Vó Dora's chocolate cake

Arguably, the best cake in the world. Just ask any of Vó Dora's daughters, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The only problem is that my late Hungarian grandmother never wrote down a recipe. She was a fantastic cook, but was never able to explain how she achieved such mouth-watering results. When asked about this recipe, she would say "Oh, just a little flour, some eggs, sugar and butter". Fortunately, one of her daughters decided to watch her making this cake with pen and paper at hand, and took notes of everything Vó Dora did. She was then able to pass on the recipe to her sisters and whoever else wanted to know the secret of this absolutely delicious cake. Here at home, it has become our traditional birthday cake. The one in the picture is for Júlia's 15th birthday. Happy birthday, Júlia.

Ingredients

• 350 grams unsalted butter at room temperature
  
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups flour
• 6 eggs at room temperature
  
• 1/2 cup milk at room temperature
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 3 or 4 tablespoons sugar-free powdered cocoa
• 3 or 4 tablespoons vanilla-flavoured sugar
• a drop of rum
• 4 tablespoons apricot or strawberry jam

1. You'll need two large mixing bowls and one small one; separate the egg yolks from the whites, placing all 6 whites together in a large bowl, 4 of the yolks in the other large bowl and the remaining 2 yolks in the small bowl.
2. Whip the whites till fluffy, adding 1 cup of sugar little by little during the process.
3. To the bowl with the 4 yolks, add 200 grams butter, 1 cup sugar, 2 cups flour and mix well.
4. When the above is homogenous, mix in the milk and then, last of all, the baking powder.
5. Pour the whipped egg whites onto the above and mix everything very gently with a wooden spoon, always in the same direction.
6. Place the cake dough in a well-greased baking tin and bake for around one hour in a medium-hot (170 degrees Celsius) oven (for baking, electric ovens far better than gas ovens).
7. To test if the cake is cooked, when you think it's done, stick a toothpick into its centre and see if it comes out completely dry - only then will it be fully cooked.
8. Let the cake cool to room temperature and slice it in half (horizontally) for the filling.
   
9. To the small bowl with 2 yolks, add the vanilla-flavoured sugar, the powdered chocolate, 150 grams butter and a drop of rum, then mix well with a fork.
10. Spread a little of the above chocolate spread onto one half of the cake, then spread some jam on top and put the two halves back together, as in a sandwich.
11. Cover the whole cake with the remaining chocolate spread.
    

Bolo de Fubá (Cornmeal cake)

This traditional Brazilian cake is Ricardo's favourite, so he gets to have it every year on his birthday and on fathers' day. This delicious recipe is Rita's, who used to work at tia Terezinha's house. I've never met Rita, but judging from this exceedingly creamy bolo de fubá, she must be a very fine cook.

Ingredients

• 2 cups cornmeal
• 4 cups milk
• 4 small (expresso) cups sugar
• 4 tablespoons butter
• a pinch of salt
• 6 eggs
• 2 tablespoons aniseed
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
  

1. Put the cornmeal, milk, sugar, salt and butter in a pan, mix well and keep mixing until it boils and thickens into a kind of porridge (don't worry if it gets lumpy).
2. Let this cool.
3. Beat the eggs (whole) in a mixing bowl.
4. Add the cornmeal porridge to the eggs and use a mixer to remove any lumps.
5. Dissolve the baking powder in a little water and add to the cake mixture.
6. Add the aniseed.
7. Bake in a medium oven for around 50 minutes.
   

Tante Lies's Spice Cake

This is a really easy Dutch recipe by my late aunt Lies Van Hasselt. A cake with no eggs and no butter (but plenty of other lovely ingredients), perfect for a rainy Sunday afternoon and for a breakfast treat on the following day.

Ingredients

• 300 grams flour
• 300 grams brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• cinnamon
• nutmeg
• powdered cloves
• lots of nuts (whichever kind you have at home)
• lots of raisins
• strong coffee
• a bit of rum or port wine

1. Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl.
2. Add the coffee and the liquor last, enough to turn the mixture into a thick paste.
3. Pour into deep a rectangular baking tin.
   
4. Bake in medium-low heat for around one hour.
   

Carrot cake

Not so lazy after all. Decided to make a carrot cake too. Nice for afternoon tea.

Ingredients

• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup brown sugar
• cinnamon
• powdered ginger
  
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup oil
• 5 finely chopped or grated carrots
• half a cup of finely chopped nuts (whichever you have at home)

1. Mix all the ingredients in the order they appear above
2. Bake for around forty minutes in medium-low heat