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another baking day ...

As rain has mainly stopped play outside today, I've been doing a spot of baking.

Sticky Lemon and Lime Cake

equal 5oz amounts of soft margarine or butter, caster sugar and SR flour
3 eggs
half a teaspoon of baking powder and 2oz ground almonds
zest and juice from one lemon and one lime

This is a recipe for cupcakes, but works equally well as one big single cake, baked in a 16.5 cm fluted cake tin liner.



Using proper eggs, from proper hens, bought from a proper stall along the roadside.

I really like how they are all different shades, and of a good size too.

I can't get over the size of some supermarket eggs these days - even the Size 1s seem small to me?



I do like citrus fruits.

In fact I sometimes find myself buying them when I really don't need them?

Anyway, these two came from a large bag of mixed lemons and limes from Sainsburys for just £2.00, which I thought was a bit of a bargain.

It is, if you don't end up throwing them away!

The zest needs to go in the cake mix ...

and the juice needs to be heated with 2oz caster sugar until syrupy, for the drizzle.



I do like quick and easy, not always having the time to faff with complicated recipes ...

and good time management leaves more time to scrape the whisk, and lick the bowl!

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bakin' ...

Not only have I been bakin' in the sun today, I've been bakin' cakes too.

Not unusual cakes, just common ones which you can make without a recipe - like this coffee/walnut cake, using equal ingredients for a 7oz sponge.

I also added a good handful of walnuts to the mix - I think the nuts I cracked had been in the bowl since Christmas, but they tasted fine!

I've made these choc/cranberry muffins before - you can knock up the batter in no time, and so healthy too.

Hmm!

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Simnel Cake ...

Using my trusty Mary Berry recipe.

Whisk up soft margarine together with soft brown sugar, eggs and self-raising flour.

Adding flame raisins, glace cherries, peel and mixed spice, left to steep for a hour or so (or overnight) in a small amount of water.

Prepare the tin.

Oh dear, lining cake tins has never been my forte!

A bit of a botch up job, but will do the trick?

Add half the mixture.

Now for a layer of marzipan, and a good tip is to not use the shop bought stuff.

Make up a batch of almond paste - it's really easy, and a good idea is to prepare earlier, wrap in clingfilm and leave to firm in the fridge.

Use a third, and then top with the remainder of the cake mixture.

Bake, and leave to cool.

The next day ...

Brush the cake with apricot jam before topping, and place eleven apostles on the top, and not ten!

Like I forgot!

Happy Easter weekend everyone!

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banana buns ...

I baked banana buns just in time for elevenses today - using a black 'n blue banana recovered from J's rucksack.



There's always a banana to be found in our house - both of us take at least one to work with us every day.

These are about as yellow as I like them, and fossilized black ones in the main, shamefully end up on the compost.

Not this one!

Top tip - Bananas degrade quickly and provide above-average bacterial activity for your compost.



Since when did we stop selling eggs by the dozen?

Fifteen in a box, ten in a box - and in this box nine!



A dozen (!) delicious, moist banana buns, baked in my Mum's old bun tin.

Suggestion - Serve warm, drizzled in golden or maple syrup, with a big dollop of thick cream, ice-cream or custard!



These banana buns remind me of/and taste very similar to the banana cake we ate a lot of, on both our trips to Australia.

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As recently featured on Kris' blog Life at Rosemary Hill.

Baked in loaf form, we often found it served spread with sweet butter, the same thickness and texture of our Christmas brandy butter.



For the banana buns, I used and adapted the recipe for honey & banana cakes to be found in 200 Cupcakes from the Hamlyn all colour cookbook series.

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It's a neat little book costing only £2.49 at good old trusty Robert Dyas.

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I aim to try out lots of the fabulous recipes inside - and for that taste of Australia, I may well just put that frosting on the top of my buns next time!

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rosy sponge cakes ...

I baked these rose-shaped sponge cakes using a 4oz mix, and a silicone mould.

Being somewhat influenced by the Hairy Bikers' Battenburg, I also added red dye to the mix to make them pink.

Slipped a bit, and then really wish I hadn't!

Being the first time I have ever used the silicone method, the whole procedure was a bit hit 'n miss to say the least.

I'm what you could say 'old school' and up until now I have always opted to use what I've always used, a baking tin!



Mixed reviews really.

The cakes came out of the cases well, but on tasting them the texture of the sponge was, well, reminiscent of rubber?

Not so springy to the touch, and still tempted to give preference to tin, but I guess there is room for both in my baking.

The mould came from Lidl, and being the girly-girl I am, was seduced by the pretty rose shapes!

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chocolate and cranberry muffins ...

Baked in red gingham cases, especially for Valentine's Day.

I'd say no thanks to oysters or champagne, unless in this shape or form.

The food of love.



I'd say yes please to chocolate.

This bar of the smooth and creamy kind ended up in the shopping trolley, with muffins in mind!



Romantic red roses for Valentine's Day.

The flowers of love.

These sweet cranberries look just like dried rose petals.

Cranberries are naturally fat and cholestrol free, low in sodium, and a good source of dietary fibre. They are high in vitamin C, and contain the most antioxidants compared with nineteen other fruits.



Soft and chewy chocolate and cranberry muffins.

The new food of love!

Happy St Valentine's Day.

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fancy magazine ...

Have you discovered the Cooking and Baking Magazine available in Julian Graves stores?

It costs 99p, and includes £20 worth of vouchers.

I missed Issue 1, this is Issue 2.

If your passion is cooking, baking and beautiful photography ...

this magazine is definitely for you.

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Included too are interesting articles and all kinds of hints 'n tips ...

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and in this issue a recipe for delicious cupcakes, of the knitted kind!

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baking is easy ...

I've had some days in lieu this week.

It's been bliss, and I've even managed to fit in a bit of baking.

I love baking, and when I retire I'm going to bake, bake, bake to my heart's content!

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Look, two lovely Easimix bowls!

My step-Dad thought I would like them, after unearthing them in a cupboard - they were my Mums.

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Like them, I love 'em!

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Perfect for knocking up a nice gooey Sunday Best Chocolate Fudge Cake.

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The recipe is from Mary Berry's Ultimate Cake Book.

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No reason why you can't bake and eat one on a Tuesday, is there!

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Mary Berry's Fast Flapjacks, of which the recipe says makes about 24.

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I put the mix in a 9 inch square tin, and marked out nine chunky ones!

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I am convinced that a recipe should not be a set of rules to be followed to the letter for a mind-numbingly uniform result, but when I hear someone praising a recipe because it always works, my heart sinks a little. I believe a recipe should be treated as a living thing, something allowed to breathe, to change its nature to suit our ingredients, our mood and our desires - Nigel Slater.

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easter and sugar overload ...

Inbetween shifts at work this week, I managed to fit in making a Simnel cake. I've always wanted to make one, and for my first attempt I was a bit chuffed at how it turned out.

I took the recipe from Mary Berry's Ultimate Cake Book, one of the first ever books I bought when J and I set up home together in the eighties from the Lakeland Plastics catalogue. No internet ordering in those days!

I didn't really have the time to be too fussy with its appearance, ending up using a more rustic approach.

I wanted to put the eleven balls of almond paste (marzipan) on the top, each representing the eleven apostles (excluding Judas) present at The Last Supper.





I have every other Thursday off work, and must admit to feeling a bit jammy today. After the foul weather of yesterday, in complete contrast out came the sun.

Perfect for taking photos.

Talking of feeling jammy, a few week's back I was lucky enough to win one of Simone's lovely giveaway crochet jam-jar covers. They are made to fit a Bonne Maman jam-jar, but not having one mine is just slipped over a glass, perfect for these eleven tiny narcissi I picked from my garden.

Simone sent me the one in Cornishware colours!




I made my own almond paste (marzipan), and a recipe is in the book too. It's so much nicer than the shop bought stuff, very easy to make, and you can store it in the fridge wrapped in cling until you need it.

All you need to make about 1.5lb is 8oz ground almonds, 8oz caster sugar, 8oz icing sugar, two whole eggs and 6 drops of almond essence. Once mixed, knead lightly.

A layer of almond paste is placed inbetween the cake mix, and once baked gives the cake a moist pudding-like texture.

For the complete Mary Berry golden look, brush the top with egg and finish off for a few seconds under a hot grill.



I had my family over this afternoon for a cup of tea and slice of cake (Worzel Gummidge), and for those not keen on dried fruit and marzipan, there was Coffee Sponge.

Made in the style of a Mary Berry traybake, but in a round tin not rectangle, as I couldn't wait to try out the round cake tin liners I bought the other day from Julian Graves.

If you love baking, check out Simone's Friday Cake Bake. I haven't been able to join in the fun 'cos I work that day, but lots of others have.

Happy Easter weekend everyone!

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coconut cake ...

My coconut cake came out of the oven impersonating a crusty loaf!

After throwing in and mixing all the ingredients together, the raw mix did appear all glutenous and gloopy, and to be honest after scraping out the bowl, didn't taste particularly nice either.

I did wonder how this cake was going to turn out?

I'm always looking for trouble, and trouble usually finds me. But not in this case, as you can see underneath this hard exterior, is a firm, moist, springy interior waiting to be sampled.



Nice!

I must confess, the dessicated coconut I used was a bit old. Buying it to make Lamingtons some time ago, I found the half full, half empty packet at the back of cupboard. Like you do.

As I love food, hate waste, I was reluctant in throwing it, and knowing I couldn't put it out for the birdies (it makes their tummies swell), I thought no harm in trying it, and surprisingly so, after all these months, it tasted fine.

I'll just take another bite, to be doubly sure!

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granny's seed cake for Halloween ...

I have lots of memories of my Granny, one of them being her Seed Cake. Why I've waited so long to make one I don't know. I waited in anticipation, and once cool enough to slice, it tasted just as I remembered. It uses Caraway seeds, and Caraway seeds to me are an acquired taste, and not particularly a taste a kid would like. Did I eat it out of kindness, or did I screw my face up with the first bite? I don't remember.



I don't know what became of Granny's cookbook. The recipe I used for my Seed Cake came out of The Best of Good Housekeeping, 1973 edition. This book belonged to my Mum, and I remember this being the only cookery book she would ever use.

Recipe

40z butter or hard margarine
8oz SR flour
a pinch of salt
4oz caster sugar
2 beaten large eggs
approx 4 tbsps milk
1oz of caraway seeds - once weighed, 1oz seemed a lot, I decided on 2 tsps

Rub the fat into the flour to resemble fine breadcrumbs, add salt. Stir in sugar and caraway seeds. Mix the egg into the dry ingredients and gradually add enough milk to make a dropping consistency.

My Granny used a round tin, I used a 2lb loaf tin, setting the oven temperature at 160c and baking until golden brown and springy to the touch.

With money I had for my birthday, I treated myself to the lovely green mixing bowl in Cargo Homeshop in Chichester. It's big and heavy, and only cost £10! I was so annoyed with myself recently as I allowed my trusty, vintage, worth a pretty penny, TG Green Easimix mixing bowl, with a pale blue inside, to fall out the cupboard and smash to pieces!



Whilst piling through recipes on the internet, I discovered that in one small corner of the Midlands region of the UK, Seed Cake was the traditional food to be eaten on October 31st.

The article also states varying recipes, something I discovered too. Hannah Glasse, in The Art of Cookery made Plain and Easy, published in 1805, uses yeast. Mrs Beeton, in the Book of Household Management, published in 1861, uses eggs and butter. The recipe I used has the quality of a Madeira cake. Somes recipes include ground almonds, this would have made my cake more moist. Candied peel can be added too.

Caraway Seeds are often partnered with rich foods that are not easy to digest. My cake, turning out a little dry around the edges, was a tad difficult to digest, with the caraway seeds getting stuck between my teeth!



I remember my Mum was always baking. Her, The Best of Good Housekeeping compiled by the Good Housekeeping Institute, shows all the signs. Grease marks and cake mix on The Family Cakes/Biscuits and Cookies pages!

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... is that chocolate cake doesn't last five minutes!

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oatie rounds ...

2oz caster sugar

4oz soft margarine

4oz rolled oats

2oz plain flour

Preheat oven to 160oC

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Cream together sugar and margarine, then work in oats and flour. Knead lightly on a floured surface, roll out to desired thickness, cut into rounds and place on a greased baking tray.

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Bake for about 20 mins or until beginning to colour.

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Instead of rounds, I cut my biscuits with a heart-shape cutter, and used Dorset Cereal's fruity porridge instead of rolled oats, doubling the quantity to make bigger, chunkier biscuits!

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These biscuits are easy-peasy to make, and go down a right treat with a cup of tea or coffee!

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raspberry bakewell cake ...

I baked this cake this morning. There's been ample yield of pick-your-own raspberries in the garden again this summer. This is a great way of using some.

It's still warm, the kettles on, and it's coming up for elevenses!
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baking days ...

We can manage without cakes, but without cakes we cannot manage!

Today I did a spot of baking. Usually being short of time, most of the cakes I make are based on a plain sponge mix, a tried and tested method, making necessary adjustments for the flavouring, coffee essence, lemon zest, cocoa powder etc.



These Spring flower cakes use a plain sponge mix, baked in muffin cases and topped with yellow buttercream icing. So quick and easy to make for Easter.



This lovely moist lemon cake once baked, is pricked with a fork and infused with a mix of lemon juice and icing sugar. This recipe was given to me by a friend, along with a suggestion to fill it with lemon curd if desired!



Recipes

Spring flower cakes -bake in 160oC pre-heated oven until golden and springy to the touch - makes 12!

sponge
6oz caster sugar
6oz soft margarine
3 eggs
6oz self raising flour
a few drops of vanilla essence

topping
3oz soft margarine
7oz icing sugar
a few drops yellow food colouring (optional)
a few drops of water for consistency

muffin cases
sugar flowers

Lemon cake - bake in 160oC oven from cold until golden and springy to the touch - makes lots of slices!

sponge
6oz self raising flour
6oz caster sugar
4oz soft margarine
2 medium eggs
2 tablespoons milk
grated rind of one lemon

topping
juice of one lemon
3 tablespoons icing sugar

I baked these cakes at the same time, together in the oven.

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lemon ...

I bought some lovely yellow lemon teatowels from Tchibo the other week, a pack of three for under £4. They are of really good quality and do a great job of brightening up a kitchen. You can often pick up a bargain from Tchibo, they change their stock every week, and with every purchase you get a free coffee!



A favourite of mine is lemon curd, the expensive, cheap and of the homemade variety. Lemon curd is traditionally eaten with bread or scones, but I often use it in a sponge cake, making up a basic Victoria Sponge recipe and filling with lemon curd, an inexpensive variety from the Sainsburys Basic range.



Waitrose sell the most amazing French recipe bread, delicious spread with Country Life butter and more lemon curd.

There is now approximately a teaspoon left in the bottom of the jar!