Birthday Bash

April is a fine month for writerly birthdays.


Susanna found that a quick google for famous Aries writers gives us: Maya Angelou (4 April 1928), Robert Frost (26 March 1874), Nick Hornby (17 April 1957), Washington Irving (3 April 1783), Henry James (15 April 1843), Barbara Kingsolver (8 April 1955), Louis L’Amour (22 March 1908), Flannery O’Connor (25 March 1925), Eudora Welty (13 April 1909), Tennessee Williams (26 March 1911), William Wordsworth (7 April 1770), and Emile Zola (2 April 1840).

Which, all in all, means that Julie, Liz and yours truly are in very good company... Yes, this week it's our birthday! So we thought we'd continue the party and share our favourite birthday (or any time!) cakes with you!

Julie's cake is pictured above - a cake she made herself, on a dish given by Brigid - and the recipe can be found here (I'm drooling already).

Liz sent a picture of her cake from Dubai, complete with smurfs - it's a cheesecake made with fake sugar and thus low carb!

Christina is sharing her recipe for Easter Cake:

Whisk together 2 eggs, 200 grams of caster sugar, 200 grams plain flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder and 100 millilitres of water.

Grease a 9 inch cake tin and shake some breadcrumbs over the surface so the cake won't stick to it. Add the cake mix and bake in a 175 degree Celsius (340 Fahrenheit) oven for 25-30 minutes.

Icing - put 1 egg yolk, 75 grams butter, 100 grams caster sugar and 1 tablespoon of vanilla sugar into a saucepan and bring to the boil while stirring. Pour this over the cake as soon as it comes out of the oven, then leave to cool for a little while. Eat while still warm though!

My cake's a classic Victoria Spoge (gluten free, naturally) oozing with raspberry jam and whipped cream... mmmmmmm.....

There's a good recipe here, but I prefer using half and half Orgran self raising GF flour and Dove's Farm.

Brigid said she'd selflessly provide the drinks for our little cakes party.... "How about some Twinkles?

Per cocktail:

30ml vodka

15ml elderflower cordial

Champagne

1. Pour vodka and elderflower cordial in cocktail shaker and add ice cubes

2. Shake (a la Tom Cruise) then strain mixture into chilled martini glass or glass filled with ice

3. Top drink with champagne and add a twist of lemon.

Chin chin!

And a Happy *hic* Birthday :-) "

Happy Birthday, April writers!