Sprouted Wholemeal Spelt Flour Carrot Cake

One of my all time favourite cakes has to be carrot cake. Surprisingly it is not a cake that I make very often but that makes it even more of a treat!

I was recently sent some new flours to try which gave me the perfect excuse to make a carrot cake! I was sent an email from the team over at Bite UK telling me about the new Spiffing sprouted flours. Needless to say I was curious and wanted to know more. Sprouted flours have been through a germination technique called sprouted. This process wakes up the grain, bringing it to life and acting as a catalyst for nutrients. Flours that have undergone this germination have many benefits including:

• More easily digestible. They are rapidly absorbed by the body and kinder to the stomach.
• Increased key nutrients such as Vitamins B and C, folate, fibre, essential amino acids and increased anti oxidants.
• Enhanced taste and texture.

The flours come in four varieties:

• Sprouted wheat flour
• Sprouted wholemeal spelt flour
• Sprouted buckwheat flour
• Sprouted chickpea flour

For this bake I decided to use the sprouted wholemeal spelt flour. I love the nutty flavour that spelt brings to a bake and knew that it would be perfect for this cake. I got my inspiration for this cake from Signe Johansen's beautiful book Scandilicious Baking. This is what I did... 

Honey and Lavender Cake

I love this time of year. In the garden produce is growing and flowers are coming into bloom. One of our favourite flowers has to be lavender. Not only does it smell amazing and look beautiful but it also goes perfectly in bakes. In the past I have usually paired lavender with lemon and my Lemon and Lavender Cake has always been a huge success! But this time I wanted to try something different and was delighted with the results.

This is what I did...

Rhubarb and Ginger Cake with Kenwood kMix

If you follow Hijacked By Twins on Instagram you may have seen that I have got a new piece of kitchen equipment. If not, let me show you my new toy...

When I received an email a few weeks ago from Kenwood asking me if I would like to try out their legendary kMix stand mixer to say that I was excited is an understatement. I love to bake and already had a Kenwood Prospero machine which was a fantastic addition to the kitchen but as soon as I saw the kMix I knew that it was going to be even better. Since my childhood Kenwood food mixers have been a part of everyday kitchen equipment. My mum and grandmother had them when I was growing up so I always knew that I would have one too.

Kenwood have a stylish kMix range of kitchen products that come in a variety of colours so you know that they are going to fit right in. When I unpacked the kMix the first thing that I noticed was the slim design. Having a kitchen with limited worktop space, with the Prospero I did struggle and had to keep the mixer in the cupboard. But with the kMix's compact design I am able to keep it out on the worktop without losing valuable room. The first time that I used the mixer I was amazed by how powerful the motor is but also how quiet it is. This is a mixer that can be used without disturbing the peace. Another feature that I love about the kMix is the huge glass mixing bowl. The large bowl means that you can prepare even more, it really does give this machine the added edge, plus watching the ingredients come together is so therapeutic! So far I have been nothing but impressed with the design, quality and standard of this food mixer and I am looking forward to sharing with you a series of recipe posts that demonstrate how truly versatile and invaluable this item is!

Honey Earl Grey Cupcakes for National Tea Day 2017

Like them or love them there seems to be a national day, week, or month for just about everything. The foodie that I am, I love food and drink days. Even if they are foods and drinks that we consume on a daily basis it is always good to celebrate them and try something new.

On Friday 21st April it is National Tea Day so it is only fitting to celebrate this much loved drink by creating a recipe incorporating tea. There are so many different teas, blends, flavours, makes available on the market. If you are a tea drinker you really are spoilt for choice! Aldi stock a good range of teas at a great price. From Mao Feng green tea to Earl Grey, from fruit infusions to the traditional black tea, we have even found special green teas that contain coconut, manuka honey or mint.

This recipe features the Aldi Earl Grey tea. Earl Grey is a lovely blend of black tea with flavours of bergamot. Bergamot that is used in Earl Grey is an oil that comes from the bergamot orange that grows in Italy. It gives you a light citrus cup of tea which goes perfectly with a slice of lemon and no milk. Tea also has many health benefits which make it an even better drink, they are:

• Tea contains antioxidants which help protect our bodies from pollutants
• Herbal teas contain no caffeine
• Black teas contain half the amount of caffeine than coffee
• Herbal teas can help settle your digestive system
• Tea is hydrating

Whenever we think about afternoon tea we immediately think of cake. This cake recipe is the ideal accompaniment to you cup of tea.

This is what I did...

Gluten Free Banana Bread (Wheat-free, Rice-Free and Free From Refined Sugar)

Finally I have my baking mojo back and I have a very happy hubby! Since discovering The Free From Fairy Gluten-Free Wholegrain Flour my gluten free bakes have literally been transformed. Using this fantastic flour gives us bakes that do not have the powdery finish that I got using other gluten free flours.

Whenever I have any ripe bananas that are going brown I love to use them in bakes and as I had a bag of The Free From Fairy flour I knew it was the perfect time to have a go at making a gluten free banana bread. Believe me, we were not disappointed!

This is what I did...

#CookBlogShare 2017 - Week 13 Plus 4 Delicious Easter Treats

Hello and welcome to week 13 of #CookBlogShare.

Week 13 means we are finally getting more hours of sunlight! Even though we lose an hour of sleep I am always so happy to see the days lengthening and welcoming in the better weather. During the weekend there was a lovely feeling of spring in the air. Everything seems so much better with the extra hours of sunlight. We spent a lot of time in the garden and I even got my bake on. Baking bread is something that I have not been doing recently. But on Friday the twins, who had the day off school due to illness, wanted a pizza and as they had not been eating much I could not say no. Even though I had no pizza, I did have bread flour so I made some fresh pizza dough and rediscovered my love of baking. I adore the whole bread making process, how the ingredients come together and how you can feel them change as you knead. After my pizza baking I made more dough on Saturday and also made a focaccia as well as a banana bread.

On Mother's Day I was treated to a day off from cooking. The hubby made an amazing meal, he slow cooked a joint of beef in red wine with carrots, onions, garlic and fresh bay leaves from the garden. If he agrees I will definitely blog the recipe!

Last week the CookBlogShare linky was hosted by Eb from Easy Peasy Foodie. There were so many delicious recipes shared and as Easter gets closer there are more and more lovely Easter recipes coming through. This week I could not resist featuring Easter treats and I am sure that you will also find them all irresistible!

Here are my four favourite recipes from week 12 of CookBlogShare...

The Perfect Cake for Comic Relief and Mum

This week we have two big events coming up. On Friday people all over the country will be coming together to raise much needed funds for Comic Relief. Then on Sunday we will be celebrating mums. So when I had to decide which topic to focus on for this weeks Aldi post I thought why not combine the two! This cake recipe will create a fantastically fun cake for Comic Relief by simply adding a red nose. Or you can leave the nose off and treat your mum on Mothering Sunday.

If there is one foodie treat that your mum is sure to love this Mothering Sunday it has to be a traditional afternoon tea. However going out for afternoon tea on mother's day can be expensive, not to mention busy. Thankfully you can easily recreate afternoon tea at home with the help of these great Mother's Day offers available in Aldi.

Gluten Free and Refined Sugar Free Easter Cupcakes - #FreeFromEaster

Following on from the Free From Pancakes collaboration I am, again, joining forces with some amazing free from bloggers to bring you a free from Easter.

I have been told by the hubby that he misses my baking so I am going to be experimenting a lot more with gluten free bakes. I will admit I have found the thought of baking gluten free quite daunting. I can bake gluten free cakes but I am yet to perfect a loaf and still need to try making pastry. So over the coming months I am going to rediscover my baking passion. I find reading the other free from blogs so inspiring and they really do give me the confidence to try more. My aim is to show you that it is possible to create baked treats that are gluten free and will please the whole family, not just those that follow a gluten free diet.

For my first of two free from Easter bakes I have made some delicious chocolate cup cakes and next week I will be sharing a savoury recipe. So keep an eye out for that one!

Today's recipe is a simple sponge cupcake but is gluten free and free from refined sugar. This is what I did...

#CookBlogShare Week 11 2017 - Plus 4 Showstopper Cakes

Welcome to week 11 of #CookBlogShare.

Now that March has arrived there is a definite feel of spring in the air. The seasonal change is also reflected in many of the recipes that were shared in last weeks CookBlogShare. But last week it was definitely the cakes that stood out. The recipes that I have chosen today are all showstopping cakes. Unfortunately cakes will not be on my meal plan for a while. I bravely signed up to complete Race for Life in June so as of this week I am in training. At the moment I really cannot run, but I am going to the gym and am building up my fitness! But that does not stop me reading about luscious cakes and wanting them!

Here are my 4 favourite showstopping cakes from week 10 of #CookBlogShare...

Valentine's Cupcakes with Aldi

I love Valentine's day. As much as I believe in showing our loved ones how much we love them all year round, I do love an excuse for a bit more romance.

This year Aldi have got everything that you need to show your special person how much you love them. Whether you are looking for flowers, chocolates, champagne, a teddy, they have it.

But, if you have a loved one who loves cake then these little cupcakes of love will certainly steal their heart. Homemade gifts are not only made with love but are a great way to save money. If your budget is tight this Valentine's day then these cupcakes will come to the rescue!

This is what I did...

International Chocolate Cake Day

As it is International Chocolate Cake Day I thought it would be fitting to share with you my favourite chocolate cake bakes. All of these will leave you craving some chocolate cake, you have been warned!

My Well Done Celebration Chocolate Cake was a huge success and certainly helped to cheer J up after he had finished a stressful week at school doing his SATS. The sponges contain golden syrup which gives the cake some extra richness. The cakes have then been sandwiched together using chocolate butter icing and finally the top has been covered in marshmallows and chocolate stars.

My White Chocolate and Lime Cake is a decadent combination of Madagascan vanilla chocolate and sharp lime which leaves you wanting more. Sometimes white chocolate gets overlooked but it is a delicious alternative to traditional milk or dark chocolate and one that we love!

If you are looking for a birthday cake for a chocolate lover then you need to check out this Tunnock's Teacake Birthday Cake. This traditional chocolate cake bake has been revamped into this chocoholic delight, it has been drizzled with chocolate sauce that has been sprinkled with Flakes then topped with the ultimate marshmallow treat, Tunnock's Teacakes!

The next chocolate cakes contain a sneaky vegetable extra! My Chocolate, Lime and Courgette Cakes will leave you astounded, you simply would not know that they contain courgette, but you are getting all of the goodness that they provide. Again, the lime and chocolate are a perfect combination.

Christmas Bakes

Christmas is a great time for bakes. I would love to have the time to bake more for Christmas but life simply gets in the way and I am not able to bake everything that we love. Thankfully Aldi have got a deliciously tempting range of Christmas bakes this festive season. Whether you are looking for tempting sweet bakes or some savoury baked snacks you can be sure to find what you are looking for. Today I am going to show you my top Aldi finds of sweet baked products and share with you a healthier Christmas cake recipe.

Before I tell you all about the sweet treats let me tell you about a little bit of news. You may have seen in the media how this year Christmas dinner is going to cost more, that everything is more expensive, however if you shop at Aldi this is not going to be the case. Yahoo recently published an article how this year, thanks to Aldi, your Christmas dinner will be the cheapest in 8 years! The Good Housekeeping Institute have conducted a comparison survey of the main supermarket retailers and found that Aldi was the cheapest, coming in at just £22.03 to feed a family of eight! That is just £2.75 a head! This is yet another reason to go to Aldi and save money!

Now back to the sweet treats!

Here are my top sweet baked treats from Aldi this Christmas...

Ruby Wedding Anniversary Cake - Great Bloggers Bake Off Final

That is it. The Great British Bake Off is over for another year, and sadly over for the way we know and love it. This year I was not surprised that Candice won, she always seemed to go the extra mile despite it costing her bakes along the way. But her final bake was outstanding. I have loved watching Great British Bake Off grow from a little show on BBC2 featuring an unknown baker and a legendary cook to moving to BBC1 and making Paul Hollywood the celebrity he is now and rekindling our love for Mary Berry. But for me the two people who transformed the show from just a baking show to a comical, entertaining baking show has to be Mel and Sue. They are hilarious with their quips and baking innuendo. I simply cannot imagine Bake Off without them! But I understand why each have done what they have. Mary, Mel and Sue have remained loyal to the BBC while Paul has remained loyal to the team and show which made him. What the show will be like on Channel 4 is yet to be seen!

Anyway, now onto my final bake.

This weeks bake came along at a perfect time. My parents celebrated their ruby wedding anniversary last weekend and an occasion like that certainly deserves a show stopper of a cake. They deserved a cake fit for a Queen and her King.

This is what I did...

8 Easy Halloween Cupcake Decoration

Halloween is upon us again and the kids always want some deliciously spooky treats. Last year I shared with you some healthy fruity treats, the year before I shared a spider web pizza along with banana ghouls and mini pumpkin pies. This year I thought that I would share my top, easy cupcake decorations. Time can be a big issue when it comes to decorating cakes and creating a spooky treat. All 8 of the following ideas are quick, easy and child friendly. Get the kids in the kitchen and let their imagination go wild!

Aldi have challenged me to create a Halloween themed bake using their products. In the past I have told you about their fantastic baking range The Pantry, which I have used in today's bake along with some great products that made the perfect toppers.

Here are my 8 easy Halloween cupcake decorations...

Great Bloggers Bake Off - Savarin

As much as I love the Great British Bake Off I will admit that this year I have been a little disappointed with the themes *sorry* and I have found that on a number of weeks I have not been inspired to bake along. However as soon as I saw the technical from patisserie week I knew I had to have a go. I have never made a savarin before or, if I am honest, ever heard of it before. But I love yeast, sweet bread style cakes so knew that it would go down well here.

As always I was able to source all of the ingredients from my local Aldi. The ingredients are great and are low in price which is an added bonus! At the moment Aldi have got a lot of baking product that are on special buy and it was there I found a lovely non stick, premium bundt tin and an icing bag and nozzle set at a bargain price!

I will warn you that the savarin is a long bake. I started mine in the morning and it was finished in the evening. But it is a great bake and well worth the extra effort. As it needed a lot of time between steps I was able to do a bit, leave it and get on with other jobs and keep returning to the bake.

This is how I got on...

*UPDATE* Look what I received for my savarin!!!

Yes! I got a star baker award which I am over the moon about especially as I have never made one before and it was the technical challenge! Thank you Jenny for selecting my bake and for hosting the Great Bloggers Bake Off!

Chocoholic Chocolate Cake

A few weeks ago I was delighted to be asked to bake a cake for the village Macmillan coffee morning. The cake sale was a huge success and raised almost £600 towards helping this amazing cancer care charity. Macmillan were there for our family when my grandfather was poorly with cancer and they are a charity that touch the lives of families that have been or are effected by the evil disease. So to help raise as much money as possible I knew my cake needed to be something special. I decided to make a chocolate cake and all that I needed to get was some items to finish it off. I knew that I would find the perfect finishing touches at Aldi and I certainly did.

Aldi have a great selection of home baking products along with chocolate treats, sweets and biscuits. I eventually settled on chocolate fingers, everyone loves chocolate fingers! So I stocked up with chocolate fingers, cocoa powder and the other ingredients and got baking!

This is what I did...

Tunnock's Tea Cake Birthday Cake with Aldi

For this weeks Aldi baking post I am going back to cake week. Yesterday was J's 12th birthday. As his birthday was on a Monday we decided to make it into a birthday weekend for him. We had a family meal out for him and birthday cake on Saturday, followed by another meal out with family on the Sunday, followed by a treat dinner last night and yet another birthday cake!

This year I managed to make two birthday cakes. Both cakes were made using ingredients and equipment from Aldi. At the moment Aldi have a wide range of baking equipment special buys on. I have seen utensils, cake tins, baking books and even electric mixers and all at the great price that you expect from Aldi.

Today I am going to share with you my recipe for the Tunnock's Tea Cake Birthday Cake that J had yesterday. All of the kids, especially J, and the hubby love Tunnock's Tea Cakes which are sold in Aldi so I knew that they would make an easy yet effective cake topping. This cake was a huge success with everyone!

This is what I did.....

Honey and Lemon Drizzle Cupcakes

As I was away when Great British Bake Off started and I missed cake week I thought that I would have a go at making some drizzle cakes. Aldi have challenged me to follow along with Bake Off and make a series of bakes using their products. I love to bake so love having an excuse to bake even more! Yesterday I shared my delicious Viennese Whirls so for today's recipe I made some cakes. I am still yet to catch up with the episode that I missed but I have seen a lot of people sharing drizzles cakes. But I have not made your average drizzle cake, I have decided to make mini versions that are great to put in the kids pack ups for school!

I have combined two classic flavours of honey and lemon. The two compliment each other perfectly and have made a cupcake that keeps you wanting more! I have not used regular honey, I have gone for Aldi's Specially Selected Manuka Type Honey.

Aldi have a great range of baking products and as the Great British Bake Off goes on I will be showing you how you can save money on your ingredients and create the best bakes.

This is what I did...

Back to School with Added Vitamins

In a few weeks the kids will be going back to school and we all know that when the kids return to school the germs return too. So keeping the whole family healthy is paramount! This can be done by eating a good, balanced, healthy diet, but sometimes we all need some extra help. That is where vitamin supplements comes in! Today I am going to tell you a bit about Emergen-C as well as a delicious way to bake with it! I will be sharing my recipe for my super good for you Orange and Lemon Emergen-C Cupcakes!

Emergen-C is packed with B vitamins, antioxidants, electrolytes and more vitamin C than 10 oranges!*

But what do they do? Well, let me tell you...

• Antioxidants protect our cells from the effects of free radicals
• Vitamin C helps to promote a healthy immune system and fight off the bugs
• Zinc also helps the immune system by helping to maintain white blood cell activity
• Manganese is needed for healthy skin, bones and cartilage formation
• B1 Thiamin is vital for a healthy metabolism and it helps maintain a healthy nervous system
• B2 Riboflavin plays a vital part in breaking down carbohydrates, proteins and fats into energy
• B3 Niacin is part of the co enzymes that produce energy
• Vitamin B6 is a vitamin that the body cannot make. It helps to form energy rich compounds and niacin, red blood cells and fat metabolism
• B9 Folic Acid helps to maintain healthy levels of homocysteine, an amino acid in the blood
• Vitamin B12 helps to metabolise food for energy and making red blood cells. It is the red blood cells that carry oxygen and may help to promote your energy levels
• B5 Pantothenic Acid is another essential nutrient that helps to generate energy from carbohydrates, proteins and fats

As well as the Emergen-C pictured above they also do an Emergen-C Kidz range which are for children aged 4 to 13 years old and come in three fruity flavours, fruit punch, orange and grape. So when they return to school you can give the whole family a boost of goodness in one simple drink! What a way to start the day!

Now onto a yummy way to get some goodness into your body. My Orange and Lemon Emergen-C Cupcakes. This is what I did...

Orange and Lemon Emergen-C Cupcakes

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup/175g flour

2 tsp baking powder

3/4 cup/150g caster sugar

3/4 cup/150g coconut oil

3 eggs

Juice of half a lemon

Juice of half an orange

1 sachet of Emergen-C orange, if baking for children aged 4 - 13 use Emergen-C Kidz range

Method

Pre heat the oven to 356F/180C

1 - Place the coconut oil and sugar in a bowl and mix together

2 - Add the eggs, one at a time with a little flour to prevent curdling

3 - Mix in the remaining flour and the sachet of Emergen-C

4 - Finally fold in the lemon and orange juice

5 - Divide the mixture between 12 cupcake cases and place in the centre of the pre heated oven and bake for 20 minutes

6 - Once thoroughly baked remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before enjoying

When I was planning this bake I was going to add a topping of frosting but when I tasted the cakes I realised that they tasted perfect just as they are. But you could add frosting to your cakes and add some more Emergen-C!

Here is to a happy, healthy and successful year kids!

Swiss Style Muesli Cake and Degustabox July Contents

It is Degustabox time again! With some of the contents from this months surprise box I have made a
delicious cake. But before I tell you about my cake let me tell you what came in July's Degustabox.

• Seabrook Crisps Limited - Seabrook have released some limited edition flavours. I received a bag of their Lattice Food Heroes with chorizo flavours created in collaboration with Three Little Pigs.
• Jordan's - Swiss Style Muesli is so much more than just a breakfast. I have used this muesli in today's recipe.
• Bahlsen - Choco Leibniz milk chocolate snack packs are lovely little treats that are perfect to pop in your bag when going out!
• Brookside - These Acai and Blueberry flavoured dark chocolate treat were a new product for me and one that I love! The dark chocolate balls contain a lovely fruity centre. They are good for you as well as a treat!
• Itsu - Edible seaweed is an Asian delicacy and one that I am keen to try. These crispy seaweed thins can be eaten as they are or added to a dish for extra flavour and texture.
• Sarsons - Sarsons, the vinegar experts, have recently released their very own Balsamic vinegar. This vinegar is lovely paired with extra virgin olive oil for dipping sour dough.
• Orkla Foods Sweden - These sweet pickled Swedish gherkins are so good! I love pickles and gherkins and was not disappointed with these. You can see them being used in my recent Team GB post.
• Cracker Drinks Co - Cracker Drinks' Pineapple, Coconut and Lime drink is made with natural fruit juices and contains no added sugar or artificial sweeteners. This juice goes perfectly with gin to create a quick and easy summer cocktail style drink!
• Nestle Rowntree - Rowntree have given the classic fruit pastilles a make over with their new Infusions. They have three new delicious infusions of orange and grapefruit, raspberry and pomegranate and apple and elderflower. This bag of sweets has been hidden away from the kids, they are mine!
• Alo - I recently tried an Aloe Vera drink while I was in London and really enjoyed it so I was pleased to see this drink. Aloe Vera has so many health benefits, the list goes on and on. You can read more about this drink here.
• Qcumber - The hubby recently tried Qcumber drink when we were eating out and we both loved the cool refreshing taste of this drink.
• Rejuvenation - In the past I have received other flavours of the amino acid enriched spring water, Rejuvenation. So I was pleased to see a new flavour arrive this month. The Spanish Orange flavour is so refreshing and perfect for a hot summers day.
• Berrywhite Ltd - Each can of Berrywhite organic drink counts as one of your five a day. All ingredients are natural and they add no artificial preservatives, no added sugar or fruit extracts.

Now onto the cake! This is what I did...