Orange Knitting & Lemon Cake!

Super, super soft 4 ply yarn.  So delicate in my hands as I was knitting.  A delight to knit because it felt so good.

Lace Edge Detail

I decided to knit my sister a shawl for her 50th birthday in orange.  She loves orange, it is her favourite colour.

Blocked to open up the 'lacework'.

After starting and undoing and starting again 9 - yep 9 - times; I really got stuck into the knitting of this shawl.  I will admit to finding the outside triangles a bit hard to figure out, but once I got the stitches sorted in my mind, it was a breeze to complete.

I couldn't decide which of these two photos - above and below - to put on here as I really like the way the orange 'glows' in both the lighter and darker shots.

And, what birthday isn't complete without a cake?!  One of my favourite recipes: coconut sponge, sandwiched with lemon curd and finished off coconut/lemon butter frosting.

We were so very lucky and blessed that stay at home restrictions had lifted during the week prior to my Sister's birthday and that we could celebrate in person.  

Shawl Pattern - "Ishka" by Marleen van der Vorst of Dutch Knitting Design.

Needles - 5mm circular.

Yarn - White Gum Wool, Superfine Merino 4ply in colour Flame.

Cakes for 80 years!

Last weekend my MIL turned 80.  Lots of celebrating to be had.  First up on the agenda was the important issue of cake.  Cake is very important, especially when there is going to be more than one gathering of people over a couple of days.

First up was a family dinner on Saturday night.

"German" Apple Cake

The first cake was "German Apple Cake".  The recipe came from my husband's Grandmother's handwritten notebook that she wrote recipes into.  Her handwriting was beautiful cursive script, written in ink.  From what I can find out, I think the recipe is circa 1930.   Inside was a gorgeous concoction of fresh apple, cinnamon and sugar all layered in a type of shortcake batter.

The second cake, for show as well as taste and needed to feed 50 people was a delicious "Lemon and Coconut Cake" from a book that I purchased 19 years ago.  It's one I've made a few times in the past, so it was easy to double up and make it bigger.

Lemon and Coconut Cake.

Consisting of a large lemon/coconut sponge, sandwiched with freshly made lemon curd and finished off with lemon buttercream and shredded coconut - I will brag and say it was truly a taste sensation!  Yum, yum, yum!!