Sultana Malt Loaf

Mix 225g plain flour, 1/2 tsp bicarb soda and 1 tsp baking powder in a large bowl.

Stir in 225g sultanas.

In a saucepan gently melt 50g demerara sugar, 175g malt extract (you can buy that in a health food shop - so this must be healthy cake...) and 1 tbsp black treacle.

Pour onto the flour and sultana mix, add 2 beaten eggs and 150ml of cold black tea.

Mix thoroughly until smooth.

I made 6 mini loaves in my new mini loaf pan which took 35 minutes to bake at 160 degrees. 

This mixture should be enough for 2 normal loaf tins, in which case bake for about an hour.

Making stuff last!

Here is my eldest son James wearing his smart red dungarees back in 2005.

And here is Poppy five years later in the same fantastic dungarees.

(They had an airing in 2007 when Anthony wore them but I can't find a photo.)

It's made me think how I love hand me downs!

Cherry bakewells

Mr Kipling Cherry Bakewells are my husband's favourite. 

And he hasn't had any for ages because of my new year resolution to buy no shop cakes.

I had some leftover pastry so I've made him a few and gained points for my indispensible wife status!

Roll out your pastry and cut into rounds and put into the bun tin.

Put a little blob of raspberry jam in the bottom; not too much!

Next put a blob of sponge cake mixture on top. I put a little almond extract and some ground almonds in the mixture too, but that's not strictly necessary.

Bake for 25 minutes at 180 degrees C.

Cool, then ice and put your cherry on top.

Malteser no bake fridge cake

Melt 75g butter and 2 tbsp golden syrup in a saucepan.

Weigh 150g of digestive biscuits...

 ... and bash them up!

Mix the crumbs into the melted butter and syrup, add 2 tbsp cocoa and 100g of bashed up maltesers.

Allow to cool slightly then add 50g of whole maltesers. (Or the rest of the box after you have sampled a few!)

Press the mixture down in a cling film lined container and leave to set in the fridge for 2 hours.

Spring Season Swap

Here is the beautiful felt chicken I received for my season swap; it's fab but I don't know who sent it!

I also received the lovely tissue paper spring star. This is my season corner at the moment. Poppy keeps stealing the ducks to play with.

This is what I made for Fairycakes - a Spring picture and a little knitted duck.

Tulips

Anthony is off school with a sore throat and he has made me some tulips.

Poppy made some tulips too. She doesn't get to do much craft because she scribbles more on herself than on the paper.

This is her "I'm not really going to eat this crayon" look.

Vegan banana and currant tea loaf

Melt 100g margarine in a large saucepan.

Stir in 1 cup of brown sugar, 1 cup of currants and 2 ripe bananas (mashed.)

Add 1 cup of cold tea and bring to the boil.

Add 1 tsp bicarb of soda, and leave to cool for a bit.

Stir in 2 cups of self raising flour, pour into a lined and greased loaf tin and bake for an hour at 180 degrees.