Hello folks! It's been a long time since a baking recipe hasn't it? In fact, it's been a fair old while since a post in general- but I can assure you I've been up to plenty of adventures which will be documented on here in the coming weeks.

Last week I was in my family home and we have two huge elderberry bushes in the garden, so I decided to create a loaf cake to use some of them up! To me, elderberries feel like a special secret as you can't find them in supermarkets and shops- you have to go and find them yourself. British hedgerows are full of them at the moment, so head out foraging for a real treat! (Note: please make sure you research first, make sure you know what you are picking, and also don't eat elderberries raw).

This cake also has cooking apples from our neighbour, and eggs from our own hens, so it's a very autumnal, homegrown cake!! You could also use blackberries, pears, raspberries, whatever fruit you fancy or have in your garden. Let me know what you come up with in the comments.

If you enjoy elderberries, I also have an elderberry pie recipe HERE, and an elderflower cordial recipe HERE to bookmark for spring!

Happy baking...

Ingredients

Method

Some days, you just need the perfect cake to go with your morning coffee. This double layer creation may just be it! It has a coffee top layer (with optional almonds) and a chocolate bottom layer with a smattering of chocolate chips if you're feeling extra luxurious. Add a generous layer of butter cream to the middle and top, drizzle with chocolate sauce and shavings and you're good to go! Don't be put off by the two different mixes, it's just a few extra ingredients added to a basic Victoria sponge recipe, so it's an ideal, easy and fun way to spend your weekend~

********** For the cake: 6oz/ 170g caster sugar, 6 oz/ 170g self raising flour, 6 oz/ 170g margarine, 3 beaten eggs, 1/2 oz / 15g cocoa powder, 1.5 tsp coffee granules dissolved in1 tbsp warm water, 2 oz/ 60g chocolate chips, 4 tbsp  flaked almonds. For the icing: 2 oz/ 60g margarine, 4 oz/ 140g icing sugar, 1 tbsp cocoa powder. Preheat the oven to 180C (160 fan assisted) and grease two round tins (or one large). Cream together the margarine and caster sugar until light and fluffy. Slowly at the eggs a little at a time, stirring in after each addition. Sift in the flour and carefully fold until well combined. Divide the mixture in two bowls. To one bowl, stir in the flaked almonds and coffee liquid. To the other mixture, add the cocoa powder and chocolate chips. Put the mixtures into separate tins and bake for 20- 25 minutes until a skewer comes out clean, then leave to cool on a wire rack.
Meanwhile, cream together the icing sugar and margarine to form a smooth frosting. Use half the icing to sandwich the cakes together, then add the cocoa to the remaining icing to spread on top of the cake. Drizzle with chocolate sauce and decorations if liked, and enjoy with a cup of morning coffee!  

Today's recipe is really easy and uses lots of store cupboard ingredients- chocolate fridge cake, also known as Rocky Road! As the name suggests, you don't even need an oven to create this rich chocolate dessert, so it's easy for students who are short on space and money as all of the ingredients can be easily picked up from the supermarket. It's also really simple to adapt the recipe with whatever you've got available- try different biscuits or add glacé cherries, other dried fruit and nuts instead of raisins and almonds. Admittedly not the prettiest thing to photograph, but if you have a sweet tooth or need a quick chocolate fix, this is the recipe for you! Enjoy~
200g milk chocolate, 1 tbsp milk, 75g plain chocolate, 40g butter, 90g digestive biscuits, 50g flaked almonds, 50g sultanas, marshmallows and icing sugar (optional)

Break up the milk chocolate and place in a bowl with the butter over a saucepan of boiling water, stirring occasionally until melted.
Meanwhile, dampen the inside of a loaf tin and line with cling film.
Break up the biscuits roughly and chop up the plain chocolate.
Add and stir in the milk to the melted chocolate and allow cool slightly for 5 minutes, then quickly stir in the biscuits, almonds, plain chocolate and sultanas.
Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf tin, and spread evenly out. Add some marshmallow pieces on top if you'd like!
Chill for two hours until set, dust with icing sugar and then slice into thin pieces.
 

Long time no see! My AS exams are finally over, so I'll have more time to blog over the coming months with exciting content. To begin with, this post is about last weekend where I paid my first visit to The Dig for Victory Show, a 1940's themed festival on the North Somerset Showground (and if that sounds good, I can assure you it was even better in person!)
First up, the Victory tent. It may seem quiet, but this was just before opening time on Saturday morning once we'd set up our tent, so we were the first customers. The attention to detail in decorating was divine: bunting, vintage crockery and fresh flower arrangements made me feel at home right away, and the staff were so friendly and dressed up too. My parents and sister chose scones, Sam had a slice of New York cheesecake and I had a slice of classic Victoria sponge (it was agreed that they were all delicious!)
Throughout the day there was so much entertainment, from the Military Wives Choir to history talks and live music, the volunteers really pulled out all the stops. One of the highlights was a fashion show by Blitz Buddies- the commentator and all the models were so fun and enthusiastic about their clothes, many of which were originals with some modern reproduction garments. Vintage Gal did a lovely detailed write up with close ups each of the outfits, so be sure to check out her post HERE.
In the evening, Sam and I dressed up ready for the Victory Dance, where we had an hour of basic dance steps followed by music from The Marionettes, DJ UXB, The Goodnight Sweethearts and Ricky Hunter. The soundtrack of the night featured the likes of Glenn Miller, Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole- right up our street in music taste! Despite never having properly danced Swing or Lindy Hop before, we gave it our best go and had an absolute ball (excuse the pun) even though we tripped over each others feet and were out of time to the music quite a bit!
Around the showground there was plenty to see, from craft demonstrations, vintage stalls and classic cars and tanks. It was very interesting to see the progression of styles, but of course my particular favourites were the fellow Morris Minors and also this little cream Austin *sigh*.
On the field we also watched the tanks and skirmish, where actors dressed as soldiers and showed the audience how an attack would take place in World War 2. It was so noisy when even just 3 or 4 guns were firing at once, I can't even imagine how awful it must have been in reality. The whole weekend was very thought provoking and really made you think, not just about the fashions and 'vintage' aspect but also the reality of rations, war and make-do-and-mend which really wasn't as glamorous and come films make out. As well as this, the show raised £4,000 for Army Benevolent Fund and the Children’s Hospice South West last year and is run entirely by volunteers, so I really can't fault the weekend at all- the set up, entertainment and atmosphere was all brilliant.
 

100g/4oz margarine, 50g/2oz dark chocolate,  100g/4oz self raising flour, 175g/6oz soft light brown sugar,1 tsp vanilla extract, 2 beaten eggs, 25g/1 oz cocoa powder, 25g/1oz chopped mixed nuts, 25g/1oz chopped pistachios

Pre-heat the oven to 180C and line a ...... baking tray with greaseproof paper.
Melt the margarine and chocolate in a bowl over hot water and a gentle heat.
Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes.
Stir in the sugar, then eggs and vanilla extract until thoroughly combined and smooth.
Add the flour, cocoa powder and nuts and mix well.
Pour the mixture into the tray and bake for 20-25 minutes until the middle is soft and the top begins t crack.
Leave to cool slightly then cut into squares.