Sweet Potato Cake for the The Babe...and me!

In an effort to get a many vitamins and nutrients into The Babe's diet I have found myself "hiding" veg in our food.  I always thought that "hidden veg" was crazy...I thought "my child will eat all sorts of vegetables"...but that was before I had a child, and before I realised that children are, in essence, fickle and unpredictable.  The Babe will love something one day, absolutely gorge herself on it and then the next day toss it aside like it is the most disgusting thing I have ever put on her plate.  So, in a bid to stop scraping pieces of vegetable off the floor after most meals I have done what I thought I would never do...I have started hiding vegetables in our food.  

I made this Maple and Sweet Potato Loaf Cake during the week and it has been a huge hit.  The Babe really loved sweet potatoes while were in Canada in July, she gobbled up her sweet potato fries like it was nobody's business, but since we've been home my efforts have been met with less enthusiasm. Turning to Pinterst for help I found loads of great ways to use sweet potato in sweet dishes...brownies, muffins, cakes and pies.  I liked the recipe I chose because it was very close to the recipe I use for banana bread.  

I halved the sugar in the recipe and used Macadamia Milk instead of water to loosen the batter a bit (only because I had Macadamia Milk in the fridge needing to be used up).  To save some time I baked a large sweet potato the night before and then left it in the fridge overnight.  If you do this step in advance the cake takes no time at all to prepare, although it does take a while to bake (60 mins).  Once cooled I sliced it up into snack sized portions for The Babe, wrapped them in cling film and popped them into the freezer.  Of course I saved a few portions for immediate enjoyment! 

I slathered mine in butter and pear fruit spread.  It was fantastic.  The cake tastes slightly of sweet potato, but in my opinion it isn't over powering.  It is super moist and slightly dense.  I think it makes a great snacking cake for little ones, and The Babe has really enjoyed the couple of slices she has had.   

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Chocolate Irish Cream Cupcakes...a (post) pregnancy craving

It is weird.  I didn't really have any cravings while I was pregnant, but over the past 6 months I have found myself craving things I never really HAD TO HAVE before.  I'm mostly talking about chocolate and other sweet things.  Sure, sure I have a bit of a reputation for loving all things cake...and YES most (all) of my new friends in Edinburgh are foodies and cake lovers but I really didn't crave sweet before I was pregnant.  I do now...that's for sure. 

Last night while shushhhing The Babe to sleep I had a sudden urge for chocolate cupcakes...chocolate cupcakes with Mocha buttercream.  Why I NEEDED that combination? I have no idea.  

I haven't made cupcakes in yonks and while I knew I had butter in the house, I knew I didn't have enough for cupcakes AND buttercream.  Dilemma, dilemma.  

Fear not! A quick google search took me straight to this recipe on the Add a Pinch Blog.  Decadent chocolate cupcakes made with vegetable oil.  Perfect! These cupcakes took about 15 minutes to whip up (in fact I had to go and calm The Babe at one point) and bake AND COOL very quickly.  In her recipe Robyn says that you can totally make these after everyone has gone to bed or first thing in the morning. They really are that simple.  Dry ingredients in one bowl, wet in the other...bish bash bosh SIMPLES. 

Last year at some point BTB (Before The Babe) I made some to.die.for buttercream icing where I creamed about 150grams of unsalted butter in a bowl with a wooden spoon and just gradually beat in sifted icing sugar and a drop of milk at a time until it was...perfect.  Since then I have never looked at recipes for icing....I go with 150grams of butter for a single layer or 12 cupcakes and just double it for a layer cake.  

I've been obsessed with the Beanies Flavoured Coffees I bought over Christmas so I mixed up a little bit of instant Irish Cream Coffee (extra strong for a deep flavour) and added that instead of milk into the buttercream.  Total indulgence. 

Cravings satisfied...until next time. 

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Butternut Squash Cake...practicing for Christmas (eek I know)

I had a crazy dream the other night involving a pumpkin trifle...clearly I've got pumpkin everything on the brain.  This year "fall" has really hit me, I've happily tossed aside the salads and berries and have fully embraced squashes, apples and spices.  I've said it before and I'll say it again, this is my favourite time of year.  

So back to the pumpkin dream...it was a gorgeous trifle (not one of my favourite desserts) made with pumpkin cake and piled high with custard and cream...it was a vision.  Since that moment I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. I did a few searches on line and have only seen pumpkin trifles made with pumpkin flavoured custard (actually jell-o pudding) so I've been wracking my brain trying to come up with a few ideas.  

I've been inspired by these jam jar trifles over on Frances Quinn (the winner of Great British Bake Off)'s website.  Individual portion trifles topped with crunchy biscuits and crushed nuts...they sound (and look) heavenly.  These are destined to be my Christmas Dessert.  They have to be...they easily replace the pumpkin pie with the pumpkin cake element and they have cream and custard and biscuits and I am pretty sure they are going to be awesome...

So over the past week I have been experimenting.  

I've adapted my banana bread recipe to make a spicy butternut squash cake.  I figured roasted mashed squash was about the same consistency as mashed banana...right? So out went the banana, in went some mashed roasted squash (squished in a sieve first to get rid of the extra moisture) and then I added ginger, cinnamon and all spice to the flour mix.  It baked really nicely, is slightly denser than the banana bread usually is, but it TASTES ammmmaaazing.  

Cake Layer...CHECK 

Custard Layer....will be using Ambrosia Devon Custard (I'm not making it when all I want it thick creamy custard) 

Cream Layer...easy peasy 

Jam Layer...in progress...I'm thinking stewed apples with spices 

Topping... I've changed up my gingerbread biscuit recipe using light brown sugar and some added spices.  

My tummy is grumbling just thinking about it...sigh.  I spend enough time daydreaming about it.  

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Coffee Cake...quick, easy and oh so good

I love coffee cakes...you know a single sponge layer covered with fruit and a streusel topping...but it isn't easy to find one here in the UK.  Thankfully, they are quick and easy to make and perfect for this *heatwave*. 

I rustled up a blueberry coffee cake this morning in less than 10 mins...although the baking took a while longer than I thought it would have (stupid oven...stupid seal...stupid stupid).  But in the end out it came just in time for a cup of coffee (decaff) with a friend from work.

The recipe is from my trusted Canadian Basics Cookbook.  I swapped out the vanilla for almond extract today (almonds and blueberries go so well together) and added a sprinkle of slivered almonds on top of the streusel for a little bit of crunch.  

There is a good chance this will the last cake I bake for a while, what with D-Day looming (one week)...so I am glad that it was a good one! 

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Anniversary Cake

A colleague of David's hosted a little party for his parents' anniversary and asked if I would bake a cake.  Nothing fancy, just a sandwich sponge...something simple...was the info I was given.  I hummed and hawed over it for a while, and ended up making a lemon sponge filled with lemon curd and a lemony buttercream.  Topped with a ring of blueberries who could complain? 

The feedback was lovely...I just wish I had been able to have a bite myself!

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A Bundt for Charity

Did you know that if you eat cake for a good cause it is calorie free? Well it is...or so say those awesome peeps formerly known as the Edinburgh Cake Ladies and now known as the Edinburgh Bakers.  That's right...cake eaten for charity can only do you GOOD.  

This past week I joined a whole slew of keen bakers and eaters at the lovely Cafe Musa to raise a fork and some money for a local children's charity It's Good 2 Give.  Check out the official blog over at the Edinburgh Bakers website...drool over the pictures and congratulate them for a really fantastic event.  

Over 20 people pledged to bake a cake for the event and even more people pledged to eat those cakes (really hard promise to keep...)! When I pledged to bake ages ago I wasn't too sure what to make...it still felt like the middle of winter and I wasn't sure if I would even feel up to baking what with the dinosaur growing in my tummy.  In the end I decided that I would bake an old family favourite, a Lemon Blueberry Cake.  

I love this cake.  It reminds me of summer and picking blueberries.  It is light and fresh and tastes great even after being in the fridge.  My mum makes this cake in a spring form ring pan...I don't have one of those.  I borrowed a bundt tin from a friend...made sure I greased it well and hoped and prayed for the best! 

Even though it had a few minor cracks a thick layer of lemony glaze rounded it off nicely.  You really can't go wrong with lemons and blueberries.  

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An Afternoon Tea Baby Shower

I hosted a baby shower for a fellow cake lady over the weekend.  It was small and intimate...but there were loads of goodies.

We had organised it so that everyone invited would bring something along...a pot luck tea party! It was, of course, a great excuse to use my tea set...and a fantastic way to while away a Sunday afternoon.  

My contribution was a platter of savouries...my mum's artichoke bites (recipe widely available), small egg salad sandwiches, David Lebovitz's Gougeres, and tomato and basil puffs.   I had halved both the artichoke and gougere recipe and in the end I wished I hadn't...they were both so perfectly savoury I wished I had left overs.  

This was a seriously perfect pot luck Afternoon Tea...we had the savouries, and then large fresh fruit scones (with all the trimmings) followed by rhubarb and cream cheesecake, bakewell tarts, Malteser traybake and my Scandinavian apricot sponge cake.  

To finish I picked up some shortbread moustaches from Pinnies and Poppyseeds a local shortbread biscuit producer.  We needed something a little bit masculine...our friend is expecting a wee boy.  Not only were these mos a little bit of fun, they were being sold to raise money for Movember...bonus.  

Check out my friend Alison's blog for pics of all the goodies...I was too busy making and pouring tea to snap any decent pics.  

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Beetroot Tart...Eating Cake Underground

I attended a brilliant event last night, hosted by the cake-tastic Edinburgh Cake Ladies deep down under the streets of Edinburgh at The Real Mary Kings Close, literally under the Royal Mile.  The event was aptly themed "Spooky Bakes" to compliment our totally creepy venue and the cake ladies certainly did not disappoint.  Being underground and historic and atmospheric and all that the lighting didn't really lend itself to fab photographs, but there was a professional photographer on hand and you can check out the totally gory bakes on the Cake Ladies blog and on the STV Gallery.

My own offering wasn't exactly spooky...but it was flipping scary! For some sadomasochistic reason I decided to make pastry rather than a cake and chose a tart I had never made not to mention tasted before.  How's that for suitably scary?

Before halloween I spied a link to a beetroot tart recipe on my twitter feed and thought that it would be perfect for this event...earthy, bright red and something totally different.

To me this tart is an alternative to pumpkin pie.  It has the same warming spices...mixed spice, pimento (all spice) and ginger but with the earthy flavour of the pureed beetroot. The filling itself is very light, not as heavy as some pumpkin pies can be and has a nice blend of savoury and sweet.

I called it an Exhumed Beetroot Tart for the night in an attempt to make it more frightening...but really it wasn't going to win the best costume prize (not that it is a competition at all).

I loved it, I loved the night and I loved the bakes I tasted.  The Edinburgh Cakes Ladies have done it again!

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Scandilicious Cinnamon Bun CAKE

I am supposed to be on a cake break...there is a dress I need to fit into at Christmas time and all the incredible Edinburgh cakes I've been eating and making lately are not going to make it easy.  That said, we have 2 weekends of house guests staying over the next fortnight and it would be rude not to have something for them to nibble away at...right? 

I loved the look of this cinnamon bun 'cake' the moment I set eyes on the picture in Scandilicious Baking.  It reminded me of buying sticky buns back home in Canada, and the time I was at a friend's cottage and we got up extra early to go to 'the best' bakery out in the middle of nowhere to buy a circular tray of sticky buns (devoured with tim hortons coffee down at the dock).  

The recipe is easy to follow, made even easier by using the dough hook on my stand mixer.  Instructions are given for using plain flour as well as spelt flours.  I used a mixture of white bread flour and wholegrain spelt flour.  Initially the dough was very sticky, but after the first proving it was soft and easy to work with and although the spelt flour gives the dough a sweeter flavour I feel more virtuous using it...it is wholegrain after all.  Just ignore the fact that it is the slathered in a buttery sugary cinnamony paste, rolled up tightly, cut into rounds and squished into a tin only to be glazed and topped with more sugar! 

The buns hold together really nicely.  It is advised to let the cake cool before eating but it is truly satisfying ripping right into the buns while they are still super soft and slightly doughy.  If you can manage to wait until cooled try cutting into slices using a bread knife...either way...yum! 

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we baked and then we shaked (shook) at the Aga Store

Last week I took my mum along to The Bake & Shake event at the Aga Store in Edinburgh.  The plan for the evening was simple...we would learn to bake in an Aga and while the cakes were baking we would build up and appetite learning some belly-dancing moves.  I'll admit it sounded a bit scary at first...two new skills in one evening, but it was so so so fun.  

I've never dared step foot in the Aga Store before...In my real life I am, sadly, not in the market for an Aga...in my dreams I am.  In the past I have only managed to stick my nose to the glass and sigh so it was a real treat to step inside and touch.  

There were about 12 participants and with the help of Aga Champions we baked 4 different traybakes. Under the tutelage of the champions we discovered the differences between baking in an Aga and a conventional oven, the different functions of the various compartments and the role an Aga can play in other household tasks...ironing, drying, heating.  I found myself thinking through the finances while I mixed the brownie mixture. 

Sigh...there is something so romantic about the thought of the Aga being the heart of the home.  I caught myself daydreaming about a lovely cosy kitchen with a gorgeous ice blue Aga...sigh.  

With the cakes in the oven we were invited into the main section of the shop where we shaked (shook). We learnt a handful of belly-dancing moves...attempted to put them together into a little routine...and had a good laugh while doing so!   

Chocolate Brownies, Banana Chocolate Chip Cake and a Fruit Cake appeared while we were still shaking (the champions were keeping an expert eye on things).  

The staff at the Aga store and the champions were very welcoming, very friendly, very helpful and very encouraging. After baking and shaking we had a chance to taste the goods and chat.  The evening was a resounding success, I'd say, and I hope they become a regular feature at the Aga store.  These evening will quite possibly be the only opportunities I will have to use an Aga.  

(mum's favourite) 

If you are in Edinburgh and interested in attending a future event subscribe to the Edinburgh Cake Ladies' Blog.  

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Edinburgh Cake Ladies...A Taste of Home

On Wednesday night Katey from Edinburgh Eats and I hosted an Edinburgh Cakes Ladies bake night at the lovely Cafe Musa on the Mound.  It was fantastic! The theme this month was A Taste of Home.  We challenged  bakers to recreate a family favourite or something that reminded them of home.  The selection was fantastic and I loved listening to the stories, memories and personalities behind the bakes.  

Apple Creams, Empire Biscuits, White Chocolate Poppy Seed Cake and Cherry Cheesecake

Top Row: Norwegian Success Cake, Date Cake, Chocolate Hazelnut Coffee Creams 

Middle Row: Pumpkin Pie, Fruit Scones, Coconut Lemon Slice

Bottom Row: Mustard and Cheese Scones, Caramel Shortbread, Peanut Krispies

And my Butter Tarts.  Most of you will know that I tried many many many butter tarts when I was visiting my folks this summer, so there wasn't really anything else that screamed "home" to me.  I used a recipe from the Great Canadian Basics Cookbook (well worn, well splattered, well loved), and I just love them.  

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Road Tripping for Cake...Afternoon Tea in the Scottish Borders

Yesterday a handful of the Edinburgh Cake Ladies took to the road in search of cake.  2 cars of giddy ladies headed south into the Scottish Borders to Cammerlaws Farm where we were warmly welcomed by fellow cake lady Pam and her mum, Anne.  

photo courtesy of Alison

Pam and Anne have been thinking about opening up their farm house for Afternoon Tea and decided to road test it on some Cake Ladies...make sense.  

We were welcomed with a glass of prosecco and nibbles in the sitting room where we gabbed away until it was time for the main event.  In the dining room we were met with the most glorious site...cake stands piled high with dainty tea time treats PLUS 3 whole cakes on the side board! 

A selection of savouries including ham, cheese and celery, and cucumber sandwiches along with a cute little croissant filled with ham and camembert.  The scones were perfect, and the raspberry jam (award winning) and clotted cream were plentiful (very important).  I am ashamed to say I couldn't finish all my sweets, but the choux buns (filled with honeycomb cream), the shortbread and brownies were delicious, and I have it on good authority (David ate the leftovers I brought home) the meringues and rocky road were perfect.  

Before we tucked into the 3 large cakes on the side board we had a little walk around the farm (mainly to oooh and ahhhh over the newly born calves) to take in the countryside and make a bit of room for those cakes.  A Victoria Sponge, Maple and Pecan Tart and a lovely Clementine Cake were waiting for us when we returned from our walk.  More tea, more chat and more cake...how perfect. 

The day ran so smoothly you would have thought that Pam and Anne had been hosting tea parties on a regular basis.  Afternoon Tea at Cammerlaws Farm gets two sticky thumbs-up from me.  

For more information check out the Cammerlaws Farm Facebook page.  

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A Royal Vicky Sponge

At the beginning of the summer I spied a gorgeous Earl Grey Victoria Sponge in the wardrobe over at lovecrumbs.  It looked awesome and I immediately fell in love with the idea of baking with tea.  That was ages ago...this weekend I finally got around to doing something about it.  

I rarely bake sandwich cakes.  I am not sure if I shy away from sandwich cakes because I don't own two tins of the same size, or because I don't really like making buttercream, or because I only have one shelf in my oven.  Whatever the deep down reason is I managed to expel it from my mind on Friday night while I rustled up this beauty.  

To start I infused some milk with Fortnum and Masons Royal Blend Tea and then got down to the business of the sponge.  I used Mary Berry's Victoria Sponge recipe from her Baking Bible (copied out by hand from the copy at the Lakeland store I used to work in) and which I have also found online.  Instead of vanilla and regular milk I added about 2 tbsp of the infused milk into the sponge batter at the end.  

The cakes were baked one after the other due to the lack of same sized tins and an extra oven shelf. Once cooled I filled the sandwich Tiptree Victoria Plum Jam and a buttercream flavoured with the infused tea.

Unlike Earl Grey, Royal Blend does not have a very distinct flavour.  I liked the idea of using a tea blended for King Edward VII in a cake named for his mother, Queen Victoria (I'm geeky like that), but the tea flavour just wasn't strong enough.  

Tea flavour or not I'm happily devouring it...

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An East Anglia Cake-ation...one more for the road

On our last day in Cromer the rain was heavy...we had a few errands to run around town and some food to pick up so when the clouds parted we made our move.  We hadn't planned on stopping for a treat but the rain held off for longer than expected.  

We popped into Dudley's Bakery behind the church. This wasn't our first visit...the bread is pretty good, especially the Norfolk Crunch, and the pasties and sausage rolls are pretty much our lunch staples when visiting Cromer...but this was the first time I had bought anything sweet.  There were plenty of choices, including individually wrapped victoria sponge slices...but in the end I decided to go for a strawberries and cream tart.  

Back home, with a cup of tea and the rain pouring down I tucked into my little treat.  

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An East Anglia Cake-ation...Cake with a View

Fellow Cake Lady Sophia, who moved back to Canada last month, runs a great website called Cake With a View.  I couldn't pass up the opportunity of taking a snap of  "cake with a view" for her website while we were in Cromer.  

Carrot Cake from Waverley Cake Shop with the Cromer Pier in the background...what a view! 

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A Royal Scone...and some naughty treats for the road

Taking advantage of the seemingly dry weather yesterday my friend and I pottered down to Leith to take in the sights of the Royal Yacht Britannia.  I couldn't believe that I hadn't been to visit before, but was so glad to share the experience with her.  

The Gorgeous Britannia (so shiny) 

We were really fortunate with the weather, and the sun actually peeked out from behind the clouds for a decent period of time.  The top deck of the yacht has been turned into a tea room...serving sandwiches, soups, salads and a selection of cakes...we decided to take a break in our tour for something to eat. We both ordered scones and tea...I was a bit disappointed that they didn't offer a proper afternoon tea (sandwiches, scones, cakes) but having read that the scones were baked on board the yacht I was happy with my selection.  

The scones were generous and fresh...and the tea was refreshing.  We sat looking out over Leith harbour and chatted the time away.  The weather held up and we finished our tour of the yacht (it was awesome I highly recommend it) and I suggested that we take a little potter along the Shore.  

I hadn't planned on taking my friend into Mimis Bakehouse but when I saw the blue sign I just had to walk in the doors.  My friend went snap happy while I chose some treats for the road (well for after dinner with a cup of tea).  Another lovely day out seeing the sights and eating cake for lunch!

Malteser Slice and Rocky Road Blondie

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A Cake Break at lovecrumbs

My best friend from Canada is visiting this week.  For months we have been planning her visit, and for the last couple of months I have be dying to take her to lovecrumbs.  Yesterday morning, over tea and toast, we planned our day....walk up to Calton Hill and take in the views of the city (slightly overcast day, no rain...) and then make our way over to the Royal Mile en route to Cake.  We spent longer than anticipated on the hill (mostly since it was clear enough for a really good view of everything) so at Noon-ish I turned to her and said...It's Cake O'Clock...and cake is waaaaay over there (pointing).  We booted it over into old town and down into the Grassmarket...we'll come back and walk the mile afterwards I told her...up onto the West Port and into the lovely lovecrumbs.  

The wardrobe was stocked with cakes galore, scones, brownies and a huge crate of gigantic meringues.  My friend stood in awe...I know, I said.  

It was, as usual, hard to decide what to order...chocolate tarts, caramel tarts, rose and juniper (!!) cake...

chocolate cake...

In the end we chose lemon and rosemary and banana peanut butter.  I had the perfectly lovely lemongrass and marigold tea and my friend had a cappuccino made with soya milk.  We chatted about this and that and oooohhhhhed and awwwwwed over the cakes, and the atmosphere and the sweet little girl banging on the drum table.  I love taking people to lovecrumbs for their first visit...it really is like no other cake experience in Edinburgh.

Afterwards...with full cakey bellies...we walked the mile down to Holyrood to watch all the fancy dresses making their way into the Queen's Garden Party.  A wonderful day.  

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Celebrating Midsummer with the Cake Ladies (on a dreary June evening)

I've been spoiled the last couple of months with places at Edinburgh Cake Ladies events, so I was pretty much ok with not getting a spot on this month's event...but those cake gods must have been smiling down on me yesterday.  I happened to check my phone at the right time and discovered a tweet calling on last minute bakers to fill the places of some ladies who didn't want to battle the elements (safety before cake).  I typed furiously back...fingers crossed...and before I knew it I was frantically thinking about what to bake.  

The theme this month was Fruit...I quickly popped to the shop on the way home from school and picked up some odd pieces of fruit and went home to create (quickly). I left the kitchen in a cloud of icing sugar and rushed out to Craigie's Farm in South Queensferry.  

As always the cakes looked incredible and tasted wonderful and there was certainly no danger of any of us not getting our 5-a-day.  Even though the weather was horrible the hospitality of the Craigie's staff and (of course) the wonderful Cake Ladies meant that the evening was warm and inviting.  A record 4 males were in attendance, and there was barely a crumb left at the end of it all.  

I don't normally single out the cake of the night, but I had to share this one with you...

The baker of this cake was a contestant on a popular competitive baking show a couple of years ago and this is the cake that she baked for the show...not only does it look totally stunning (and mirror her personality perfectly...she wouldn't mind me saying) but it tastes incredible. Chocolate layer cake with mascarpone and raspberries slathered in ganache...and pistachios and topped with massive double dipped strawberries, raspberries and a rather deadly slice of pineapple.  Cutting into this cake was terrifying (she had the serve it up for me) but eating it was a delight.  

My own offering was rather less refined...

Swedish Summer Berry Cake, which I have renamed Scandinavian Midsummer Cake.  Layers of sponge with fresh cream and loads of fruit.  There is a version of this cake in all of my scandinavian cookbooks, and even in Nigella's Kitchen.  The recipe I used was from my recent gift The Nordic Bakery Cookbook, but I just used whatever fruit I could get my hands on...A nectarine, an apricot, strawberries, leftover pineapple, a banana and a couple of kiwis. 

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Banana Crepe Cake

The Euros and David's studying have totally taken over our house, our routine, our everything.  All of that coupled with some pretty miserable weather left me in a total rut this weekend.  Silence is needed in the house during the day and breaks are only taken for lunch and football...yawn yawn yawn.  I begged and I pleaded with David to let me use the kitchen a bit on Saturday (where the studying takes place) and, kindly, he agreed. 

I've been dreaming of making Smitten Kitchen's Banana Bread Crepe Cake with Butterscotch for ages and decided that since it involved a minimum of noise, and no baking, it would be the perfect cake to prepare while poor David was sitting at the table, in silence, studying.  

Layers and layers of crepes sandwiched with creamy filling and topped with a butterscotch sauce...how totally perfect! The crepes are flavoured with mashed banana and banana bread spices...nutmeg, cinnamon, and ground cloves (I used mixed spice).  I love crepes, but I rarely make them at home...only because my dna forces me to make fluffy pancakes on Shrove Tuesday and, to be honest, I rather have a big slice of cake for dessert than a couple of crepes with Nutella.  I have to say it wasn't awesome standing over the stove flipping 16 crepes, but satisfaction did arrive...finally...with the eating.  

The filling for this crepe cake is a mixture of cream cheese, greek yoghurt and sugar for sweetness. It certainly has a tangy taste, from the yoghurt, and I love it.  Perfectly creamy and sharp, with just a little sweetness.  Topped with a smooth butterscotch sauce and walnuts this crepe cake was a beauty to behold, but cutting into it was incredible and hard to resist.  

I let the cake sit in the fridge for about an hour before cutting into it and I think that it helped the creamy yoghurt firm up a bit...meaning that it didn't all come oozing out the sides.  16 layers of crepe and youghurty cream topped with a sweet butterscotch sauce...heaven.  

If you are a fan of banana cake, and crepes, I would highly recommend this recipe.  It is a great weekend treat and it is stunning enough to be a party piece (plus it tastes great).  If bananas and yoghurt seem a bit too healthy for you, check out these other options: Sprinkle Bakes' Chocolate Amaretto  Crepe Cake (complete with amaretto truffles), Martha Stewart's Darkest Chocolate Crepe Cake (death by chocolate), Zen Can Cook's Green Tea Crepe Cake or this Nutella Crepe Cake from Ria's Collection (I know just the person for this one).   

One thing is for certain, this is NOT JUST a stack of crepes. 

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lovecrumbs...a trip to eat cake and restore my sanity

I've had a horrible week.  In fact it was so horrible by Tuesday that I knew that I would have to seek therapy in the form of cake on Friday afternoon.  A few quick messages back and forth with some fellow Cake Ladies and the time and place were set.  

It has been a few weeks since my last visit to lovecrumbs and I just knew that their laid back vibe, excellent cakes and fantastic choice of teas would soothe my soul.  As always, the wardrobe was well stocked with cakes, brownies and shortbread, and the sideboard held a gorgeous selection of tarts and scones. 

I had been dreaming of a large slice of layered cake all week, but...since I managed to force down 2 doughnuts and a meringue at a colleague's birthday brekkie this morning...I decided to go for a scone with jam and cream.  I had been tempted by the cheese scone, but after a millisecond I thought that I didn't really need to go super savoury.  Fruit scone with raspberry jam and cream won out, with a cup of Earl Grey. 

I'd not had the scones at lovecrumbs before, and was very satisfied with the size, texture and fruitiness and it was definitely the right choice.  As always the service was friendly and the attention to detail makes lovecrumbs unlike any old cafe.  It is unique. 

Speaking of unique...my friend sampled this chocolate salt and vinegar layer cake.  It look divine, and seemed to disappear...so I guess it was good! 

I emerged after an hour or so rejuvenated.  Cake with friends is the best therapy.  

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