Sweet potato bread with pecan streusel – a vegan version of the classic Autumnal loaf cake with a crisp, buttery pecan crumble topping.
Sweet potatoes have to be my favourite vegetable as they are just so versatile. I always have some in the vegetable bowl and cook with them at least a couple of times a week….
Toffee apple gingerbread loaf cake – Soft, moist spiced gingerbread loaf cake with apples and sticky toffee sauce, perfect for bonfire night.
I don’t think that I have ever been to a bonfire night celebration as an adult, though the holiday is tinged with nostalgia; as a child I remember being bundled up warm and heading out as a family to watch the local firework display and burning of the guy; or building a bonfire in the back garden (check for hedgehogs!) and fashioning a guy from old clothes and newspaper and then gleefully setting fire to it… …
Somehow I have been doing this blogging thing for a year now….that’s right, it was a year ago that I clicked publish on my first (atrocious) post (and no I’m not going to link to it, if you want to see that atrocity you have to find it yourself!), though it really doesn’t feel like it has been that long. Back then I didn’t have a clue what I was doing – how to write a blog post, take decent photos, promote it, use social media effectively (still a bit clueless on that one…) or much of anything really. I have learned a vast amount since then, though there is still a long way to go… I have also baked (and eaten) a huge amount, and have hit publish on a total of 91 posts, including this one. I have gotten to know some lovely fellow bloggers, who have been nothing but helpful and supportive, worked with some great brands, and most importantly, have enjoyed (almost) every bit of it – bring on another year! I want to take a moment to thank every one of you who takes the time to read my posts, comment on them, follow me on (deep breath..) PinterestFacebookTwitterGoogle+Instagram and to share my work, I appreciate you all….
As much as I love an impressive, multi-layered, over the top cake; for general every day cake eating you can’t beat a simple lemon drizzle loaf cake. It is fairly plain, but gloriously so, damp and sticky yet light, with a sharp lemon tang and a slightly crunchy crust. I added a bit of a ginger kick to mine – not too much, the lemon should be the predominant flavour, but enough to take it beyond the standard lemon drizzle and add a subtle warmth and depth of flavour….
I find something very appealing about small, individually portioned baked goods; they are more delicate and dainty than full sized versions, and easier to serve. Not that I take the individually portioned bit seriously…if anything,their small size makes it easier to scoff down more than I would if I were eating a slice from a single, large cake… Especially when they are as light, moist, and fresh tasting as these little loaves are….
I don’t really do New Years resolutions and definitely don’t buy in to the whole dieting and getting fit in January thing, because quite frankly (for me at least) it is doomed to fail. January is the worst possible month to give up hearty comfort food and force yourself out into the cold to exercise…I simply try to keep up a good level of exercise and healthy eating throughout the year. Having said that, I have been craving a lot of soups and vegetables recently so clearly my body is in need of some healthier food after indulging over Christmas…so I have resolved to try and bake things over the next few weeks that contain healthy ingredients and are a bit lower in fat and sugar. …
I was having a rifle through my (slightly overflowing) cupboard of baking supplies and came across a packet of desiccated coconut that had been in there for goodness knows how long and was about to go out of date; so today’s recipe is borne out of a need to use it up. I dread to think what other packets of expired ingredients are lurking at the back of the cupboard…I really should have a clear-out before it gets stocked up with Christmas baking supplies…although it feels far too early to be thinking about Christmas!…
I’ve been a bit late to the pumpkin party this year, although I cook with butternut squash a lot (it’s my favourite vegetable), I don’t often bake with it, but I decided to remedy that this week with a loaf of pumpkin bread (I say bread but I would call this a loaf cake…) and now I’m kicking myself for not getting in the game sooner because this cake is delicious…Seriously, seriously good!…
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