Wednesday 6 May 2015

Home baking . . . and other things.


On Tuesday I finally found time to do some baking.  I had promised our friend V a cake and she had requested a Victoria sponge.  I decided to go the whole hog and stuff it with double cream and fresh strawberries . . .  I was soooooooooo good as when she offered to cut me a piece, I said no!

However, I also made myself a Lemon Drizzle Cake, and I have allowed myself a couple of pieces of this . . .


I like moist cakes, and usually use fresh fruit in cakes (especially apples) to get the moistness.  I use as little sugar as possible, although with lemon drizzle, of course there is sugar in the lemon juice syrup used to top it.


I took advantage of a dry day this week to finish planting up the wall with the £1 Aubretias.  It looks so much better than it did.


Above and below.  Here's a chair in need of some tlc which we bought from auction yesterday.  It's mid-Victorian and has certainly seen some service, as the legs were  worn down/cut down and now need replacing or a pair or rockers.


Some polish and elbow grease will transform this chair.

Meanwhile, life goes on.  I am up at my friend Annie's cottage again today, getting the last few boxfuls gathered together, ready to go to auction.  Then will be the Big Clean Up.  I could do with a Big Clean Up here, but unless I am cloned, or prepared to work the night shift, it will just have to wait.

I am away for the weekend, staying with a friend and visiting Badminton Horse Trials for the first time in a few years.

8 comments:

  1. Lucky friend V to get that cake, it looks great, I do like that chair it has character :-)

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  2. I love that chair - in some ways I like it as it is as it tells its history, whereas if you give it the once over it will lose its
    identity - but of course if you intend to sell it on then I suppose that is the best thing to do.
    I dare not look at that fresh cream cake!

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  3. Beautiful Windsor chair, I am sitting in my Windsor chair at the moment, it has the initials WHB carved at the back and is one of the pieces of furniture that tracks through my life. Think I shall make the lemon drizzle cake it looks delicious.

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  4. A Lemon Drizzle Cake is definitely on today's list of things to do. I think the recipe is very similar to the pound cake recipe I use. Difficult to find this other than in UK measurements which I can't convert, but I did come up with one. Will let you know how it turns out.
    Re the chair: what kind of wood?

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  5. Your baking looks so yummy, I do love strawberries & cream in a cake so do the children. I am so pleased you made the lemon drizzle cake & enjoyed some. My lemon is still sitting there but I have just made coconut buns.
    I love your wall & such a pretty purple colour.
    Enjoy this lovely day.
    Fondly Michelle

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  6. I do not think it would be easy to refuse a slice of cake, Lemon Drizzle is one of my go to cakes, easy to make and quick to cook. I have found that most people love it and it makes a nice gift. I made a fresh pineapple and coconut slice yesterday, 1 bit left after friends popped in.

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  7. Dawn - I shall make one to bring to yours WHEN I finally have a slot in my busy calender - I have NEVER been this busy, so permanently!

    Pat - it shan't be spoilt, I promise. It will be polished with home-made beeswax polish, and we are looking for another set of legs from a similar chair - legs which aren't missing the bottom 4" or so. If we can't find them, we shall have to resort to having rockers made, as the chair won't attract a buyer as it is too low. However, we like it so much that at the moment it is staying with us and that gives us time to look for the legs. I daren't look at that cake either, as I'd be the only one to eat it in our house (OH doesn't do cakes or anything sweet).

    thelma - your Windsor chair sounds lovely and it is nice that it has accompanied you through life.

    Sharon - Lemon drizzle never disappoints. I will see if I have one with American measures amongst my books - I have several American cookbooks. The wood on the seat is Elm, hence the wild grain. It looks like the arms are also Elm, which is unusual. The back splats are normally fruitwood. Ash is used for the spindles.

    Michelle - Glad you like the baking and the wall. I LOVE that colour purple. Coconut buns sound yummy - haven't made those for years.

    Pam - Sometimes I can do it, but sometimes . . . Your fresh pineapple and cocount slice sounds good, and I'm sure the one bit left over didn't go to waste!

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  8. The wall looks lovely but not as wonderful as the cakes.
    Lemon drizzle sounds just right but I will dream of the Cream cake.

    cheers, parsnip

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