✚ keeps the doctor away

there's something about cold crisp wintery

days that makes me want to make fruit cake!

after noodling on the web for inspiration

I stumbled across this tasty cake

originally by Yotam Ottolenghi {swoon}

so get your mixing bowls ready 

{you'll need a few!}

for 

apple and olive oil cake with maple icing

you will need ....

for the cake ~ 

80g sultanas or any dried fruit

4 tablespoons water

280g plain flour

½ teaspoon cinnamon

pinch of salt

½ teaspoon baking powder

1¼ teaspoons bicarbonate of soda

160g sugar

120ml olive oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract or seeds from a fresh pod

2 eggs beaten

3 apples, cored and cut into 1cm dice

grated zest of a lemon

2 egg whites

for the icing ~ 

100g sugar

100g butter

85ml maple syrup

220g cream cheese

preheat the oven to 170c/ gas 4

grease and line a 20cm round springform cake tin

put the dried fruits and 4 tablespoons of

water into a small saucepan and heat 

gently until the liquid has been absorbed

leave to cool

in a large bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, salt, 

baking powder and bicarb and set aside

in another bowl

blend the sugar and olive oil together until smooth

add the vanilla and gradually beat in the eggs

until you have a smooth, thick mixture

fold in the apples, lemon zest and cooled fruits

gently fold in the dry ingredients using a spatula

in a clean and dry bowl, whisk the egg whites to soft peaks

add them to the batter in two goes

folding gently and keeping as much air as possible!

pour into the prepared tin and bake for 1 - 1½ hours

testing for doneness with a skewer

leave to cool completely

when the cake is cool, make the icing

by mixing the butter and sugar until fluffy

add the maple syrup and stir in the cream cheese

if you use a whisk it will be lighter

cut the cake in half horizontally

and spread one half with some of the

icing mixture

replace the top and spread with more of

that delicious icing

put the iced cake in the fridge to set

but let it come back to room temperature to

cut and eat and enjoy!

☃ scandi spice

there's something a little different about 

Scandinavian cake baking

it's cardamon 

a beautiful scented spice

with a tribal bellydancing Hafla to attend

and cakes to bring

I decided to use a new blend

Christmas Muffins

you will need ....

250g self raising flour

140g light brown sugar

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

a few cardamon pods

a generous spoonful of cinnamon {to your taste}

a pinch of ground cloves

a teaspoon ground ginger

85g butter ~ melted

200ml milk

2 eggs

preheat the oven to 180c/ gas 6

line your muffin tin with cases

 pop the cardamon pods and grind the seeds

with a pestle and mortar

add the other dry spices and mix

 in a large bowl combine all the dry ingredients

 add the milk and eggs to the melted butter and mix

pour the wet ingredients over the dry and combine

but don't over do it or your muffins will be flat

spoon the mixture into the cases 

bake for 15 ~ 20 minutes until firm to touch

eat as they are or adorn with icing and crazy 

festive decorations!

☯ oh Yoko

on the last day of the Summer holidays

we went to the Serpentine Gallery to see

an exhibition of Yoko Ono works

followed by tea and cake by the lake

we haven't eaten or made muffins for ages

my school friend Donna said so too

and sent me this > link  to a recipe of hers

I'm sure her recipe is healthier but we decided

to use butter and our own recipe

but with a nod to hers

thanks D!

coco cherry muffins

you will need ....

250g self raising flour

140g caster sugar

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

85g butter {melted}

200ml milk

2 eggs

a few tablespoons of dessicated coconut

{and some for sprinkling}

12 tsp of your favourite jam 

we used this sour cherry jam which we bought 

on our travels in Turkey

heat the oven to 200c/ gas 6

prepare a 12 hole muffin tin with greaseproof

or paper cases

weigh out all the dry ingredients into a large bowl

mix all the wet ingredients {except the jam} 

into a jug or bowl

then pour onto the dry

and stir until combined 

but don't over mix it!

put a tablespoon of this mixture into each muffin case

then a teaspoon of your favourite jam 

then cover with the remaining mixture

and sprinkle with more coconut

bake for 15 ~ 18 minutes until golden and firm

eat and sing this song 

{a jam for a woman too}

ᄋ cocoloco

coconut is an amazing thing

the water contains electrolytes which calm

an irritated digestive system

the oils within the flesh are 'good' oils

these strange nuts are a challenge to crack

but SO worth it, once you've got the knack of

getting the flesh out!

fresh coconut macaroons

you will need ....

250g fresh shredded coconut

2 egg white

¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

30g ground almonds

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

75g caster sugar

a pinch of salt

preheat the oven to 170〫c/ gas 3

line some baking sheets with greaseproof or

silicon paper

beat the egg whites until a little bubbly

then add the cream of tartar and beat until peaking

keep whisking and add the sugar a teaspoon at a time

until glossy and swirly

add vanilla, salt, almonds and coconut

fold gently until mixed

pile mounds of this mix onto the prepared trays

it should make about 8

{each mound about the size of a tangerine}

bake for 20 minutes until the edges start to brown

cool on a wire rack

we drizzled ours with melted dark chocolate

and they were divine!

℺ berry picking

our veg patch isn't thriving too well with

the inclement UK weather

but the strawberries and raspberries 

are loving it!

after a friend tweeted that she was making

a cherry almond clafoutis, I was inspired to

make a strawberry raspberry cake along

a similar line

red red berry cake

you will need ....

200g plain flour

1½ teaspoons baking powder

pinch of salt

100g softened unsalted butter

200g sugar

1 egg

120ml milk

a teaspoon of vanilla extract

demerara for sprinkling

some fresh strawberries or raspberries

or both!

preheat the oven to 180c/ gas 4

line and grease an 8" springform tin

sift all the dry ingredients into a large bowl

in another bowl cream together the butter and sugar

until light and fluffy

add the egg and mix well

stir in the milk and vanilla extract

add the wet ingredients to the dry

mixing well but gently

pour into the prepared tin

press in the strawberries and raspberries

then sprinkle lightly with demerara

bake for 1 hour or until golden and cooked through

cool on a wire rack 

delicious with a scoop of vanilla icecream I reckon!

ↀ sweet enough

sometimes I get a taste for savoury 

this recipe was an experiment

and I'm rather pleased with the result

and it's possibilities ....

cheese & oregano cake

you will need ....

320g plain flour {I used half wholemeal /half white}

half a teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon baking powder

a good grinding of black pepper

100g grated cheddar

2 eggs

200ml milk

60ml olive oil

1 good dollop of wholegrain mustard

a pinch of dried oregano or lots of fresh

preheat the oven to 180c/ gas 4

line a loaf tin with baking paper

place all the dry ingredients into a large bowl

and use a whisk to mix them and add air

stir in the grated cheese and oregano

mix the eggs, milk and mustard 

and olive oil together

then pour onto the dried ingredients and

mix until combined

put the mixture into the lined tin

bake for about 50 minutes

until golden and skewer comes out clean

tasty with cream cheese and tomatoes!

thinking this recipe would be good with any herb

and caramelised onion

it's a light alternative to bread

perfect for picnics!

∬ summer?

us Brits love talking about the weather!

we should be used to how changeable it can be

sunshine one day, rain the next

hailstones the size of peas

gales to lift you off your feet

the sun has been rather shy so far

but we wanted a little tropical taste

so here's an oldie tweaked for inclement June

banana pecan loaf with a coconut top

you will need ....

3 medium sized ripe bananas ~ mashed

75g sugar

75g butter

175g self raising flour

2 eggs

half a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda

a pinch of salt

a generous handful of pecan nuts

coconut for sprinkling

preheat the oven to 180c/ gas 4

line a loaf tin with greaseproof paper

cream together the butter and sugar until light

and fluffy

beat in the eggs one at a time

mixing well between each one

stir in the mashed bananas and pecans

fold through the flour, salt and bicarb

and pour into the loaf tin

sprinkle on the coconut and make a sort of

tent with the excess greaseproof to stop 

the top from burning

bake for one to one and a half hours

{test with a skewer for doneness}

this loaf can be eaten when cooled the same day

but it tastes better the next day if you can wait!