Lemon Coconut Cake

  This is another round of "what's about to go bad that I can turn into something delicious" baking. I discovered some lemons that were about to turn hanging out in the fruit basket here so I found this recipe for Lemon Coconut Bread that looked like it could be a winner. The recipe called it a bread, but let's be honest it's a bread in the same way that a Big Mac is an appetizer. As far as I'm concerned calling banana bread a bread is a bit of a stretch, it doesn't require yeast or kneading, it's sweet and cakey, it's cake. Although whatever you call it, it's damn good. 

   This particular cake is a moist and fluffy with a lovely crunch on the outside. It's full of lemon flavour with just a hint of coconut. Not enough that you feel like you're eating a Pina Colada (or sunscreen) but enough that you can feel the warm breeze of the Pacific Ocean as you stuff your face and feel grateful that this hint of the tropics can be enjoyed in your comfy pants without the risk of sunburn. I added some extra coconut and lemon to my version for the extra boost. Assembly is quick and painless (with the exception of zesting the lemons which can either be a breeze or a pain depending on the day) and the real test is waiting patiently while it's in the oven for 40 minutes. It's worth the wait though, I assure you.

                                                                                             Lemon Coconut Cake

-1/2 c butter, softened
-1 c sugar
-2 eggs
-3 tbsp lemon juice
-grated peel of 3 lemons
-1 1/2 c flour
-1 tsp baking powder
-1/2 c coconut milk
-1/2 c shredded coconut

For the glaze:
-icing sugar
-lemon juice
-shredded coconut for sprinkling

• Line a loaf pan with greaseproof paper. You can also just grease and flour the pan but it makes clean up a little more tricky. 
• Preheat oven to 180ºC(350ºF).
• Cream butter and sugar until smooth and fluffy. Add eggs, lemon juice and peel and mix well. 
• In a separate bowl combine flour and baking powder. Slowly add to the butter mixture and mix until well blended. 
• Mix in the coconut milk and shredded coconut and then pour into the prepared pan. 
• Bake for 40-50 minutes depending on your oven until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. (If the top starts to get a bit too brown for comfort throw some tin foil over the top to stop it from burning)
• Let cool completely on a wire rack before glazing. 
• For the glaze simply mix icing sugar and lemon juice until you reach a desirable drizzling consistency. Drizzle over cooled cake and sprinkle with extra shredded coconut. 

Enjoy!
-Holly 

Covent Garden Hotel Afternoon Tea

    This post comes to you from lovely Essex as I rely on the generosity of friends to keep me off the streets here in London. We have found a flat we like and our offer was accepted yesterday, but unfortunately the property isn't available for us to move in until the 25th at the earliest so I've got some time to kill while I apply for jobs and try to get my life together.

Photo courtesy of afternoontea.co.uk

   My parents were in town last week which was wonderful as getting to this stage of finding a flat was an absolute nightmare and it was nice to have someone to hold me as I sobbed hysterically every night. I think I gave my parents a fairly accurate view of what it's really like to live in London. While they were here I took my mum out for afternoon tea as an early Mother's Day present as I won't be around for the actual event. We looked at a few places online at www.afternoontea.co.uk and selected the Covent Garden Hotel due to it's appealing menu and lovely looking dining room. We were not disappointed. 

photo courtesy of tripadvisor.co.uk

   Tea is held in the hotel's restaurant Brasserie Max and my mum and I were sat right on the window at a lovely little silver table for two looking out onto cobbled streets and shoppers. I'm afraid all the pictures on this post are stolen from other websites as it was so lovely inside that I didn't want to ruin the moment by pulling out my phone and snapping pictures. I suppose this is something I'll have to get over if I wish to continue this blog! The staff were friendly and attentive from the moment we turned towards the hotel and the doors were opened for us by two lovely gentlemen who showed us to the restaurant. Mum and I selected one Vintage Tea menu and one Covent Garden Tea menu to give ourselves a bit of variety. Each tea includes coffee, hot chocolate or basic tea. Herbal teas are extra, but they gave me some soy milk for my Earl Grey free of charge.

photo courtesy of tripadvisor.co.uk

 It was a bit of a wait for the food, but we didn't mind as we knew it was because everything was being made fresh and we sat, sipping our tea and enjoying the people watching. Our food arrived on it's traditional three tiered platter and the waitress explained what everything was. We had a selection of finger sandwiches including smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel, egg, cheese and pickle and chicken salad. The bread was so soft and fresh and the fillings were flavourful and perfectly paired. We enjoyed them so much we even went for a second round! My only complaint was that the bagel crostini with the smoked salmon was so hard I thought I was going to break a tooth and my mum had to resort to eating the topping off and leaving the bagel which she remarked made her feel a bit like a five year old who only eats the icing. We followed our sandwiches with plain and strawberry scones both of which were soft and moist on the inside with a delicious crunch on the outside. I could've gone for a second round of those as well, but I knew I'd better not! After that it was onto the desserts which ranged from a chocolate caramel opera cake to a rhubarb custard mille feuille to a mini banoffee pie. Each was flavourful and sweet without being overly sugary or too strong. There was even a cucumber elderflower jelly that mum and I both enjoyed very much even though neither one of us was expecting to. 

photo courtesy of tripadvisor.co.uk

   We left, stuffed and filled to the brim with two pots of tea each, and all for about £50 thanks to a %20 off from afternoontea.co.uk. I will definitely be returning when I have the funds to indulge again! 

-Holly