Is there anything better at this time of year, than hot tea and cake? I think not!!! I've been craving cake for a few days now but something always seemed to happen that was more important, and my cake making plans would flew out the window, but today was the day! I had everything on hand and I had the time... well I should really have done the washing but the washing can wait a bit longer, Cake is definitely more important than making sure we have clean clothes to wear. lol This time of year always makes me crave comfort food, it gets so cold here in Portugal especially at home, sometimes it's colder at home than out side, thanks to the fact that the houses don't have central heating!!! I know crazy right, I'm used to London's cold weather, but I'm also used to getting home and having a nice tropical temperature in doors while it's pouring with rain out side. Here it's just cold everywhere, i don't think i have ever owned so many woolly clothes and scarves like I do now.

I'm definitely a summer girl and I'm the first person to moan about the colder seasons, but deep down I do like it, i like being all warm and cozy at home, hot tea and cake, stews and oh Christmas! I would hate it if it was hot at Christmas time, for me Christmas is cold and snowy, although there is no snow here in Portugal, and i do love the fact that it's not too cold, but yes where were we... ah! Cake. Today I made a gingerbread loaf cake with cream cheese frosting, there are maybe 3 slices left sitting in the kitchen as I type this, and I keep hearing Petal shouting at River to not touch the cake, so I don't think they will be there much longer.


I thought you guys might also like some tea and cake so here is the recipe so you can make your own

-What you will need-

For Cake:

• 250g self raising flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 medium sized eggs
• 150g light brown sugar
• 50g granulated sugar 
• 80ml vegetable oil
• 120g cream cheese
• 120ml buttermilk*

For Frosting:

• 150g icing sugar (sifted)
• 50g cream cheese
• 40g unsalted butter (at room temperature) 
• 1 teaspoon good quality vanilla extract

Lets Get Baking!
1. Preheat your oven to 180c/ gas mark 4
2. Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
3. Cream together the, sugar, eggs, oil and cream cheese.
4. Then combined the wet mixture to the dry mixture and mix, once all combined, add the buttermilk and mix until smooth.
5. Pour the batter into a greased loaf tin or line your tin with wax paper (I like to cut a long strip and place it long ways)
6. Cover loosely with tin foil and bake for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean (I like to take the tin foil off 10 mins before the cake is done so it browns a bit on top)
7. Allow the cake to cool in the tin completely before removing and frosting.

For The Frosting
1. Cream the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla extract with an electric mixer
2. Add the sifted icing sugar slowly to the butter mixture and keep mixing until smooth
3. Spread over cake and Enjoy.
Tip: 
* If you don't have buttermilk you can make your own by mixing 1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar to 250ml of milk (1cup) leave for 5 minutes, then its ready to use!





Enjoy :)

-Love Denny-