I Love Bank Holidays

How lovely to wake up on a Monday and not to have to go to work, another day of chilling and scrapping - wonderful. Oh and for a change it isn't raining!

Since my last post I've been busy scrapping. Last weekend was a cybercrop on UKS so there were lots of great ideas floating around. I find the day itself a bit too much but I downloaded some of the classes to do at my leisure. I also like to see what everyone else is doing in the gallery. So here is the fruits of my labours so far

Not sure why this has come out so blue but it should be aqua and brown!

Blue again! This is one of the classes from Sarah's cards retreat - changed the pink background for green - much more me

Sack the photographer - this is beige, brown and pink in real life

I've done a few more but havent taken any photos yet so will post them later in the week.

I've also been busy baking. I was asked to make 2 chocolate cakes for my friend Caroline's twins Libby and Joe for their birthday parties. It was quite specific - plain chocolate sponge cakes and chocolate on top - here's how they turned out

tip of the day - use a spring form tin, makes it much easier to decorate :o)

The secret ingredient in these was coca cola, which whilst appealing to the kids is also supposed to make it moist. It was a resounding success. For those who want to give it a try, here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

Oil for greasing

250g self raising flour

generous pinch bicarbonate of soda

3 heaped tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

300g Golden caster sugar

2 eggs beaten

1 tsp vanilla extract

250g butter

200ml cola

75ml milk

For the frosting:

100g butter

2 tbsp cola

2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

Method:

1. Pre heat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. Grease a 24cm loose bottomed cake tin.

2. Sift the flour into a bowl. Mix in the bicarb of soda, cocoa powder and sugar.

3. Stir in the eggs and vanilla extract.

4. Put the butter in a saucepan and melt over gentle heat.

5. Add the cola to the butter and and stir to mix, making sure the mixture does not boil. Stir in the milk and remove from the heat.

6. Quickly whist the cola mixture into he dry ingredients. Mix gently but thoroughly.

7. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin. Bake for about 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean (mine took longer)

8. Leave to cool in the tin for about 15 mins.

9. Make the frosting. Place icing sugar into a bowl. Place butter in a saucepan and melt over a gentle heat. Stir in cola and cocoa powder. Bring mixture to the boil. Pour over icing sugar beating until smooth.

10. With the cake still in the tin, pour the frosting over it and leave in tin until completely cool.

I decorated mine with melted chocolate instead, topped with maltersers, slices of mars bar and mini marshmallows. You can do all or non :o)

Before I go to make lunch, the folks are coming over for a full roast pork dinner and all the trimmings ....... I wanted to tell you all that I am the proud owner of half a BMW 1200GS.

Last weekend MP and I went to Southport where there just so happens to be a shop that sells motorbikes. MP just so happened to have his bike gear with him so whilst he went off on a test ride I hit the shops. Loving the bikes the rode he agonised all the way home but the decision made, off he went back to Southport on Sunday and placed an order for a shiny new one. I got to choose the colour (well it was the least he could do). So what do you think?