One thing that I really missed when I moved over here to the UK was Hummingbirds. I always had a hummingbird feeder hanging by my window back home in Canada. I used to get quite a few of them too. They were so much fun to watch. Sometimes they would fight each other . . . their aerial dances were so beautiful to see, and quite amazing!



When we lived down south I was quite certain one day that we had a hummingbird in the garden. It flew from the honeysuckle at the side of our cottage over to the honeysuckle that was growing in the hedge at the back of our place. It flew just like a hummingbird and I was sure it was one . . . except it was a dull brown, but no matter . . . I thought perhaps it was a European variety or some such. I watched it for a good five minutes and was so excited to see it. I could hardly contain myself when I went into the house to tell the Toddster.



I was mistaken. It was not a hummingbird at all . . . it was a hummingbird moth, and I am not the first one to make that mistake . . . it is quite a common occurance over here in the UK. Moths in the daytime that act just like hummingbirds! In truth, I was every bit as excited to see a Hummingbird Moth as I would have been to see a Hummingbird! Funny how that goes!!



Of course that has nothing whatsoever to do with this lovely cake! When I told Todd it was a hummingbird cake, he looked at me like I was all doolally! I was quick to tell him it was not made from hummingbirds . . . no!



Just made of things that one might find in the countries where hummingbirds winter . . . things like bananas, and coconut . . . and sweet pineapple too.



It's very moist and oh-so-delicious. Each bite is quite quite lucious. The Toddster quite enjoyed.



Make sure you drain the pineapple very well for this, saving the juice of course . . . if the fruit is too wet the cake will be too heavy. Do use very ripe bananas too . . . if they aren't ripe enough, you won't get a good balance of flavours I topped mine with toasted coconut, but you don't have too. I just thought it would look prettier. Kinda like a hummingbird . . .



No Hummingbirds were harmed in the making of this cake.



*Hummingbird Cake*
Makes one 9 inch square cake
Printable Recipe

Moist and delicious. Moreishly scrummy!

450g tin of crushed pineapple in syrup (2 cups undrained)
210g plain flour (1 1/2 cup)
105g self raising flour (3/4 cup)
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
pinch salt
200g soft light brown sugar (1 cup packed)
45g dessicated coconut (1/2 cup)
2 large overripe bananas, mashed
2 large free range eggs, beaten
180ml of vegetable oil (2/3 cup)

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*C/ gas mark 4. Butter a 9 inch square deep pan. Line the base with baking parchment. Set aside.

Drain the pineapple well, reserving the syrup. (Really press it to get out as much liquid as possible.)

Sift the flour, soda, cinnamon, ginger, salt and brown sugar into a bowl, mixing well. Beat together the eggs, banana, vegetable oil and 60 ml (1/4 cup) of the reserved pineapple syrup. Stir this mixture into the flour along with the pineapple and mashed banana using a wooden spoon. Stir in the coconut. Spread into the prepared baking pan.

Bake for about 40 minutes, until well risen and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Let stand in the pan for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely. When cooled spread with the cream cheese frosting.



*Cream Cheese Frosting*

30g butter softened (2 TBS)
60g full fat cream cheese, softened (4 TBS)
1 tsp vanilla
240g of sifted icing sugar (2 cups)

To make the frosting beat together all the frosting ingredients until light and fluffy.

This cake will store for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. If you don't want to use cream cheese frosting you can make a simple glaze type of frosting using some of the pineapple syrup and some icing sugar, enough to make a drizzle. Just pour on top of the warm cake and leave to set until completely cold.



Over in The Cottage today, some delicious Pancakes! (made with sour cream!) These were always my eldest son's favourite ones when he was growing up!

I had the pleasure recently of having been sent a lovely baking book to review. You all know how much I love baking (and eating baked goodies, but we won't talk about that!) It's entitled The Great British Bake Off, How to Bake the perfect victoria sponge and other baking secrets, and is the companion book to the newest 8 part series of the hugely popular Great British Bake off on BBC2.

This is the brand new book to accompany the latest Great British Bake Off series, and features over 120 new recipes, Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood's 'technical challenges,' and the best contestants' recipes!



Divided into 8 delicious chapters, there is plenty to challenge keen bakers here, showcasing everything from brandy snaps to elaborate pastries, pavlovas to iced celebration cakes, and everything in between!



Two guesses as to which is my favourite chapter!!



It is filled with Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood's expert advice and tips which can help just about anyone to achieve baking perfection. Each chapter begins with a specific baking skill, which once mastered, allows you to tackle Mary and Paul's technical challenges, as seen in the series, with the utmost confidence.



There are over 120 recipes in the book ranging from mary's Coffee and Walnut Battenburg and Tarte au Citron to Paul's Pork Pies with Quails' EGgs. It's not just a collection of tasty recipes however, as it also covers the essential techniques, terms and ingredients to help your baking taste, look and smell it's very best ever!



I am most impressed with the variety of recipes and it's practical yet pretty design as well as the full-colour, step-by-step photography included.



Of course you know I wouldn't judge any book by it's cover alone. I need to put it to the test before I can actually declare it a winner or a dud, and this one is a real winner by all counts!



So far everything has turned out beautifully, including this delicious Sticky Orange Marmalade Cake which I baked this afternoon.



It's moreishly moist and chock full of flavour, with a delicious old fashioned appeal. I love the stickiness of the marmalade glaze which covers all that buttery cake goodness, and lurks just beneath a simple icing sugar glaze. I gave it 10 out of 10 and Todd gave it a definite two thumbs up!



*Sticky Orange Marmalade Cake*
Makes one 9 inch single layer cake
Printable Recipe

You want to use a really good Seville Orange marmalade for this cake, with an intense bittersweet flavour, plus decent chunks of peel in it.

For the sponge:
175g unsalted butter, softened (3/4 cup)
175g of caster sugar (3/4 cup)
3 large free range eggs, at room temperature and beaten
175g self raising flour (1 1/2 cups)
1/2 tsp baking powder
3 TBS chunky Seville Orange Marmalade
2 TBS full fat or semi skim milk

To finish:
3 TBS chunky Seville Orange Marmalade
100g icing sugar, sifted (1/2 cup)
2 TBS warm water

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter a 9 inch round cake tin and line with baking paper. Butter the paper. Set aside.

Cream the softened butter with an electric mixer or spoon until nice and creamy. Beat in the sugar gradually, then continue to beat until it becomes pale and fluffy.

Gradually beat in the eggs, beating well after each addition. Add a TBS of the flour with the last portion of the egg. Sift the remaining flour, the salt and baking powder into the bowl and gently fold into the mixture with a large metal spoon. When thoroughly combined, stir in the marmalade and milk.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until golden brown and firm to the touch. Run a round bladed knife around the inside of the tin to loosen and then carefully turn the cake out onto a wire rack. Flip to right side up. Gently warm the marmalade to finish and brush it all over the top of the warm cake. Allow the cake to cool completely before proceeding.

Sift the icing sugar into a bowl. Add the warm water and mix to a smooth and runny icing using a wooden spoon. Spoon the icing over the cake, allowing it to run down the sides a bit. Leave to set before cutting into wedges to serve.

Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.







There is a tasty Roasted Vegetable Lasagne Verde cooking over in the Cottage today!

We had a Birthday Dinner here for a good friend of ours yesterday. I love Birthday's and celebrating them. It's always a good excuse to bake a cake, or even better . . . cupcakes!!



Who doesn't love cupcakes???? A tasty little cake, ALL for you! What could be any better than that??



Especially when they are Lemon and Poppyseed Cupcakes, all moist and lemony and topped with a delicious buttery lemon icing and some tasty candy lemon slices!!! Wowsa Wowsa!!!



These are fabulous. I adapted the recipe from one I found on the BBC GoodFood site. (That's a great site by the way. I love BBC GoodFood, the site . . . the magazine . . . and all of their cookbooks.)



If you are looking for a great cupcake, which is delicious . . . buttery, and with a bit of texture, then I highly recommend these! They were very scrummy indeed! They got High Fives all the way around the table!



*Lemon and Poppyseed Cupcakes*
Makes 12
Printable Recipe

There is something that is quintessentially delicious about combining lemon and poppyseeds! I'm not sure what it is. I only know it works. Toast the poppyseeds for even more flavour!

225g self raising flour (1 2/3 cups)
175g golden caster sugar (2/3 cup)
the zest of two unwaxed lemons
1 TBS poppyseeds, toasted
3 large free range eggs
100g natural yoghurt (about 1/2 cup)
175g butter, melted and cooled slightly (1/2 cup, plus 1 TBS)

For the Icing:
225g butter, softened (1 cup)
400g icing sugar, sifted (about 3 cups)
the juice of one lemon
few drops yellow food colouring
icing flowers, sprinkles or lemon slice candies to decorate



Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Line a 12 hole muffin tin with paper liners. Set aside.

Whisk together the flour, sugar, lemon zest and poppyseeds. Beat the eggs into the yoghurt and them tip this mixture into the dry ingredients along with the melted butter. Mix together with a wooden spoon, until lump free. Fill the cake cases about 2/3 full. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until a skewer poked in the centre of one comes out clean. Cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to finish cooling completely before icing.

To make the icing, beat the softened butter until really soft. Gradually beat in the icing sugar and lemon juice. Add just enough food colouring to give you a pale yellow colour. Spread on top of the cupcakes in a decorative manner. Top with some decorations. Store in an airtight container.



Seeing as it was a birthday, it also gave me the perfect excuse to use this wonderful Cupcake Stand that was sent to me by Jo at Find Me A Gift.com!!



It is completely collapsable and holds up to 23 cupcakes. (This image is of the 3 tier one, I could not find a good one of the 4 tier one to show you, but it is essentially the same, except with an extra tier.) What I did like about it, was that the cupcake holders were graduated so that it held the cupcakes snug into the holder. I also liked that it comes completely apart and stores flat, a big plus in my storage challenged household!!What I didn't like was that the top one was just flat and so the top cupcake fell off every time I moved it. I also found the whole thing, when full, a bit unwieldy, so I do recommend setting it up exactly where you want to place it. Moving it once filled is not a great idea.



It looked fabulous lit up with a variety of thin candles interspersed here and there when it came time to sing Happy Birthday, however I did not get a photo of that! Oh, and if you want to know what those other cupcakes are (in the blue wrappers) you'll just have to tune in tomorrow! (I know! I'm such a tease!)



Many thanks to Jo at Find Me a Gift.com for this handy piece of equipment. I know I will use it often!



Over in A Year From Oak Cottage this morning, some delicious Sour Cream Fruit Drops!

One of my favourite vegetables from the garden has always been Beetroot. We grow them every year and right about now they are just perfect for eating.

Great for boosting one's stamina and increasing muscle efficiency, beetroot are a great source of folic acid and contain potassium, magnesium and iron as well as vitamins A, B6 and C. £ small beetroot count as one of your daily five portions of fruit and veg a day!



Alot of people here in the UK seem to think that all you can do with a beetroot is pickle it, and I do confess, I love me some picked beetroot!

They are also wonderful when roasted in or out of the skins. They are beautiful shredded and used raw in a salad, or even grated and used like carrots would be in a cake!



*Pretty In Pink Polkadot Cake*
Serves 9
Printable Recipe

Moist and spicy with intriguing pink speckles throughout. Your guests will be quite surprised when they find out where all that pretty colour comes from! I like to think this is quite healthy and a good way to have your vegetables and eat your cake too!

CAKE:
150g raw beetroot, peeled and grated (about 4 medium beetroot)
200ml sunflower oil (2/3 cup)
250g golden caster sugar (1 1/4 cup)
3 large eggs, separated
3 TBS milk
100g chopped walnuts, toasted (scant cup)
200g plain flour (scant 1 1/2 cup)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp each, ground cinnamon, ground ginger and ground nutmeg (I like to grate my nutmeg fresh)
1/2 cup really good quality strawberry jam for filling
FROSTING:
180g butter, softened (about 3/4 cup)
150g icing sugar, sifted (1 generous cupful)
450g low fat cream cheese (2 cups, or 16 ounces)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pink sugar flowers and pink glitter to decorate



Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5.. Grease two nine inch cake tins really well and dust with flour. Set aside. (alternately you can line with baking paper and grease it as well)

Remove about 1 tsp of the grated beetroot into a small bowl and cover with 2 teaspoons of boiling water and set this aside. (You will use this to colour the icing)

Whisk the sugar and the oil together in a bowl. Whisk in the egg yolks and the milk. Fold in the remaining beetroot and the nuts. It will look quite revoltingly red but don't let this alarm you in the least! (trust me!)

Sift together the flour, baking powder and the spices. Stir this mixture into the beaten mixture. Whip the egg whites until stiff with an egg beater and then fold them into the cake mixture in three additions, being careful not to over fold. Fold only to incorporate fully. Divide the batter evenly amongst the two prepared pans.

Bake in the heated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, only until the cake tests done and shrinks away a bit from the sides of the pan and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from the oven. Run a knife around the edges and leave to cool completely on a wire rack.

Make the frosting by beating the butter and icing sugar together until light and fluffy. Blend in the cream cheese until smooth and then work in the vanilla. Add some of the reserved beetroot liquor a little at a time to help tint the icing a pretty pink.

Remove the cake from the pans and place one layer in the middle of a pretty plate. Spread about 1/4 of the frosting on top of this layer. Spread the strawberry jam over top leaving about half an inch border around the edges with just icing. Carefully sandwich the other layer on top. Use the remaining frosting to cover the top and sides, spreading it evenly and swirling it somewhat on the top. Decorate with the sugar flowers and sprinkle on some pink glitter to finish.

Place in the refrigerator for about 1 hour to set. If not serving straight away, cover with cling film and chill. Remove from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before you want to serve it.



I also love to cook the tops of the beetroot, the leaves. These are fabulous sauteed or steamed like you would any leafy green. Just make sure you wash them really well, as they can be quite sandy. (Grit in the teeth=nasty!!) I have a fab recipe HERE for sauteed ones. Steamed you can just season with a bit of salt, pepper and some vinegar and butter. Delicious! (We've had precious little of those this year as the slugs seem to enjoy them almost as much as we do!!)

Of course one of our absolute favourite ways of preparing them is what is called Harvard Beets in North America. Deliciously tender beetroot in a sweet, tangy and buttery sauce!

Oh, I do adore beetroot in any way shape or form!




*Sweet and Tangy Beetroot*
Serves 6
Printable Recipe

Delicious tender beetroot in a sweet and tangy sauce. Fabulous side dish and a great way to use up some of the beetroot from the garden!

3.5 ounces sugar (1/2 cup)
1 1/2 tsp cornflour (cornstarch)
2 fluid ounces cider vinegar (1/4 cup)
2 fluid ounces cooking water from the beets (1/4 cup)
6 medium sized beetroot, cooked until tender, peeled and then sliced
(about 3 cups)
2 TBS butter
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste



Whisk the sugar and cornstarch together in a saucepan. Add the vinegar and water, whisking well to blend. Bring to the boil over medium heat, whisking constantly until thickened. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Stir in the beets, tossing together well. Take off the heat and let stand for 30 minutes. Just before serving, add the butter and reheat to boiling point. Serve hot.



I'm cooking Courgettes (Zucchini) over in Oak Cottage today.

A birthday comes but once a year and deserves to be celebrated . . . even if you are on the downslide towards 60. Yes, today I turn 56. I am now officially closer to 60 than I am 50 . . .

As sad as that might be . . . I still gotta celebrate! And that means cake. In the past I have made delicious creations such as . . .



Raspberry Celebration Cake
A beautiful victorian style sponge, chock full of fresh raspberries and filled with buttercream and raspberry jam . . . and a drizzle icing on top



Lemon Pound Cake with a Blueberry Sauce
A lovely buttery cake with full on lemon flavour a scrummy icing and then a beautiful blueberry compote.



Chocolate Lamington Cake

Oy!! Chocolate and Cream! Need I say more???



This year I decided to treat myself to a beautiful ginger cake. This is my friend Carolyn's recipe which she so generously gave to me. She served it at the Relief Society lunch we had the other weekend and I fell in love with it.



You know how much I love, Love, LOVE ginger!!! (So does Todd, so it's win/win!)



This is moist and spicy, with a lot of ginger heat and then the sweet spiced flavour of mixed spice. (There is a recipe for mixed spice in the right hand side column of this page).



But not only that . . . it is stogged full of candied cherries and ginger pieces . . . such a delightful surprise.



Topped with a runny drizzle and more candied ginger it's just a lovely cake. Moist. Spicy. Rich.



Dig out your prettiest pan for this one! It's a keeper. I have an idea this is one that will taste even better tomorrow, that's if there's any left! Anyhooo . . . Happy Birthday to me!



*Ginger Ring Cake*
makes one ring shaped cake
(or one small bundt cake)
Printable Recipe

This is lovely and moist and just spicy enough! I love that it has cherries and candied ginger in it. That makes it all the scrummier!

100g of butter, softened (7 TBS)
125g of golden caster sugar (2/3 cup)
100g treacle (1/3 cup molasses)
1 large free range egg
225g self raising flour (a generous 1 1/2 cups)
3 tsp ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp mixed spice (see recipe for mixed spice in the right hand column of my page)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
175ml of milk (2/3 cup)
100g chopped candied cherries (1/2 cup)
100g chopped candied ginger (1/2 cup)
Runny Icing to top as well as more chopped candied Ginger

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Grease and flour a ring shaped cake tin, or a medium sized bundt pan. Set aside.

Cream together the butter, sugar and treacle until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg. Sift together the dry ingredients. Add to the creamed mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with dry. Fold in the cherries and ginger. Spoon into the prepared baking pan.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until well risen and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to finish cooling.

Once completely cold, place onto a plate and ice with a drizzeable icing and decorate with some more candied ginger.