☼ british summertime begins

the clocks go forward an hour tonight here in the UK:

which means lighter evenings and longer days:

with that in mind I've baked a cake that will keep all week:

so I can grab a slice while I create, make and do what I do:

think the original recipe was an internet one:

tweaked by me:

today I've added caraway seeds because the bright yellow

daffodils in my garden were my great grandmother Una's favourites:

and so was seedy cake:

Una Cake

you will need:

200g caster sugar *plus a spoonful for sprinkling*

240g butter ~ softened

3 eggs 

210g self raising flour

90g plain flour

a large lemon ~ finely grated zest and juice:

preheat the oven to 170°c/ gas 3:

grease and line a loaf tin:

cream the butter and sugar together until pale and light:

add the lemon zest and stir:

then add the eggs one at a time with a heaped spoonful

of the flours:  mixing well:

I added a spoonful of caraway seeds but you can leave these

out if you're not sure of the taste: 

*it's an acquired one*

add the lemon juice and the rest of the flour:

yes it's quite a stiff mix but go with it:

pile into your loaf tin and sprinkle with caster sugar:

bake for about an hour, testing with a skewer to make sure it's

cooked right through:

cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out to cool onto a rack:

this cake needs to be cold before slicing so be patient:

delicious with coffee while I crochet:

^_^

❨❩ the world gets smaller

it's great when someone takes the time to

write down a recipe for you:

a piece of paper with handwriting:

shared baking secrets:

this one was given to me by Justine when she

lived in the UK:

now she's a zillion miles away in Australia:

we always call these Justine's cookies:

and they are truly yum!

you will need:

125g softened butter

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup brown sugar *200g*

1 egg

1 cup plain flour

1 cup self raising flour *150g*

1 cup desiccated coconut *100g*

250g chopped chocolate

place butter, vanilla extract and sugar in 

a bowl and beat until creamy:

beat egg into mixture and then stir

through flours, coconut and chocolate:

roll 2 tablespoons of mixture at a time into balls:

place balls on lined baking trays and flatten slightly:

bake in preheated oven 190°c/ gas 5 for 15 minutes

or until cookies are lightly browned:

cool on trays: serve with hot chocolate:

makes 20:

⨸⋌ everyone stops for tea

somehow a cup of tea or coffee is so much more

if accompanied by a slice of fruity cake:

this recipe is light and moreish:

I'm not quite sure where the original recipe came from

but I adapt this to whatever fruit or nuts I have in the cupboard:

it's a breeze to make as there's no elbow/mixer

grease needed ^_* 

anytime tea cake

you will need :

220g plain flour

170g caster sugar

90g nuts *I chopped up pecans*

175g dried fruits 

*I used sour cherries, seedless raisins and a few chopped up prunes*

125g butter

1½ teaspoons baking powder

2 eggs

60ml milk

a few spoonfuls of demerara sugar

set your oven to 160°c/ gas 4:

line a 16x10cm loaf tin with greaseproof:

in a large bowl ~ sift the flour and baking powder:

mix in the caster sugar, nuts and dried fruits:

melt the butter *I zap it in the microwave*

then add the milk, then add the eggs and mix well:

gently mix the wet ingredients into your large bowl of dried:

pile into your lined loaf tin and shower the top

with some demerara sugar for crrrunch!

bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, but test with a skewer

after one hour and see how you go:

cool in the tin then turn out:

you'll have trouble slicing this if it's still warm so

you'll have to be patient:

will keep in the tin for 3-4 days:

*try dried cranberries and walnuts, or sultanas and almonds*