mmm... sugar and spice

This was the scene a few days ago; one of those bright, sunny, wintry mornings just cold enough for a light shimmer of frost on the grass.
If winter mornings were always like this, maybe we would view them more kindly!

It was enough to get me thinking that Christmas is fast approaching and I ought to be making the Christmas cake.
Christmas baking is one of those rituals that I really enjoy. A warm kitchen, cup of tea to hand and something interesting on the radio - perfect!

Plus, I love all the dried fruit, spices and nuts that are so important in festive baking. In the interests of quality control, I may have had to sample some of the items as I was mixing away.
I used this recipe again from an old BBC Good Food Magazine. It is called a simmer and stir cake and is so much easier than the traditional cake made by the creaming method.
I also find it gives a lovely moist cake.

Here is the cake in its nude state ready for a little festive decoration in a few weeks.

And since it is 1st of December in a few days, a pretty snowflake for some (early) festive cheer.


Hoping your weekend is a good one. We are off for our annual pre -Christmas family get together at a local pub tomorrow - 22 adults and 6 assorted babies/toddlers!
The youngest there will be our very own Tiny Girlie who is just one and the oldest a great grandma of 80.

Should be a lovely time.



annjenny x