I knew as soon as I got up this morning that I wouldn’t be going to the shops.
And there seemed to be little point in finishing off my current picture book manuscript. Editors are too busy with holiday matters right now and anyway the post boxes are full to overflowing. So I decided to do something scarily different. I decided to bake some cakes.
For me cake baking is close to magic. If I don’t wave my wand... sorry, wooden spoon in quite the right way, it’ll be a disaster. So I spent some time consulting the book of spells... I mean, cookbook [lent to me by a very good friend] and I set to work measuring, mixing...
...baking and *abracadabra*...
I’ve only gone and magicked up a lemon drizzle cake! (It’s quite easy this baking business.)
Encouraged by my success I try a second cake. It’s a tad more complicated and so Mr A is called in to help with the decorative bits.
This goes into the oven and *izzy wizzy*...
...we have a Danish Apple Cake. There's only one thing left to do. As they say, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. Delicious!
Talking of yummy food, I’d like to send a great big THANK YOU to one of my Twitter friends, Keris Stainton, for the lovely box of chocolates which is in the post to me as I type. I won her recent blog competition and the prize was a box of Hotel Chocolates from the Chocolate Tasting Club. I can recommend a visit to her blog post of a hilarious Strictly Come Dancing extract. [And yes, I'm still missing Strictly.]
So, you're a goddess in the kitchen too dear Rosalind!
ReplyDeleteYour little white garden looks simply magical. I'd kill for a dump of snow. We're sweltering in the heat here in NZ!
Congrats on winning the competition. Nice prize for this time of year :)
Thanks Wendy, and if we could send some of our snow your way, I can assure you we would.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous Apple Cake! And smiled when I saw portion you presented with cup. Mine would have been doubled. *feels so unladylike*
ReplyDeleteAnd you have chocolate, too?
Bliss.
Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Hi Marisa, the truth is I'd just had a large slice of lemon drizzle cake while I was finishing off the apple cake. It would appear that over-eating is an outcome of home baking.
ReplyDeleteAahh, sniff, I can smell it from here. Delicious. I miss cake. Now you're ready for the holidays!!
ReplyDeleteYummy!!! I haven't made either of those in a very long time! Need to fix that :)
ReplyDeleteHi Manzanita, sorry to get your digestive juices going like that!
ReplyDeleteHi Jemi, have I initiated a day of baking in your house too?
Ros,
ReplyDeleteWhat is the psychological pull of baking on a cold, snowy day. I know that when they forecast snow over here in Jerusalem (about once in five years maybe)I rush off to stock up on flour/sugar/eggs/ etc and ALWAYS end up having a bake-in with whoever happens to be around -my kids come in from outside Jerusalem just before the roads become impassable so the grandchildren can get to see and play in it. Jerusaem is on a high altitude so we occasionally get snow whereas most other places never see it.
However I digress - for a change.
While you're in the baking mood may I recommend my niece's great baking blog
http://www.bakingandmistaking.com/
I have had some yummy recipes from her blog and when she comes to visit she always brings samples with her.
Hi Ann, it's a good job you don't live here this month. Your freezer would be overflowing with home-baked cakes! And thanks for the link. I'll pop over and visit your niece right now :-)
ReplyDeleteHello Rosalind, you cakes looks so scrummy, I am late to your Blog, so I guess by now they have all been eaten and not a crumb left. Hope you had a fabby Christmas, hugs xx
ReplyDeleteCaaaake! Party at Rosalind's house! (Hope you had a wonderful Christmas, and 2011 is productive and exciting!)
ReplyDeletewell done on the comp - a well-deserved win, Ros! and thanks for the Strictly link!
ReplyDeletemy god, there's You-Tube as well. Bliss! long may the boys (and girls) shake it!