When my husband was a child, he remembers that whenever he went to visit his grandmother, there was always cake to be had. Now I know that in this day and age we are more careful about what we eat, but surely a little bit of what you fancy is good for you? Everything in moderation as they say.

We have his relatives coming to visit tomorrow, and much like they always wash their cars when you visit one another, the other rule is that there must always be cake.

The first time I met himself’s whole entire family was bonfire night about 15 years ago. I’d not long left university and had just bought my first house which was still pretty empty apart from my tesco value cutlery and tesco value plates. 

So when he told me that everyone takes a cake to bonfire night, I knew that if I was going to be a bone fide woman of the family (and indeed potential wife material) then I needed to polish up my culinary skills and dust off my apron.

Trouble was, I had no mixer, no tins, no bowls, nothing. So off I trundled to the supermarket. No joke, by the time I’d bought not only the ingredients but also the equipment, that lemon drizzle cake cost me the best part of £35. However, it went down a storm, including with his beloved grandma. That was a proud moment.

Back to topic! Hopefully you’ve read my earlier post Let there be cake – if you have, you’ll see my preferred sponge recipe. And it can literally be modified anyway you fancy. Coffee, lemon, chocolate… Wherever the mood takes you.

Just a little reminder: Weigh your eggs, three big, or four small. Then equal quantities of the egg weight of sugar, self raising flour and butter. Cream sugar and butter, add a spoonful of flour. Whisk eggs, add to butter/sugar. Sieve flour and add. Simples!!! 

Today I fancied a coffee and walnut cake, so to that basic recipe, I added into the sponge 2tsp coffee essence and 50g chopped walnuts. Bake as ever in two greased tins with the bases lined at 180 for 20-25 mins.

This one has a naughty-lick-the-bowl-till-there’s-none-left buttercream icing – speaking of which, if you have a food mixer, don’t faff about, make your icing in there, it takes seconds. Recipe? 350g icing sugar, 200g butter, coffee essence to taste. Start with 1tsp then blend until perfectly smooth. Taste. Add more essence if you’d like. 

Smear half on the bottom layer, half on the top, then decorate with walnut halves. 

This literally reminds me in every way of village fetes and jumble sales in the church hall. It was always my nan’s favourite. 

Delightful.

  
There should seriously always be cake. In fact, it should be the law.