Calendar Cakes Part Three

If you have been reading my blog every now and then you might have stumbled upon these two posts about my 'Calendar Cakes'. By last November I had made ten lovely desserts based on the calendar recipes and of course, it would have been extremely rude not to complete the task :)

So, here come the end-of-year treats:

- Dundee Cake in November

Hopelessly delicious and as you can see, before I remembered to take out my little pink camera this was all that was left of it...

- Festive Yule Log in December

Rather yummy as well, I was told; I didn't actually have any. But the oooohs and aaahs of my family and friends proved the point :)

Here's to another round - hopefully!

Calendar Cakes Part Two

OK, it's July, right? Making Frosted Fruit Cake! This one was dead-easy to make and incredibly yummy as well. An ordinary 'light and airy sponge cake' with mixed berries covered in sugar on top. So refreshing.

A totally and completely delicious Summer Shortcake for August. Oh my, this was basically a giant shortbread biscuit with strawberries and cream. Still thinking about it...

I made a tasty & juicy Plum Cake (something along the lines of this recipe) in September - just in time for my little girl's birthday (this was only a side cake, of course, in case we ran out of the big three-tiered 'proper' birthday' cake - chocolate, please...; we didn't).

The picture does not really do it justice - the cake was really good but it did not look so, unfortunately. The plums were supposed to be showing through but they all sank into the batter...

The October recipe featured Halloween Muffins - made with pumpkin flesh from the Jack-o-Lanterns, with ginger frosting and marshmallow & sugarpaste 'Halloween' decorations (think little ghosts and stars and skulls - I didn't actually make the decorations because I couldn't get any marshmallows or sugarpaste on short notice :( ). I was again clever enough not to take any pictures before they were consumed. I was told they were absolutely delicious...

Two more to go until the end of the year! Dundee Cake in November and a Festive Yule Log (covered in chocolate...) in December. Will keep you posted!

Calendar Cakes Part One

Here's the story: back in January, I got, among other lovely things, a funny old present for my 40th birthday. A friend of mine gave me a calendar featuring a recipe for a 'fabulous seasonal treat' each month. And what's more, she accompanied the present with a smart remark: "I hope you make these puddings each month and have your friends taste them for you" :) What a nice challenge, don't you think? Well, I thought, consider it done.

The recipes in the calendar were (mostly) typical British desserts and I had already made some of them before I got this sweet calendar. The year started with the (not entirely British...) Black Forest Cherry Cake, which I made for the birthday party for my friends. It was absolutely delicious. You'll have to take my word for it. 

Photo: source

February featured vanilla-flavoured Valentine cupcakes. Yummy!

Springtime Cake, a classic sponge cake, decorated with flowers, was our March dessert.

In April I made not one, but two Simnel Cakes - I make one traditionally every Easter (the one on the photo below is the Easter one, not the 'a treat for friends' one).

A totally delicious One Mix Chocolate Sponge in May - ridiculously easy to make and oh-so yummy!

 Photo: source

Six months into the project, I finally activate my blogging mind and start taking my own photos: time for the very well-received Lavender Cake. Goodness me, it was different, but so so good.

To be continued...