Oh yes. Cake drenched inside and out with champagne. What could be finer? I made this decadent cake, from a book called Booze Cakes, to take to a friend’s party recently. Word to the designated drivers – this cake packs a punch. A real, woah-Nelly-that’s-got-some-booze-in-it punch. Continue reading
I always thought pound cakes were heavy, rectangular-shaped items. I have long loved pound cake and have fond memories of eating frozen Sara Lee pound cake with sultanas at my nana’s house (nana wasn’t a baker, bless).
Then I saw my guru Donna Hay had made a pound cake in a circular shape and my mind.was.blown. #easilyImpressed Continue reading
Have you ever met a beekeeper? I have met several over the years in my day job as a journalist and I am here to tell you that people who dedicate their lives tending to bees, hives, and all the paraphernalia that comes with it, are amazing.
I recently interviewed a beekeeper who I have met several times now. She is passionate and knowledgeable about all aspects of beekeeping and at the end of the interview she gave me a jar of honey from her hives.
This honey is nothing like the stuff you buy at the shops. It is thick and unctuous and just begging to be via a spoon dipped in the jar. Mmmm, honey. As the hive is located a few suburbs away it is possible that the bees may have even visited my garden to alight on my lavender bush.
I was inspired by a recipe in Good Housekeeping’s The Baking Book for these cupcakes. I didn’t even notice how few ingredients it had until I was standing with the mixer going, and then I was happily amazed.
GATHER:
125 butter, softened and roughly diced
125g runny honey
2 eggs
125 grams self-raising flour, sifted
buds of two lavender blossoms, finely crumbled, plus extra for garnish – ensure they are chemical-free, ideally from a loved one’s garden. These are from The Hungry Nonna’s garden – thanks mum 😉
Whipping or thickened cream, for garnish.
LET’S GET TO IT:
Preheat oven to 170C and line 6 Texas-sized cupcake holes with wrappers.
In bowl of electric mixer beat honey and butter until combined.
Add eggs, one at a time, then beat. Mixture will look curdled, is fine.
Using a silver spoon stir in flour and mix until just combined. Scrape into wrappers and bake for 15-20 minutes / until a skwere comes out clean.
Remove to wire rack to cool completely.
Meanwhile beat some thickened cream until soft peaks, then dollop on top of cakes. Garnish with extra lavender buds.
So, exciting news sports fans: Miss9’s soccer team will be playing at half-time of tonight’s Matilda’s game! For those that aren’t into soccer, the Matildas are the Australian national soccer team and they are playing Vietnam tonight at a stadium half an hour away. Miss9’s team will take to the field at half-time to play a short game. Yippee!
To keep energy levels up I have made these brown sugar cookies for the team (Miss9’s, not the Matildas!). I have made brown sugar bickies many times but they have never been as good as these. Continue reading
The saying ‘better than sex’ is thrown around a lot in relation to certain foods. This pie – served as squares – with the addition of whiskey caramel sauce, may not be better than sex but it sure is up there with some of the best PG-rated times you’ll ever have. Continue reading
This Donna Hay cake is simple and impressive and can be jazzed up with the addition of a quick icing. It isn’t overly chocolaty which could be a good or a bad thing, depending on how you feel about chocolate or how early in the day it is – while choc addicts would argue that it is never too early in the day for a chocolate hit I would actually disagree (ducks for cover). This cake neatly straddles the issue though – there is just enough chocolate for any time of day. Continue reading
I wish I could be paid to spend all day trawling Pinterest for delicious things to bake. I mean, I’m good at it. I enjoy it. I can and do spend hours falling down baking-related rabbit holes. But I just don’t think anyone is going to whip out the chequebook any time soon.
Sigh. Continue reading
You will not find a simpler from scratch recipe that delivers such bang for your buck in terms of taste.
I found this recipe on sheknows.com and was apprehensive – could it really be any good with just three ingredients and using just one bowl? Continue reading
Apples, eh? Something that looks shiny and crisp at the markets can turn out to be a fraud when bitten into. Soft. Floury. Bruised. That was our experience after being swindled at a farmer’s market recently. Before I continue let me say that I adore farmer’s markets and the farmers that produce our food. I have no idea how fraudulent apple man managed to get a stand at these popular markets but he did. Money was exchanged. Apples were bought. Disappointment on one side of this transaction ensued.
So there we were – a fruit bowl full of dud apples that Misses 7 and 9 kept boomeranging back from school each day.
If you are a follower of this blog or know me in the real world you would know that my instant reaction was to turn these fraudulent apples into a cake. Continue reading
In Australia Valentine’s Day is just a minor blip on the calendar, not the huger than huge occasion it is in the US. Nonetheless it gives me a perfect excuse to dust off my heart-shaped cutters and to create something sweet. Continue reading
the hungry mum 