Mother's Day cake!

Last Friday, I had a long overdue catch-up with some friends who I used to work with at the MCG. We get together a couple of times a year; have a good dinner, a good laugh, and just a general good time!

We met up at the North Fitzroy Arms pub, and I was a little unsure of whether there would be a vegan friendly option on the menu – fortunately there was!! I enjoyed the orrechiette shells with sautéed broccolini, garlic, chilli and extra virgin olive oil. I just requested they leave out the anchovy paste and cheese on top (they use nuttelex, not butter). We also all shared a couple of plates of bruschetta (and got a couple of pieces minus cheese) – so I did not go home hungry!!

Jess (& Dan!) are expecting their first baby in a matter of weeks, so it was an exciting time to catch up – good luck for the coming weeks guys!

On Saturday, I baked a chocolate banana cake for Mother’s Day. The recipe originally calls for castor sugar and white flour (and no cocoa) but I like to mix it up a bit!! This recipe is passed onto me by L-whack’s mum, and I’m afraid I do not have a source to credit.

BANANA CHOCOLATE CAKE

125g nuttelex

1 cup brown sugar

3 bananas, mashed

1 egg replacer

1 ½ cups wholemeal SR flour

½ cup soy milk

½ teaspoon bi-carb soda

Dash of vanilla

1 heaped tablespoon cocoa

1. Cream together the nuttelex and sugar, then add egg and bananas. Mix well.

2. In a cup, combine soy milk, bi-carb and vanilla.

3. To the wet mixture, mix in ½ cup flour then 1/3 of milk mixture. Mix in another ½ cup flour, 1/3 milk mixture. Mix in final ½ cup of flour, 1/3 milk mixture. Sift in cocoa, and mix until combined.

4. Pour into a lined cake tin, and put in 180*c oven for approx. 50-55mins (may need a little longer, check cake with a skewer)

5. Allow to cool, then sprinkle cake with icing sugar. Eat!

I forgot to take a photo, so you’ll just have to imagine… sorry!! It was tasty, and everyone enjoyed it for afternoon tea on Sunday. I just placed the cake in an airtight container overnight, and then sprinkled the icing sugar just before serving.

I had planned on making soup yesterday as well (it was such a miserable day, rainy and cold) but I ended up having the afternoon tea with my mum, sister-in-law and nieces (my brother was working, boo) followed by a later afternoon tea with L-whack and his family! So by the time I got home, I couldn’t be bothered to do any cooking, and will instead make the soup tonight. I might ask my niece Z-monster to help out, she is great at cooking and loves to do it. One of her favourite shows is Masterchef (and yes, she’s not quite 4yo!!)

Here is a lovely photo my sister-in-law just sent me of the little monkey’s, sharing lunch.

You can see why they bring a massive smile to my heart.