No rest for the wicked. After the epic marmalade making session last night, I’d quite like to avoid the kitchen today, BUT it’s Tom’s birthday tomorrow, so time for the annual coffee-cake-baking-session. Coffee cake is Tom’s favourite, and one of mine too, so why do I only bake it once a year? Maybe because I always follow Delia’s recipe, and her icing – mixing a pot of mascarpone with a shot of espresso (or something like that) makes me nervous. It probably curdled in the past. 

 This evening, Daisy and I made it together and we doubled the quantity to make it a 4-egg cake as last year it seemed a bit small. If you do this, just remember that it will obviously take longer to bake. I got it out after the designated 25mins and looked mystified as to why it was uncooked….

 I will post a picture tomorrow when I’ve iced it. It really needs to be iced and eaten on the same day as the mascarpone icing goes a bit funny by the next day.

In the meantime, here’s some pictures of Tom receiving his cake 4 years ago. Ollie’s eyes on the second one always make me laugh. Poor thing. The shock of seeing candles blown out for the first time.

If you’d like to have a go, here’s the link to her recipe: http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/cuisine/european/english/coffee-and-walnut-sponge-cake.html

Happy baking!

Next day….and here’s the finished article: