rachel's favourite chocolate cake...

... a few little changes to my normal chocolate cake makes it my all time favourite...

250g salted butter (I know - but trust me)
250g caster sugar
4 large free range eggs
50g cocoa powder
200g self raising flour
1 capful of almond essence

cream the butter with the sugar and the almond essence. mix in the eggs, cocoa and flour (if the mixture feels a little 'tight' add a splash of milk to loosen). pour into a cake pan and bake at 160 degrees for about an hour.

100g dark chocolate
double cream

when the cake has completely cooled put the chocolate in the pan with about half the amount of cream (that is to say there should be twice as much chocolate as cream). warm over a low heat, stirring with a whisk. when completely mixed together pour over the cake and leave to cool. stud with white chocolate buttons for a polka dot cake.

daddy's favourite chocolate cake...

... a really moist, chocolatey but not too sweet cake.

250g unsalted butter
250g caster sugar
4 large free range eggs
200g self raising flour
50g cocoa powder
small tub sour cream
small jar nutella
2/3 scoops of icing sugar

Cream together the butter and sugar. Beat the eggs, add to the mixture and spoon in the flour and cocoa powder. Mix well. Pour in half the jar of sour cream and mix again. Bake for about an hour at around 170 degrees.

When just baked turn out to cool on a wire rack. Whip half the jar of nutella with the rest of the sour cream and a few scoops of icing sugar. Pour over the cake when cool and dust lightly with cocoa powder.

little baby girl christening cupcakes...

the last slice...

...of lemon meringue cake.

farm shop order...

...loaf cakes, iced teatime cakes and cupcakes in lemon, chocolate and vanilla...

last minute wedding cake...

... a vanilla sponge with chocolate ganache and toffee and toasted walnut filling, with white chocolate and vanilla buttercream icing, decorated with glitter marizipan, swirly roses...

a boy's birthday cake...

... a traditional vanilla sponge filled with raspberry jam and vanilla buttercream - and drenched with pale blue icing and decorated with enough sweets to please a seven year old.