wrap until cool. 9. Eat warm, cold, on its own or slathered in choccy. #aroundtheworld #cake #bananabread #guatemala #bakingtok

Around The World in 80 Cakes - Portuguese Toucinho do Céu In at number 14, we finally head over to Portugal for their Toucinho do Céu, which intriguingly translates to bacon from heaven. An odd name yes for a cake, but when you realise that lard is a key component, it starts to make sense. Buttery rich, dense and incredibly moist, this didn’t have a traditional light and fluffy cake texture once baked but is more so comparable to a set custard. This is a great gluten free bake, and as someone who does enjoy teaming sweet with savoury, I think the preconception of knowing that lard plays a part may have sabotaged a fair review BUT I do think switching it out for olive oil instead would be an incredibly delicious substitute. I’d also highly suggest increasing the orange zest for a punchier flavour. If you fancy giving this a go, I used the below recipe based on a few Portuguese websites and restaurants. Proceed with caution, I am not here to compensate you for how much you spent on eggs if you don’t like it 😬 400 g Ground Almonds 190 ml Water 350 g Caster Sugar 1/2 tsp Sea Salt 90 g Unsalted Butter, diced 45 g Ibérico Lard (sub for normal lard/olive oil) 8 Large Eggs, yolks only 3 Large Eggs, whole 30 ml Amaretto (sub for orange juice + 1 tsp almond extract) 1 Large Orange, zest only 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste Icing Sugar, to finish Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 140C Fan/160C/320F and grease and line a 20 cm / 8 inch removable base/ springform cake tin. 2. Into a saucepan, add the sugar, water, lard and salt. Place over a medium heat before bringing it to a boil. 3. Once boiling, add in the ground almonds and mix well. Continue cooking the almonds over a low to medium heat for a few minutes. 4. Remove the pan from the heat and add in the butter. Mix to ensure it completely melts and is well incorporated. 5. To the pan, add the whole eggs, yolks, amaretto (if using), orange zest and vanilla bean paste. Use a balloon whisk to mix well before switching out to a rubber spatula to scrape down the base and sides of the pan to ensure everything is combined. You want this to be a coarse but smooth mix. 6. Transfer the batter into your lined cake tin and place onto the middle shelf of the oven for 30 to 35 minutes. You want the top of the cake to be firm and lightly golden. If the cake top is wobbly, place back in the oven for a further 5 minutes to continue cooking. 7. Remove from the oven and allow the cake to sit in the tin for 30 minutes before covering the top with clingfilm. Leave to cool before placing in the fridge overnight to set. 8. The next day, gently remove the cake from the tin and transfer to your serving plate. Dust the top with icing sugar before using a hot knife to slice. #aroundtheworld #cake #portugal #caketok #mukbangeatingshow

Around The World in 80 Cakes - Torta Caprese. In at number thirteen, we head back over to Italy for a slice of sweet, fudgy, nice with their Torta Caprese. Incredibly easy to make and super quick to bake, this is one that would make a great addition to your baking roster, especially considering it is gluten free, meaning yum for most tums. I saw a lot of recipes adding extra bits and bobs but I kept it simple, adding only a few tweaks (the espresso powder mostly just to enhance the depth of chocolate flavour) and found using whole blanched almonds blitzed down till ground gave a better texture than the predone sort but will work either way, if needed. The below is based off a recipe I found on an italian blog so hoping this is close to something authentic! 🫶🏼 To give this a go, you will need: 150 g Dark Chocolate, callets/chunks 115 g Unsalted Butter, diced 100 g Light Brown Sugar (can sub for caster sugar) 3 Large Eggs, separated 1/4 tsp Cream of Tartar 185 g Whole Blanched Almonds ¼ tsp Espresso Powder, optional Pinch of Sea Salt Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 140C Fan/160C/325F and grease and line a 20cm/8 inch loose bottomed/springform tin. 2. If you have an induction hob, add the chocolate and butter to a pan and place over a medium heat, stirring little and often until melted. If you have a gas hob, place the chocolate and butter into a heatproof bowl and place over a pan filled with simmering water. Ensure the base of the bowl doesn't touch the water, mix the chocolate and butter until melted. Leave to one side to cool. 3. In a stand mixer bowl, add the sugar and egg yolks. Use the paddle attachment to mix on a medium speed for 4 minutes until the yolks are lighter in colour and thickened. 4. If you are using whole blanched almonds, add to a food processor and pulse until ground. Go low and slow to avoid the almonds releasing their oil. 5. Add the chocolate, ground almonds, salt and espresso powder (if using) to the yolks and mix well until combined 6. In another mixer bowl. add the egg whites and cream of tartar. Using the whisk attachment, mix on a medium speed until the whites reach stiff peak. 7. In thirds, add the egg whites to the yolk bowl and gently fold through, using a rubber spatula. 8. Add the batter to your lined tin. Use the back of a spoon to level out the batter and place into the oven. Bake for 32 to 35 minutes, until the top is set and the sides of the cake starts to come away from the tin. 9. Allow the cake to sit in the tin for 15 minutes before covering the top with clingfilm to lock in the moisture. Leave to completely cool. 10. Once cool, remove from the tin and use a hot knife to slice. #aroundtheworld #italy #italianfood #torta #cake

Around The World in 80 Cakes - Guatemalan Pastel de Banano We're edging closer to the top ten so this latest entry comes as no surprise to me. In at number 15, we head to Guatemala for a slice of their Pastel de Banano...which is also commonly known as Banana Bread With Guatemala as one of the top 3 exporters of bananas, this cake is hugely popular, with families all adding their own tweaks to this simple sumptuous bake. Often left as is, variations include the addition of nuts, a drizzling of chocolate or topped with honey. If you're new to baking or want something low on the fuss and frills but heavy on the yum, this one is for you. No fancy pants equipment required, it's just a little mixy mixy, pour and bake. It's moist, tender, dense, heavily spiced, not too sweet, slightly crunchy, incredibly soft and annoyingly moreish. To give this a go, you will need: ❤️‍🔥 Batter: 200 g Plain Flour, sifted 150 g Soft Light Brown Sugar 100 g Walnuts, chopped 1/2 tsp Baking Powder, sifted 1/2 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda, sifted 1 1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon ¼ tsp Ground Nutmeg ¼ tsp Sea Salt 300 g Ripe Banana, mashed  100 ml Vegetable Oil 25 ml Sour Cream, room temp 2 Large Eggs 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste ❤️‍🔥 To Finish: 1 large banana, sliced in half 15 g Demerara Sugar Method: 1. Preheat oven to 160C Fan/180C/360F/gas mark 4 and grease and overline a deep 2 lb loaf tin. The overlined edges will help you remove the loaf once baked. 2. Into a large bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, bicarb, cinnamon, nutmeg and sea salt. Use a balloon whisk to combine. 3. Into another large bowl, add the bananas. Mash using a potato masher or fork until smooth. Add the veg oil, soured cream, eggs and vanilla bean paste. Use the balloon whisk to mix again until smooth. 4. Add the flour and mix well until just combined. Add the finely chopped walnuts and lightly fold through before transferring the batter to your lined tin. 5. Use the back of a spoon to level out the batter before slicing a banana in half and gently placing on top. 6. Generously sprinkle over the demerara sugar, covering the banana and batter – this will give your loaf a lovely crunchy caramelised top. 7. Place into the oven and bake for 60 to 65 minutes until a skewer comes out clean when inserted in the top. 8. Leave to sit in the tin for 5 minutes once baked, before gently removing and wrapping the loaf in clingfilm/saran wrap until cool. 9. Eat warm, cold, on its own or slathered in choccy. #aroundtheworld #cake #bananabread #guatemala #bakingtok

Around The World in 80 Cakes - Portuguese Toucinho do Céu In at number 14, we finally head over to Portugal for their Toucinho do Céu, which intriguingly translates to bacon from heaven. An odd name yes for a cake, but when you realise that lard is a key component, it starts to make sense. Buttery rich, dense and incredibly moist, this didn’t have a traditional light and fluffy cake texture once baked but is more so comparable to a set custard. This is a great gluten free bake, and as someone who does enjoy teaming sweet with savoury, I think the preconception of knowing that lard plays a part may have sabotaged a fair review BUT I do think switching it out for olive oil instead would be an incredibly delicious substitute. I’d also highly suggest increasing the orange zest for a punchier flavour. If you fancy giving this a go, I used the below recipe based on a few Portuguese websites and restaurants. Proceed with caution, I am not here to compensate you for how much you spent on eggs if you don’t like it 😬 400 g Ground Almonds 190 ml Water 350 g Caster Sugar 1/2 tsp Sea Salt 90 g Unsalted Butter, diced 45 g Ibérico Lard (sub for normal lard/olive oil) 8 Large Eggs, yolks only 3 Large Eggs, whole 30 ml Amaretto (sub for orange juice + 1 tsp almond extract) 1 Large Orange, zest only 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste Icing Sugar, to finish Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 140C Fan/160C/320F and grease and line a 20 cm / 8 inch removable base/ springform cake tin. 2. Into a saucepan, add the sugar, water, lard and salt. Place over a medium heat before bringing it to a boil. 3. Once boiling, add in the ground almonds and mix well. Continue cooking the almonds over a low to medium heat for a few minutes. 4. Remove the pan from the heat and add in the butter. Mix to ensure it completely melts and is well incorporated. 5. To the pan, add the whole eggs, yolks, amaretto (if using), orange zest and vanilla bean paste. Use a balloon whisk to mix well before switching out to a rubber spatula to scrape down the base and sides of the pan to ensure everything is combined. You want this to be a coarse but smooth mix. 6. Transfer the batter into your lined cake tin and place onto the middle shelf of the oven for 30 to 35 minutes. You want the top of the cake to be firm and lightly golden. If the cake top is wobbly, place back in the oven for a further 5 minutes to continue cooking. 7. Remove from the oven and allow the cake to sit in the tin for 30 minutes before covering the top with clingfilm. Leave to cool before placing in the fridge overnight to set. 8. The next day, gently remove the cake from the tin and transfer to your serving plate. Dust the top with icing sugar before using a hot knife to slice. #aroundtheworld #cake #portugal #caketok #mukbangeatingshow

Around The World in 80 Cakes - Torta Caprese. In at number thirteen, we head back over to Italy for a slice of sweet, fudgy, nice with their Torta Caprese. Incredibly easy to make and super quick to bake, this is one that would make a great addition to your baking roster, especially considering it is gluten free, meaning yum for most tums. I saw a lot of recipes adding extra bits and bobs but I kept it simple, adding only a few tweaks (the espresso powder mostly just to enhance the depth of chocolate flavour) and found using whole blanched almonds blitzed down till ground gave a better texture than the predone sort but will work either way, if needed. The below is based off a recipe I found on an italian blog so hoping this is close to something authentic! 🫶🏼 To give this a go, you will need: 150 g Dark Chocolate, callets/chunks 115 g Unsalted Butter, diced 100 g Light Brown Sugar (can sub for caster sugar) 3 Large Eggs, separated 1/4 tsp Cream of Tartar 185 g Whole Blanched Almonds ¼ tsp Espresso Powder, optional Pinch of Sea Salt Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 140C Fan/160C/325F and grease and line a 20cm/8 inch loose bottomed/springform tin. 2. If you have an induction hob, add the chocolate and butter to a pan and place over a medium heat, stirring little and often until melted. If you have a gas hob, place the chocolate and butter into a heatproof bowl and place over a pan filled with simmering water. Ensure the base of the bowl doesn't touch the water, mix the chocolate and butter until melted. Leave to one side to cool. 3. In a stand mixer bowl, add the sugar and egg yolks. Use the paddle attachment to mix on a medium speed for 4 minutes until the yolks are lighter in colour and thickened. 4. If you are using whole blanched almonds, add to a food processor and pulse until ground. Go low and slow to avoid the almonds releasing their oil. 5. Add the chocolate, ground almonds, salt and espresso powder (if using) to the yolks and mix well until combined 6. In another mixer bowl. add the egg whites and cream of tartar. Using the whisk attachment, mix on a medium speed until the whites reach stiff peak. 7. In thirds, add the egg whites to the yolk bowl and gently fold through, using a rubber spatula. 8. Add the batter to your lined tin. Use the back of a spoon to level out the batter and place into the oven. Bake for 32 to 35 minutes, until the top is set and the sides of the cake starts to come away from the tin. 9. Allow the cake to sit in the tin for 15 minutes before covering the top with clingfilm to lock in the moisture. Leave to completely cool. 10. Once cool, remove from the tin and use a hot knife to slice. #aroundtheworld #italy #italianfood #torta #cake

Around The World in 80 Cakes - Guatemalan Pastel de Banano We're edging closer to the top ten so this latest entry comes as no surprise to me. In at number 15, we head to Guatemala for a slice of their Pastel de Banano...which is also commonly known as Banana Bread With Guatemala as one of the top 3 exporters of bananas, this cake is hugely popular, with families all adding their own tweaks to this simple sumptuous bake. Often left as is, variations include the addition of nuts, a drizzling of chocolate or topped with honey. If you're new to baking or want something low on the fuss and frills but heavy on the yum, this one is for you. No fancy pants equipment required, it's just a little mixy mixy, pour and bake. It's moist, tender, dense, heavily spiced, not too sweet, slightly crunchy, incredibly soft and annoyingly moreish. To give this a go, you will need: ❤️‍🔥 Batter: 200 g Plain Flour, sifted 150 g Soft Light Brown Sugar 100 g Walnuts, chopped 1/2 tsp Baking Powder, sifted 1/2 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda, sifted 1 1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon ¼ tsp Ground Nutmeg ¼ tsp Sea Salt 300 g Ripe Banana, mashed  100 ml Vegetable Oil 25 ml Sour Cream, room temp 2 Large Eggs 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste ❤️‍🔥 To Finish: 1 large banana, sliced in half 15 g Demerara Sugar Method: 1. Preheat oven to 160C Fan/180C/360F/gas mark 4 and grease and overline a deep 2 lb loaf tin. The overlined edges will help you remove the loaf once baked. 2. Into a large bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, bicarb, cinnamon, nutmeg and sea salt. Use a balloon whisk to combine. 3. Into another large bowl, add the bananas. Mash using a potato masher or fork until smooth. Add the veg oil, soured cream, eggs and vanilla bean paste. Use the balloon whisk to mix again until smooth. 4. Add the flour and mix well until just combined. Add the finely chopped walnuts and lightly fold through before transferring the batter to your lined tin. 5. Use the back of a spoon to level out the batter before slicing a banana in half and gently placing on top. 6. Generously sprinkle over the demerara sugar, covering the banana and batter – this will give your loaf a lovely crunchy caramelised top. 7. Place into the oven and bake for 60 to 65 minutes until a skewer comes out clean when inserted in the top. 8. Leave to sit in the tin for 5 minutes once baked, before gently removing and wrapping the loaf in clingfilm/saran wrap until cool. 9. Eat warm, cold, on its own or slathered in choccy. #aroundtheworld #cake #bananabread #guatemala #bakingtok

Around The World in 80 Cakes - Portuguese Toucinho do Céu In at number 14, we finally head over to Portugal for their Toucinho do Céu, which intriguingly translates to bacon from heaven. An odd name yes for a cake, but when you realise that lard is a key component, it starts to make sense. Buttery rich, dense and incredibly moist, this didn’t have a traditional light and fluffy cake texture once baked but is more so comparable to a set custard. This is a great gluten free bake, and as someone who does enjoy teaming sweet with savoury, I think the preconception of knowing that lard plays a part may have sabotaged a fair review BUT I do think switching it out for olive oil instead would be an incredibly delicious substitute. I’d also highly suggest increasing the orange zest for a punchier flavour. If you fancy giving this a go, I used the below recipe based on a few Portuguese websites and restaurants. Proceed with caution, I am not here to compensate you for how much you spent on eggs if you don’t like it 😬 400 g Ground Almonds 190 ml Water 350 g Caster Sugar 1/2 tsp Sea Salt 90 g Unsalted Butter, diced 45 g Ibérico Lard (sub for normal lard/olive oil) 8 Large Eggs, yolks only 3 Large Eggs, whole 30 ml Amaretto (sub for orange juice + 1 tsp almond extract) 1 Large Orange, zest only 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste Icing Sugar, to finish Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 140C Fan/160C/320F and grease and line a 20 cm / 8 inch removable base/ springform cake tin. 2. Into a saucepan, add the sugar, water, lard and salt. Place over a medium heat before bringing it to a boil. 3. Once boiling, add in the ground almonds and mix well. Continue cooking the almonds over a low to medium heat for a few minutes. 4. Remove the pan from the heat and add in the butter. Mix to ensure it completely melts and is well incorporated. 5. To the pan, add the whole eggs, yolks, amaretto (if using), orange zest and vanilla bean paste. Use a balloon whisk to mix well before switching out to a rubber spatula to scrape down the base and sides of the pan to ensure everything is combined. You want this to be a coarse but smooth mix. 6. Transfer the batter into your lined cake tin and place onto the middle shelf of the oven for 30 to 35 minutes. You want the top of the cake to be firm and lightly golden. If the cake top is wobbly, place back in the oven for a further 5 minutes to continue cooking. 7. Remove from the oven and allow the cake to sit in the tin for 30 minutes before covering the top with clingfilm. Leave to cool before placing in the fridge overnight to set. 8. The next day, gently remove the cake from the tin and transfer to your serving plate. Dust the top with icing sugar before using a hot knife to slice. #aroundtheworld #cake #portugal #caketok #mukbangeatingshow

Around The World in 80 Cakes - Torta Caprese. In at number thirteen, we head back over to Italy for a slice of sweet, fudgy, nice with their Torta Caprese. Incredibly easy to make and super quick to bake, this is one that would make a great addition to your baking roster, especially considering it is gluten free, meaning yum for most tums. I saw a lot of recipes adding extra bits and bobs but I kept it simple, adding only a few tweaks (the espresso powder mostly just to enhance the depth of chocolate flavour) and found using whole blanched almonds blitzed down till ground gave a better texture than the predone sort but will work either way, if needed. The below is based off a recipe I found on an italian blog so hoping this is close to something authentic! 🫶🏼 To give this a go, you will need: 150 g Dark Chocolate, callets/chunks 115 g Unsalted Butter, diced 100 g Light Brown Sugar (can sub for caster sugar) 3 Large Eggs, separated 1/4 tsp Cream of Tartar 185 g Whole Blanched Almonds ¼ tsp Espresso Powder, optional Pinch of Sea Salt Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 140C Fan/160C/325F and grease and line a 20cm/8 inch loose bottomed/springform tin. 2. If you have an induction hob, add the chocolate and butter to a pan and place over a medium heat, stirring little and often until melted. If you have a gas hob, place the chocolate and butter into a heatproof bowl and place over a pan filled with simmering water. Ensure the base of the bowl doesn't touch the water, mix the chocolate and butter until melted. Leave to one side to cool. 3. In a stand mixer bowl, add the sugar and egg yolks. Use the paddle attachment to mix on a medium speed for 4 minutes until the yolks are lighter in colour and thickened. 4. If you are using whole blanched almonds, add to a food processor and pulse until ground. Go low and slow to avoid the almonds releasing their oil. 5. Add the chocolate, ground almonds, salt and espresso powder (if using) to the yolks and mix well until combined 6. In another mixer bowl. add the egg whites and cream of tartar. Using the whisk attachment, mix on a medium speed until the whites reach stiff peak. 7. In thirds, add the egg whites to the yolk bowl and gently fold through, using a rubber spatula. 8. Add the batter to your lined tin. Use the back of a spoon to level out the batter and place into the oven. Bake for 32 to 35 minutes, until the top is set and the sides of the cake starts to come away from the tin. 9. Allow the cake to sit in the tin for 15 minutes before covering the top with clingfilm to lock in the moisture. Leave to completely cool. 10. Once cool, remove from the tin and use a hot knife to slice. #aroundtheworld #italy #italianfood #torta #cake

Around The World in 80 Cakes - Guatemalan Pastel de Banano We're edging closer to the top ten so this latest entry comes as no surprise to me. In at number 15, we head to Guatemala for a slice of their Pastel de Banano...which is also commonly known as Banana Bread With Guatemala as one of the top 3 exporters of bananas, this cake is hugely popular, with families all adding their own tweaks to this simple sumptuous bake. Often left as is, variations include the addition of nuts, a drizzling of chocolate or topped with honey. If you're new to baking or want something low on the fuss and frills but heavy on the yum, this one is for you. No fancy pants equipment required, it's just a little mixy mixy, pour and bake. It's moist, tender, dense, heavily spiced, not too sweet, slightly crunchy, incredibly soft and annoyingly moreish. To give this a go, you will need: ❤️‍🔥 Batter: 200 g Plain Flour, sifted 150 g Soft Light Brown Sugar 100 g Walnuts, chopped 1/2 tsp Baking Powder, sifted 1/2 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda, sifted 1 1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon ¼ tsp Ground Nutmeg ¼ tsp Sea Salt 300 g Ripe Banana, mashed  100 ml Vegetable Oil 25 ml Sour Cream, room temp 2 Large Eggs 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste ❤️‍🔥 To Finish: 1 large banana, sliced in half 15 g Demerara Sugar Method: 1. Preheat oven to 160C Fan/180C/360F/gas mark 4 and grease and overline a deep 2 lb loaf tin. The overlined edges will help you remove the loaf once baked. 2. Into a large bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, bicarb, cinnamon, nutmeg and sea salt. Use a balloon whisk to combine. 3. Into another large bowl, add the bananas. Mash using a potato masher or fork until smooth. Add the veg oil, soured cream, eggs and vanilla bean paste. Use the balloon whisk to mix again until smooth. 4. Add the flour and mix well until just combined. Add the finely chopped walnuts and lightly fold through before transferring the batter to your lined tin. 5. Use the back of a spoon to level out the batter before slicing a banana in half and gently placing on top. 6. Generously sprinkle over the demerara sugar, covering the banana and batter – this will give your loaf a lovely crunchy caramelised top. 7. Place into the oven and bake for 60 to 65 minutes until a skewer comes out clean when inserted in the top. 8. Leave to sit in the tin for 5 minutes once baked, before gently removing and wrapping the loaf in clingfilm/saran wrap until cool. 9. Eat warm, cold, on its own or slathered in choccy. #aroundtheworld #cake #bananabread #guatemala #bakingtok

Around The World in 80 Cakes - Portuguese Toucinho do Céu In at number 14, we finally head over to Portugal for their Toucinho do Céu, which intriguingly translates to bacon from heaven. An odd name yes for a cake, but when you realise that lard is a key component, it starts to make sense. Buttery rich, dense and incredibly moist, this didn’t have a traditional light and fluffy cake texture once baked but is more so comparable to a set custard. This is a great gluten free bake, and as someone who does enjoy teaming sweet with savoury, I think the preconception of knowing that lard plays a part may have sabotaged a fair review BUT I do think switching it out for olive oil instead would be an incredibly delicious substitute. I’d also highly suggest increasing the orange zest for a punchier flavour. If you fancy giving this a go, I used the below recipe based on a few Portuguese websites and restaurants. Proceed with caution, I am not here to compensate you for how much you spent on eggs if you don’t like it 😬 400 g Ground Almonds 190 ml Water 350 g Caster Sugar 1/2 tsp Sea Salt 90 g Unsalted Butter, diced 45 g Ibérico Lard (sub for normal lard/olive oil) 8 Large Eggs, yolks only 3 Large Eggs, whole 30 ml Amaretto (sub for orange juice + 1 tsp almond extract) 1 Large Orange, zest only 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste Icing Sugar, to finish Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 140C Fan/160C/320F and grease and line a 20 cm / 8 inch removable base/ springform cake tin. 2. Into a saucepan, add the sugar, water, lard and salt. Place over a medium heat before bringing it to a boil. 3. Once boiling, add in the ground almonds and mix well. Continue cooking the almonds over a low to medium heat for a few minutes. 4. Remove the pan from the heat and add in the butter. Mix to ensure it completely melts and is well incorporated. 5. To the pan, add the whole eggs, yolks, amaretto (if using), orange zest and vanilla bean paste. Use a balloon whisk to mix well before switching out to a rubber spatula to scrape down the base and sides of the pan to ensure everything is combined. You want this to be a coarse but smooth mix. 6. Transfer the batter into your lined cake tin and place onto the middle shelf of the oven for 30 to 35 minutes. You want the top of the cake to be firm and lightly golden. If the cake top is wobbly, place back in the oven for a further 5 minutes to continue cooking. 7. Remove from the oven and allow the cake to sit in the tin for 30 minutes before covering the top with clingfilm. Leave to cool before placing in the fridge overnight to set. 8. The next day, gently remove the cake from the tin and transfer to your serving plate. Dust the top with icing sugar before using a hot knife to slice. #aroundtheworld #cake #portugal #caketok #mukbangeatingshow

Around The World in 80 Cakes - Torta Caprese. In at number thirteen, we head back over to Italy for a slice of sweet, fudgy, nice with their Torta Caprese. Incredibly easy to make and super quick to bake, this is one that would make a great addition to your baking roster, especially considering it is gluten free, meaning yum for most tums. I saw a lot of recipes adding extra bits and bobs but I kept it simple, adding only a few tweaks (the espresso powder mostly just to enhance the depth of chocolate flavour) and found using whole blanched almonds blitzed down till ground gave a better texture than the predone sort but will work either way, if needed. The below is based off a recipe I found on an italian blog so hoping this is close to something authentic! 🫶🏼 To give this a go, you will need: 150 g Dark Chocolate, callets/chunks 115 g Unsalted Butter, diced 100 g Light Brown Sugar (can sub for caster sugar) 3 Large Eggs, separated 1/4 tsp Cream of Tartar 185 g Whole Blanched Almonds ¼ tsp Espresso Powder, optional Pinch of Sea Salt Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 140C Fan/160C/325F and grease and line a 20cm/8 inch loose bottomed/springform tin. 2. If you have an induction hob, add the chocolate and butter to a pan and place over a medium heat, stirring little and often until melted. If you have a gas hob, place the chocolate and butter into a heatproof bowl and place over a pan filled with simmering water. Ensure the base of the bowl doesn't touch the water, mix the chocolate and butter until melted. Leave to one side to cool. 3. In a stand mixer bowl, add the sugar and egg yolks. Use the paddle attachment to mix on a medium speed for 4 minutes until the yolks are lighter in colour and thickened. 4. If you are using whole blanched almonds, add to a food processor and pulse until ground. Go low and slow to avoid the almonds releasing their oil. 5. Add the chocolate, ground almonds, salt and espresso powder (if using) to the yolks and mix well until combined 6. In another mixer bowl. add the egg whites and cream of tartar. Using the whisk attachment, mix on a medium speed until the whites reach stiff peak. 7. In thirds, add the egg whites to the yolk bowl and gently fold through, using a rubber spatula. 8. Add the batter to your lined tin. Use the back of a spoon to level out the batter and place into the oven. Bake for 32 to 35 minutes, until the top is set and the sides of the cake starts to come away from the tin. 9. Allow the cake to sit in the tin for 15 minutes before covering the top with clingfilm to lock in the moisture. Leave to completely cool. 10. Once cool, remove from the tin and use a hot knife to slice. #aroundtheworld #italy #italianfood #torta #cake

Around The World in 80 Cakes - Guatemalan Pastel de Banano We're edging closer to the top ten so this latest entry comes as no surprise to me. In at number 15, we head to Guatemala for a slice of their Pastel de Banano...which is also commonly known as Banana Bread With Guatemala as one of the top 3 exporters of bananas, this cake is hugely popular, with families all adding their own tweaks to this simple sumptuous bake. Often left as is, variations include the addition of nuts, a drizzling of chocolate or topped with honey. If you're new to baking or want something low on the fuss and frills but heavy on the yum, this one is for you. No fancy pants equipment required, it's just a little mixy mixy, pour and bake. It's moist, tender, dense, heavily spiced, not too sweet, slightly crunchy, incredibly soft and annoyingly moreish. To give this a go, you will need: ❤️‍🔥 Batter: 200 g Plain Flour, sifted 150 g Soft Light Brown Sugar 100 g Walnuts, chopped 1/2 tsp Baking Powder, sifted 1/2 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda, sifted 1 1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon ¼ tsp Ground Nutmeg ¼ tsp Sea Salt 300 g Ripe Banana, mashed  100 ml Vegetable Oil 25 ml Sour Cream, room temp 2 Large Eggs 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste ❤️‍🔥 To Finish: 1 large banana, sliced in half 15 g Demerara Sugar Method: 1. Preheat oven to 160C Fan/180C/360F/gas mark 4 and grease and overline a deep 2 lb loaf tin. The overlined edges will help you remove the loaf once baked. 2. Into a large bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, bicarb, cinnamon, nutmeg and sea salt. Use a balloon whisk to combine. 3. Into another large bowl, add the bananas. Mash using a potato masher or fork until smooth. Add the veg oil, soured cream, eggs and vanilla bean paste. Use the balloon whisk to mix again until smooth. 4. Add the flour and mix well until just combined. Add the finely chopped walnuts and lightly fold through before transferring the batter to your lined tin. 5. Use the back of a spoon to level out the batter before slicing a banana in half and gently placing on top. 6. Generously sprinkle over the demerara sugar, covering the banana and batter – this will give your loaf a lovely crunchy caramelised top. 7. Place into the oven and bake for 60 to 65 minutes until a skewer comes out clean when inserted in the top. 8. Leave to sit in the tin for 5 minutes once baked, before gently removing and wrapping the loaf in clingfilm/saran wrap until cool. 9. Eat warm, cold, on its own or slathered in choccy. #aroundtheworld #cake #bananabread #guatemala #bakingtok

Around The World in 80 Cakes - Portuguese Toucinho do Céu In at number 14, we finally head over to Portugal for their Toucinho do Céu, which intriguingly translates to bacon from heaven. An odd name yes for a cake, but when you realise that lard is a key component, it starts to make sense. Buttery rich, dense and incredibly moist, this didn’t have a traditional light and fluffy cake texture once baked but is more so comparable to a set custard. This is a great gluten free bake, and as someone who does enjoy teaming sweet with savoury, I think the preconception of knowing that lard plays a part may have sabotaged a fair review BUT I do think switching it out for olive oil instead would be an incredibly delicious substitute. I’d also highly suggest increasing the orange zest for a punchier flavour. If you fancy giving this a go, I used the below recipe based on a few Portuguese websites and restaurants. Proceed with caution, I am not here to compensate you for how much you spent on eggs if you don’t like it 😬 400 g Ground Almonds 190 ml Water 350 g Caster Sugar 1/2 tsp Sea Salt 90 g Unsalted Butter, diced 45 g Ibérico Lard (sub for normal lard/olive oil) 8 Large Eggs, yolks only 3 Large Eggs, whole 30 ml Amaretto (sub for orange juice + 1 tsp almond extract) 1 Large Orange, zest only 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste Icing Sugar, to finish Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 140C Fan/160C/320F and grease and line a 20 cm / 8 inch removable base/ springform cake tin. 2. Into a saucepan, add the sugar, water, lard and salt. Place over a medium heat before bringing it to a boil. 3. Once boiling, add in the ground almonds and mix well. Continue cooking the almonds over a low to medium heat for a few minutes. 4. Remove the pan from the heat and add in the butter. Mix to ensure it completely melts and is well incorporated. 5. To the pan, add the whole eggs, yolks, amaretto (if using), orange zest and vanilla bean paste. Use a balloon whisk to mix well before switching out to a rubber spatula to scrape down the base and sides of the pan to ensure everything is combined. You want this to be a coarse but smooth mix. 6. Transfer the batter into your lined cake tin and place onto the middle shelf of the oven for 30 to 35 minutes. You want the top of the cake to be firm and lightly golden. If the cake top is wobbly, place back in the oven for a further 5 minutes to continue cooking. 7. Remove from the oven and allow the cake to sit in the tin for 30 minutes before covering the top with clingfilm. Leave to cool before placing in the fridge overnight to set. 8. The next day, gently remove the cake from the tin and transfer to your serving plate. Dust the top with icing sugar before using a hot knife to slice. #aroundtheworld #cake #portugal #caketok #mukbangeatingshow

Around The World in 80 Cakes - Torta Caprese. In at number thirteen, we head back over to Italy for a slice of sweet, fudgy, nice with their Torta Caprese. Incredibly easy to make and super quick to bake, this is one that would make a great addition to your baking roster, especially considering it is gluten free, meaning yum for most tums. I saw a lot of recipes adding extra bits and bobs but I kept it simple, adding only a few tweaks (the espresso powder mostly just to enhance the depth of chocolate flavour) and found using whole blanched almonds blitzed down till ground gave a better texture than the predone sort but will work either way, if needed. The below is based off a recipe I found on an italian blog so hoping this is close to something authentic! 🫶🏼 To give this a go, you will need: 150 g Dark Chocolate, callets/chunks 115 g Unsalted Butter, diced 100 g Light Brown Sugar (can sub for caster sugar) 3 Large Eggs, separated 1/4 tsp Cream of Tartar 185 g Whole Blanched Almonds ¼ tsp Espresso Powder, optional Pinch of Sea Salt Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 140C Fan/160C/325F and grease and line a 20cm/8 inch loose bottomed/springform tin. 2. If you have an induction hob, add the chocolate and butter to a pan and place over a medium heat, stirring little and often until melted. If you have a gas hob, place the chocolate and butter into a heatproof bowl and place over a pan filled with simmering water. Ensure the base of the bowl doesn't touch the water, mix the chocolate and butter until melted. Leave to one side to cool. 3. In a stand mixer bowl, add the sugar and egg yolks. Use the paddle attachment to mix on a medium speed for 4 minutes until the yolks are lighter in colour and thickened. 4. If you are using whole blanched almonds, add to a food processor and pulse until ground. Go low and slow to avoid the almonds releasing their oil. 5. Add the chocolate, ground almonds, salt and espresso powder (if using) to the yolks and mix well until combined 6. In another mixer bowl. add the egg whites and cream of tartar. Using the whisk attachment, mix on a medium speed until the whites reach stiff peak. 7. In thirds, add the egg whites to the yolk bowl and gently fold through, using a rubber spatula. 8. Add the batter to your lined tin. Use the back of a spoon to level out the batter and place into the oven. Bake for 32 to 35 minutes, until the top is set and the sides of the cake starts to come away from the tin. 9. Allow the cake to sit in the tin for 15 minutes before covering the top with clingfilm to lock in the moisture. Leave to completely cool. 10. Once cool, remove from the tin and use a hot knife to slice. #aroundtheworld #italy #italianfood #torta #cake

Around The World in 80 Cakes - Guatemalan Pastel de Banano We're edging closer to the top ten so this latest entry comes as no surprise to me. In at number 15, we head to Guatemala for a slice of their Pastel de Banano...which is also commonly known as Banana Bread With Guatemala as one of the top 3 exporters of bananas, this cake is hugely popular, with families all adding their own tweaks to this simple sumptuous bake. Often left as is, variations include the addition of nuts, a drizzling of chocolate or topped with honey. If you're new to baking or want something low on the fuss and frills but heavy on the yum, this one is for you. No fancy pants equipment required, it's just a little mixy mixy, pour and bake. It's moist, tender, dense, heavily spiced, not too sweet, slightly crunchy, incredibly soft and annoyingly moreish. To give this a go, you will need: ❤️‍🔥 Batter: 200 g Plain Flour, sifted 150 g Soft Light Brown Sugar 100 g Walnuts, chopped 1/2 tsp Baking Powder, sifted 1/2 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda, sifted 1 1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon ¼ tsp Ground Nutmeg ¼ tsp Sea Salt 300 g Ripe Banana, mashed  100 ml Vegetable Oil 25 ml Sour Cream, room temp 2 Large Eggs 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste ❤️‍🔥 To Finish: 1 large banana, sliced in half 15 g Demerara Sugar Method: 1. Preheat oven to 160C Fan/180C/360F/gas mark 4 and grease and overline a deep 2 lb loaf tin. The overlined edges will help you remove the loaf once baked. 2. Into a large bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, bicarb, cinnamon, nutmeg and sea salt. Use a balloon whisk to combine. 3. Into another large bowl, add the bananas. Mash using a potato masher or fork until smooth. Add the veg oil, soured cream, eggs and vanilla bean paste. Use the balloon whisk to mix again until smooth. 4. Add the flour and mix well until just combined. Add the finely chopped walnuts and lightly fold through before transferring the batter to your lined tin. 5. Use the back of a spoon to level out the batter before slicing a banana in half and gently placing on top. 6. Generously sprinkle over the demerara sugar, covering the banana and batter – this will give your loaf a lovely crunchy caramelised top. 7. Place into the oven and bake for 60 to 65 minutes until a skewer comes out clean when inserted in the top. 8. Leave to sit in the tin for 5 minutes once baked, before gently removing and wrapping the loaf in clingfilm/saran wrap until cool. 9. Eat warm, cold, on its own or slathered in choccy. #aroundtheworld #cake #bananabread #guatemala #bakingtok

Around The World in 80 Cakes - Portuguese Toucinho do Céu In at number 14, we finally head over to Portugal for their Toucinho do Céu, which intriguingly translates to bacon from heaven. An odd name yes for a cake, but when you realise that lard is a key component, it starts to make sense. Buttery rich, dense and incredibly moist, this didn’t have a traditional light and fluffy cake texture once baked but is more so comparable to a set custard. This is a great gluten free bake, and as someone who does enjoy teaming sweet with savoury, I think the preconception of knowing that lard plays a part may have sabotaged a fair review BUT I do think switching it out for olive oil instead would be an incredibly delicious substitute. I’d also highly suggest increasing the orange zest for a punchier flavour. If you fancy giving this a go, I used the below recipe based on a few Portuguese websites and restaurants. Proceed with caution, I am not here to compensate you for how much you spent on eggs if you don’t like it 😬 400 g Ground Almonds 190 ml Water 350 g Caster Sugar 1/2 tsp Sea Salt 90 g Unsalted Butter, diced 45 g Ibérico Lard (sub for normal lard/olive oil) 8 Large Eggs, yolks only 3 Large Eggs, whole 30 ml Amaretto (sub for orange juice + 1 tsp almond extract) 1 Large Orange, zest only 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste Icing Sugar, to finish Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 140C Fan/160C/320F and grease and line a 20 cm / 8 inch removable base/ springform cake tin. 2. Into a saucepan, add the sugar, water, lard and salt. Place over a medium heat before bringing it to a boil. 3. Once boiling, add in the ground almonds and mix well. Continue cooking the almonds over a low to medium heat for a few minutes. 4. Remove the pan from the heat and add in the butter. Mix to ensure it completely melts and is well incorporated. 5. To the pan, add the whole eggs, yolks, amaretto (if using), orange zest and vanilla bean paste. Use a balloon whisk to mix well before switching out to a rubber spatula to scrape down the base and sides of the pan to ensure everything is combined. You want this to be a coarse but smooth mix. 6. Transfer the batter into your lined cake tin and place onto the middle shelf of the oven for 30 to 35 minutes. You want the top of the cake to be firm and lightly golden. If the cake top is wobbly, place back in the oven for a further 5 minutes to continue cooking. 7. Remove from the oven and allow the cake to sit in the tin for 30 minutes before covering the top with clingfilm. Leave to cool before placing in the fridge overnight to set. 8. The next day, gently remove the cake from the tin and transfer to your serving plate. Dust the top with icing sugar before using a hot knife to slice. #aroundtheworld #cake #portugal #caketok #mukbangeatingshow

Around The World in 80 Cakes - Torta Caprese. In at number thirteen, we head back over to Italy for a slice of sweet, fudgy, nice with their Torta Caprese. Incredibly easy to make and super quick to bake, this is one that would make a great addition to your baking roster, especially considering it is gluten free, meaning yum for most tums. I saw a lot of recipes adding extra bits and bobs but I kept it simple, adding only a few tweaks (the espresso powder mostly just to enhance the depth of chocolate flavour) and found using whole blanched almonds blitzed down till ground gave a better texture than the predone sort but will work either way, if needed. The below is based off a recipe I found on an italian blog so hoping this is close to something authentic! 🫶🏼 To give this a go, you will need: 150 g Dark Chocolate, callets/chunks 115 g Unsalted Butter, diced 100 g Light Brown Sugar (can sub for caster sugar) 3 Large Eggs, separated 1/4 tsp Cream of Tartar 185 g Whole Blanched Almonds ¼ tsp Espresso Powder, optional Pinch of Sea Salt Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 140C Fan/160C/325F and grease and line a 20cm/8 inch loose bottomed/springform tin. 2. If you have an induction hob, add the chocolate and butter to a pan and place over a medium heat, stirring little and often until melted. If you have a gas hob, place the chocolate and butter into a heatproof bowl and place over a pan filled with simmering water. Ensure the base of the bowl doesn't touch the water, mix the chocolate and butter until melted. Leave to one side to cool. 3. In a stand mixer bowl, add the sugar and egg yolks. Use the paddle attachment to mix on a medium speed for 4 minutes until the yolks are lighter in colour and thickened. 4. If you are using whole blanched almonds, add to a food processor and pulse until ground. Go low and slow to avoid the almonds releasing their oil. 5. Add the chocolate, ground almonds, salt and espresso powder (if using) to the yolks and mix well until combined 6. In another mixer bowl. add the egg whites and cream of tartar. Using the whisk attachment, mix on a medium speed until the whites reach stiff peak. 7. In thirds, add the egg whites to the yolk bowl and gently fold through, using a rubber spatula. 8. Add the batter to your lined tin. Use the back of a spoon to level out the batter and place into the oven. Bake for 32 to 35 minutes, until the top is set and the sides of the cake starts to come away from the tin. 9. Allow the cake to sit in the tin for 15 minutes before covering the top with clingfilm to lock in the moisture. Leave to completely cool. 10. Once cool, remove from the tin and use a hot knife to slice. #aroundtheworld #italy #italianfood #torta #cake

Around The World in 80 Cakes - Guatemalan Pastel de Banano We're edging closer to the top ten so this latest entry comes as no surprise to me. In at number 15, we head to Guatemala for a slice of their Pastel de Banano...which is also commonly known as Banana Bread With Guatemala as one of the top 3 exporters of bananas, this cake is hugely popular, with families all adding their own tweaks to this simple sumptuous bake. Often left as is, variations include the addition of nuts, a drizzling of chocolate or topped with honey. If you're new to baking or want something low on the fuss and frills but heavy on the yum, this one is for you. No fancy pants equipment required, it's just a little mixy mixy, pour and bake. It's moist, tender, dense, heavily spiced, not too sweet, slightly crunchy, incredibly soft and annoyingly moreish. To give this a go, you will need: ❤️‍🔥 Batter: 200 g Plain Flour, sifted 150 g Soft Light Brown Sugar 100 g Walnuts, chopped 1/2 tsp Baking Powder, sifted 1/2 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda, sifted 1 1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon ¼ tsp Ground Nutmeg ¼ tsp Sea Salt 300 g Ripe Banana, mashed  100 ml Vegetable Oil 25 ml Sour Cream, room temp 2 Large Eggs 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste ❤️‍🔥 To Finish: 1 large banana, sliced in half 15 g Demerara Sugar Method: 1. Preheat oven to 160C Fan/180C/360F/gas mark 4 and grease and overline a deep 2 lb loaf tin. The overlined edges will help you remove the loaf once baked. 2. Into a large bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, bicarb, cinnamon, nutmeg and sea salt. Use a balloon whisk to combine. 3. Into another large bowl, add the bananas. Mash using a potato masher or fork until smooth. Add the veg oil, soured cream, eggs and vanilla bean paste. Use the balloon whisk to mix again until smooth. 4. Add the flour and mix well until just combined. Add the finely chopped walnuts and lightly fold through before transferring the batter to your lined tin. 5. Use the back of a spoon to level out the batter before slicing a banana in half and gently placing on top. 6. Generously sprinkle over the demerara sugar, covering the banana and batter – this will give your loaf a lovely crunchy caramelised top. 7. Place into the oven and bake for 60 to 65 minutes until a skewer comes out clean when inserted in the top. 8. Leave to sit in the tin for 5 minutes once baked, before gently removing and wrapping the loaf in clingfilm/saran wrap until cool. 9. Eat warm, cold, on its own or slathered in choccy. #aroundtheworld #cake #bananabread #guatemala #bakingtok

Around The World in 80 Cakes - Portuguese Toucinho do Céu In at number 14, we finally head over to Portugal for their Toucinho do Céu, which intriguingly translates to bacon from heaven. An odd name yes for a cake, but when you realise that lard is a key component, it starts to make sense. Buttery rich, dense and incredibly moist, this didn’t have a traditional light and fluffy cake texture once baked but is more so comparable to a set custard. This is a great gluten free bake, and as someone who does enjoy teaming sweet with savoury, I think the preconception of knowing that lard plays a part may have sabotaged a fair review BUT I do think switching it out for olive oil instead would be an incredibly delicious substitute. I’d also highly suggest increasing the orange zest for a punchier flavour. If you fancy giving this a go, I used the below recipe based on a few Portuguese websites and restaurants. Proceed with caution, I am not here to compensate you for how much you spent on eggs if you don’t like it 😬 400 g Ground Almonds 190 ml Water 350 g Caster Sugar 1/2 tsp Sea Salt 90 g Unsalted Butter, diced 45 g Ibérico Lard (sub for normal lard/olive oil) 8 Large Eggs, yolks only 3 Large Eggs, whole 30 ml Amaretto (sub for orange juice + 1 tsp almond extract) 1 Large Orange, zest only 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste Icing Sugar, to finish Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 140C Fan/160C/320F and grease and line a 20 cm / 8 inch removable base/ springform cake tin. 2. Into a saucepan, add the sugar, water, lard and salt. Place over a medium heat before bringing it to a boil. 3. Once boiling, add in the ground almonds and mix well. Continue cooking the almonds over a low to medium heat for a few minutes. 4. Remove the pan from the heat and add in the butter. Mix to ensure it completely melts and is well incorporated. 5. To the pan, add the whole eggs, yolks, amaretto (if using), orange zest and vanilla bean paste. Use a balloon whisk to mix well before switching out to a rubber spatula to scrape down the base and sides of the pan to ensure everything is combined. You want this to be a coarse but smooth mix. 6. Transfer the batter into your lined cake tin and place onto the middle shelf of the oven for 30 to 35 minutes. You want the top of the cake to be firm and lightly golden. If the cake top is wobbly, place back in the oven for a further 5 minutes to continue cooking. 7. Remove from the oven and allow the cake to sit in the tin for 30 minutes before covering the top with clingfilm. Leave to cool before placing in the fridge overnight to set. 8. The next day, gently remove the cake from the tin and transfer to your serving plate. Dust the top with icing sugar before using a hot knife to slice. #aroundtheworld #cake #portugal #caketok #mukbangeatingshow

Around The World in 80 Cakes - Torta Caprese. In at number thirteen, we head back over to Italy for a slice of sweet, fudgy, nice with their Torta Caprese. Incredibly easy to make and super quick to bake, this is one that would make a great addition to your baking roster, especially considering it is gluten free, meaning yum for most tums. I saw a lot of recipes adding extra bits and bobs but I kept it simple, adding only a few tweaks (the espresso powder mostly just to enhance the depth of chocolate flavour) and found using whole blanched almonds blitzed down till ground gave a better texture than the predone sort but will work either way, if needed. The below is based off a recipe I found on an italian blog so hoping this is close to something authentic! 🫶🏼 To give this a go, you will need: 150 g Dark Chocolate, callets/chunks 115 g Unsalted Butter, diced 100 g Light Brown Sugar (can sub for caster sugar) 3 Large Eggs, separated 1/4 tsp Cream of Tartar 185 g Whole Blanched Almonds ¼ tsp Espresso Powder, optional Pinch of Sea Salt Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 140C Fan/160C/325F and grease and line a 20cm/8 inch loose bottomed/springform tin. 2. If you have an induction hob, add the chocolate and butter to a pan and place over a medium heat, stirring little and often until melted. If you have a gas hob, place the chocolate and butter into a heatproof bowl and place over a pan filled with simmering water. Ensure the base of the bowl doesn't touch the water, mix the chocolate and butter until melted. Leave to one side to cool. 3. In a stand mixer bowl, add the sugar and egg yolks. Use the paddle attachment to mix on a medium speed for 4 minutes until the yolks are lighter in colour and thickened. 4. If you are using whole blanched almonds, add to a food processor and pulse until ground. Go low and slow to avoid the almonds releasing their oil. 5. Add the chocolate, ground almonds, salt and espresso powder (if using) to the yolks and mix well until combined 6. In another mixer bowl. add the egg whites and cream of tartar. Using the whisk attachment, mix on a medium speed until the whites reach stiff peak. 7. In thirds, add the egg whites to the yolk bowl and gently fold through, using a rubber spatula. 8. Add the batter to your lined tin. Use the back of a spoon to level out the batter and place into the oven. Bake for 32 to 35 minutes, until the top is set and the sides of the cake starts to come away from the tin. 9. Allow the cake to sit in the tin for 15 minutes before covering the top with clingfilm to lock in the moisture. Leave to completely cool. 10. Once cool, remove from the tin and use a hot knife to slice. #aroundtheworld #italy #italianfood #torta #cake

Around The World in 80 Cakes - Guatemalan Pastel de Banano We're edging closer to the top ten so this latest entry comes as no surprise to me. In at number 15, we head to Guatemala for a slice of their Pastel de Banano...which is also commonly known as Banana Bread With Guatemala as one of the top 3 exporters of bananas, this cake is hugely popular, with families all adding their own tweaks to this simple sumptuous bake. Often left as is, variations include the addition of nuts, a drizzling of chocolate or topped with honey. If you're new to baking or want something low on the fuss and frills but heavy on the yum, this one is for you. No fancy pants equipment required, it's just a little mixy mixy, pour and bake. It's moist, tender, dense, heavily spiced, not too sweet, slightly crunchy, incredibly soft and annoyingly moreish. To give this a go, you will need: ❤️‍🔥 Batter: 200 g Plain Flour, sifted 150 g Soft Light Brown Sugar 100 g Walnuts, chopped 1/2 tsp Baking Powder, sifted 1/2 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda, sifted 1 1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon ¼ tsp Ground Nutmeg ¼ tsp Sea Salt 300 g Ripe Banana, mashed  100 ml Vegetable Oil 25 ml Sour Cream, room temp 2 Large Eggs 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste ❤️‍🔥 To Finish: 1 large banana, sliced in half 15 g Demerara Sugar Method: 1. Preheat oven to 160C Fan/180C/360F/gas mark 4 and grease and overline a deep 2 lb loaf tin. The overlined edges will help you remove the loaf once baked. 2. Into a large bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, bicarb, cinnamon, nutmeg and sea salt. Use a balloon whisk to combine. 3. Into another large bowl, add the bananas. Mash using a potato masher or fork until smooth. Add the veg oil, soured cream, eggs and vanilla bean paste. Use the balloon whisk to mix again until smooth. 4. Add the flour and mix well until just combined. Add the finely chopped walnuts and lightly fold through before transferring the batter to your lined tin. 5. Use the back of a spoon to level out the batter before slicing a banana in half and gently placing on top. 6. Generously sprinkle over the demerara sugar, covering the banana and batter – this will give your loaf a lovely crunchy caramelised top. 7. Place into the oven and bake for 60 to 65 minutes until a skewer comes out clean when inserted in the top. 8. Leave to sit in the tin for 5 minutes once baked, before gently removing and wrapping the loaf in clingfilm/saran wrap until cool. 9. Eat warm, cold, on its own or slathered in choccy. #aroundtheworld #cake #bananabread #guatemala #bakingtok

Around The World in 80 Cakes - Portuguese Toucinho do Céu In at number 14, we finally head over to Portugal for their Toucinho do Céu, which intriguingly translates to bacon from heaven. An odd name yes for a cake, but when you realise that lard is a key component, it starts to make sense. Buttery rich, dense and incredibly moist, this didn’t have a traditional light and fluffy cake texture once baked but is more so comparable to a set custard. This is a great gluten free bake, and as someone who does enjoy teaming sweet with savoury, I think the preconception of knowing that lard plays a part may have sabotaged a fair review BUT I do think switching it out for olive oil instead would be an incredibly delicious substitute. I’d also highly suggest increasing the orange zest for a punchier flavour. If you fancy giving this a go, I used the below recipe based on a few Portuguese websites and restaurants. Proceed with caution, I am not here to compensate you for how much you spent on eggs if you don’t like it 😬 400 g Ground Almonds 190 ml Water 350 g Caster Sugar 1/2 tsp Sea Salt 90 g Unsalted Butter, diced 45 g Ibérico Lard (sub for normal lard/olive oil) 8 Large Eggs, yolks only 3 Large Eggs, whole 30 ml Amaretto (sub for orange juice + 1 tsp almond extract) 1 Large Orange, zest only 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste Icing Sugar, to finish Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 140C Fan/160C/320F and grease and line a 20 cm / 8 inch removable base/ springform cake tin. 2. Into a saucepan, add the sugar, water, lard and salt. Place over a medium heat before bringing it to a boil. 3. Once boiling, add in the ground almonds and mix well. Continue cooking the almonds over a low to medium heat for a few minutes. 4. Remove the pan from the heat and add in the butter. Mix to ensure it completely melts and is well incorporated. 5. To the pan, add the whole eggs, yolks, amaretto (if using), orange zest and vanilla bean paste. Use a balloon whisk to mix well before switching out to a rubber spatula to scrape down the base and sides of the pan to ensure everything is combined. You want this to be a coarse but smooth mix. 6. Transfer the batter into your lined cake tin and place onto the middle shelf of the oven for 30 to 35 minutes. You want the top of the cake to be firm and lightly golden. If the cake top is wobbly, place back in the oven for a further 5 minutes to continue cooking. 7. Remove from the oven and allow the cake to sit in the tin for 30 minutes before covering the top with clingfilm. Leave to cool before placing in the fridge overnight to set. 8. The next day, gently remove the cake from the tin and transfer to your serving plate. Dust the top with icing sugar before using a hot knife to slice. #aroundtheworld #cake #portugal #caketok #mukbangeatingshow

Around The World in 80 Cakes - Torta Caprese. In at number thirteen, we head back over to Italy for a slice of sweet, fudgy, nice with their Torta Caprese. Incredibly easy to make and super quick to bake, this is one that would make a great addition to your baking roster, especially considering it is gluten free, meaning yum for most tums. I saw a lot of recipes adding extra bits and bobs but I kept it simple, adding only a few tweaks (the espresso powder mostly just to enhance the depth of chocolate flavour) and found using whole blanched almonds blitzed down till ground gave a better texture than the predone sort but will work either way, if needed. The below is based off a recipe I found on an italian blog so hoping this is close to something authentic! 🫶🏼 To give this a go, you will need: 150 g Dark Chocolate, callets/chunks 115 g Unsalted Butter, diced 100 g Light Brown Sugar (can sub for caster sugar) 3 Large Eggs, separated 1/4 tsp Cream of Tartar 185 g Whole Blanched Almonds ¼ tsp Espresso Powder, optional Pinch of Sea Salt Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 140C Fan/160C/325F and grease and line a 20cm/8 inch loose bottomed/springform tin. 2. If you have an induction hob, add the chocolate and butter to a pan and place over a medium heat, stirring little and often until melted. If you have a gas hob, place the chocolate and butter into a heatproof bowl and place over a pan filled with simmering water. Ensure the base of the bowl doesn't touch the water, mix the chocolate and butter until melted. Leave to one side to cool. 3. In a stand mixer bowl, add the sugar and egg yolks. Use the paddle attachment to mix on a medium speed for 4 minutes until the yolks are lighter in colour and thickened. 4. If you are using whole blanched almonds, add to a food processor and pulse until ground. Go low and slow to avoid the almonds releasing their oil. 5. Add the chocolate, ground almonds, salt and espresso powder (if using) to the yolks and mix well until combined 6. In another mixer bowl. add the egg whites and cream of tartar. Using the whisk attachment, mix on a medium speed until the whites reach stiff peak. 7. In thirds, add the egg whites to the yolk bowl and gently fold through, using a rubber spatula. 8. Add the batter to your lined tin. Use the back of a spoon to level out the batter and place into the oven. Bake for 32 to 35 minutes, until the top is set and the sides of the cake starts to come away from the tin. 9. Allow the cake to sit in the tin for 15 minutes before covering the top with clingfilm to lock in the moisture. Leave to completely cool. 10. Once cool, remove from the tin and use a hot knife to slice. #aroundtheworld #italy #italianfood #torta #cake

Around The World in 80 Cakes - Guatemalan Pastel de Banano We're edging closer to the top ten so this latest entry comes as no surprise to me. In at number 15, we head to Guatemala for a slice of their Pastel de Banano...which is also commonly known as Banana Bread With Guatemala as one of the top 3 exporters of bananas, this cake is hugely popular, with families all adding their own tweaks to this simple sumptuous bake. Often left as is, variations include the addition of nuts, a drizzling of chocolate or topped with honey. If you're new to baking or want something low on the fuss and frills but heavy on the yum, this one is for you. No fancy pants equipment required, it's just a little mixy mixy, pour and bake. It's moist, tender, dense, heavily spiced, not too sweet, slightly crunchy, incredibly soft and annoyingly moreish. To give this a go, you will need: ❤️‍🔥 Batter: 200 g Plain Flour, sifted 150 g Soft Light Brown Sugar 100 g Walnuts, chopped 1/2 tsp Baking Powder, sifted 1/2 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda, sifted 1 1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon ¼ tsp Ground Nutmeg ¼ tsp Sea Salt 300 g Ripe Banana, mashed  100 ml Vegetable Oil 25 ml Sour Cream, room temp 2 Large Eggs 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste ❤️‍🔥 To Finish: 1 large banana, sliced in half 15 g Demerara Sugar Method: 1. Preheat oven to 160C Fan/180C/360F/gas mark 4 and grease and overline a deep 2 lb loaf tin. The overlined edges will help you remove the loaf once baked. 2. Into a large bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, bicarb, cinnamon, nutmeg and sea salt. Use a balloon whisk to combine. 3. Into another large bowl, add the bananas. Mash using a potato masher or fork until smooth. Add the veg oil, soured cream, eggs and vanilla bean paste. Use the balloon whisk to mix again until smooth. 4. Add the flour and mix well until just combined. Add the finely chopped walnuts and lightly fold through before transferring the batter to your lined tin. 5. Use the back of a spoon to level out the batter before slicing a banana in half and gently placing on top. 6. Generously sprinkle over the demerara sugar, covering the banana and batter – this will give your loaf a lovely crunchy caramelised top. 7. Place into the oven and bake for 60 to 65 minutes until a skewer comes out clean when inserted in the top. 8. Leave to sit in the tin for 5 minutes once baked, before gently removing and wrapping the loaf in clingfilm/saran wrap until cool. 9. Eat warm, cold, on its own or slathered in choccy. #aroundtheworld #cake #bananabread #guatemala #bakingtok

Around The World in 80 Cakes - Portuguese Toucinho do Céu In at number 14, we finally head over to Portugal for their Toucinho do Céu, which intriguingly translates to bacon from heaven. An odd name yes for a cake, but when you realise that lard is a key component, it starts to make sense. Buttery rich, dense and incredibly moist, this didn’t have a traditional light and fluffy cake texture once baked but is more so comparable to a set custard. This is a great gluten free bake, and as someone who does enjoy teaming sweet with savoury, I think the preconception of knowing that lard plays a part may have sabotaged a fair review BUT I do think switching it out for olive oil instead would be an incredibly delicious substitute. I’d also highly suggest increasing the orange zest for a punchier flavour. If you fancy giving this a go, I used the below recipe based on a few Portuguese websites and restaurants. Proceed with caution, I am not here to compensate you for how much you spent on eggs if you don’t like it 😬 400 g Ground Almonds 190 ml Water 350 g Caster Sugar 1/2 tsp Sea Salt 90 g Unsalted Butter, diced 45 g Ibérico Lard (sub for normal lard/olive oil) 8 Large Eggs, yolks only 3 Large Eggs, whole 30 ml Amaretto (sub for orange juice + 1 tsp almond extract) 1 Large Orange, zest only 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste Icing Sugar, to finish Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 140C Fan/160C/320F and grease and line a 20 cm / 8 inch removable base/ springform cake tin. 2. Into a saucepan, add the sugar, water, lard and salt. Place over a medium heat before bringing it to a boil. 3. Once boiling, add in the ground almonds and mix well. Continue cooking the almonds over a low to medium heat for a few minutes. 4. Remove the pan from the heat and add in the butter. Mix to ensure it completely melts and is well incorporated. 5. To the pan, add the whole eggs, yolks, amaretto (if using), orange zest and vanilla bean paste. Use a balloon whisk to mix well before switching out to a rubber spatula to scrape down the base and sides of the pan to ensure everything is combined. You want this to be a coarse but smooth mix. 6. Transfer the batter into your lined cake tin and place onto the middle shelf of the oven for 30 to 35 minutes. You want the top of the cake to be firm and lightly golden. If the cake top is wobbly, place back in the oven for a further 5 minutes to continue cooking. 7. Remove from the oven and allow the cake to sit in the tin for 30 minutes before covering the top with clingfilm. Leave to cool before placing in the fridge overnight to set. 8. The next day, gently remove the cake from the tin and transfer to your serving plate. Dust the top with icing sugar before using a hot knife to slice. #aroundtheworld #cake #portugal #caketok #mukbangeatingshow

Around The World in 80 Cakes - Torta Caprese. In at number thirteen, we head back over to Italy for a slice of sweet, fudgy, nice with their Torta Caprese. Incredibly easy to make and super quick to bake, this is one that would make a great addition to your baking roster, especially considering it is gluten free, meaning yum for most tums. I saw a lot of recipes adding extra bits and bobs but I kept it simple, adding only a few tweaks (the espresso powder mostly just to enhance the depth of chocolate flavour) and found using whole blanched almonds blitzed down till ground gave a better texture than the predone sort but will work either way, if needed. The below is based off a recipe I found on an italian blog so hoping this is close to something authentic! 🫶🏼 To give this a go, you will need: 150 g Dark Chocolate, callets/chunks 115 g Unsalted Butter, diced 100 g Light Brown Sugar (can sub for caster sugar) 3 Large Eggs, separated 1/4 tsp Cream of Tartar 185 g Whole Blanched Almonds ¼ tsp Espresso Powder, optional Pinch of Sea Salt Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 140C Fan/160C/325F and grease and line a 20cm/8 inch loose bottomed/springform tin. 2. If you have an induction hob, add the chocolate and butter to a pan and place over a medium heat, stirring little and often until melted. If you have a gas hob, place the chocolate and butter into a heatproof bowl and place over a pan filled with simmering water. Ensure the base of the bowl doesn't touch the water, mix the chocolate and butter until melted. Leave to one side to cool. 3. In a stand mixer bowl, add the sugar and egg yolks. Use the paddle attachment to mix on a medium speed for 4 minutes until the yolks are lighter in colour and thickened. 4. If you are using whole blanched almonds, add to a food processor and pulse until ground. Go low and slow to avoid the almonds releasing their oil. 5. Add the chocolate, ground almonds, salt and espresso powder (if using) to the yolks and mix well until combined 6. In another mixer bowl. add the egg whites and cream of tartar. Using the whisk attachment, mix on a medium speed until the whites reach stiff peak. 7. In thirds, add the egg whites to the yolk bowl and gently fold through, using a rubber spatula. 8. Add the batter to your lined tin. Use the back of a spoon to level out the batter and place into the oven. Bake for 32 to 35 minutes, until the top is set and the sides of the cake starts to come away from the tin. 9. Allow the cake to sit in the tin for 15 minutes before covering the top with clingfilm to lock in the moisture. Leave to completely cool. 10. Once cool, remove from the tin and use a hot knife to slice. #aroundtheworld #italy #italianfood #torta #cake

Around The World in 80 Cakes - Guatemalan Pastel de Banano We're edging closer to the top ten so this latest entry comes as no surprise to me. In at number 15, we head to Guatemala for a slice of their Pastel de Banano...which is also commonly known as Banana Bread With Guatemala as one of the top 3 exporters of bananas, this cake is hugely popular, with families all adding their own tweaks to this simple sumptuous bake. Often left as is, variations include the addition of nuts, a drizzling of chocolate or topped with honey. If you're new to baking or want something low on the fuss and frills but heavy on the yum, this one is for you. No fancy pants equipment required, it's just a little mixy mixy, pour and bake. It's moist, tender, dense, heavily spiced, not too sweet, slightly crunchy, incredibly soft and annoyingly moreish. To give this a go, you will need: ❤️‍🔥 Batter: 200 g Plain Flour, sifted 150 g Soft Light Brown Sugar 100 g Walnuts, chopped 1/2 tsp Baking Powder, sifted 1/2 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda, sifted 1 1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon ¼ tsp Ground Nutmeg ¼ tsp Sea Salt 300 g Ripe Banana, mashed  100 ml Vegetable Oil 25 ml Sour Cream, room temp 2 Large Eggs 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste ❤️‍🔥 To Finish: 1 large banana, sliced in half 15 g Demerara Sugar Method: 1. Preheat oven to 160C Fan/180C/360F/gas mark 4 and grease and overline a deep 2 lb loaf tin. The overlined edges will help you remove the loaf once baked. 2. Into a large bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, bicarb, cinnamon, nutmeg and sea salt. Use a balloon whisk to combine. 3. Into another large bowl, add the bananas. Mash using a potato masher or fork until smooth. Add the veg oil, soured cream, eggs and vanilla bean paste. Use the balloon whisk to mix again until smooth. 4. Add the flour and mix well until just combined. Add the finely chopped walnuts and lightly fold through before transferring the batter to your lined tin. 5. Use the back of a spoon to level out the batter before slicing a banana in half and gently placing on top. 6. Generously sprinkle over the demerara sugar, covering the banana and batter – this will give your loaf a lovely crunchy caramelised top. 7. Place into the oven and bake for 60 to 65 minutes until a skewer comes out clean when inserted in the top. 8. Leave to sit in the tin for 5 minutes once baked, before gently removing and wrapping the loaf in clingfilm/saran wrap until cool. 9. Eat warm, cold, on its own or slathered in choccy. #aroundtheworld #cake #bananabread #guatemala #bakingtok

Around The World in 80 Cakes - Portuguese Toucinho do Céu In at number 14, we finally head over to Portugal for their Toucinho do Céu, which intriguingly translates to bacon from heaven. An odd name yes for a cake, but when you realise that lard is a key component, it starts to make sense. Buttery rich, dense and incredibly moist, this didn’t have a traditional light and fluffy cake texture once baked but is more so comparable to a set custard. This is a great gluten free bake, and as someone who does enjoy teaming sweet with savoury, I think the preconception of knowing that lard plays a part may have sabotaged a fair review BUT I do think switching it out for olive oil instead would be an incredibly delicious substitute. I’d also highly suggest increasing the orange zest for a punchier flavour. If you fancy giving this a go, I used the below recipe based on a few Portuguese websites and restaurants. Proceed with caution, I am not here to compensate you for how much you spent on eggs if you don’t like it 😬 400 g Ground Almonds 190 ml Water 350 g Caster Sugar 1/2 tsp Sea Salt 90 g Unsalted Butter, diced 45 g Ibérico Lard (sub for normal lard/olive oil) 8 Large Eggs, yolks only 3 Large Eggs, whole 30 ml Amaretto (sub for orange juice + 1 tsp almond extract) 1 Large Orange, zest only 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste Icing Sugar, to finish Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 140C Fan/160C/320F and grease and line a 20 cm / 8 inch removable base/ springform cake tin. 2. Into a saucepan, add the sugar, water, lard and salt. Place over a medium heat before bringing it to a boil. 3. Once boiling, add in the ground almonds and mix well. Continue cooking the almonds over a low to medium heat for a few minutes. 4. Remove the pan from the heat and add in the butter. Mix to ensure it completely melts and is well incorporated. 5. To the pan, add the whole eggs, yolks, amaretto (if using), orange zest and vanilla bean paste. Use a balloon whisk to mix well before switching out to a rubber spatula to scrape down the base and sides of the pan to ensure everything is combined. You want this to be a coarse but smooth mix. 6. Transfer the batter into your lined cake tin and place onto the middle shelf of the oven for 30 to 35 minutes. You want the top of the cake to be firm and lightly golden. If the cake top is wobbly, place back in the oven for a further 5 minutes to continue cooking. 7. Remove from the oven and allow the cake to sit in the tin for 30 minutes before covering the top with clingfilm. Leave to cool before placing in the fridge overnight to set. 8. The next day, gently remove the cake from the tin and transfer to your serving plate. Dust the top with icing sugar before using a hot knife to slice. #aroundtheworld #cake #portugal #caketok #mukbangeatingshow

Around The World in 80 Cakes - Torta Caprese. In at number thirteen, we head back over to Italy for a slice of sweet, fudgy, nice with their Torta Caprese. Incredibly easy to make and super quick to bake, this is one that would make a great addition to your baking roster, especially considering it is gluten free, meaning yum for most tums. I saw a lot of recipes adding extra bits and bobs but I kept it simple, adding only a few tweaks (the espresso powder mostly just to enhance the depth of chocolate flavour) and found using whole blanched almonds blitzed down till ground gave a better texture than the predone sort but will work either way, if needed. The below is based off a recipe I found on an italian blog so hoping this is close to something authentic! 🫶🏼 To give this a go, you will need: 150 g Dark Chocolate, callets/chunks 115 g Unsalted Butter, diced 100 g Light Brown Sugar (can sub for caster sugar) 3 Large Eggs, separated 1/4 tsp Cream of Tartar 185 g Whole Blanched Almonds ¼ tsp Espresso Powder, optional Pinch of Sea Salt Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 140C Fan/160C/325F and grease and line a 20cm/8 inch loose bottomed/springform tin. 2. If you have an induction hob, add the chocolate and butter to a pan and place over a medium heat, stirring little and often until melted. If you have a gas hob, place the chocolate and butter into a heatproof bowl and place over a pan filled with simmering water. Ensure the base of the bowl doesn't touch the water, mix the chocolate and butter until melted. Leave to one side to cool. 3. In a stand mixer bowl, add the sugar and egg yolks. Use the paddle attachment to mix on a medium speed for 4 minutes until the yolks are lighter in colour and thickened. 4. If you are using whole blanched almonds, add to a food processor and pulse until ground. Go low and slow to avoid the almonds releasing their oil. 5. Add the chocolate, ground almonds, salt and espresso powder (if using) to the yolks and mix well until combined 6. In another mixer bowl. add the egg whites and cream of tartar. Using the whisk attachment, mix on a medium speed until the whites reach stiff peak. 7. In thirds, add the egg whites to the yolk bowl and gently fold through, using a rubber spatula. 8. Add the batter to your lined tin. Use the back of a spoon to level out the batter and place into the oven. Bake for 32 to 35 minutes, until the top is set and the sides of the cake starts to come away from the tin. 9. Allow the cake to sit in the tin for 15 minutes before covering the top with clingfilm to lock in the moisture. Leave to completely cool. 10. Once cool, remove from the tin and use a hot knife to slice. #aroundtheworld #italy #italianfood #torta #cake

Around The World in 80 Cakes - Guatemalan Pastel de Banano We're edging closer to the top ten so this latest entry comes as no surprise to me. In at number 15, we head to Guatemala for a slice of their Pastel de Banano...which is also commonly known as Banana Bread With Guatemala as one of the top 3 exporters of bananas, this cake is hugely popular, with families all adding their own tweaks to this simple sumptuous bake. Often left as is, variations include the addition of nuts, a drizzling of chocolate or topped with honey. If you're new to baking or want something low on the fuss and frills but heavy on the yum, this one is for you. No fancy pants equipment required, it's just a little mixy mixy, pour and bake. It's moist, tender, dense, heavily spiced, not too sweet, slightly crunchy, incredibly soft and annoyingly moreish. To give this a go, you will need: ❤️‍🔥 Batter: 200 g Plain Flour, sifted 150 g Soft Light Brown Sugar 100 g Walnuts, chopped 1/2 tsp Baking Powder, sifted 1/2 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda, sifted 1 1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon ¼ tsp Ground Nutmeg ¼ tsp Sea Salt 300 g Ripe Banana, mashed  100 ml Vegetable Oil 25 ml Sour Cream, room temp 2 Large Eggs 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste ❤️‍🔥 To Finish: 1 large banana, sliced in half 15 g Demerara Sugar Method: 1. Preheat oven to 160C Fan/180C/360F/gas mark 4 and grease and overline a deep 2 lb loaf tin. The overlined edges will help you remove the loaf once baked. 2. Into a large bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, bicarb, cinnamon, nutmeg and sea salt. Use a balloon whisk to combine. 3. Into another large bowl, add the bananas. Mash using a potato masher or fork until smooth. Add the veg oil, soured cream, eggs and vanilla bean paste. Use the balloon whisk to mix again until smooth. 4. Add the flour and mix well until just combined. Add the finely chopped walnuts and lightly fold through before transferring the batter to your lined tin. 5. Use the back of a spoon to level out the batter before slicing a banana in half and gently placing on top. 6. Generously sprinkle over the demerara sugar, covering the banana and batter – this will give your loaf a lovely crunchy caramelised top. 7. Place into the oven and bake for 60 to 65 minutes until a skewer comes out clean when inserted in the top. 8. Leave to sit in the tin for 5 minutes once baked, before gently removing and wrapping the loaf in clingfilm/saran wrap until cool. 9. Eat warm, cold, on its own or slathered in choccy. #aroundtheworld #cake #bananabread #guatemala #bakingtok

Around The World in 80 Cakes - Portuguese Toucinho do Céu In at number 14, we finally head over to Portugal for their Toucinho do Céu, which intriguingly translates to bacon from heaven. An odd name yes for a cake, but when you realise that lard is a key component, it starts to make sense. Buttery rich, dense and incredibly moist, this didn’t have a traditional light and fluffy cake texture once baked but is more so comparable to a set custard. This is a great gluten free bake, and as someone who does enjoy teaming sweet with savoury, I think the preconception of knowing that lard plays a part may have sabotaged a fair review BUT I do think switching it out for olive oil instead would be an incredibly delicious substitute. I’d also highly suggest increasing the orange zest for a punchier flavour. If you fancy giving this a go, I used the below recipe based on a few Portuguese websites and restaurants. Proceed with caution, I am not here to compensate you for how much you spent on eggs if you don’t like it 😬 400 g Ground Almonds 190 ml Water 350 g Caster Sugar 1/2 tsp Sea Salt 90 g Unsalted Butter, diced 45 g Ibérico Lard (sub for normal lard/olive oil) 8 Large Eggs, yolks only 3 Large Eggs, whole 30 ml Amaretto (sub for orange juice + 1 tsp almond extract) 1 Large Orange, zest only 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste Icing Sugar, to finish Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 140C Fan/160C/320F and grease and line a 20 cm / 8 inch removable base/ springform cake tin. 2. Into a saucepan, add the sugar, water, lard and salt. Place over a medium heat before bringing it to a boil. 3. Once boiling, add in the ground almonds and mix well. Continue cooking the almonds over a low to medium heat for a few minutes. 4. Remove the pan from the heat and add in the butter. Mix to ensure it completely melts and is well incorporated. 5. To the pan, add the whole eggs, yolks, amaretto (if using), orange zest and vanilla bean paste. Use a balloon whisk to mix well before switching out to a rubber spatula to scrape down the base and sides of the pan to ensure everything is combined. You want this to be a coarse but smooth mix. 6. Transfer the batter into your lined cake tin and place onto the middle shelf of the oven for 30 to 35 minutes. You want the top of the cake to be firm and lightly golden. If the cake top is wobbly, place back in the oven for a further 5 minutes to continue cooking. 7. Remove from the oven and allow the cake to sit in the tin for 30 minutes before covering the top with clingfilm. Leave to cool before placing in the fridge overnight to set. 8. The next day, gently remove the cake from the tin and transfer to your serving plate. Dust the top with icing sugar before using a hot knife to slice. #aroundtheworld #cake #portugal #caketok #mukbangeatingshow

Around The World in 80 Cakes - Torta Caprese. In at number thirteen, we head back over to Italy for a slice of sweet, fudgy, nice with their Torta Caprese. Incredibly easy to make and super quick to bake, this is one that would make a great addition to your baking roster, especially considering it is gluten free, meaning yum for most tums. I saw a lot of recipes adding extra bits and bobs but I kept it simple, adding only a few tweaks (the espresso powder mostly just to enhance the depth of chocolate flavour) and found using whole blanched almonds blitzed down till ground gave a better texture than the predone sort but will work either way, if needed. The below is based off a recipe I found on an italian blog so hoping this is close to something authentic! 🫶🏼 To give this a go, you will need: 150 g Dark Chocolate, callets/chunks 115 g Unsalted Butter, diced 100 g Light Brown Sugar (can sub for caster sugar) 3 Large Eggs, separated 1/4 tsp Cream of Tartar 185 g Whole Blanched Almonds ¼ tsp Espresso Powder, optional Pinch of Sea Salt Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 140C Fan/160C/325F and grease and line a 20cm/8 inch loose bottomed/springform tin. 2. If you have an induction hob, add the chocolate and butter to a pan and place over a medium heat, stirring little and often until melted. If you have a gas hob, place the chocolate and butter into a heatproof bowl and place over a pan filled with simmering water. Ensure the base of the bowl doesn't touch the water, mix the chocolate and butter until melted. Leave to one side to cool. 3. In a stand mixer bowl, add the sugar and egg yolks. Use the paddle attachment to mix on a medium speed for 4 minutes until the yolks are lighter in colour and thickened. 4. If you are using whole blanched almonds, add to a food processor and pulse until ground. Go low and slow to avoid the almonds releasing their oil. 5. Add the chocolate, ground almonds, salt and espresso powder (if using) to the yolks and mix well until combined 6. In another mixer bowl. add the egg whites and cream of tartar. Using the whisk attachment, mix on a medium speed until the whites reach stiff peak. 7. In thirds, add the egg whites to the yolk bowl and gently fold through, using a rubber spatula. 8. Add the batter to your lined tin. Use the back of a spoon to level out the batter and place into the oven. Bake for 32 to 35 minutes, until the top is set and the sides of the cake starts to come away from the tin. 9. Allow the cake to sit in the tin for 15 minutes before covering the top with clingfilm to lock in the moisture. Leave to completely cool. 10. Once cool, remove from the tin and use a hot knife to slice. #aroundtheworld #italy #italianfood #torta #cake

Around The World in 80 Cakes - Guatemalan Pastel de Banano We're edging closer to the top ten so this latest entry comes as no surprise to me. In at number 15, we head to Guatemala for a slice of their Pastel de Banano...which is also commonly known as Banana Bread With Guatemala as one of the top 3 exporters of bananas, this cake is hugely popular, with families all adding their own tweaks to this simple sumptuous bake. Often left as is, variations include the addition of nuts, a drizzling of chocolate or topped with honey. If you're new to baking or want something low on the fuss and frills but heavy on the yum, this one is for you. No fancy pants equipment required, it's just a little mixy mixy, pour and bake. It's moist, tender, dense, heavily spiced, not too sweet, slightly crunchy, incredibly soft and annoyingly moreish. To give this a go, you will need: ❤️‍🔥 Batter: 200 g Plain Flour, sifted 150 g Soft Light Brown Sugar 100 g Walnuts, chopped 1/2 tsp Baking Powder, sifted 1/2 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda, sifted 1 1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon ¼ tsp Ground Nutmeg ¼ tsp Sea Salt 300 g Ripe Banana, mashed  100 ml Vegetable Oil 25 ml Sour Cream, room temp 2 Large Eggs 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste ❤️‍🔥 To Finish: 1 large banana, sliced in half 15 g Demerara Sugar Method: 1. Preheat oven to 160C Fan/180C/360F/gas mark 4 and grease and overline a deep 2 lb loaf tin. The overlined edges will help you remove the loaf once baked. 2. Into a large bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, bicarb, cinnamon, nutmeg and sea salt. Use a balloon whisk to combine. 3. Into another large bowl, add the bananas. Mash using a potato masher or fork until smooth. Add the veg oil, soured cream, eggs and vanilla bean paste. Use the balloon whisk to mix again until smooth. 4. Add the flour and mix well until just combined. Add the finely chopped walnuts and lightly fold through before transferring the batter to your lined tin. 5. Use the back of a spoon to level out the batter before slicing a banana in half and gently placing on top. 6. Generously sprinkle over the demerara sugar, covering the banana and batter – this will give your loaf a lovely crunchy caramelised top. 7. Place into the oven and bake for 60 to 65 minutes until a skewer comes out clean when inserted in the top. 8. Leave to sit in the tin for 5 minutes once baked, before gently removing and wrapping the loaf in clingfilm/saran wrap until cool. 9. Eat warm, cold, on its own or slathered in choccy. #aroundtheworld #cake #bananabread #guatemala #bakingtok

Around The World in 80 Cakes - Portuguese Toucinho do Céu In at number 14, we finally head over to Portugal for their Toucinho do Céu, which intriguingly translates to bacon from heaven. An odd name yes for a cake, but when you realise that lard is a key component, it starts to make sense. Buttery rich, dense and incredibly moist, this didn’t have a traditional light and fluffy cake texture once baked but is more so comparable to a set custard. This is a great gluten free bake, and as someone who does enjoy teaming sweet with savoury, I think the preconception of knowing that lard plays a part may have sabotaged a fair review BUT I do think switching it out for olive oil instead would be an incredibly delicious substitute. I’d also highly suggest increasing the orange zest for a punchier flavour. If you fancy giving this a go, I used the below recipe based on a few Portuguese websites and restaurants. Proceed with caution, I am not here to compensate you for how much you spent on eggs if you don’t like it 😬 400 g Ground Almonds 190 ml Water 350 g Caster Sugar 1/2 tsp Sea Salt 90 g Unsalted Butter, diced 45 g Ibérico Lard (sub for normal lard/olive oil) 8 Large Eggs, yolks only 3 Large Eggs, whole 30 ml Amaretto (sub for orange juice + 1 tsp almond extract) 1 Large Orange, zest only 1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste Icing Sugar, to finish Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 140C Fan/160C/320F and grease and line a 20 cm / 8 inch removable base/ springform cake tin. 2. Into a saucepan, add the sugar, water, lard and salt. Place over a medium heat before bringing it to a boil. 3. Once boiling, add in the ground almonds and mix well. Continue cooking the almonds over a low to medium heat for a few minutes. 4. Remove the pan from the heat and add in the butter. Mix to ensure it completely melts and is well incorporated. 5. To the pan, add the whole eggs, yolks, amaretto (if using), orange zest and vanilla bean paste. Use a balloon whisk to mix well before switching out to a rubber spatula to scrape down the base and sides of the pan to ensure everything is combined. You want this to be a coarse but smooth mix. 6. Transfer the batter into your lined cake tin and place onto the middle shelf of the oven for 30 to 35 minutes. You want the top of the cake to be firm and lightly golden. If the cake top is wobbly, place back in the oven for a further 5 minutes to continue cooking. 7. Remove from the oven and allow the cake to sit in the tin for 30 minutes before covering the top with clingfilm. Leave to cool before placing in the fridge overnight to set. 8. The next day, gently remove the cake from the tin and transfer to your serving plate. Dust the top with icing sugar before using a hot knife to slice. #aroundtheworld #cake #portugal #caketok #mukbangeatingshow

Around The World in 80 Cakes - Torta Caprese. In at number thirteen, we head back over to Italy for a slice of sweet, fudgy, nice with their Torta Caprese. Incredibly easy to make and super quick to bake, this is one that would make a great addition to your baking roster, especially considering it is gluten free, meaning yum for most tums. I saw a lot of recipes adding extra bits and bobs but I kept it simple, adding only a few tweaks (the espresso powder mostly just to enhance the depth of chocolate flavour) and found using whole blanched almonds blitzed down till ground gave a better texture than the predone sort but will work either way, if needed. The below is based off a recipe I found on an italian blog so hoping this is close to something authentic! 🫶🏼 To give this a go, you will need: 150 g Dark Chocolate, callets/chunks 115 g Unsalted Butter, diced 100 g Light Brown Sugar (can sub for caster sugar) 3 Large Eggs, separated 1/4 tsp Cream of Tartar 185 g Whole Blanched Almonds ¼ tsp Espresso Powder, optional Pinch of Sea Salt Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 140C Fan/160C/325F and grease and line a 20cm/8 inch loose bottomed/springform tin. 2. If you have an induction hob, add the chocolate and butter to a pan and place over a medium heat, stirring little and often until melted. If you have a gas hob, place the chocolate and butter into a heatproof bowl and place over a pan filled with simmering water. Ensure the base of the bowl doesn't touch the water, mix the chocolate and butter until melted. Leave to one side to cool. 3. In a stand mixer bowl, add the sugar and egg yolks. Use the paddle attachment to mix on a medium speed for 4 minutes until the yolks are lighter in colour and thickened. 4. If you are using whole blanched almonds, add to a food processor and pulse until ground. Go low and slow to avoid the almonds releasing their oil. 5. Add the chocolate, ground almonds, salt and espresso powder (if using) to the yolks and mix well until combined 6. In another mixer bowl. add the egg whites and cream of tartar. Using the whisk attachment, mix on a medium speed until the whites reach stiff peak. 7. In thirds, add the egg whites to the yolk bowl and gently fold through, using a rubber spatula. 8. Add the batter to your lined tin. Use the back of a spoon to level out the batter and place into the oven. Bake for 32 to 35 minutes, until the top is set and the sides of the cake starts to come away from the tin. 9. Allow the cake to sit in the tin for 15 minutes before covering the top with clingfilm to lock in the moisture. Leave to completely cool. 10. Once cool, remove from the tin and use a hot knife to slice. #aroundtheworld #italy #italianfood #torta #cake