Domestic Goddess part three

As you know, Mr Niftyknits is tamed by cake :-)

Today's offering was a spiced apple cake and was (still is - though not for along) delicious.



(Measures are UK, dry weight)

500g (1lb) cooking apples (peeled, cored, rough sliced)
250 g (8 oz) self raising flour
a few cloves (or a pinch or two of ground cloves)
some grated nutmeg (this is soooo much nicer grated from a whole nutmeg. I used about half a nutmeg)
150 g (5 oz) soft margerine or butter
250 g (8 oz) caster sugar
2 eggs

Grease and line a deep tin about 8 inches in diameter, set the oven to heat up to 160C 325F gas mark3

Mix the margerine and sugar together with a hand mixer
Mix in the eggs with a little sieved flour (to stop curdling)
Sift in the remainder of the flour with the nutmeg.

Put half the mix in the cake tin, then chuck in the apple pieces with the cloves (don't eat them! you'll need to pick them out of your slice when it comes to it, or use ground cloves). Top with the remaining mix. No need to be too fussy with leveling, it will sort itself out when cooking.

Cook for around 90 minutes or until golden brown.

This is absolutely fabulous warm from the oven with cream, equally nice cold or chilled from the fridge.

Domestic Goddess part 2

I shared my favourite cake recipe a short while ago - today I decided to make Grantham Gingerbreads. Bizarrely, they're not gingerbread at all, but are the crunchiest biscuits (or cookies, as our American friends would say) I've ever made.

Cream 125 g margarine until soft, then beat in 250 g caster sugar and 125 g soft brown sugar (not a dieter's recipe, this one!)

Beat in an egg and 275 g self-raising flour sieved with a teaspoon and a half of ground ginger. Today's batch has 2 teaspoons, because I wasn't paying attention to the recipe.



This results in a bowl full of what looks like breadcrumbs - but do not despair. Now comes the fun part.

Grab a handful and squish it together - the recipe says to the size of a walnut, but I just grab a handful.



Doesn't look promising, does it?

Place on baking sheets (I cover mine with baking parchment just in case). They should really have been spaced further apart, on two sheets - but I don't mind misshapen bickies!



and bake at 150C/300F/gas mark 2 for around 30-40 minutes by which time they have risen, hollowed out and cracked and smell gorgeous.




Although they look soft they are very very crisp. Unless you use a plate you WILL have crumbs everywhere - don't say I didn't warn you!

Vinegar cake or diet...what a decision!

I'm not *just* a knitter, you know - I bake cakes sometimes. OUr family favourite is known as vinegar cake, for reasons which will becomre clear. It's the softest, moistest (is that a word?) easiest fruit cake in the world (a light sponge fruit cake, not the dark Christmas type)



For the Americans amongst you, I'm getting my own back. I often read recipes that state "cups", and have no idea how much a "cup" is.

Here's what to do.

Sieve together 12 oz Plain flour, half teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon mixed spice. Rub in 6 oz of butter or margarine (it doesn't seem to change the taste much) then add 6oz granulated sugar and 12 oz dried fruit (raisins, sultanas, whatever you have to hand)

Now it's the fun bit!
Put half a pint of mixed milk and water in a BIG jug, then add 2 tbsp of wine vinegar and 2 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda. Stir. It will froth up like mad - pour into your other ingredients, mix to a batter, and put in your greased cake tin (I've used all sorts of sizes, it's a very accommodating cake). It will look quite runny, and you will be convinced it will drip out of the tin and make a mess - it'll be fine, I promise!

Sprinkle a handful of demerar sugar and oats on the surface if you wish.

Gas 3 or 160 degrees for around an hour and three quarters.