The Nineteenth Week

I did not have any idea what to make this week.

There was no major event that happened this week that warranted a cake, and no funny story that triggered a cake idea. So I sent a text to a couple of friends and Kerry was the first to answer, 'something low in fat'. After telling her not to be so boring I actually thought that was a good idea. To me, low in fat is using less butter. I consulted what is proving to be one of the best cake recipe books I have, 'A Treasury of New Zealand Baking', and found on page 212 a Sweet Orange Angel Food Cake which has no butter at all.

Sunday morning while everyone else was sleeping as the much needed rain fell, I made this cake. Was fun to make as the base is a pavalova consistancy. Resulting in a very light spongy textured cake. Friends arrived at 4 and I served the cake with whipped cream and vanilla yoghurt. I recommend a glass of bubbles on the side.

Sorry there is none left to share!

Week Eighteen

This week has given me so many reasons to make a cake. Daughter ran her first half marathon in a brilliant time of 1.51, eldest son took off on his life experience to South America and beyond, and it was mothers day!

So I went with Emmas choice from this months Cuisine magazine and called it 'Marathon Farewell Mothers Cake'.

Not very original really is it?

It tastes quite lovely really, served with blackcurrent couli and marscapone.

We awoke this morning to a text from Adam in Miami on his way to Ecuador and is bag is still in Washington! Ha brilliant! He has been flying since leaving here on Saturday and should get to final destination tea time tonight our time.

Back to the cake....that is pear quarters on the top of the cake and the main flavour is almonds.

The Seventeenth Week

Ben returned from his extended boys trip too jet lagged to notice the Walnut Cake smothered in chocolate icing, awaiting him in the Ta Da! Consequently, this cake hasn't had many takers.....no flour just the crumbs of two pieces of toasted white bread and a cup of ground walnuts, and the usual eggs and essence to give it life!

Onwards and upwards, we have a birthday in the house this week. His desire for a birthday cake is a large triple chocolate and banana muffin with chocolate icing on top! So tomorrow I will make millions of muffins and erect them in a pyramid and pour chocolate icing over the lot. Watch this space for a photo.

In the mean time, happy 22nd birthday Adam.

Week Sixteen...ANZAC Day

This weekend brings eldest son returning home to live, (even if it is just for two weeks ), youngest son still stuck in UK but due to touch down here in NZ on Wednesday afternoon, dinner with some very lovely friends and Anzac Day.

I awoke this morning wondering what on earth I would bake today, and while reading the Sunday paper Annabelle White came to the rescue with a Modern Anzac Cake.

Really interesting recipe, sour cream, apricots, coffee, coconut and cocoa and the topping has the rolled oats and golden syrup etc.

Annabelle recommends it be eaten with a really good cup of coffee.

I have chopped it up into family size pieces and delivered it around the place...anzac cake should be eaten on Anzac Day!

Week Fourteen eat your veges!

This week was going to be all about Ben. But a huge messy volcano has put an end to that! Poor ol Ben and his mates are stranded in the UK......probably having the time of their lives and I think I am the only one who is worrying about him. They were to arrive home today and the cake of his choice was to be displayed in the cake ta da. Maybe next week!

So instead, plan B, chocolate zucchini cake, recipe courtesy of Gill Cain.

John has had a large supply of zucchini growing this summer in his vege garden so it was great to use something from his harvest!

The cake is very light and lovely with no icing and best enjoyed right now.

Fourteenth Week - date anyone?

Well after a week in Auckland watching champion swimmers strut their stuff, baking a cake was the last thing on my mind!

So when the time came today, I opened the recipe book, A Treasury of New Zealand Baking, at a random page. This weeks cake is Coffee, Walnut and Date Cake. This is a superb cake, moist and rich, perfumed with coffee and studded with walnuts, and offset nicely with a lemon icing.

( I actually quoted that little description from the book! ha ha)

I reckon you should pop in this week and have a taste of this one.....

Next week my youngest cherub returns from his english adventure and he has booked his welcome home cake already! Watch this space.....

Week Thirteen...Easter

I was all set to investigate Easter cakes and on finding one I discovered traditionally they have a marzipan filling. So this put me off as I couldn't imagine anyone liking a cake full of almond icing so I went to plan B....Greg's birthday. His favourite cake according to his better half, is a banana cake with chocolate icing. Very handy as I happen to have four bananas reaching over maturity in the fruit bowl. Also handy that Greg's birthday fell at Easter as half my family are jetting all over the place and wouldn't be here to do the eating! Emma had gone to her favourite part of NZ with her man and his family, Adam took off to Auckland to the Open Swimming Champs and Ben heads off to London for two weeks today. John, 'doesn't really eat cake', and I don't need cake!

So Happy Birthday Greg, you old bugger, (I can only say that because he is 3 months older than me) hope you enjoy your cake.