:: so hot again today + a cake ::

The birthday fun rolled on into today, courtesy of morning tea at the lovely Eve's house.  The secret pot-holder (oh yes, another one, and there are plenty more to come) has been gifted to gorgeous Vee:

{{gorgeous Prints Charming pink/red fabric in the middle}}

{{lime Half-Moon scissors, Authentic text, orange Munki Munki dogs, yellow American Jane Fairy Tale Play tickets and awesome blue Aunty Cookies}}

{{not sure of the very cute grey buildings, but it's a pretty recent release - I've cut off the selvedge already ... }}

And here's the back - a very fab Suzuko Koseki Yuwa linen:

{{home sewing? why yes}}

{{love all those buttons}}

Out-take with Teddy:

At last, the delicious ginger cake from David Herbert's 'Complete Perfect Recipes':

{{this is the only pic I took ... you can sense the deliciousness though, can't you}}

Ingredients:

60g butter, cubed

1/2 cup (about 180g) golden syrup

3/4 cup plain flour

1/4 cup SR flour

1 tsp bicarb soda

1 heaped tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp mixed spice

1/2 cup caster sugar

pinch of salt

1/2 cup milk

1 egg, beaten

Method:

1. preheat oven to 170 deg C.  Grease and line a 23 x 12 cm (9 x 5 in) loaf tin.

2. melt butter and golden syrup in a small saucepan over low heat.  Stir occasionally.  Remove from heat.

3. sift flours, bicarb soda and spices into a mixing bowl.  Stir in the sugar and pinch of salt.  Add the milk and egg and mix until smooth.  Gradually add the melted butter/syrup mixture, stirring until well incorporated.

4. pour batter into the tin and bake for 50-55 minutes (I bake mine for 45 minutes and it's been perfect every time) or until risen and firm to the touch/skewer comes out clean.

5. cool in the tin for 5 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack to cool.  Serve dusted with icing sugar (but I've never done that ... mainly because I forget to).

Eat.  Enjoy.  Though now I've started on WW, there's not quite as much eating and enjoying as before ... 

talk soon     xoxo cat