Day 286. It's not lamb.

I did cook slow roast lamb with boulangere potatoes for lunch using Tom Kerridge's recipe; the man is truly an alchemist. By cooking the lamb on top of the potatoes they soak up the most intense flavour from the meat juices. Sensationally good especially for a husband arriving home after completing a half marathon and Bea who had run in her first cross country race of the season.

It would have been too predictable to share a photo of the lamb so here's some cakes I made instead. After all who doesn't love cake?

Day 250. Flowers and friendship.

Yesterday a homemade cake, today these stunning flowers from one of my dearest friends. Feeling totally spoilt and reminded how women always seem to know what to get each other. Simple, white flowers with plenty of foliage. Stylish and beautifully scented. Garage or supermarket flowers just can't compare but you guys know that already. Right?

Day 34. Sizzle and drizzle.

It's fair to say that investing in a KitchenAid has been money well spent. Never have cakes been made with so little effort, buttercream whipped to such a smooth consistency and in addition to its usefulness, it's just so damn sexy to look at!

Lemon drizzle cake and a Victoria sponge are the results of today's time in the kitchen, along with a delicious chicken and seafood paella using a saffron mix that my friend Jane Flint's Mother brought back from a trip to Spain.

I couldn't decide which photo to use but the lemon drizzle is sitting on a plate that Bea hand painted when we are at Center Parcs so for that reason alone I've picked this one.

It must be time for a coffee now and maybe a slice of cake. But which one? 

Day 23. CoCoes and cake.

I'm heading off to the North West tomorrow for 2 days so I decided to take Bea for cake after school. We headed straight for CoCoes in Swaffham (part of Strattons Hotel) where the assortment of cakes and pastries would tantalise even the fussiest of tastebuds. For me the toffee apple cake looked too good to ignore and Bea chose an extra chewy meringue served with creme fraiche.

As usual the service was homely and welcoming, and coupled with delicious coffee, guarantees that we'll be visiting again very soon.

Day 12. A recipe for cake.

Pear and Blueberry Cake

This morning Will headed off in the dark for an 11 mile run with Ryston Runners A.C. while Bea and I had breakfast in bed. Totally indulgent and the perfect way to start the weekend. The rest of the day has revolved around the house: clearing the study ready for our new furniture, the usual household chores and several hours blissfully spent in the kitchen. As I type there's a sausage casserole in the slow cooker and we've just tucked into a slice of Pear & Blueberry Cake with our afternoon cuppa. So in today's post I thought I'd share the recipe for this super easy cake which is so jam packed with fruit that I feel one slice would count towards your five a day. Hope you like it.

Pear & Blueberry Cake (courtesy of Nigel Slater **)

130g butter
130g unrefined caster sugar
2 ripe pears (I use a tin of pears in juice instead)
2 large eggs
130g flour
1 tsp baking powder
250g blueberries
A little extra sugar

1. Set the oven at 180C/Gas 4 and line the base of a square 21-22cm cake tin with a piece of baking parchment.

2. Beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. A food mixer will do this far more efficiently than by hand.*

3. Whilst this is happening, peel and core the pears and cut into small chunks.

4. Break the eggs, beat them with a fork and then gradually add them to the butter and sugar.

5. Sift the flour and baking powder together and fold them gently into the mixture. Scrape the batter into the lined cake tin.

6. Rinse the blueberries and then scatter over the cake mixture along with the pear chunks. Sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of sugar over the top.

7. Bake for 50-55 minutes then test with a skewer. If it comes out clean, remove the cake from the oven and leave to cool for ten minutes before turning out of the tin.

8. Delicious when still slightly warm!

* Today is the first time I've made it with a mixer and although I think it is improved, mixing by hand has never impaired the flavour.

** This recipe is taken from Nigel Slater's The Kitchen Diaries.