Fold in the Flour ...

Sometimes, the simplest things are the best. Nothing fancy. Just something fairly plain, made with love. Something that sometimes gives back to you in ways you least expect. But you're probably thinking, this is only a cake, after all. I should explain. I was surprised by how much Sam enjoyed this cake.   Given that he has now launched headfirst, it seems, into his toddler  days, getting him to sit in one place for longer than a minute or two is an achievement in itself. Yet he was very happy to clamber up and sit snuggled on the sofa with me, sharing a slice. A few precious moments stolen from an otherwise hurly-burly kind of day. And that made it really special.   Although I have made loaf cakes before, the results have been a bit hit and miss. I don't know why. The last one I tried (Primrose Bakery's Lemon Drizzle) I simply binned, as although I followed the recipe exactly, something happened and it just didn't turn out righ...

The recipe for the Weekly Bake Off this week was Mary Berry's Chocolate and Vanilla Marble Loaf. Got to admit, this one was a bit of a revelation, as the recipe itself did not look very promising. No real chocolate in it, see? (You can tell I've become spoilt.) Instead, it relies on its chocolate flavour from  simply cocoa powder. I thought that, given the ingredients, it would be on the dry side. But I was wrong. It was deliciously moist, and the icing and white chocolate drizzle just added to this. Mike and I haven't had much of a look-in with this one, as Josh has somehow managed to polish off the lot himself. Just as a reminder, the Weekly Bake Off is organised by the lovely Amy, and her challenge is to bake her way through Mary Berry's 100 Cakes and Bakes , one recipe (or sometimes more) every week. There is an open invitation to join in with her and bake along. I've lost track of where we are, and I haven't been able to take part every week. But ...

There are - admittedly rare - times, normally around Christmas, Easter or a birthday, when I can sense chocolate overload descending. You know, when you simply cannot stomach the thought of another mouthful of chocolate, when it seems to cloy in your mouth rather than make you salivate in anticipation. This lovely bright loaf is the perfect antidote. It's a perfect balance of sweetness and sharpness with the fresh blueberries and triple hit of lemon (with zest in the batter, a syrup infusion, and a light lemon icing glaze). Its general zinginess (it seems right but is that even a word?) seems to clense the palate, and if you're having visitors over Easter, and want a bake that will counteract the chocolate overload, then this is for you. Ingredients (a dapted from Williams-Sonoma Home Baked Comfort. ) 225g plain flour 1 tspn baking powder 1/2 tspn fine salt 125g softened unsalted butter 185g caster sugar 1 tbspn finely grated lemon zest 3 large e...