Stitchybits, Classic cars, and Cake

This lovely little design was a freebie that I found at http://www.xstitchhappy.com/ some while ago. I just love the design, as it is so fresh and bright. It was one of my UFO's that I couldn't finish really until now, as the mobile that I had at the time wouldn't fit into it.

Now I have the right sized mobile I feel reluctant to use the case as I don't want to spoil it, and have to keep washing it.

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Since last weekend I haven't really felt like writing my blog, as the weather has been brilliantly hot here in Devon, and I had got behind with my A Stitch a Week SAL that I have doing along with many other ladies in the Friendly Stitchers Group which belong to.I caught up on three of the motifs, but by now we have another one. That leaves me 11 motifs to catch up on. It is particularly hard, as I elected to do the ASAW SAL on 28ct linen, and the motifs are only about 1.5" square, so everything is minute sometimes, and very slow going when stitching. Hey Ho!!!

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Gorgeous Plum/Apple Cake Recipe.

This is one of my families favourite dessert cakes. You can eat it as it is, or with cream poured over a slice in a dish. It is best when it has been in a plastic container in the fridge. It keeps up to 4 days in the fridge......... that's if you can resist it that long.

Ingredients

5oz butter,

2 large eggs,

8 oz caster sugar,

1 teasp almond essence,

8oz S.R. flour,

1.5 level teasps of baking powder,

1.5lbs of Plums (stoned),or apples before peeling.

Icing sugar to dust when cooled.

Method.

Grease well, but don't line a 10" spring loose bottom cake tin. Heat oven to Gas 5, 375 degF, 190 degC.

Melt butter in a pan over med heat until just liquid, and pour in a large mixing bowl. Add eggs, sugar, and almond essence, and beat until well mixed. Fold in the flour, and baking powder.

Spread just under 2/3rds of the mixture into the baking tin. Then straight away peel & core the apples,or stone plums. If using apples ,slice, if using plums just halves will do.Arrange the fruit roughly over the top of the top of the mixture that is in the tin. Then spread the remaining mixture over the top of the apples/plums. It is difficult to get the top of the mix smooth, so blobs of the mix will be OK, as it evens out in the cooking..

Bake for 1 and a half hours until the fruit is tender. I usually stick a metal skewer in to test the middle isn't still runny after an hour. If it comes out clean then the cake is ready.

Loosen the sides of the cake from the tin with a knife, and carefully tip it upside down on a rack to cool. Invert it right way up on plate when cooled, and dust with icing sugar.

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The week-end prior to the one just gone, we went on our travels again, and went to see a small Steamfair, and Vintage Automobiles and Bicycles.

Below are some of the sights we saw. Amongst others are some Morris Men/Mummers who decided to come along and jolly the atmosphere up. For my readers from foreign climes, Morris Men/Mummers are Country Folk Dancers with their own musicians, who pretend to fight with sticks whilst dancing. A very old custom in England.

Jaguar Panther
1935 Auburn 851 Speedster
Model T Ford
This was the Yuckie sign on the side of the ratcatchers vehicle.

I just had to photograph it as I just couldn't believe what I saw. Lovely stained glass window

Secret peep through a gateway.

Bluebell fields on Dartmoor