MADEIRA CAKE AND WHY I HAVEN'T POSTED IN A WHILE

So, in case you hadn't heard, it's a little wet in Sydney right now. It feels like every time I see the sun rear its golden head and put my wellies on to walk down the street/river we live on to get a coffee or some groceries, the heavens open up again and I'm drenched from head to toe. When it's cold and dreary outside, my inner (wannabe) domestic goddess shines through. And I get my bake on. This weekend I made one of my all time favourites. It's a super simple inexpensive Madeira cake. And it'll rock your socks.*

* Because it's not a Pinteresty healthy organicy excuse for cake.

What you need:

3 cups self-raising flour

2 cups brown sugar

4 eggs

300g softened butter

1 cup milk

1 vanilla bean / 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Please note I have halved the recipe because I decided to make the cake in my Donna Hay loaf tin and it is really small. If you want to make a full size loaf tin or a normal cake tin, use the measurements above - all the method will be exactly the same. 

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 180ºC. Grease and line your cake tin/loaf tin and set aside. 

 I was lucky enough to receive KitchenAid mixer as a wedding present and have been using it like a mad woman. You can either use your stand mixer or hand mixer. If you have a KitchenAid, use the flat beater attachment. This means you wont put too much air through the mixture.

2. Place softened butter in the bowl. Add sugar and beat until combined. 

3. Add flour and beat until you get a shortbread like consistency.

4. Add eggs and milk and beat briskly for about 5 minutes. 

5. Split the vanilla bean and beat into the mixture. You can use extract, but I am partial to vanilla beans. I don't know what it is, but its like adding a layer of warmth to a cake using the actual bean seeds. Exactly what winter calls for! 

6. Pour batter into cake tin and bake for 35-40 mins. In saying this I don't remember the last time I times a cake baking. I tried to keep an eye on this one to post the time, but I really just bake until the cake is ready/the way I would like it. I'm a seasoned cake baker/really lazy and not good with timing.

7. Take that bad boy out of the oven, allow to cool, cut up and enjoy the hell out of it! I made a damn good cup of tea to go with mine, I suggest you do the same.

Okay, now onto why I haven't posted in a while. Did I mention I am a tad lazy? I am not one of those people who must finish what they start. The amount of half done D.I.Y/craft projects lying around our house is ridiculous. But I made a promise to myself when I started this blog and paid $80 for the layout that I would use it. Not just to get my moneys worth, but because I truly enjoy it. Pressing that 'post' button makes me feel like I have accomplished something for the day. And that is incredibly satisfying to me. My report cards often said, "Elizabeth is incredibly ambitious, but lacks motivation and drive". This used to upset me so much. Until I realised it was true and that it wasn't a big deal. I just need to put my big boy pants on the get my ass moving. I can and I will! And if I don't, I give ya'll permission to send me a crappy report card.