Showing posts with label Fourth of July. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fourth of July. Show all posts

Saturday, June 29, 2019

victoria sponge cake with fresh strawberries and cream


Looking for an easy dessert for your holiday weekend celebrations? This cake is perfect because it's super simple to make and assemble, but it looks pretty (and festive) as well.


The cake is a simple Victoria Sponge Cake (I used this recipe accompanying this article by Felicity Cloake, found in The Guardian).

Now, here's the thing. I didn't have self-rising flour on hand. I substituted all purpose with the appropriate amounts of added salt and baking powder, but I feel the cake, as a result, was lacking a bit in sponginess (though, not lacking in taste!). Next time I will either add more than the recommended amount of baking powder (even though it seemed like too much already), or I'll just pickup a small bag of self-rising. You'd think from reading the article that I would have just waited. But the fresh strawberries from market were at that perfect point, where waiting even just one day further would have resulted in waking up to slightly mushy berries, and a small army of fruit flies that seemed to have appeared from nowhere.



Layer sponge cakes rounds with generous amounts of whipped cream, sweetened with powdered sugar for a little extra hold, and top with fresh berries. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.


Also, the first of the roses have made their appearance in the garden.

 

Perfectly imperfect and very patriotic.

Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Long Weekend Decorating Inspirations

[via Martha Stewart Living]

I've been browsing through some old magazines to get some inpiration for how to decorate the house for and celebrate Canada Day this weekend. Most of my inspiration is taken from American publications, but it still works, and anyway, many of you will be celebrating the Fourth of July shortly after anyway!

I'm so drawn to the idea of decorating the house with flags. It just feels timeless and historic and proper to have flags proudly displayed around the house. I love driving through old towns with buntings draped from grand old porches and flags marking each post of a white picket fence.

Since Friday is Canada Day, our town will be celebrating with a fireworks show over the canal. Luckily for us, our home is conveniently in the most perfect spot to sit in our front yard and enjoy the show. Since we have a few other things going on this weekend, we wanted to have a very relaxed evening. I decided that we would simply invite some friends over for pie and coffee. Just before dusk means that families are free to enjoy their day off as they wish, but still early enough for our kids to spend some time playing in the yard before it gets dark and the fun begins.

[via Martha Stewart Living]


[via Martha Stewart Living]

[via Veranda]

[via Martha Stewart Living]

[via lindalomelino.se]

I'm trying to decide on what assortment of pies to serve. So far I've saved the last of my Rhubarb and some local Strawberries for a Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Pie. I'm thinking I will likely make my favourite, Chocolate Pecan Pie and possibly a classic Apple Pie for Ryan.

Either way, a slice or two of pie and a hot coffee will be the perfect pair for this simple Canada Day celebration.

[via A Daily Something]

And finally, in just a couple hours, I will watch Willen get off the bus for the last time this year! I'm so looking forward to having him home for the summer. And I don't want to think about the fact that next year, both of my boys will be heading off to school all day. 

Luckily I'll have something to keep me busy... 
More on that soon.