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Hi I'm back in time for cake chat  An all-in-one mix should have a small amount of rising agent (Idon't) and a mixe all togeteher until really creamy. It's how Mary berry does it. i sometimes add flavouring if using marg - lemon rind grated (a bit) vanilla essence (1/2 teaspoon), 

I'll post you the goddess Mary Berry recipe if you like.

Sorry i missed all this - been to see Les Mis Music is rushing around my head now. - wish i could sing

I've never even heard of Mary Berry Bjay.

Great british bake Off but you don't watch telly that much. Do you want recipe? She tells you how to adapt it to different size tins.

Well, Pam said my recipie was fine, and no-one else said it was the cause, and it's simple, but I'll take a look at hers as well.

http://www.goodtoknow.co.uk/recipes/495936/mary-berry-s-victoria-sandwich

It's much the same as it's a standard recipe. Then you can work it to your tins. We all look forward to hearing how you do becks.

Do you find more time to yourself now Jess is going to bed better, or do you miss her/

I do enjoy her new routine to be honest Bjay. With it being just me and her, it's a lot of time to spend together. Much as I love her, it's nice just to have a couple of hours 'me time'.

Good morning folks!  6+ inches of the white stuff all over the place here in Norfolk - looks very pretty 

Morning bakers,

My bird feeders have metal tops. This is the first morning they've been frozen on.

Wherever I cleared the snow yesterday morning is still clear. Otherwise there's a minimal covering, about an inch. The temperature is set to fall below zero, and stay below zero for several days.

I suppose those living in a Winter wonderland will keep it. There's no snow on any trees here; not pretty; so won't be taking any snaps.

The gentleman opposite, and his wife, are busy chipping away at their driveway right now. Their drive is on a very slight slope, and they can't get their car out.

Lots of talk of cake baking on here! I use the all in one method. Take 2 eggs, weigh them, add same quantities of SR flour, butter, sugar, and half teasp of baking powder. Put it all in the mixer, mix till smooth, split between 2 sandwich tins, bake at 175. When done, sandwich together with jam or buttercream or both. If you want to make a chocolate cake substitute 1 tablespoon of the flour for cocoa powder.

Becks, I think your problem of sinking cakes is caused by the tin. If you're cooking that quantity in one tin it needs a lower temp and longer baking time - or the outside will be done and the middle not done. So Pam's idea of putting half in the tin is an excellent one. Or go to the £ shop and get 2 shallower tins! We all need to know how you get on now!

Sunny here at the moment and not even that cold. Slight covering of ice on the car windscreen this morning but no frost on the ground. However weather for the next few days is for lots of cold (below zero).

Geoff, have you gone off to play with the orange balls?

Morning lovelies!

Thanks Lotties. You've all been really helpful!

No snow but frosty, with part blue sky and sun. temp showing -2. 

Morning snow boarders

No Lottie-no golf-it is too cold and I would be all on my lonesome- and would only cheat-staying here in the warm

It cloudy and nippy out-there may be more snow towards the end of the week for some -haven't see a flake yet

I see this morning that HMV is now in administration-another one, going, going, gone

I will offer my baking tips later

Will let the chickens out for a scratch now for a bit

Morning everyone.  I thought we had snow first thing this morning but it's just a hard frost. Not nearly as mild as yesterday so heating on and windows firmly shut. According to the forecast. we won't get any snow so I hope they're right.

Need to go out today and buy some more bird food.  The fatballs aren't finished but I can't keep up with the feeders and table. Broke the ice on the water bowl first thing and now it's freezing up again so pingpong ball to the rescue.

Lots of blackbirds around this morning, counted 8 so far .

Have a good day everyone.

Who is pingpong-the Chinese servant?

I put a kettle of hot water in mine.

(Without the kettle).

I believe hot stones are very good. Stones need to be heated in an oven. If baking a cake this morning, as I expect most of you are, you could pop a few stones in the oven at the same time, to warm up.

I make cakes exactly like Nola. If you fold in the flour with a metal spoon the cake will be lighter and less dense. For that recipe the cake should be divided into 2 sandwich tins. Becks, Mary Berry has written some good cookery books. She's about 70 now so has been around some time.

It snowed here when I was going to bed. Big white and fluffy - panic! Meeting OH from Bergerac airport today and I live down a steep forest track. So I took the car up the track and walked back down (1 kilometre, dark, cold and rustlings in the woods). When I got up this morning it was all melted and raining so I needn't have bothered. Now got to walk back to get the car.

Good morning all,

Hope you are all keeping warm.

It is sad that another big chain of shops has gone but it is so easy to shop on line. What will the high street look like in another 20 years or so.

I've got a lot of blackbirds too, Jean, mostly males. Chris Packham said on A-Z of gardening that they are migrants and our local birds go further south.

I heard that hot water can freeze quicker than cold. Is that true? Hot stones seems a good idea. Water hasn't frozen here yet.

Pam - I checked this out last year-it is something do to with molecules-will have to go back and see what the answer was

A quich search-it is one for the boffins

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=is-it-true-that-hot-water