Egg-cellent

So, I baked cakes in eggshells. I'm not even joking.

It all started one rainy day. I think I probably had a fever from a horrendous infection in my face - throat, nose and ears all badly affected. I definitely wasn't well in the head. I was off work, splayed miserably on the sofa and fiddling around on my laptop when I came across an article describing a cake baked in an eggshell. My germ-addled brain took to the idea like a horse to water and determined to try it out as soon as I possibly could.

Eggshell cakes...

125g unsalted butter
125g caster sugar
12 eggs (3 for the mixture)
125g self-raising flour
Vanilla essence

• Preheat oven to 180˚C and line the holes of a muffin tray with bits of tin foil to keep the eggs secure 
• Gently pierce the bottom of each egg with a nail and then peel away a hole about the size of a 5p piece. Shake out the contents - either very carefully so you can split it into whites and yolks, or all in one bowl - then submerge the egg shells into warm salty water. Make sure they are really well cleaned inside and then rinse the salty water off. 

• To make the batter, cream the sugar and butter together with the vanilla essence, beat in the eggs then fold in the flour gently until you have a thick, fluffy mixture. Place the egg shells into the tin-foil lined muffin tray and spoon the mixture into a piping bag. Carefully pipe the mixture into the egg shells to about three-quarters full. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes. 

• When you take the cakes out of the oven they will have over-spilled out of the egg shells. DON'T PANIC!!! Let the cakes cool down before you takle the spillage. Try and pick as much off as you can with your fingers, then take a small knife and gently scrape off the rest.

• To eat, bash them on the table and peel like a boiled egg. 

Yum yum yum.

Blossom

Shrigley: Brain Activity

David Shrigley exhibition at the Hayward Gallery.

All photos from: www.davidshrigley.com/index.html

Bananarama

banana cake...

400g self-raising flour
250g unsalted softened butter
200ml greek yoghurt

250g golden caster sugar
500g mashed riper-the-better bananas (5 biggish bananas)
4 large eggs
Zest of one lemon
1tbls vanilla essence

1. Preheat oven to 180˚C and line a round cake tin or a couple of loaf tins (or halve the mixture for one loaf tin) 
2. Cream butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. In a separate bowl, mix the mashed bananas, greek yoghurt, lemon zest and vanilla essence until well combined, then beat in the eggs one at a time. Slowly combine the banana mixture to the butter and sugar, then fold in the self-raising flour. 
3. Divide between the cake tins, depending on how much mixture you've made, and bake in the centre of the oven for around 45 minutes or until browned on the top and a skewer comes out clean. Especially delicious served hot straight out of the oven. If you want it iced, do a cream-cheese icing with lemon zest. YUM. 

Spitalfields

Perfect Sunday in the sunshine!

Sprinkle

Since my first purchase of Agent Provocateur underwear in the sale, I have become slightly obsessed. This Sprinkle set has caught my eye and once I've saved enough money, it will be mine! Penny jar at the ready. . .

What a weekend

I had a pretty tough week last week; it was self-inflicted from my previous stupidly over-the-top weekend so don't feel any pity for me. In order to complete my recovery, this weekend had to be quiet and calm and self-indulgent.

It really bloody was. Best weekend of my life. That was probably an over-statement - I'm still basking in the well-being and relaxation of it all.

Bubble bath, with a glass of wine, a mug of chocolatey horlicks (after the wine, not at the same time) and singing along to Disney's Greatest Hits on Friday night. Followed by sofa-lounging, TV-watching and food gorging daytime on Saturday. More eating and TV watching on Saturday night with Helmand. Then the piste-de-resistance of the weekend: Sunday brunch with Polly and Katie and a casual stroll around Regents Park.

Two days of complete recuperating bliss.

Welcome Back. To Misery.

My housemate has been sunning herself in Goa for the last two weeks - lucky cow - while me and my other housemate have been braving the arctic temperatures of London. The childish delight I got when it started snowing lasted an evening (I was very cosy at home watching Titanic). As soon as I had to walk anywhere, tempers got a bit frayed. Probably an understatement.

You know it's too cold when you get brain freeze from breathing.

In order to make sure the return to England wasn't too traumatic, Raspberry and Coconut cupcakes were made. They taste just like coconut ice. Goooooooood.

cakes...

225g caster sugar
225g softened unsalted butter
4 eggs
210g self raising flour
25g cornflour
1tsp baking powder
150g crushed fresh raspberries

icing...

500g icing sugar
150g softened unsalted butter
60g coconut milk
75g desiccated coconut
1tsp vanilla essence
Raspberries to decorate

1. Preheat oven to 180°C and fill two cupcake trays with cases
2. Beat caster sugar and butter together until pale and fluffy, then add eggs, self raising flour, cornflour and baking powder. Finally swirl the crushed raspberries into the mix with a marbling effect.
3. Bake in the centre of the oven for about 20 minutes or until raised, and a metal skewer comes out clean.
4. For the icing, beat the icing sugar and butter together. Add the coconut milk and vanilla essence, then fold in the desiccated coconut. Either top the cakes with a palette knife or a piping bag and top with a raspberry.

Clapham and Hoxton