I always struggle to find motivation and creativity at this time of year. The short, cold days, combined with the busyness of work mean that there is not much room left in my head for new ideas. This year seems to be particularly hard going, perhaps because work is very busy, or perhaps it’s like this every year and I forget. Either way, I lose the creative spark and find it hard to make decisions. Even what to cook for dinner becomes hard at times. Fortunately, the days are starting to get a little longer, and the end of Winter is in sight. This, and a break from work, have my brain starting to churn over new ideas of things to make and do.
Just before the holidays, we visited my parents for the weekend. Their lemon tree was loaded up so they sent us home with a bag to use up. The kids squeezed a few to make old fashioned lemonade, but there was still some sitting in the fruit bowl waiting to be used up. My renewed desire to create new things, collided with the bowl of lemons and came up with this delicious cake. Perfect to take to church on a Sunday afternoon (which is what we did!).
- 4 eggs
- 1¾c castor sugar
- zest of 2 lemons
- 150ml cream
- 1t vanilla extract
- 2 c plain flour
- 2t baking powder
- 100g butter melted and cooled
- Preheat the oven to 180*c
- Beat together the eggs and castor sugar until light and fluffy
- Stir through the lemon zest, cream, and vanilla
- Fold through the flour and baking powder
- Fold through the melted butter
- Pour the mixture into a greased ring tin
- Bake for 40 minutes or until the cake has set
- Allow to cool before pouring the glaze over the top
This cake is so easy to make. I love that there are not many steps and that it is a melt and mix cake (creaming butter and sugar is always a pain to me). If you don’t have lemons, substitute oranges or limes. The cake itself is moist and light in texture, and will definitely be a regular in our house.
Do you often struggle to be creative in Winter? Are you looking forward to longer days?
I sure do struggle in winter – I felt the exact same way you are expressing here this spring. Here (Sweden) it is now end of summer. The days are still long but you notice each day how it is quickly turning darker again. I have just come back to work after the first part of my summer holiday, will have one more week in two weeks that I will spend in the archipelago with my best friend and her family visiting from Wales. Can’t wait! I have read a couple of your blog entries and I really love it, so will keep reading now. I am too longing for a country life but am stuck in the city. I am also fascinated by Australia and its nature and wild life. This combination caught my attention to your blog. I am really inspired by what I have read so far so can’t wait to read more. Best wishes from a new reader. 🙂
We don’t seem to have a winter here but I’m struggling to be creative at the moment all the same! I’m loving your cake though, looks delicious and I love anything with lemon in it. Thanks for sharing with YWF too.
Thanks for sharing Jo, it looks delicious. I don’t have a ring tin, could you bake it in an ordinary cake tin? I find that I really struggle in the summer to be motivated to do anything, the heat just saps all of my energy.
I’m sure it would work fine. Just adjust cook time
Thanks Jo.