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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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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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take one lemon ...

A good lemon will feel heavy for its size and have a finely textured skin. As it ripens, the skin becomes thinner and more juice will develop. At one time lemons were so expensive only nobility could enjoy them!



So I took my lemon and made this, a basic 7oz Victoria sponge mix, and in the mix added the zest and a little of the juice. I was taught at school to take however many eggs you are going to use and weigh them, then use equal quantities of all other ingredients, and this method does work. Baked in a 2lb loaf tin, using one of the marvellous Lakeland loaf tin liners. Once cool, I used the remaining juice with icing sugar to make a drizzle.



I waited until J got home from work before I cut into it, promise! He enjoyed his, as you can see, although he did suggest, however much he likes my cakes, that I don't get back in the habit of baking. His plan for today is to get back on the celery!