Friday 8 May 2015

Five on Friday... Baking

It's not all stitch, stitch, stich around here you know... although it certainly feels like it! In between revving up the sewing machine and getting out for a daily walk (necessary for my sanity) there has been an occasional spot of baking. So in the spirit of joining in with Five on Friday I bring you five recent bakes... although when I say recent I mean since the last time I shared any baking so in fact there really hasn't been that much baking and it is pretty much all stitching. I'll shut up now and show you the cakes... and biscuits!

1. Lemon Cookies.


When I spotted these on Anna's blog I just loved the sound of them and knew I had to give them a try. They look a little pale... Possibly even a little uninteresting... But they were deceptively good and will definitely be added to my regular repertoire. I urge you to try them... recipe here.

2. Flourless chocolate cakes


Yes, I know I make these a lot but they never fail to please. Made with almonds and not flour they are totally gluten free but very chocolatey and indulgent. These two were made for our Embroiderer's Guild supper. Unfortunately, although gluten free they are not calorie free!

3. Apricot and Almond Sponge.
 

This is a pretty standard sponge with the addition of ground almonds, sandwiched together with apricot jam and a marscapone cream. Made because I had half a tub of marscapone left in the fridge and I didn't want to waste it. The cake didn't hang around for long... no waste there.

4. Fruity Flapjacks


Moist, chewy, packed with fruit and nuts, at least one of your five a day... Need I say more?

5. Marmalade Cake
 

Another one of my regular cakes... Nigel Slater's marmalade cake. I made two. One was a present for one of the staff members at Missenden Abbey because she loaned me the DVD of Paddington. It's a bit of a long story that dates back to me saying there was no marmalade for breakfast on one of my weekends at the Abbey. It turned into an ongoing "Marmalade and Paddington" saga and I won't bore you with the details. But it ended up with Jo lending me the DVD which I watched... and enjoyed, one evening on one of my Abbey weekends so the cake was a thank you... And the other cake... Well I couldn't not make one for the boys at home if I was making one for someone else. There would have been mutiny!

The cake tin is currently empty but I've only time for stitching now. My deadline is the end of next week and I'm having some time off this weekend.... More about that another time and possibly more about the stitching too. Have a good weekend.

Joining in with Amy for Five on Friday.

26 comments:

  1. Wow! Everything looks fresh and delicious. I envy the people you bake for! Have a great weekend, and good luck with all your stitiching deadlines ;)
    Wendy

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  2. Judging by the tempting look of those bakes, it's a good job for all the waistlines in your family that you have so much stitching to do!

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  3. It all looks rather yummy, but the flapjacks were my favourite.

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  4. They look very tempting. I always think that baking should act as some kind of relaxation and therapy. Unfortunately it doesn't for me. Everyhting always tastes good but I can't get that 'eat me' look. Had a run of baking with twins birthdays last month. Disguised cakes with very fancy birthday cake candles. One was an indoor firework thing.

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  5. I am always so impressed by all your baking, I only bake very occasionally and usually only for my parents but seeing all of yours makes me wish I ate more cakes!

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  6. Gina, I cannot possibly pick a favorite amongst these delicious baked jems. I wish to try them all...and may actually get around to baking at least one of them.

    I remember your son giving you that brilliant red mixer and can tell that he made a marvelous choice.

    xo

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  7. Ooo! Yum,yum,yum,yum and yum. I will have a slice of each please!!

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  8. I gained a pound just reading your post -- you're a girl after my own heart! Glad you liked the cookies -- and for the record, anything with frosting can't look uninteresting -- it's the law.

    You said the sponge was standard but you added ground almonds? Did you leave something else out? And how much is safe? (Baking is a science you know LOL.) Something like 1/4 as much as the flour? Sorry, I'm sure I'm overthinking this.

    I must check out your fruity flapjack recipe -- and your chocolate cake -- they both look divine. Ok, ALL of it looks divine -- thanks for the inspiration!!!

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  9. Oh Gina! Just one more delicious thing after another!!! How wonderful is that!!! The cookies look gorgeous and the sponge, well, words could surely not describe it! Paddington is a great film isn't it, we enjoyed it a lot! Thank you so much as always for joining in. I hope that you have a great weekend! xx

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  10. Love the look of the flourless chocolate cakes!!

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  11. Your baking looks beautiful, particularly the chocolate cake with the strawberries, luscious! X

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  12. did you try apricots in the flapjacks?

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  13. maybe I should bake ............ xx

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  14. They all look amazing... I'm gluten free but that apricot and almond sponge looks like my kind of cake! The biscuits too - all of it, actually.
    I now want to bake. Apricot jam and mascarpone are being added to this morning's shopping list!
    S x

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  15. These all look delicious!

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  16. Ha ha - I think yours is the only blog that leaves me salivating!! Yum! x Jo

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  17. Oh I do love a good cake. I also make a chocolate almond cake and it never fails to please. I made it for my mother in law's birthday last weekend and it was a big hit! lots of brownie points for me :)

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  18. Hi Gina, My favourites are flapjacks, but they all look so delicious! Barbara xx

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  19. I love all things lemony, so I may have to try the cookies, the sponge sounds delicious too!
    Just wondering........if you eat 5 flapjacks is that you covered for the day ?? ;)
    V x

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  20. I'm off on a jolly the week after next so I thought I could make some of those lemon cookies for the other half. He'll be on his own for a week and heaven only knows what he'll eat. I shall have to leave a detailed plan but thought the cookies would be a treat... except I looked at the recipe and can't get my head around cups and powdered sugar etc. I'll make a lemon drizzle instead but thanks for the idea!

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  21. fabulous Gina - I now neeeeeed cake. I particularly like the look of the flapjacks

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  22. There is not enough cake in my life! Probably just as well....I am going to make lemon cookies soon, I love lemon but I never thought of making anything else than lemon drizzle cake before. Hope you get all your sewing done in time. x

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  23. Fabulous chocolate cakes - do you make and bake 2 individual ones or do you batch bake? I often make gluten free for EG treats. Thanks, Morag

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