Old fashioned lemonade is a refreshing drink that is not fizzy but more zingy than the carbonated pop variety you can buy in supermarkets today.   It is very cheap and easy to make and is a great way of getting kids involved in co0king.

Ingredients

• 5 unwaxed lemons
• 125g sugar
• 2 pints of water
• Sprig of fresh mint (optional)

Instructions

1. Peel the 5 lemons (save the lemons for the end of the process!) and add the peelings to a large saucepan with the water.
2. Add the sugar to the water and boil the peel, sugar and water mix until the sugar is fully dissolved.  Once dissolved (about 5 minutes of boiling), take off the heat and leave to cool completely.…

Don’t panic, this cake won’t leave you rushing for a glass of water because your mouth is on fire. The chilli along with the other spices just gives this cake a well rounded warmth that makes in so moreish that you won’t be able to leave it alone.

Ingredients

• 175g softened unsalted butter
• 175g caster sugar
• 175g plain flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 3 carrots (grated)
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon of orange juice
• 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon of chilli powder
• a little icing sugar for dusting

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F / Gas Mark 4
2. Cream (mix) the caster sugar and softened butter together until the mixture is light and fluffy.

I have just been asked about this on Twitter so thought I might as well whip up a quick blog post on here about it too.  Many US cook books and cake recipes ask for ‘cake flour’.  Not many shops here in the UK sell cake flour but there is a way to make your own substitute!

Cake flour is a very light and soft flour and it is all to do with the protein content of the flour that makes it cake flour. You will see lots of recipes on the internet that make you weigh out flour and work out percentages of protein, but try the way I do it, it works every time and is so much easier, no calculator needed!…

So, as you know, I do love a bit of cake 😉 Especially cakes that taste good and are quick to make and this recipe is both!  It certainly isn’t a pretty cake, it’s not meant to be, it’s just meant to be quick and tasty! Chloe (my youngest) has great fun making these after school for a quick warming sweet treat 😉

You can even add all the ingredients to a tub or container and take them with you to work – sneaky. Make all your colleagues jealous when you walk in with a homemade chocolate cake that you made at work!…