Zingalingin' Orange Cake.

Okay everyone, please don't diss me for being unoriginal.. I reckon I've seen a photo like this before.

Is it deja vu? OH YEAH, because I've used a similar one on this post. But actually, now that you look at them both... if you scrutinise them side by side (as I am doing right now... me = no life) they're not that similar at all... what was I worrying about?
Stop making me worry.

So basically. Here's the deal. I live in England. Therefore, there's hardly any sun.. like, nil sun. Zilch. None.
Especially in this first part of the year. I know it's been wintery and all... but just so DREARY. It really makes me sad. And I lose all my baking mojo when I'm sad.
So whenever we have good weather... I'm gonna blog about it. That's just how deprived I am!

BUT, HEY, LOOK!
The sun came out on Tuesday!!! I mean... it went straight back in again (as in, the next day Mr Sunshine was nowhere to be found and I woke up to the same old grey, misty murk that I've been used to for the last 16 years of my life) and has rained for the the rest of this week.
But it was there, I saw it! I swear!!

And, as I'm sure you'll all agree, everything just seems so much better in the sun!!

Your clothes fit better, your skin looks clearer and you can forget your coat at the door, striding out with a confident smile that says 'No need for an umbrella. No need. At all. About-bloomin'-time.'
Sometimes you just feel like you deserve to smile like that, y'know?

And so, in this crazy whirlwind of happiness, sunglasses and 'gradual tan' buying - yes. I know what you're all thinking. IT'S MARCH JESS. Well... I believe it's good to be prepared - my Nana's birthday came around. On the sunniest day!!
It must be fate.

And to match my sunny disposition, I baked Nana an equally sunny and zingalingin' - yeah, I made this up. It's kinda like crackalackin', but so much more fabulous - orange cake!

I tell you, my friends. I was feelin' freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesh!

This is my kinda cake.
So light. So... so... ORANGE-Y.

I don't know why but I never really imagined liking an orange cake.
Please don't ask me for a reason, because I totally LOVE oranges!
I knew it could be incorporated into a cake... but... really? To tell you the truth, I was sceptical.

However, Mary Berry said it was, and I quote - 'always popular with the family'.
She's never wrong. Why is this? Because she's a Goddess. Truly.

You just bung every ingredient in...

And waheeeeeeeey we go!!!

I'm going to call this my 'sunshine' cake from now on.
Happy Birthday Nana! x

Ingredients

For the Cake

175g soft margarine

175g caster sugar

3 eggs

175g self-raising flour

1 and a half teaspoons of baking powder

grated rind and juice of 1 orange

For the Icing

2 tablespoons of apricot jam

100g icing sugar

finely shredded rind and juice of 1/2 an orange

Method

Preheat the oven 180 degrees.

Lightly grease and base line a 20cm deep round cake tin with greaseproof paper

Measure all the ingredients into a large bowl and beat well until thoroughly blended

Turn into the prepared tin and level the surface

Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 35 minutes until well risen and springy to the touch

Leave to cool

For the Icing

Measure the apricot jam into a small pan and gently warm through

Brush onto the top of the cake

Sift the icing sugar into a bowl and mix in the orange juice

Pour over the top of the cake and spread with a palette knife

Leave to set then decorate with the orange rind
(I added the little iced flowers... as a spring-time addition to my Sunshine cake!)

P.S. I'm now getting a wised up on the ol'social network front!
You can follow me on twitter : here

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Check it out! I'd love to hear from you all!
Much love. xx

[recipe taken from Mary Berry's Ultimate Cake Book]

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Garibaldi Biscuits : My Granfy's favourite. :)

Merry Christmas Everyone! I can't believe it's Christmas eve already! It always comes around so quickly and here in the Shiner household the festivities have certainly begun!!!
I hope this all finds you all well and jolly my little Christmas Puddings and although the weather here is possibly the most un-Christmassy I've ever seen it, that wont stop me bopping around the kitchen to Ella Fitzgerald with a shortbread biscuit in hand. :)
In fact, Christmas has been pretty relaxed this year, so relaxed that I wrapped my last present THIS MORNING! I know, crazy.
However, there is a reason as to why I've left it so late. You see, whenever I bake it's almost always for my friends and it's heartbreaking watching the forlorn faces of my parents and brother as tins of treats get carted through the front door and out of sight. They never get a look in.
Bless.
So this year I've decided to bake a whole lot more! And this specific recipe goes out to my Granfy. He is the sweetest, loveliest, kindest, gentlest man I know and the best Grandfather ever! However at Christmas, he's awfully hard to buy for... but then I suppose, most men are. ;)
So this year I decided to make his favourite things. Garibaldi biscuits and I used a recipe from BBC Food. He eats them by the packet and can't get enough! So this year I made a large batch, scooped them up and popped them in a box, complete with ribbon and a bow. :)
These biscuits are so yummy! And smell gorgeous too. :D
Merry Christmas Granfy! These are for you. x

Ingredients
110g caster sugar
110g butter, softened
1 free-range egg, separated
225g flour, sifted
pinch of mixed spice
55g currants
30g candied peel
3tbsp milk

Method
Preheat the oven to 160 degrees/Gas mark 3.
Line 2-3 baking trays with greaseproof paper.
Cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl until light and fluffy.
Beat in the egg yolk.
Fold the flour into the mixture.
Stir in the mixed spice, currants and candied peel.
Stir in enough milk to form a stiff dough.
Roll out the dough on a floured surface and cut the biscuits into your desired shape.
Place on a baking tray and bake for 10mins until golden brown.

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