I turn 40 this year… actually in about 5 weeks time and I think i’ve been pretending that it’s not happening or that i’m totally fine with it all… but you know how, when you push something into the darkest corner of your mind, something else evil emerges? Well I guess the fact that The Viking and I have a screaming row every single time he or I mentions the birthday is proof that i’m not so blase about the whole thing…
… it’s not the turning 40 that is stressing me out, it’s the organising something to celebrate that I’m not easy with… what kind of party should I have…? an all out swinging disco or a dinner…? do I have a party in London or Lincolnshire, or both…? who do I invite…? will they come…? can I be bothered with the hassle…? and then The Viking, who incredibly shares his birthday with me, wants to organise some kind of surprise but I’m Mr organisation and seem to be treading on his toes at every turn… oh god why!?!
… anyhoo … another thing to celebrate is that Belleau kitchen has reached its 100th post… and this is it… look around… GLORIOUS isn’t it?…
… i’m sure i’ve reached here way too quickly for my own good… 100 seems like it should have taken longer but you know me, rambling on about food whenever I get the opportunity!
so i thought I ought to bake a cake to celebrate, i love baking cakes, there’s something decidedly old-fashioned and traditional about it and also something naughty, to cook a cake for yourself… and I needed to practice for both the up-coming Aby Village Show and also my birthday, for which i would love to bake something out of this world… but not sure yet.
This was a Lavender Chocolate Sponge…
well, this wasn’t exactly the success I hoped for… i’ve made loads of sponge cakes before and they never curdled but for some reason both the sponge mix and the icing curdled on me at different stages… and I took it all so nice and slow and followed the recipe to the letter (or did I?… no, I bloody added some Total Greek Yoghurt to both sponge and icing…) and the recipe is one of Delia’s for goodness sake…
… and I refuse to throw it away, its a huge waste.
as it happens, both cake and icing tasted great and it doesn’t look too bad… just must try harder next time although The Viking just said to me that its ‘so great that my experimentation is going through the roof whilst the quality is dropping’… thanks big fella!
Recipe
4oz butter
4oz caster sugar
2 large eggs
a few drops of vanilla essence
4oz self raising flour
2 tablespoons of cocoa powder
greek yoghurt (but watch it!)
pre-heat oven to 170c and line 2 7inch sponge tins
cream the butter and sugar till light and fluffy
beat the eggs and then, teeny bit at a time, beat the egg into the creamed butter and sugar (this is where it curdled for me…)
then add a few drops of the vanilla and two tablespoons of the yoghurt
now, with a metal spoon add the flour and cocoa powder, mixing gently till it’s all incorporated (the sponge wont be dark chocolate in colour, it will just have a hint of chocolate.
divide into the two sponge tins and bake for 25-30 mins
next I made this icing recipe (thanks Mr P,) but excluded the strawberries (although this would be just as nice) but added some lavender flower heads and a touch of purple food colouring.
I’ve used a little bit of raspberry jam and a layer of the icing to sandwich the two sponges together and doesn’t she look pretty?
I think I may make some peanut butter cookies for 101… I have a good recipe from my grandma which looks pretty fail safe!
eat and of course, enjoy!
Well this cake looks very good to me too…..
Congratulations on your 100 posts`!!!!! well done!!!
I just had a quick look at your blog….wow..you do amazing things!!!!!
My congratulations and best wishes! I am glad to get acquainted with you.
One hundred! – congratulations. I've only been here for the last ten or so but what I'm seeing is post after post of delicious recipes to bookmark. I love your purplish cakey confection – I could murder a slice right now. Cheers!
Many happy returns!!!!!
I've loved the last 100 … looking forward to the next 10000!!!
I think many parties for the 40th, it's the only way to go … milk it for all it's worth!
you're all too kind… and welcome Nicoletta x
I dont know what you are stressing about – if I had made half the cake that you just did I would be hassling Mr Kipling Big Time! Go forth and Bake my friend. Your Country Needs You. xx
I'm glad you remembered to celebrate your 100th! It IS a landmark! As for the 4oth birthday party … let The Viking do the planning and enjoy yourself! Hope it's a happy time all around!
Congrats on your 100th …..oh no sorry I meant your 40th!! That cake looks nice actually- as my nan would say, it all goes down the same way 😉
I agree with BVG- milk it for all your worth- invite as many people as you can to as many parties as you can and rake the pressies in!
Congratulations on 100 entries. Takes dedication to keep posting. One of my friends is 60 next year and she is hiring a big villa in Italy for us all to go out to. The rental was very close in price to what you'd pay here, the plus being the Italian place is twice as grand as the properties she could get here for her money.
I think the cake looks great.
Congrats on a century of blog posts!
The cake looks a triumph – bet it tasted good!
No worries about getting to forty – you won't feel any different! I'm facing what to do about celebrating my own half century (now that is the scary one).
Celia
thanks guys… cake got eaten anyway x : O )
Congratualtions on your 100th! What's 40 compared to that. CT and I have very close birthdays and had a ceilidh for our joint 40th. Took quite a lot of organising, but don't regret it and loads of great memories. Cake very pretty indeed but are you sure you put the cocoa in?
So the Belleau Kitchen blog reaches it's century … and you reach 40! Hurrah for both, equally tasty in their own way!
I'll be looking forward to your party (i just know you are going to invite me to celebrate with you … and maybe a slice or two of that purplish cake! xx
Nicoletta reads Belleau Kitchen too! (She's my colleague.)
This icing always curdles, you just have to beat the hell out of it. I think the flavour combo sounds sensational though, and you'd never know it had curdled looking at the cake crumb.
Happy 100th!
(The fail pie was mine.)