Vanilla Pound Cake {an expat story}

My first visit to the UK I was staying in Oxford and to get to the bus station you had to walk through the market. I had never really experienced a market like that and now it's a common thing after having lived in the UK for so long. However, I stopped at this place in the market that was selling cherries soaked in blueberry juice and then dried or maybe it was the other way around I don't really remember because of what happened when I ordered.

I asked for about a pound. The guy was a bit confused and confirmed my request with an "are you sure" look. Having realised my blunder, but not knowing what to say or how to explain, I just stuck by what I said and was like yup! He then continued to weigh it out so it only cost one Great Britain Pound (GBP).

What I had really wanted was a pound in weight - lb. Which in hindsight is like 450g so I probably didn't actually want that much.

It's not very often I have slip up's like that now after 12 years; so, when I was making this pound cake for my friend I hadn't really thought about the different definitions of the word "pound." It can also mean a place where dogs go to die, the dog pound. Anyway in this instance it was the difference between weight and money! I had to explain that the cake had indeed cost me more then one pound to make and that in American a pound cake refers to a type of cake made with a pound of flour, butter, eggs, and sugar.

This pound cake isn't traditional in the use of a pound of each ingredient, but it still uses pretty much equal measures of all the ingredients. It is more like half a pound cake really. The equivalent here is what the British call a Madeira Cake. Basically the same thing.

Vanilla Pound Cake 

260g plain flour
225g sugar
1 tsp baking powder
225g butter
5 eggs
2 tsps vanilla extract

All the ingredients should be at room temperature before starting and grease or line a 2lb loaf tin (23x13) When your are ready heat the oven to 160C.
Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, and butter together until combined. I used my hand mixer and so it might look a bit like crumbs, but should come together when pressed as seen in the picture below.
In another bowl beat the eggs and vanilla together. Add about 1/3 of the egg mixture slowly to the dry mixture, beating well in-between additions.
Scrape down the sides before giving it one last good mix and scrape into your prepared loaf tin. Bake for about 60 minutes, test it by using the skewer test. It shouldn't leave any crumbs or batter on the skewer or butter knife - which is what I use and it should be a nice golden color as seen in the pictures.

Serve with ice cream and fresh berries if you are feeling like an American or jam and custard if you feeling British. Either way it's a great cake that can be paired with pretty much anything! It's a blank canvas cake so to speak and it's super easy to make!

Peanut Butter and Banana Milkshake

So, my good friend loves milkshakes. We talked forever about making one of those popular monster milkshakes ... you know the ones with the cups covered in chocolate and sprinkles and has cookies or doughnuts sticking out the top? We were totally pumped for it and we were like yay let's definitely do it! 

However, in the end it looked like a lot of effort for a milkshake. We weren't in the mood for all the faff and to be honest all the sugar. So, we made just what we wanted a simple peanut butter and banana milkshake. 

For this milkshake I literally blended some peanut butter, a banana, vanilla ice cream, and a dash or so of milk. Topped it with whipped cream and some dry roasted peanuts. Dry roasted because that is what was in the cupboard! I couldn't tell you how much I used of each ingredient and let's face it for a milkshake do you need to know? 

I believe you can use as much of or as little of each that you want and once it's blended it will still taste great! 

Do you have to have a recipe to follow? Let me know in the comments below! 

Double Apple Post: Butterscotch Apple Pudding & Apple Butter

We have a gorgeous apple tree in our garden that my husband planted when he was younger. About two years ago we had apples everywhere! As I was handing them out to friends and family I kept getting asked what type of apples they were and I had no clue!

Well I was was on Twitter and saw a tweet promoting Winchester Mill’s Apple Day. When I looked into it further they said that if you brought in your apples they would identify them for you. So, of course I had to go! I was told that they were pretty sure they were Spartan apples. They looked at the skin, shape, and most importantly the seeds. If you cut them in half it’s how the star is shaped.

Well, last years apple hull was disappointing, as it usually is after a good year, so I didn’t go crazy with apples. However, this year we have had loads! So, I’ve got to baking and eating! Here are two things I have made so far.

The first being a simple apple pudding from Rachel Allen and the second an American favorite Apple Butter.

The Butterscotch Apple Pudding is a super easy and comforting dessert. Just before your comforting roast or stew or pie in the oven start preparing this dessert. It can bake in the oven while you eat and then will be warm and ready for a big spoon of ice cream!

Butterscotch Apple Pudding 

2 large or 3 average apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
125g self-rising flour
1/4 tsp salt
200g brown sugar,
100g butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
200ml milk
2 tablespoons golden syrup
150ml boiling water, be sure to measure after the water is boiled

Heat the oven to 180C. Scatter the chopped apples evenly into the bottom of a 20x30cm ovenproof dish.
Put the flour, salt, and half the sugar (100g) into a bowl and gently whisk. In a jug measure out the milk and then add the melted butter, vanilla extract, and egg. Like when making muffins, pour the wet ingredients into the dry ones and whisk just until it’s mixed. Pour the mixture over the chopped apples.
To make the butterscotch put the golden syrup in a sauce pan with 150ml boiling water and the rest of the sugar (100g). Stir while the water is starting to boil and continue until the sugar has dissolved. It is a bit more liquidy then I thought it would have been, but don’t worry it all sorts out in the oven! Pour the sugar mixture over the batter as evenly as possible.
Pop it in the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes, the sponge should be a golden light color and spring back when prodded.
I served mine with salted caramel ice cream, but feel free to use cream or custard or any other flavor of ice cream!

Apple Butter: 

The next thing I made with all the excess apples we have hanging around was Apple Butter. There isn’t actually any butter in it, incase you didn’t know! There are many recipes out there and most of them American, because it’s an American thing. Apple Butter that is!

When you make Apple Butter it is better then having any-old smelling “Apple Spice” candle in your house, it makes the whole house smell delicious with spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves how could it not?

My apple butter wasn’t as thick as I thought it should be, it’s possible because I didn’t do mine overnight, but through the day. So, when it was down to the 12th hour I was ready for bed! Perhaps I jumped the gun a little and blitzed it before it was ready. Oh well, it’s still tasty and a whole jar has already been used, with the majority of it being given to friends and family.

For the recipe visit Cakeyboi for his Easy Apple Butter which is the recipe I used! He’s also recently made Pumpkin Spice Latte Butter in his slow cooker! Thinking I might have to try that out next!!

notes: The recipe was adapted from Rachel Allen’s Home Cooking, but can also be found online here. The Winchester City Mill Day was talked about in this post here! I am currently rounding up the Apple Linky I hosted from early September to October so be prepared for lots of apple recipes! Apples have had a really good season this year!

Five Ways to Keeping it Cool in a UK Heatwave.

Let’s face it the UK isn’t known for it’s weather, but it’s forever predictable. I know many who would disagree with me. For instance: You wake up look outside and it’s raining, by the time you get the bus it’s blue skies, by the time you get the office it’s sunny, then by lunch it’s raining again and then it’s nothing by grey skies until the sunsets and you get a gorgeous one as big sun rays shoot across the sky. 

This doesn’t scream consistency, however the process is consistent. In England you prepare for every type of weather as you step out of the house! At the moment we are experiencing the yearly heat wave. It comes about this time every year. Since I now live in a country that doesn’t believe in central air here is how I keep cool in a UK Heatwave.

1. Shopping.

Chilled and freezer isles are your friend. Take as long as you need picking out your dinner and stock up on all sorts of cool treats! 

2. Fans. 

If you ever take any advice from me do not wait for the predicted heatwave to go out a buy a fan. You will be shit-out-of-luck. I don’t know who gets all these fans because someone somewhere must have come to the store and bought them. But every year there is a fan shortage. If you are smart you will buy your fan in the middle of winter. You can never have enough fans. 

3. Iced Treats. 

Ice lollies/popsicles or ice cream are your friend during a UK heatwave. Make your own or buy them and eat them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We used our favourite soda, Cherry 7-UP, for the ice lollies pictured. Just added a few cocktail cherries and you have a great iced treat. Use this theory will work with any of your favorite soda's. Leave them out for a while so it cango flat if you don't want the bubbles.

4. Water. 

Water is not just for drinking! Water gun fights are fun and a great way to stay cool. If you want to be a real dick just put ice in yours to watch everyone freak out when you get them! Water balloons, sprinklers, paddling pools, anything that hoses you down! 

5. Statue. 

If all else fails find a cool place in the shade and sit as still as possible. Your body will eventually adjust to the temperature that’s outside. If you don’t have a shady place outside to chill in, find the darkest and coolest place in the house place a fan directly on you and don’t move. Might sound lazy, but it’s a great time to relax and mediate or read a good book! 

The Teashop on the Corner by Milly Johnson was my sit and do nothing book. 

How do you keep yourself cool when it’s super duper hot? Please leave a comment below, I’m always looking for ways to not be hot. Also just so you know I’m not one of these annoying people who always complains about it being either too hot or too cold. Especially the latter, as I love a good cold day! 

Tips: Do be sure to wear sunscreen and hats and sunglasses! Drink water to keep yourself hydrated and cool!  

the hummingbird bakery: Life is Sweet {book review}

The Hummingbird Bakery has done it again! Life is Sweet is the fourth book published by the infamous bakery and it’s out today!

 The book itself is gorgeous in the familiar pink color and packed with stunning photographs! It caters to a large range of baking skill. It is noted if more experience is recommended or not. However, I don’t think that should ever put someone off trying, if that’s what you want. It’s how we learn!

Life is Sweet has 100 new recipes that showcase exactly what American baking is! Tarek Malouf noticed a lack of American Style baking in the UK and in 2004 he opened The Hummingbird Bakery. There are now five locations throughout London and now a total of 4 books packed with American style bakes.

This new one does not disappoint! It has cakes and of course cupcakes along with a variety of pies, cookies and candies, pancakes, ice cream, puddings and even bread and other savory bakes.

I can’t wait to try:

Upside Down Pear Cake

Pumpkin Chai Cupcakes

Toasted Marshmallow Cupcakes

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cake… oh wait already tried that one (up on the blog tomorrow)

German Chocolate Cake

Strawberry Chiffon Pie

Blueberry Cream Cheese Pie

Soft Molasses Cookies

Vanilla-filled Chocolate Cookies

Birthday Cake Cookies

Turtle Cookies

Coconut Dream Bars

Red Velvet Brownies

Blackberry Limeade Bars

Cinnamon Pancake Cake

Grasshopper Pie Ice Cream

Fresh Peach Ice Cream

Peanut Butter Ice Cream

Sweet Potato Biscuits

Graham Crackers

The graham crackers really appeal to me. It’s because S’more’s really cannot be made without graham crackers and S’more’s are really really good!! All the recipes I have found previously have graham flour, not to be mistaken with gram flour, and graham flour is hard to find over here.

Everything I have ever baked from The Hummingbird Bakery books has turned out perfect. I have given Cake Days as a gift many times over to those who were looking to start out baking. It was the book that taught me a lot about baking. As an American in England it also gave me familiar and nostalgic bakes that I grew up with using UK measurements and ingredients. Which I was grateful for! It was the book that gave me the confidence to start my blog and share my baking experience online.

I guess you could say I owe a lot to them! Life is Sweet will make a great addition to my baking book collection and I am sure it will get used as much as my other Hummingbird Bakery books have!! 

Jeans, T-shirts, and Shoes oh my!

Fashion is something that has always fascinated me, but has seemed like something out of my reach.

Being a family of four clothes for myself is one of the last priorities.

I read a lot of fashion and beauty blogs and envy the ability to just go out a buy a new outfit whenever I’d like and have it stylish.

I try to stay away from trends because if I spend the money on new clothes I need them to be “in” for longer then one season.

That is why I will usually be seen in Gap jeans and a novelty tee.

I am a lover of novelty tees.

My favorite novelty tees come from Johnny’s Cupcakes. It mixes my love of novelty tees and cupcakes!

I also recently came across this Shoe Bakery and I would love every pair, but these Mint Ice Cream Flats are my favorite!

With my birthday on Friday it's probably too late to add them to my wish list! Maybe for Christmas then? 

I have a very low-key beauty routine, I wash my face with soap and apply Clinique’s Redness Solutions Daily Protective Base before lightly dusting a bronzer on. I use Urban Decay eye shadow of various shades depending on my mood or what I’m wearing! Then I use Clinique mascara to finish off my "natural" look!

For now I will continue to ready fashion and beauty blogs and learn as much as I can so that when the day comes I can buy a new wardrobe with years of learned fashion know-how.

notes: This blog post was written for Blog Every Day in May day 13, Fashion, Beauty, Grooming was the topic. It was a little awkward for me to write, but I guess that’s the point of this challenge. It was not sponsored by any of the brands I mentioned above. The picture of the shoes is from the Shoe Bakery website; the other picture is an awkward photo of me wearing an in-store exclusive Johnny Cupcake tee. All opinions and views are my own please see my contact/policy page for any further information.