September Bake Off!

Summer is passing fast and yes I know, I haven't done a blog post about the Edinburgh festival. The thing is as locals you kind of take the festival for granted - it comes round each year and it passes so fast, you've been getting on with everyday life and suddenly it's over and you didn't get to show. That's kind of what happens to me anyway.

We've been busy doing other things. Guests over for lunch, birthday parties, days in the garden, as well as running the business which was pretty busy in August. Now September is here and it's one of my favourite months. The sun seems to take on a golden light and the fading summer is at it's most beautiful here in Scotland.

This Sunday we had a trip to our local park where they were raising funds for renovations. There are big plans for the park including a new play area and a cafe with public toilets. Great for winter months when I'm walking the dog in freezing rain and I can get a hot chocolate to keep me warm!

This weekends fundraising was a bake off and I entered a lemon syrup loaf. A plain cake but with a zesty sweetness. It's a family favourite and one that I make often.  I wasn't expecting anything as it's not a fancy cake but....I won second prize!!! I'm not someone who is used to winning prizes so I'm also the kind of person that gets very excited that I've won a prize!

The day was gorgeous with a hot sun and light breeze. I had made the lemon syrup loaf in the morning so that it was cool enough to remove from its tin, and the wee one made chocolate chip cookies - a great recipe that makes then soft and chewy with a light crisp on the outside. Not dry and not doughie, just right.

The bake off was busy with lots of families attending. There were mini sports for the children to take part in and of course the obligatory bouncy castle.

The cake tent was...eh...busy! To say the least. It was cake chaos!

Lots of tea and cake was eaten and the judging was underway!

And here is the second prize winning cake! I decorated it with rose leaves and lemon zest as it is such a plain cake to look at. But it's delicious with a cup of tea as it's not too sickly as the sharp zest of the lemon cuts through the sweetness of the syrup. 

Someone had had enough by the end of the afternoon. 

Here is the recipe for the 

Zesty Lemon Syrup Cake 

For the cake;

125g butter

175g caster sugar

2 large eggs

zest of a lemon

175g self-raising flour

pinch of salt

4 tablespoons milk or water

For the syrup; 

Juice of 1 and a half lemons

100g icing sugar

Preheat the oven for 180C or gas mark 4. Butter and line the loaf tin. (Actually I don't do this as I'm lazy and also because I use a silicon tin which doesn't seem to need it.) 

Cream together the butter and sugar and add the eggs and lemon zest, beating them in well. Add the flour and salt, folding it in gently. This is when I say you are mixing the love into your cake. Then add the milk or water and one final gentle mix so you have a creamy consistency. Spoon it into your tin and place in the middle of your oven for 45 minutes. 

Make the syrup while the cake is cooking. Dissolve the icing sugar gently in the lemon juice over a low heat and leave to the side. 

When the cake is risen and golden and a cocktail stick comes out clean,and when it is still hot, puncture the top of the cake with a cocktail stick and then pour the syrup over the cake trying to keep the syrup running into the top of the cake as well as the sides so that it is fully coated and soaked with the lemony syrup. Let the cake cool thoroughly before removing it from the tin, and then enjoy! With cups of tea and a good old natter with family or friends.