One of the best things about being able to make cakes is giving them to someone else to enjoy. I make a few cakes for birthdays and christenings and they are always my favourite types. Its all going back to that need to feed people and of course see them happy. I'm sure any psychologists reading this would scream the need to please people/ middle child syndrome!!! This cake, well the majority of it was given to a cake loving friend. She has very kindly offered to eat cakes so that Mark and I don't have to eat everything in the book, now isn't that nice!!!! It does mean that she'll get things with pieces missing, well I have to try them first. This cake was pretty tasty but I ran out of time to add the rum syrup (sorry Ruth!) which I think would have really added to it. I hope it was enjoyed.
A review from Ruth:The Taster
ReplyDeleteI should start by saying I know nothing about baking, or cooking. In fact, I know less than nothing. I used a packet mix to make fairy cakes once, you know, the one's where you just add an egg and some water. I forgot the egg. But I do know I like cake. Actually, I LOVE cake, more than anything in the world. Very occasionally I think I could be persuaded to marry a cake, channel five documentary stylee. Especially Annabel's cakes so I was utterly selfish when I said I would taste some cakes, should she need me to :-)
The Banana and Pecan thingy was delivered to me by Annabel's husband at work. Mark will verify that, having been anticipating the said arrival I jumped (yes I actually jumped) up and down in excitement. Now, I said I knew nothing about baking. A case in point is that I peeled back the foil and exclaimed 'Oooh great I love lemon cake' (well...it was the same shape as a lemon cake!) failing to recognise the smell was in fact Banana. Anyway, I digress. I placed the cake safely in my bag and took it home.
Everybody knows cake needs to be eaten with a cup of tea so I brewed up, cut a nice slice (at this point noticing the pecans, which by the way I thought were Walnuts until I just read the title of this) and thinking it was very Heston Blooming-whatsit of Annabel to include nuts in lemon cake, I sunk my teeth in (I was also bemused and impressed there were no pieces missing..how does a cook know what their food tastes like? The above post has set me right)
What a taste explosion! My mind went into overdrive-wait- this is not Lemon cake!!! It's..it's....Banana!! MMMMMMmmmmm (Homer Simpson style) Banana.......It was moist without being soggy (insert your own joke there, I know I have) and the pecan's contrasted nicely with the spongey texture of the cake. I have had my eyes opened. Cake to me usually means chocolate (or, evidently and inexplicibly, Lemon) but the fact that this was a comparatively savoury flavouring made it all the more appealing. I gave some to the builders and they polished it off too. I gave some to Caitlin and to Caitlin's mum (and told her I'd made it... sorry). I gave some to Paul. The consensus was: delicious. Well done Annabel, I am tres impressed. Now, I guess I could taste for you again, if I have to..what's my next challenge?