If I knew you were comin' I'd've Baked a Cake

If you've read much of my blog then you can see that I like being out and about in London, trying new things, eating and writing (quite sappy) poetry. What I am yet to share is my absolute love of baking!

I find it so theraputic and love sharing my creations with friends and family. The whole process of deciding what I'm going to bake, making it and then finally the decorating is so exciting to me. However, I have had to put a cap on the amout of baking I've been doing recently due to unfavorable effects on both my own and friends' waistlines.

This christmas just gone I was thrilled to recieve a one day baking course at Waitrose Cookery School from my mother. I went along last week and had the best time. I was able to ask all my baking questions and the staff were really helpful.

Tonight I am attempting this chocolate cake recipe from the BBC Good Food Website.

If all goes to plan I should end up with something looking like this *ahem*:

Comments and tips on this recipe:

- Firstly, I only have an 18 inch cake tin, opposed to the recommended 20 inch tin therefore, I put in slightly less mixture. If ever in doubt about how much mixture to put in your case/ tin remember this golden rule: Cake tins/ muffin cases should never be more than 3/4 full otherwise you'll find the mixture spills over the sides.

- After an hour and a half this cake had, rather deceptively, crisped over on the top, but was tragically undercooked on the bottom so I had to let it cook for another 20 minutes. You can tell if a cake is undercooked by poking a skewer (or in my case a chopstick - oops!) right through the cake. Hold the skewer in position for about ten seconds and remove it. If the skewer comes out clean, you can assume your cake is cooked, if it comes out with any unbaked mixture stuck to it, then it needs some more time in the oven!

- To make my cake easier to ice, and to remove the crispy top, I trimmed it. To trim a cake simply take a long knife, for example a bread knife, and slowly saw off the top. Remember you can always take off more but you can't put it back!  After trimming off the excess cake I turned it over so the bottom  is facing upwards. This means the most perfect side is on display and the cake is much easier to ice.

It doesn't quite look like the picture on the website but here is the finished product:

Me and the chocolate cake - I would like to add that it was 2am at this point, which is why I'm looking so tired!

As if it wasn't sweet enough, I added a little heart on top <3 <3

A Victoria Sponge cake I made a couple of weeks ago. Again I used a recipe from BBC Good Food and was really pleased with it.

Here's the Carrot Cake I made at Waitrose Cookery School. So tasty! I forgot to add cinnamon when making this cake, but it didn't go amiss.  We were using the recipe from the Waitrose Love to Cook Book, shown in the photo below.

Nobody but you

My heart

is singing

your song.

I can hear that beautiful melody

and the beat

sending that perfect sound, 

a red vitality

soaring through my blood stream. 

My heart

has but one purpose,

to love you.

But you don't want my love.

With a heart of your own 

there's no room for another.

I'm not ready to give my heart away 

you say.

Turn back little heart 

you are not welcome here. 

My heart

returning

broken and bruised

sings a strange lullaby

in its cage. 

Nowhere to go.

Trapped. 

The notes echo through my bones

and the broken chords make 

haunting sounds.

The notes fall onto my cheek

and wiping them way

I am greeted by a cold silence,

emptiness

the colour blue.

And in my chest I find

a still heart 

that will beat for nobody.

Nobody, but you.

Darling, Let's Do Brunch.

Brunch is, in my opinion, the best meal there is. Brunch is not the functional breakfast or lunch squeezed in to keep hunger at bay between work or school or errand running, it is a leisurely activity that takes place in good company on a Saturday or Sunday morning.

Today I had a particularly good brunch with an old friend at a regular brunching spot, Electric Diner, on Portobello Road in Notting Hill.

It was rather busy but with coffee to die for and food worth the wait we were more than happy to queue for five minutes whilst they found us a table. I chose my usual dish, the chili avocado and poached egg on granary toast with a side of spinach. Healthy and oh so delicious. If you're feeling more indulgent though, there's a good choice of other dishes including delightful looking waffles and the traditional Full English.

If you're interested take a look at the website here.

Of course after brunch, you're in the perfect spot for a stroll and perhaps some shopping with the Portobello Road market right outside. What more could you want from a Sunday morning? x

Homemade Red Velvet Cupcakes

It took me two attempts but I am very pleased with my first ever Red Velvet Cupcakes! 

I used a recipe book I got from my mother for for christmas. Expect more cupcake experiments to come xxx

The Light That Is Your Love

You are the Sun and I am the Earth. I am trapped in orbit around you. Spinning.

And when you are gone everything is shadow and night and I am alone.

The stars are memories of the moments we share. Echoes of your blazing light. Keeping me company while I think of you. 

Do you think of me too?

Waiting. Waiting for the day that is you.

The day and the warmth of your fiery rays that bring life to my soil. Capable of nothing without the light.

The light that is your love.