The girls have been waking anywhere between 5am (when the birds start chirping) and 6am lately. This morning they got themselves dressed and had their gum boots on before I had even opened my eyes! Their plan was too take a basket and pick some grapefruit for breakfast. I am sure the neighbours appreciated the two of them chattering outside at 6am, and then having to have a bounce on the trampoline on the way back inside... I can't wait for
daylight savings to kick in so the kids aren't up at 5am each morning!
Lucy and I made a cake this morning to take with us this evening. We were going to use the grapefruit, but ended up with oranges and lemons (as you often do when you have a 2 year old helping you bake!).
We used the basic butter cake recipe from the
Edmonds Cookery Book, but adapted it slightly to make an orange/lemon cake.
Orange/Lemon Cake
150g butter, softened
1tsp vanilla essence
3/4 cup of sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
3tsp baking powder
3/4 cup milk (approx)
1 orange*
2 lemons*
Orange/Lemon Syrup
Juice of 1 orange
Juice of 2 lemons
1/4 cup of sugar
Cream butter, vanilla and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift flour and baking powder together. Fold into creamed mixture. Add grated rind of orange and lemons, then add enough milk to give a soft 'dropping' consistency. Pour mixture into a greased, lined 20cm round cake tin and cook at 180 degrees Celcius for about 30-35 minutes.
Remove cake from the oven, then spoon over the syrup whilst still hot.
*or any citrus fruit of your choice.
