Cupcakes!

Leezar came back from a day on the road with these delicious treats from My Little Cupcake in Neutral Bay. They have the softest texture with the most divine icing... mmmm. Once we'd finished scoffing them we were scouring our plates for all the crumbs! If you are ever in that area of Sydney (or even just in Sydney!) you must swing by and pick up a box, they are well worth crossing town for!

Australia's Biggest Morning Tea

This morning the Dandi ladies hosted a decadent tea party with all sorts of cakes, muffins, cupcakes, scones, slices and biscuits. We had around 25 guests attend and raised over $500 for The Cancer Council as part of Australia's Biggest Morning Tea.

Our party in full swing

It was lots of fun baking all the yummy treats and all recipes were a huge success amongst the grateful guests who happily tucked in.

Some of the yummy goods on offer

Us Dandi ladies are feeling very satisfied with our efforts and appetites! Morning Teas can be hosted any time during May or June so visit the Biggest Morning Tea website and register your interest!

Dandi Ladies having a quiet cuppa before the guests arrive.

Plum Time

With all the fruit literally raining upon Mike & Vivienne's property, Caroline felt the need to get into the kitchen and make use of it. Having been given the wonderful old cookbook, The Greta Anna Recipes, the recipe for Plum Cake was the perfect solution for the abundance of plump plums lying around. Recipe and images below, bon appetit!

Easter Baking

Now that we are all significantly recovered from Easter chocolate binging (and congratulations if this wasn't the case for you) we thought we might share a special recipe which Caroline stumbled across in her Grandma's very well used cookbook from 1950. It is for a traditional Easter Simnel Cake. Not only does the cake look spectacular - but it tastes absolutely amazing! Like a light Christmas cake but WAY better!! The effort to bake this is well worth the reward of eating it. So pull out your Dandi Pini and get baking! Click here for the full recipe and instructions.

Easter Simnel Cake - Recipe from Granny Brooks

100g softened butter
½ cup brown sugar
1 tbs golden syrup
1 egg
2 cups of self raising flour
1 tsp mixed spice
350g dried mixed fruit
100g dried apricots
2 tbs apricot jam

Almond icing
360g of icing sugar
100g almond meal
1 tsp. vanilla essence
2 tbs of lemon juice
1 egg

Preheat oven to 180’C. Grease a 17cm round cake pan, lining the base with baking paper.

Place icing ingredients in a bowl and mix. Knead on a clean surface until smooth. Wrap in plastic and set aside.

Beat together butter, sugar and golden syrup until pale and creamy. Add egg and beat until just combined. Add flour and mixed spice and stir to combine. Stir in mixed fruit.

Spoon half the mixture into the pan and smooth surface. Use a rolling pin to roll out 1/3 of the icing into a 17cm disc. Place icing on top of mixture and spoon remaining fruit mixture over the icing, smoothing the surface as you go.

Bake in oven for 30 minutes then reduce to 150’C for a about 1 ½ hours. Remove and cool.

When cold, brush the top of the cake with heated jam. Divide remaining icing in half, using one portion roll out a 17cm disc and place on top of cake. With the remaining almond mixture roll 11 egg shaped balls and arrange on top of the cake.

Place under grill on high until golden. Serve with tea, love and dandi napery!

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