Chasing Butterflies Daily

I've been trying to perfect a Vanilla sponge to use for my cakes and I finally cracked it! This is super light, fluffy and yes I'll say it: moist. I've made it with rhubarb today but to be honest it would stand proud on its own and be great in a layered cake too. INGREDIENTS 200g butter 300ml caster sugar 5 eggs 2 tsp vanilla essence 400ml flour 2 tsp baking powder 125g yogurt (I used vanilla flavoured yogurt but natural would work too for the extra moisture) 250-400g of berries or finely chopped rhubarb, although could no doubt be flavoured with other things as well. I'm not a date lover but could see it working with that for example, or lemon zest. I'll have a play around and update. Optional extra: I also had 100ml desiccated coconut in my cake - could maybe even have more I just emptied what I had in an open bag. METHOD Oven temperature: 175 Tin size: 25*34cm (will be trying it in round tins too and update on diameter that...

We all hate scrolling through a blog to get to the recipe so here you go: Oven temp. 175C - makes approx 30 squares  Use a 20x30cm tin INGREDIENTS Cake Base Layer 125g butter 75ml sugar 250ml flour Lemon Filling 4 eggs 250ml sugar 50ml lemon juice 1tsp lemon zest 50ml flour 0.5tsp baking powder 1 Mix butter and sugar until fluffy, gradually add sifted flour. 2 Spread evenly over base of tin (baking paper under). 3 Bake for 15-20 minutes till golden and firm - take out and let cool. 4 Leave oven on for the next step: Mix the eggs and sugar until fluffy. 5 Add the lemon juice and zest, then mix in the flour and baking powder. 6  Pour the mix on top of the cool cake base then bake in oven for 20-25 minutes. 7 Sprinkle with icing sugar and let it cool. Then cut into small squares and enjoy (centre should be soft and moist like lemon curd)

The last few days I've been craving a slice of carrot cake because it's one of my favourite cakes. I used to hate it as a child, I think mostly because it had a vegetable in it to be perfectly honest. However, I have also tasted some pretty awful carrot cakes, often they're dry and sometimes full of nuts and dried fruit. Now I love nuts, but not a fan of them in cakes; I am however not keen on raisins or any other dried fruits so any cake with them puts me off. I turned to the internet to find inspiration for my homemade carrot cake. I took ideas from several different recipes, partially restricted by what ingredients I had at home as I had no intentions of going to the shop today. Pretty pleased with what I came up with as is the rest of the family!  Ingredients Cake batter 3 eggs 200 ml white sugar 100 ml brown sugar (if I hadn't had any in I would've used white instead for all of it but saw it recommended for more moist...

I've been trying to find a good coconut and lemon blondie recipe for months now but none I've tried have been what I'm after. Then, last night, I had an epiphany and realised I had the basis for the perfect recipe in my brownie recipe. Tried it today and I was right it's just what I'm after: it's gooey, lemony, coconutty and so tasty. Best thing it doesn't need icing (something all the other ones I tried needed to complete them at all) and it is super quick and easy. I hate baking with the kids so I rely on things that are easy for them and me but still tastes delicious. Hope you enjoy it too! Oven temperature is 170° celsius. This recipe is perfect for a round 23 cm (9 inch) pie dish baking time is about 20 minutes but do stick tests towards the end.  OR make double measures for a rectangular tray measuring 23x30 cm (9x12 inches) and bake it for approximately 25 minutes, again make sure to do regular stick tests towards the end. Ingredient...

Another Swedish classic with my own twist, the coconut is an optional addition. The biscuits themselves (basically shortbread) are a popular childhood favourite for many Swedes. As with most of my baking I love how delicious something so simple can taste! Ingredients 250 g butter (room temperature) 150 ml sugar 525 ml flour 0.5 tbs vanilla sugar / extract 50 ml desiccated coconut (optional) 150 ml raspberry jam (at least, I probably used a little more because I love them filled to the brim!) Method Pre-heat the oven to 200℃  Mix butter & sugar till creamy, then add the rest of the ingredients. Roll the dough into two to three rolls till approx. 2 cm wide in diameter. Then cut into 2 cm wide bits and place on baking tray covered in baking paper. Use your finger to press little wells/groves into the centre of the dough & fill generously with jam. Bake for 7 minutes, leave to cool before enjoying - mind the jam takes a lot longer to cool than t...

  Saffron buns, known as Lussebullar in Swedish, are traditionally baked for the 13th of December when we celebrate St. Lucia, however they are consumed throughout the Christmas period and it really isn't Christmas without them in my opinion. Ingredients 50 g fresh yeast / 14 g dry yeast 500 dl milk 180-200 g butter (melted) 1-1.5 g saffron 0.5 tsp salt 150-200 ml sugar 1 egg 1500-1700 ml flour    Garnish Raisins or "pearl" sugar / large coarse sugar alternatively you can use almond flakes Egg for brushing over Method Crumble the yeast in a big bowl. Heat milk and butter to finger temperature at 37℃. Try to be precise with the temperature as the yeast starts to die at 50℃. Pour the mixture over the yeast and stir till it has dissolved properly. Mix in the saffron (if the saffron isn't ground already grind it down with a mortle  and a tsp or two of sugar). Add salt, sugar, egg and almost all of the flour (I'd star...

Swedish saying goes: "Av pepparkakor blir man snäll" "Of gingerbread biscuits one becomes kind." Just as gingerbread biscuits are a big part of Christmas in a lot of countries around the world, they are an important part of Swedish Christmas. You'll find them in most Swedish households during the festive period, I have however never been much of a fan of them. There is a brand of gingerbread called "Annas pepparkakor" that are light, fluffy and they just melt in your mouth and their biscuits are the only ones I've enjoyed; sharing names with the company undoubtedly played a part when I was a child and I love the special edition tins they come out with at times. I don't particularly enjoy ginger in other foods either, and silently detested anyone who tried to get me to eat ginger things to ward off nausea during any of my pregnancies. Because I get hypremesis gravidarum and would do anything to stop feeling sick I have tried it in numero...

There are few flavours I enjoy as much as lemon and coconut, they don't have to go together but I sure do love them when they do. Another thing I really love are simple and quick to make recipes. With three little ones there are short windows when the baby sleeps that allow for baking with the girls (their brother is waaay too active to keep an eye on him to prevent him from injuring himself while I monitor the kids' baking). I found this oat and coconut recipe a while back when my husband and I both really fancied some biscuits but had very bare cupboards at home (because we live rurally there is no "just nipping" to the shop if you've forgotten something in the evening), the biscuits came out tasty but I felt there was room for improvement. So here is my tweaked recipe: Ingredients 125 g melted butter 100 ml sugar 250 ml oats 100 ml desiccated coconut 100 ml flour 1 tsp baking powder Juice from a lemon (I used all the juice but if you aren't a...

I've got a rehearsal tonight and one of the other cast members had asked me to bring any left over brownies to it from the school Halloween party. The brownies are long gone so I thought I'd make one of my other easy favourites. I always end up making at least a double batch of these as well as my husband and I can't help but pig out on them. It's another very popular treat in Sweden and the only reason you wouldn't find it in a bakery is because they've sold out. I have over the years adapted it and created some really tasty non-child friendly truffles by adding different liquors. Today's batch has some Tamnavulin whisky in it but I've found brandy to be a safe bet, and Grand Marnier gives it a delicious citrus kick. Personally I can not stand Amaretto but I could imagine that would be popular with some, so feel free to experiment! I tend to use an electric whisk or blender to make the mixture as smooth as possible, but you can mix it with y...

I don't normally add icing, but these were for the school Halloween party. I've had a few requests for my Chocolate Brownie recipe so I thought I'd share it with you guys on here. The recipe is for a Swedish Kladdkaka (Messy/Gooey cake) and is a popular cake in most homes. My one has been passed down by my Great Grandmother, Essie, and to me it brings back a lot of childhood memories, my mum served it as dessert at dinner parties often and I've yet to see anyone turn their nose up at it. I still make it as a cake but it goes down so well in our house and is so easy to make (I know it off by heart now) that I have started making a double batch to bake brownies. It's sugary, chocolatey and so so gooey it's dangerous to have sitting about the house, well at least it is if your self control is anything like mine! Below is is the recipe for my Gran's cake for which I use a round 23 cm (9 inch) pie dish, the cake is quite thin but full of flavour; it's...