Sheila’s Crazy Horse Cake.

Have had several requests for the Crazy Horse Cake mentioned in yesterday’s post. When Sheila made this cake she used to oil the tin and then mix the cake in it. Then straight in the oven, no washing up! I’m not that brave, I line the tin with baking parchment and do the mixing in a separate bowl. Maybe Sheila had a super-duper non-stick American cake tin!

Sift the following into a bowl:

3 cups flour. 2 teaspoons baking soda. 1 teaspoon salt. 6 tablespoons cocoa.

Then add: 1 cup oil( I used rape seed. Sunflower or other oil which is’nt too strongly flavoured can also be used.)

2 teaspoons vinegar.

2 teaspoons vanilla or cinnamon.

2 cups sugar (I use 1 and a half cups).

Add 2 cups of cold water and mix all well together. Put in tin, I used a 9in x 13in tin lined with baking parchment.

Bake at gas no 4 (350c) for 30-40 mins.

To the cake I made on Friday I also added the end of a packet of coconut, a mashed banana, a couple of ounces of ground hazlenuts and some of the sourdough starter which I now add to all baked stuff. However, when making a recipe for the first time I usually follow it verbatim then next time I will usually add my own slant to it. The first making is for me getting to know the recipe. This recipe is very adaptable, vegan and foolproof. The one caution I would give is not to overcook it, if anything take it out slightly gooey in the centre still. Happy baking! Looking forward to hearing your results.

Saturday Morning Musings from Prospect Cottage.

The Potatoes in the polytunnel are flowering. These are Colleen a fast growing, first early variety with good disease resistance. The tubers are oval shaped with light yellow flesh. As potatoes are ready to harvest 10 days after flowering these will be ready for use by Summer Solstice. Great!

The sedums planted in this old cast iron queenie stove have spread nicely and are starting to flower. I love these easy care plants that seem to thrive on neglect.

This is a pic of our house taken from the back field. I love how it is nestled into the valley and seemingly dwarfed by the big Sycamore on the left. You can just see the tops of the polytunnels on the left.

Just behind the house is this chalet built by Andy, about 5 years ago, from Spruce and Larch felled on our own land. We use this as a workroom and as a spare bedroom and storage area.

Sheila’s Crazy Horse Cake is a delicious vegan cake I made yesterday. I got the recipe from an American woman called Sheila who lived, with her husband Brendan, in this area for a few years. She was vegetarian all her life, never tasted meat, and had a great selection of cookery books. Whenever I make this Crazy Horse Cake I always think of her and joy she had for life. They returned to America for family reasons and we never heard from them again. I wonder where they are now?