It's a Chocolate Cake Day.

This is a sneak peek into my little slice of New Zealand. The oak trees were planted by Rob's family five generations ago and I think they look their very best at this time of the year. I spent Friday morning capturing some images for a fundraising project at Jaime's school and as I was walking back home I couldn't resist one last shot -  if I was the kind of photographer who named her works of art then this would be entitled "Almost Home". 

Once I got home and thawed out a little over a cup of tea I decided to bake a chocolate cake for afternoon tea. I googled recipes for inspiration and came up with this wee gem of a recipe which produced "The best chocolate I've ever tasted " according to Cierra. Sometimes, when I'm cooking or baking I feel like a Master Chef contestant with my family as the judges. I will count this as a good day in the kitchen and guess that I'll be staying on for another round.

Extreme Chocolate Cake
(allrecipes.com).

2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups flour
3/4 cup cocoa
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2tsp vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius. Grease and flour two 9 inch cake tins.

In a bowl stir together the sugar, milk, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the eggs, milk, oil and the vanilla, mix well with an electric mixer. Stir in the boiling water by hand. Pour evenly into the cake tins.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until cooked. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from tins to cool completely.

Icing

3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cups cocoa
5 1/3 cups icing sugar
2/3 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Cream butter until light and fluffy. Stir in cocoa and icing sugar, alternating with the milk. Add vanilla and beat to a spreading consistency.

Baking Day

Winter is here once more. The pretty dresses, flowers and rings are all a distant memory once more with the wedding season well and truly over. I have finally found time to enjoy my new kitchen which has been sadly under utilised since we've been in our "new" house. Inspiration struck though with the arrival of some rather delicious looking feijoas to my door. Who would have thought that I could lay my hands on a recipe for a feijoa and coconut cake quite so quickly. But I have a copy of a fabulous cookbook from Tai Tapu school and right there on the first page I turned to was the perfect recipe for the occasion.

 One of my Gran's old soup bowls make a great place to keep feijoas.

 There was even mashed feijoa in the icing...... yum!!

 I have a slight weakness for red and white polka dots - my kitchen chairs started it and these were a birthday pressie from my sister-in-law - just perfect!! 

I may or may not have shoes and a handbag to match. 

I haven't included the recipe with this blog as it's from a fabulous fundraising venture from my second cousin's school at Tai Tapu . If you're interested in getting a copy for yourself (which I highly recommend then check it out at www.theediblejourneycookbook.co.nz.

I have set myself a wee challenge to bake more often (and go running more often too to even things up a bit!!) So hopefully you'll see some more blogs like this over the winter and my kitchen will get a bit more use.