Friday Cake

Okay so I know it’s not Friday but I made a decision today that may affect my Fridays from now on. I have come to the conclusion that cake is not bad. You know that bit in The Holiday when Cameron Diaz says, ‘I just want to eat carbs without wanting to kill myself.’ Well you know what, I really do.

When I was on holiday with some friends over New Year were were talking about how your mum would always ‘bake a cake’ and it would be a special thing. Gathering the ingredients (which would sometimes require a walk to the shops), preparing, aprons, grandma’s old beige mixing bowl, the packets, the dust, hot ovens, the s-m-e-l-l, the anticipation, watching it rise, the anticipation, the cooling, not yet! And then, finally, finally, when a cup of tea had been made and at least one neighbour had been invited, the taste.

I think we’re guilty, these days, of looking at a cake as just a pile of calories. Yes they have sugar and eggs and butter and la de dah in them but really? Is it worth missing out on all of the above just because it may be a little bit bad for us.

In truth I feel like a bad, bad mother for denying my boys the same excitement that I felt all those years ago.

So the decision is this. Friday is cake day. Not one that comes in a box, or packaging or even sneakily bought from the farmers market. No, Friday is ‘bake’ a cake day. With natural ingredients, hopefully including something from the garden too. And shared with neighbours, friends, boys (big and small) and me.

Disclaimer: I’m not promising to bake a cake every Friday, but I will try.

This is the Carrot Cake from The Riverford Cookbook. It’s gorgeously moist with lots of Carrot in it and no icing because it doesn’t need it. I did add a bit of Cinnamon to it which seemed to work.

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26 Comments on “Friday Cake”

  1. Insert into paragraph two ” THE LICKING OF THE BOWL!!” :)

  2. Gill, is this the one you made while we were visiting? YUM!!

  3. Yes I made it again yesterday but this time I put sultanas in and baked it for 10 mins less. It tastes amazing!

  4. Looks scrummy – a sign of a good cake is when it’s so good you can’t wait for the icing part and eat it neat instead.

    When can I come round? ;)

  5. Great idea – Friday is cake day!
    It is so important to establish and continue family traditions into the next generation.
    Wonderful memories!
    Lea

  6. Just discovered your blog and enjoying it. What a great idea and cake looks lovely!

  7. Just discovered your blog as well 9trying to actually do my new years resolutions of growing more veg & looking for inspiration – I will be back for more! Thank you

  8. Cake on Fridays – what a great idea! May have to adopt that as a late new year resolution :-)

  9. That cake looks amazing – recently discovered your blog and you are inspiring me to bake for my son while he’s at school! Thanks for the ideas. x

  10. That’s my favourite cake to bake but I do like to drizzle icing over the top! Calorie count, what calorie count!

  12. I always bake a cake for the weekend. There is nothing nicer than sitting around with the family for a cuppa, a slice of cake and catching up.

  13. Oh my word you’ve started something now. Yum yum roll on Friday. (I can just smell your cake oooooooooooo)

  14. This struck a chord with me. We always had homemade cake in out house when I was a child. Not the sugar laden frosted cup cake style (fairy cakes were for parties) but fruit cake, victoria sandwich cake, ginger cake and even seed cake. Food rituals are the things that memories are made from and a balance in life is essential. Will climb down from my soapbox now!

  15. And with carrots and sultanas in it is two of your five a day. This is practically a health food.
    Kay x

  16. YAY!! i started baking once a week a few months ago–and i LOVE it! my boys do to. i always thought having a solid fuel cooker that is VERY tempermental let me off the baking hook–but i gave it a try and wow–it was amazing. have fun with your cakes!!
    ps: cookies are fun too and way nicer than ones from the supermarket. we do a cookie of the week–one kid chooses what he wants, the next time its his brother’s turn! fun!!

  18. Looks delicious! Friday is baking day at my house. I set the breadmaker to finish just in time for when I get back from the allotment. Love the smell of fresh bread filling the hosue.

    I’ve just bought a copy of the Riverford Cookbook and Ill be making the Carrot cake with my 3 and 5 year old on Saturday morning.

    I grew Autumn King 2 carrots last year and still have some packed up safely in straw. They are not as sweet as some of the earlies but I’m sure the sweetness of the cake will balance well with them. Very nice for Carrot and Parnsip soup though…

    Thank you for the book recommendation and happy baking !

  19. Yes, we always had homemade cakes and desserts at home when I was a child. When I left home and went to uni, I didn’t know how to cook, but I could always make a brilliant cake. I only ever make homemade cakes now, as you know what’s going into them, and they taste so much better. Just a pity I don’t have kids or a partner with a sweet tooth. But it is a great way to use up the vegetables! Beetroot brownies are my favourite.

  20. I am a novice gardener Gillian, but the queen of cake! Like the other comments above, there are many semi healthy cake, muffin and bread recipes out there. Try Annabel Karmel for cooking for kids. Her recipes include pineapple and carrot muffins. I also love the Avoca cafe banana bread recipe (works as bread or muffins). Great to see food photos on the blog. Well worth getting the kids involved too, we always did. My little boy was three when he asked his Daddy one day would he beat or fold the flour into the pancakes!!

  21. Wow..that certainly brings back memories from my childhood and something that is lacking in todays family life. Everyone is always too busy.

    We’ll maybe have to make more of an effort I think so thanks for the reminder and the inspiration!

  23. I am still in mince pie mode (yes, I know, CHhistmas is over!) but shall soon be reverting to my weekly baking of either Victoria sponge of flapjacks. To my carrot-cake crazy husband though I am hugely disappointing as I still can’t get my head around veg in cakes. (It’s a CAKE! What on earth are you throwing veg at it for? etc)

  24. I feel exactly the same and convince myself that using wholemeal flour makes a cake healthy! I’m running a large renovation project and treat my builders to cake every Friday – one of their faves is this one made with my home grown courgettes so its deliciously moist and no-one could guess what was in it from the veggie patch! http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/633634/chocolate-courgette-cake

  25. Hi, I used to work in as very busy theatre and in our crew room we started ‘Fabulous cake Friday’ to lighten the mood before the weekend rush. It was an instant hit and I definitely intend doing it with my boy when he gets a bit older. :)

  26. I love carrot cake and am always on the look out for a good recipe. Sadly, i can’t seem to find a way to buy the cookbook as Riverford Farms don’t deliver to Scotland. ANy chance you could share the recipe for the carrot Cake…????