Simone's Friday Cake Bake No. 3

For today's weekend treat I made a chocolate fudge cake. Now I am sure it will taste lovely but I would be horrified to know how many calories it contained judging by the amount of sugar, butter and chocolate that was added.

Now, the above picture shows the cake at a slightly different angle. A very ugly monster of a cake! The fudge icing was so heavy that the side of the cake collapsed setting off a chocolaty avalanche!

It is not often that I have a baking disaster but thought you may like to see an example of 'when cakes go wrong'! I don't think I will be making this cake again especially as I have a huge bowl of washing up to contend with plus an icing sugar covered worktop! Have a lovely weekend. I am off to wash up and prettify the cake! x

A Head in the Bed

A head in the bed
A head in the bed
All you can see is a head in the bed

With covers pulled up to her chin
All you can see is a head in the bed

They wake her to move her
To wash and to feed her
And then they tuck in the head in the bed

She used to grow flowers
And never sit still
Back in the old days, before she got ill

Now all they see is a head in the bed
They wash her and move her
And make sure she's fed

Written by Simone 25 January 2010

This poem is written with regards to an elderly relative who resides in a care home.

Friday's Cake Bake Update!

I didn't get to show you what the cake looked like when sliced - so here it is! It is really delicious and I would have thought a lovely picnic cake. It would go down well with a flask of tea or coffee!

I am definitely going to make it again. If any of you would like to make it the recipe is as follows:

Cherry and Sultana Cake

Pre-heat oven to 160 degrees Celsius/325F/gas mark 3 and grease and line a 2 lb/900g loaf tin.

4 oz softened butter
4 oz caster sugar
3 medium eggs , lightly beaten
4 oz glace (candied) cherries, halved
12 oz sultanas
6 oz plain flour
a pinch of salt (but leave out if using salted butter)

Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually add the eggs a little at a time. If mixture starts to curdle then add a little flour and continue to beat.

Toss the cherries and sultanas in a little of the flour to coat, then fold the remaining flour into the mixture with the salt if used. Stir in the cherries and sultanas.

Spoon the mixture into the tin and cook for about 1 hour 30 minutes until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Leave to rest in the tin for a few minutes and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool down.

Simone's Friday Cake Bake!

Thank you to Sumea for referring to my Friday Bake a Cake Day as 'Simone's Friday Cake Bake.' It flows off the tongue so much easier than the previous name! Thank you also to all of you that said you would like to join in. I only mentioned it tongue in cheek but am pleased to have inspired you to bake a cake for the weekend. I would also like to see what you come up with. It is something to look forward to on a damp and dismal day isn't it?

Today's offering is a Cherry and Sultana Cake. The recipe is from 'The Classic 1000 Cake and Bake Recipes' by Wendy Hobson and published by Foulsham.

I think I will be using this book quite often. I especially like the sound of Tipsy Apricot Cake, Sticky Gingerbread and Golden Cinnamon and Nutmeg Cake.

Have a lovely weekend and if you don't get to bake a cake I hope someone bakes one for you! x

Goal Number 2

I have been looking at a book called 50 Artists you should know. In the book I read that Vincent van Gogh wrote to his brother that 'you learn by working' and 'you become a painter by painting'.

At the moment I paint for a short period of time during a two hour lesson once a week. By the time the tutor has explained the object of the lesson there is barely enough time to put paint to paper.

I am going to take on board the wise words of Mr van Gogh and become a painter by painting.

My goal is to paint (or draw) everyday. This goal may be out of reach but I am going to aspire to it anyway!

Bake a Cake Friday!

A couple of months back I told my family that each Friday I would bake them a cake of their choice. I did this for two reasons: 1. To have an element of routine to my somewhat unstructured days. 2. To have something to look forward to at the end of the working week.

I have kept this up for most of the time except for the Christmas period when we had cake overload.

Anyway I think they may have forgotten my promise to them so the cake above will be a pleasant surprise when they get home today.

From now on I have designated each Friday to be a bake a cake day. Want to join in? No membership required! Just bake a cake on a Friday and post up a picture and/or share the recipe.

The above cake is a simple Victoria sponge sandwich cake with strawberry jam (left the butter cream out on this occasion) and the recipe can be found on my first ever post if you want to make it.

Goal Setting Number 1

Time is one of my greatest enemies. The more I have the more I waste. It is not that I don't want more time. I just need to use it more effectively.

I have decided this year to give myself some personal goals to achieve so that I put my time to good use. As and when I come up with a new goal I will add it to my side bar.

Recently I have discovered the satisfaction in reading John Steinbeck novels. I started off by reading Of Mice And Men and then progressed to The Grapes of Wrath. I can't wait to go to bed each night just so I can curl up with a book by Steinbeck!

I find that I am getting so caught up with The Grapes of Wrath that my political views are radically changing. Now if a book can do that to a person then the writing must be good in my opinion.

Anyway, back to the goal setting. Goal number 1 is to read 10 novels by John Steinbeck during 2010.

Ten Things That Make Me Happy

I have been tagged by Kathy at Postcards from the P.P to list 10 things that make me happy.

A succulent home made fruit cake.

Fresh flowers, crocheted blankets and a victoria sponge sandwich cake.

Botanical gardens.

A perfectly formed snow drop.

Watercolour painting.

A tree full of blossom.

Crafting with paper.

A summer meadow. What 10 things make you happy?

Year of Action?

My 'year of action' hasn't exactly gone to plan so far. I have had a stinker of a cold since New Years Day and have spent the last few days hibernating. I still have the cold but am feeling better in myself so today I decided to just get on with it!

So far today I have:

• poached some dried fruit with honey and served with a warming bowl of porridge for breakfast

• made a thick, nutritious, garlicky lentil soup for lunch

• baked a clove studded ham with a marmalade glaze for dinner tonight

• written a short poem whilst watching the snow falling:

Silent snow softly falling
Flake on flake on flake

Silent snow softly drifting
bewildered birds on frozen lake

Silent snow softly settling
Patterns and tracks animals make

Silent snow
Sshhhhhh........................................

I hope that you are all well and staying safe and warm if the snow is causing you problems.x