First set of house-guests!!!

We welcomed our first set of house-guests this past weekend!! David's mummy and sister made the quick trip up from Essex on Friday night and we got down to the business of exploring the city...after a filling, and wonderful evening at the Seadogs restaurant (my fave).  We must have walked every inch of the city centre, up and down the hills, up and down the volcano, up and down everything.  They truly saw Edinburgh from every angle!

What better way to recuperate after all that walking?? Cake, of course!! Oh, and tea...or wine...

In preparation for our guests I made a Mary Berry "fast cake" recipe for an easy apple cake.  This cake WAS super easy, and FAST to prepare...but it bakes for 1 1/4 hours...so...

Even so, it was super easy to make.  There didn't appear to be enough batter, but because Mary Berry uses self-raising flour and baking powder the cake rose and spread really nicely.  So, yes, quick to make...you put all the dry ingredients into one bowl and then mix in eggs, almond extract and MELTED butter (so no worrying about taking the butter out of the fridge the night before!) I used a mixture of sliced pears and sliced apples, which I think made the cake a bit too moist...the pears were pretty juicy to begin with...but still more than edible!