A Tiny Bit Marvellous (25 page)

3. Beat in the sour cream and vanilla essence. Squeeze out any excess liquid from the grated beetroot and fold into the mixture.

4. Pour the mixture into the tin and bake for 50 minutes. Remove and cool on a wire rack.

5. Meanwhile, make the icing. Place all the ingredients into a bowl and place the bowl on top of a pan of simmering water until the sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally. Remove the pan from the heat and place on a heatproof surface and with the bowl still standing over the pan, whisk on a high speed until the mixture forms stiff peaks

6. Cover the top of the cake with the icing and scatter over the chopped hazelnuts.

7. Take swig of home-made sloe gin. For cook.

DORA’S PINEAPPLE UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

For the topping

½ pineapple

55g soft brown sugar

6 glacé cherries

For the cake

170g self-raising flour

100g caster sugar

1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

2 eggs, beaten

200ml milk

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C. Grease a 23cm cake tin and line with baking parchment.

2. Peel the pineapple and slice into 6 rounds, each approximately ½ cm thick. Cut out the core from each and then place the pineapple into a large non-stick frying pan along with the sugar. Cook over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved and then turn the heat up and let them bubble away for 10 minutes, turning occasionally.

3. Arrange the pineapple slices in the cake tin, in a neat pattern around the edge with one slice in the centre. Fill in the core of each slice with glacé cherries.

4. Combine the flour, sugar and cinnamon in a large bowl and create a well in the centre. Add the eggs and milk into the well and stir, pulling the flour into the centre little by little until combined.

5. Whisk in the bicarbonate of soda and then pour the mixture over the pineapple slices. Bake for 15 minutes, until set and golden.

6. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes and then turn out on to a wire rack to cool completely.

7. Take swig of home-made sloe gin. For cook.

DENYS’S WHISKY CAKE

150g currants

150g sultanas

200g mixed peel

2 tablespoons whisky

1 tablespoon orange juice, plus zest of half an orange

100ml water

180g caster sugar

180g butter

3 medium eggs

180g self-raising flour

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1 teaspoon mixed spice

pinch of salt

100g chopped walnuts

Icing

60g butter, softened

210g icing sugar

1 tablespoon orange juice

1 tablespoon whisky

1. Soak the dried fruit in the whisky, orange juice, zest and water. Leave for at least 30 minutes.

2. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease two 20cm cake tins with butter and line with baking parchment.

3. Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, and then beat in the eggs, one at a time.

4. Beat in the flour, salt, mixed spice and bicarbonate of soda.

5. Finally fold in the walnuts, dried fruit and the liquid it has been soaking in. Divide the mixture between the two tins and place in the oven for 30 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.

6. Leave to cool for 5 minutes and then turn out on to wire racks to cool completely.

7. Meanwhile, make the icing. Place the butter in a large bowl and sift in a third of the icing sugar, beat until combined and then add the remaining sugar in the same way. Finally beat in the orange juice and the whisky. Spread a thin layer of icing on one cake, place the other on top and cover the top with the rest of the icing.

8. Take swig of home-made sloe gin. For cook.

Thanks to:

Louise Moore, for taking the plunge. And for cake. And for secrets.

Emma Kikoyne, for constant encouragement and tuna tips.

Sue Perkins, for kicking me off.

Kathy Burke, for speed-reading and reassurance.

Sue Hunter, for not minding my handwriting, and for endless typing.

Ian Williamson, for consultation and advice.

Dr Cassie Cooper, for Kleinian guidance.

Diane and Nigel Bray, for being my top back-up team.

Millfield Val, for food-tech tips.

Debb Gabb, for keeping my chick safe in her coop.

Reevesy, Claire, Liz, John, Sarah, Colin, Sarah and all the team at Penguin for such care.

The Mighty B. F. for so much. So much.

Gareth Carrivick, who was always so full of life.

And finally, Len and Bill, for their patience and love.