3.

3

How is that even possible?

Was it really only three years ago that you were born, dear Erica? Three years? It doesn’t seem possible after your first year which was so terrifying that I wasn’t sure you’d make it to three.

You were so sick that this was your default expression for the first six months of your life:

This is you a week after your first birthday. You weighed just under 15lbs and had finally managed to double your birthweight. At the time it was daunting but looking back at old photographs of you it’s terrifying to see how tiny you were:

You didn’t walk until you were 15 months. You had no teeth or hair until after that, all as a result of your body prioritising your growth above everything else and yet you were always so happy. So cheerful. So pleased to see your brothers, Daddy and me. Then of course not two weeks after your second birthday we made you a big sister. What really struck me when we cuddled Greer into you for her first sisterly cuddle was your hands – how all of a sudden, you’d grown. That moment took my breath away because it was the moment that cemented for me that you were going to be just fine:

For you, this has been the year of making friends. At nursery you have a merry band who excitedly shout as they see you coming to the door in the morning. You are blessed with a beautiful smile & the ability to make friends almost immediately which makes us ever so happy, just as you always seem to be. It is an honour and a privilege to share our lives with you and we wish you many happy returns today on your 3rd birthday.

Happy birthday, darling girl x

Posted under family

Well I have to tell you, friends, I have had a most productive weekend.

Yesterday I took a shower for the first time in I’m not admitting how many days. I don’t think I’d mentioned here but followers of my twitter feed will be aware that I hurt my neck badly at the start of the week and I’ve been pretty much confined to bed trying to ease it off since Wednesday. It’s still very sore and indeed I’m seeing both my GP and midwife tomorrow to discuss a plan of action from here but I’ve got a little more stability back today. I think the hot shower helped!

This of course has meant I’ve had most of the week to plot out things to make and do. I’ve managed to finish one little project, more or less finish the prototype of another little project AND spend some quality time with my cooker today! I’ll blog it out over the week so as not to deluge you with a mammoth post!

So today I’ll tell you about my cherry bakewell cake. Actually, I typed that and started salivating because this cake is good cake. Not “alright” cake, not “mmm that was nice” cake. This is “I want to have your babies” cake – well, it is if you like almonds. Otherwise not so much

My one error with this was that my icing wasn’t thick enough. My icing is never thick enough, I’m an icing sugar failure and should just accept it and move on. But looooooook! (Edit – whilst typing up the recipe I realised that it failed because I misread tsps as tbsps. What a diddy.)

Doesn’t that look good?!

To make it yourself, you will need:

200g butter, softened
150g light brown sugar
100g self-raising flour
1tsp baking powder
50g caster sugar
100g ground almonds
½ tsp almond essence
5 eggs

Filling and topping
½ a 340g jar cherry jam
175g icing sugar, sieved
5-6 tsp lemon juice
Flaked almonds

Preheat oven to 180C/Gas 4. Grease and line two 20cm sandwich tins.
Stick all of your cake ingredients into either your food processor bowl or a medium sized mixing bowl, then using your electric whisk or food processor beat together all the cake ingredients with a pinch of salt until smooth. Divide equally between the tins, smooth the tops and stick them in the oven for 30 mins or until you listen to your cake and you don’t hear tiny bubbles anymore. DO NOT open the oven before 25 minutes is up or your cakes will collapse. Ask me how I know this.

Once they’re done, give them a couple of minutes to cool slightly then tip them out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Get your half jar of cherry jam and loosen it up in a bowl with a fork then spread all over the top of one of your cakes before sandwiching it with the other. Mix your icing sugar with the lemon juice before smearing it over the top of your cake and garnishing with flaked almonds. Done!

This is honestly the easiest cake in the world and it’s SPECTACULAR. Go on – make it and see for yourself

Posted under baking, recipes