Wednesday 31 July 2013

Hummingbird Cake

I have a notoriously sweet tooth at the best of times but when 9 months pregnant it's outta control. This cake hits all the spots - fruity, nutty, sticky…… its from the Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook - a kitchen staple in our house full of pretty cakes and very user friendly to us somewhat hit and miss bakers!

Be warned the frosting is very sickly - if you want a toned down version just frost between the layers - this also makes is slightly more kid safe (they will only go loopy for 1/2 hour not the full hour!)



HUMMINGBIRD CAKE.

Three 20cm cake tins base lined with greaseproof paper

Ingredients:

300g caster sugar
3 eggs
300ml sunflower oil
270g peeled bananas mashed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon plus extra to decorate
300g plain flour
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
100g tinned pineapple chopped into small pieces
100g shelled pecans (or walnuts) chopped plus extra to decorate.

Preheat the oven to 170 C

Put the sugar, eggs, oil, banana and cinnamon in a freestanding electric mixer with paddle attachment (we don't have one so a handheld whisk works fine!) Beat all the ingredients until they are well mixed (don't worry if it looks split). Slowly add the flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt and vanilla extract and continue to beat until well mixed.

Stir in the chopped pineapple and pecan nuts by hand.

Pour the mixture into prepared cake tins and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Leave to on a rack to cool completely then stick layers together with frosting and frost over the whole cake. Decorate with pecans and a sprinkling of cinnamon.

Cream Cheese Frosting

600g icing sugar sifted
100g unsalted butter at room temperature
250g cream cheese, cold
Beat the icing sugar and butter together.
Add the cream cheese until its smooth and silky - careful not to overbeat as it will become runny.

Tuesday 30 July 2013

Treehouse Hideaway

Ever since I was 13 and went to see Robin Hood Prince of Thieves at the cinema 4 times and then watched it on VHS 164 times I have been wanting a treehouse hideaway and I don't mean the back garden, flat packed wendy house from B&Q…… check out these beauties…… now where is my hammer? "TO THE TWEEEEES….."