cake in the community

My Nanny *87 years young* often tells me little tales and anecdotes when I visit her in Kent.

So the last time I saw her I took along dictaphone to capture her Island accent.

In her lounge ~ Nanny, my Mummy, my daughter and I had a conversation about cakes. Four generations of keen bakers in one room. Nanny told me that her favourite was apple cake and my Great Grandmother used to make Seedy Cake. I'd heard of it but never tasted it.

"It's an unusual taste", Nanny offered ~ "It wasn't to my taste", Mummy confessed.

I started to think about baking and how recipes are often passed down through generations ~ Mother to Daughter.

The picture in my head of Mummy showing me how to make pastry and how I helped her make bakewell tarts on a Saturday morning. Spreading the jam on the pastry case and smelling the almonds as she tumbled them into the bowl.

I have always made cakes with my daughter and now she is old enough to make them on her own. Cupcakes are her favourite ~ brightly coloured icing, festooned with sprinkles or chocolate flakes. When did the muffin become the cupcake? I blame Starbucks.

A few of my friends take the time to make their own cakes and biscuits but the Art of baking is fading, along with the Family Photo Album. In these times of faster speeds and ease of use, taking time to weigh out flour or cream butter and sugar isn't for everyone.

I do own a few hand written recipes that friends and old neighbours have passed to me.

Boiled fruit cake from Anna, Welsh cakes from Elsie May and the ever popular chocolate brownies from Miss Jenny-Anne.

As for my favourite cake? Any cake is good in my world.