World’s Biggest Coffee Morning: Hilton Cardiff’s lemon meringue and sticky toffee mug cakes

Cardiff’s Hilton Hotel is well-known for its mouth-watering cakes – both on its à la carte dining menu and its afternoon teas, which serve up triple-layered finger sandwiches, scones with cream and jam, plus a selection of miniature cakes and pastries.

Mark Freeman, the Hilton Cardiff’s executive chef, has recently been working on some new mug cake recipes, a quirky way of serving cakes in individual portions

He’s sharing recipes for two contrasting flavoured mug cakes in support of Macmillan’s World’s Biggest Coffee Morning.

The sticky toffee mug cake is topped with a deliciously indulgent and gooey sauce, while the lemon meringue mug cake features a sweet and tangy lemon curd in the centre as a lovely surprise for your guests.

Both would be an impressive addition at your Macmillan World’s Biggest Coffee Morning. You can find out more about how to host your own, or events taking place in your area, by visiting our website.

Lemon meringue mug cake (makes 4)

Ingredients

85g softened butter (plus extra for greasing)

85g caster sugar

Grated rind and juice of half a lemon

1 large egg, lightly beaten

85g self-raising flour

6-8 tbsp lemon curd

Topping

2 egg whites

115g caster sugar

1. Pre heat oven to 190^o c/375^of gas mark 5.
2. Grease 4 x 200ml oven proof tea cups or ramakins.
3. Place the butter, caster sugar and lemon rind in a large bowl and beat together until till light and fluffy.
4. Gradually beat in the egg then sift in the flour using a metal spoon fold in the mixture with the lemon juice.
5. Spoon the mixture into the tea cups and place on a baking sheet.
6. Bake in pre heated oven for 15 mins or until risen and firm to touch.
7. While the cupcakes are baking make the meringue topping.
8. Put egg whites in a grease free bowl and using a electric mixer whisk until stiff.
9. Gradually whisk in the caster sugar to form a stiff and glossy meringue.

Lemon Curd

4 eggs

200g sugar

125g double cream

75g lemon juice

1. In a bowl whisk the egg and sugar add the lemon juice then add the double cream.
2. Place in a bain marie on the stove and cook until thick.
3. Put to one side to cool.
4. Use a apple corer to take out some of the middle and fill with lemon curd, swirl over the meringue and return to the oven for 5 mins until golden

Sticky toffee mug cake (makes 6)

85g dried stoned dates, chopped

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

100ml water

85g softened butter (plus extra for greasing)

85g soft dark brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs lightly beaten

Toffee sauce

85g soft dark brown sugar

55g butter

4 tbsp double cream

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180^oc, grease 6 150ml ovenproof tea cups or ramekins with butter.
2. Put the dates, bicarb and water in a small in a small sauce pan and bring to the boil. Remove from heat and put to the side to cool.
3. Put the butter, sugar and vanilla in a bowl
4. And beat together until light and fluffy.
5. Gradually beat in the egg.
6. Sift in the flour then using a metal spoon fold the eggs into the mixture then add the date mixture.
7. Spoon the mixture into the cups.
8. Put the cups onto a baking tray.
9. Bake in a pre heated oven for 20-25 mins or until risen ands firm to touch.

For the sauce

1. Put all the ingredients in a small pan and heat until the butter has melted, simmer for 5 minutes stirring occasionally.
2. Using a skewer make a few holes in the warm mug cakes the drizzle over some sauce.

Hilton Cardiff, Kingsway, Cardiff, CF10 3HH (029 2064 6300). Visit the website here.