The Classic All in One Cake

So where to start? After checking the definition of 'baking' I now realise that there are a few more hurdles to overcome than I had originally thought but with six weeks stretching out in front of me I have more than enough time. Cake is top of my list!

Victoria Sponge Cake or the All in one Method?

I am determined to follow the recipes just as they are whilst I am in learning mode and although I am very keen to tick off the victoria sponge cake box all the recipes that I have call for 2 18cm cake tins, ideally spring form. I have noted that most agree that even the slightest change in size of tins can alter the outcome. I have quite an extensive collection of tins for a non baker but actually no 18cm ones. The Victoria Sponge will just have to wait. The All in One Cake it is then.

Delia's recipe is fairly similiar to most and very reminiscent of my Granny saying 4oz of this and 4oz of that and I liked the reassuring wording of Delia's passage on cakes and so dived straight in, sleeves rolled up and oven on to preheat.

Today I am using a New York purchase, a Nordicware Bundt tin, very Nigella! It's a large size and therefore I am trippling the recipe. My only concern is getting the cake out of the tin and although it's non-stick I have a sneaky suspicion that I am going to have problems getting it to release. Many recommend Wiltons release spray and I have seen it being sold in Jane Asher's Chelsea store but of course I haven't got any to hand. Butter and a piece of kitchen towel will have to surfice.

It's great to be using eggs from our hens. I have 5 from our lovely girls and use a shop bought one to make up the required half dozen. It's free range as well but the yolk is not as yellow.

Into the oven she goes and now just a quick calculation- one lot of the mixture 30 minutes, does that follow that 3 lots of mixture requires 90 minutes? That seems an awfully long time for a cake but I settle on 50 minutes.

50 minutes- just enough time to make some lemon curd as I am keen to try Mary Berry's lemon cheesecake from the demonstration on Saturday. The lemon curd recipe is a favourite of my Granny's and so very simple.

As I am very much the novice I must confess that at 45 minutes into the baking I sat in front of the oven for the last 5 minutes 'umming' and 'aahring' about whether to open the door. I resisted and am very pleased that I did- I did the press test and even skewered it to see if was cooked in the middle- all seemed well.

As suspected getting it out was tricky. I have now ordered some Wiltons spray online. Half the cake came out in one piece so thankfully the lemon drizzle icing hid most of the damage. Importantly it tasted just fine!

I will certainly be doing this recipe again!

Recipes from Far and Wide

In case I forget later I just want to say now from the outset how grateful I am to friends who have offered support with this Summer's Bake Challenge.

Immediately an old boss of 18 years ago and a more recent facebook correspondant saw my status update and kindly sent me three of her 'never fail' cake recipes. All of which I will be trying and writing about on here. So a huge thank you to Maureen, very much appreciated and as always it's just fab to kow that you are willing me to succeed now, just as you supported me and mentored me in my very first job all those years ago.

On Saturday I attended this year's CLA Gamefair at Blenheim Palace, Woodstock. Far from it being all about animals and farming there was also a brilliant Cooking Demonstration Theatre. Mary Berry gave an entertaining and inspiring display of 4 simple dishes taken from her new book with Lucy Young, 'Cook Up a Feast.' At the end there was the opportunity to purchase and have your book signed. Mary was very encouraging and wished me the best of luck with my baking challenge.

So with Maureen, Mary and Cherub behind me how can I not succeed this Summer?

The Bake Club

I am very fortunate to live in an area of London that has a great community spirit. My neighbours are all wonderfully talented people and it seemed foolish not to tap into all their baking expertise. Dora, or Cherub, my Grandma is a good 200 miles away and although I will be visiting her throughout this year I also needed other sages close at hand.
With all this in mind the idea of a local 'Cook Club' was born. It was two drinks into a farewell party for a neighbour that I bravely suggested ,"A cook club, like a book club but for cook books," not easy to type and certainly not easy to say after a few ciders and I think the blank expressions staring back at me confirmed my fears that people just thought I was stumbling over my words.
We have a community email system set up so I decided to back up my humble suggestion with a round robin to guage interest.
Yippee, within a few hours the very newly formed 'Ferrers Triangle Cook Club' had 9 people interested and the number is still growing, a database, an email address and a new blog- www.ferrerstrainglecookclub.blogspot.com
Those that can make it are all meeting on Tuesday 2nd August at 6.30pm in The Earl Ferrers Pub. The purpose of this initial meeting is brainstorm the format of the group and to see where the idea takes us.

A Summer Challenge

My Summer Challenge 2011 is to conquer my baking fears and to actually bake something successfully.  What better item to speed me on my way than my Granny's Kenwood Chef? At 97 my Granny has hung up her spatula and stored away her beloved bero books and generously donated her Kenwood Chef to me. Well here she is and what a beauty. Well not quite!

I transported the box home and placed it in the shed for a couple of months whilst my new kitchen was being installed.  On Monday night I decided it was time to unwrap the box, sure in the knowledge that the sight of her Kenwood A701a would bring back all those childhood memories and along with it all of her skills.

The first box contained the blender, another a whole series of mincing and chopping devices, all boxed in their original packaging. Next, out of layers of newspaper, came the famous K beater and the balloon whisk. It was all very christmas like, the excitement growing at each layer. However, underneath the lovingly kept Kenwood cover was not the original A701a that I was hoping for but a newer version! Granny had clearly updated to a Kenwood Gourmet Food Processor. It's true that my heart sank like my cakes usually do and I went straight to ebay to see if I could purchase an original. I was surprised to see so many and all at a good price too. That was it then. I would purchse an original A701a and continue with my Summer challenge.

It was a restless night. I already knew which recipes I was going to attempt first but my mind was wrestling over the Kenwood Chef. The whole purpose of the new kitchen was to cut down on clutter and to upgrade some of the  appliances. The buying of an original Kenwood would be a real retrograde step. I already have a magimix, which I love, and storage space is real issue. Therefore I decided that I would keep my Granny's kind donations and put them to good use but that I wouldn't obtain an original A701a,despite the name of the blog!

This blog is dedicated to Dora, my Granny who actually likes to be called Grandma not Granny.  All of which is slightly irrelevant as we affectionately call her Cherub instead of Grandma anyway. I will certainly be tapping into all her knowledge and top tips on my visits to her this year.

On with the challenge!