Earl Grey Cake with Honey Cream Cheese Icing

May 11, 2018

My mom was the inspiration behind this cake. Go figure! If you're looking for something a bit different to make your mom, do try this cake.

This cake combines proper with the unexpected. On the proper side, it is infused with Earl Grey Tea making it sophisticated and topped with delicate fruit. The honey cream cheese frosting adds an unexpected twist to a cake that is often fussy. If you chose not to apply frosting to the sides of the cake, as I have, there will be leftover frosting. If your cake didn’t turn out of the pan correctly (read: tattered edges) then frost the sides and it will bring the cake together. If you chose to decorate the cake with the kids, have them make a design on the top using fresh flowers and fruit. I used figs which, are not in season right now but looked too delicious to pass up at the grocery store. Figs, I have discovered, are also a delight to photograph.

Earl Grey Cake with Figs | Linden & Lavender

Earl Grey Cake with Honey Cream Cheese Icing

“The strongest lesson I can teach my son is the same lesson I teach my daughter: how to be who he wishes to be for himself. And the best way I can do this is to be who I am and hope that he will learn from this not how to be me, which is not possible, but how to be himself. And this means how to move to that voice from within himself, rather than to those raucous, persuasive, or threatening voices from outside, pressuring him to be what the world wants him to be”

— Audre Lorde

Earl Grey Cake for Mother's Day | Linden & Lavender

Earl Grey Cake with Honey Cream Cheese Icing

Makes: 15 cm/6-inch layer cake
Time: Prep Time (25 minutes) + Baking time (35 minutes) + Cooling/inactive time (1 hour) + Decorating (25 minutes)

Ingredients

Earl Grey Cake
1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp whole milk
½ tbsp loose leaf Earl Grey tea
1 1/2 (180 g) cups cake flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp fine sea salt
½ tsp Earl Grey tea, finely ground*
¼ cup plus 2 tbsp (85 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup (170 g) granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 large egg white
1 large egg

Honey Cream Cheese Icing
225 g (1 cup or 1 regular block of cream cheese) cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups (220 g) icing (confectioners') sugar, sifted*
3 tbsp local honey (runny)

Decorations
Fresh, edible flowers such as pansies from your garden, petals from dandelions
Fresh fruit such as figs
Honey

Directions

Earl Grey Cake
1. Add the milk and tea to a small saucepan. On medium-low heat, bring to a simmer. Stir occasionally and heat for 10 minutes. Take off the heat and let it cool to room temperature. Strain once it has cooled.
2. Grease and flour two 15 cm (6-inch) cake pans. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
3. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside. Using a stand-mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs and mix well. Add the vanilla.
4. Alternate adding the flour mixture with the milk infusion. Start by adding a third of the flour and mix. Add half of the milk infusion and mix again. Continue adding and mixing until all ingredients are fully combined (ending with the last third of the flour mixture). Pour into the prepared pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack and then unmold.

Honey Cream Cheese Icing
Mix the cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Mix in the icing sugar, honey and vanilla which will create a divine icing for your cake.

Decorate
Ensure the cake is fully cooled. Level the cake using a serrated knife. Place the cut side up and apply a generous amount of icing. Level the second layer and repeat. If you chose to apply icing on the side, apply a crumb coat to the cake, refrigerate and then apply the last layer of icing. Decorate with your favourite fruit and flowers. Once the cake is cut, serve with a little drizzle of honey if desired.

Serve after lunch on Sunday.

Notes
*Optional. This makes the Earl Grey flavour intense and unmistakable. For Earl Grey tea lovers only! Without it, the cake has a subtle flavour in which all will enjoy.
**Sifting the icing sugar before adding it to the fat creates a smooth cake frosting.
Adapted from The Little Epicurean.

Happy Mother's Day!

Chewy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies | Linden & Lavender

Chocolate Chip Blueberry Oatmeal Cookies

April 30, 2018

Earth Day has come and gone for the year. A week ago, Sunday, the children played in the dirt with their shovels and pails, digging up a chunk of my rhubarb plant in the process of making mud pies. It was quite a beautiful day here and we needed it. The cold weather has been hanging heavy on us for the last couple of weeks.

My interpretation of Earth Day is one of celebration of this beautiful place we share as well as inspiration to change. The need to change stems from the negative and sometimes careless impacts that humans have on this one, shared planet. On every level, it is virtually impossible to remain ignorant about the effect that we have on our oceans, land and wildlife. For many, the shift in weather and unpredictable storms has been a turning point to say “let’s do more.” For others, it may be the images of Great Pacific Garbage Patch, sea turtles choking on plastic bags or finding trash along the paths of a local conservation area. Still, for others it may be tied in with health and a desire to have a smaller footprint or connect with the earth through eating organic and locally grown foods.

There were many encouraging and hopeful sentiments expressed on social media. I’ve enjoyed reading them this past week and want to maintain this positive and hopeful energy. I feel that the most important statement of all is the recognition that every day is Earth Day. Let me repeat, Every Day is Earth Day! With this recognition comes the question “what can I do to help?" It is easy to feel overwhelmed but important to start somewhere. Start with a small habit change.

Honey Spelt Bread

April 16, 2018

A winter storm approaches as I write this. A storm that includes near constant freezing rain leading to 20 mm of ice accumulation. This morning, the winds picked up. As they wrapped around the house they made an eerie, high-pitched whistling noise that makes it sound colder outside than it actually is. Storm windows shake and draughts add a chill to the the house.

My husband has left with the children and the grandparents to grocery shop but we all joke that they’re picking up supplies should the storm shut down our normal routine and force us indoors. It seems absurd that we should find a looming ice storm comical, but I think that hints at our alarmist news stations and the difficulty in accurately predicting weather. “But I don't predict it. Nobody does, 'cause i-it's just wind. It's wind. It blows all over the place. What the f*! ” (Dave Spritz, played by Nicolas Cage in the 2005 film, The Weather Man).

These types of storms are no laughing matter if they hit. I recall the Quebec, New Brunswick and eastern Ontario ice storm of 1998. The photos of it are haunting as trees toppled onto homes and cars. People were stranded in their communities, afraid to leave their home because the weight of the ice made trees and structures unsteady, ready to snap at any moment. Downed electrical wires sparked and some homes were without power for weeks in the winter. It was declared a state of emergency and the Canadian Armed Forces were called in. In the end, a total of 35 fatalities happened as a result of the storm.

In remembrance of that natural disaster, writers have not just discussed the statistics but have been grateful for how the community came together during a time of crisis. Everyone helping where they could.

People remember the darkness and their reliance on candles after sundown. The lack of distraction from the television and the natural conversations the ensued. In a recent article, Julie Scott wrote about her experiences in Montreal during the ice storm when her family was without electricity and relied upon candles after sundown. The situation at the time was far from idyllic but was also a blessing in disguise as it forced family members to spend time with one another. From that experience, she writes about a practice she calls “Candle Hour”. Candle hour involves turning the lights and screens off about an hour before bed and relying upon candles as a light source. It embraces the notion of truly relaxing by reading a book or simply enjoying the flicker of a flame. No screens or beeping or wine. Just time to wind down and cut off the exposure of blue-spectrum light.

Abrupt events in our life have a lasting impact. For some, it inspires change and a learning opportunity. No matter what happens with the storm, I was sure to stock up on candles.

Walnut Coffee Cake recipe | Linden & Lavender

Coffee Walnut Cake

April 9, 2018

Part of the joy in visiting galleries and museums in the United Kingdom (I know, a broad and sweeping generalization) is the lunch or tea break. After a morning of culture and a feast for the eyes, it is time to relax the mind and physically recharge before heading out for a second round. In my experience, the food or caterer at these places provides delicious options. Both nutritious and locally made meals as well is mouth-watering desserts are on offer. This is a far cry from the cafeteria experience at similarly sized and prestigious North American galleries and museums (if you don’t believe me, just head over to the cafeteria at the Metropolitan Museum. On second thought, skip that and leave the museum for one of the fantastic options nearby like Two Little Red Hens or Dean & Deluca).

Macarons sit beside rich chocolate confections. Scones with jam and are always an option. Another staple is the humble coffee walnut cake. A rustic looking thing that doesn’t attract attention compared to the others under the glass. A cake that I didn’t so much as glance at until a recent trip to Edinburgh (is 2016 recent? It feels like yesterday to me). I enjoyed my first, gloriously delicious slice of walnut cake at Contini: The Scottish Café and Restaurant in the Scottish National Gallery. The desserts are carefully displayed under glass domes to the far end of the naturally lit restaurant. With its thick icing, moist crumb and obvious pieces of walnuts, I didn’t have to think twice. It was delicious, and I haven’t stopped thinking about it. As it is not common to have this cake on Canadian menus, I have adapted a traditional British recipe for the audience here. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Dusting with Icing Sugar | Linden & Lavender

Easter Sugar Cookies

March 31, 2018

The calendar brightly announced that the first day of spring was over a week ago. Today, is sunny and bright. It might be the first day that parkas are not required for outdoor adventures.

In the last couple of days, the snow has almost completely melted leaving behind mounds of dirt and trash. The winter snowfall temporarily conceals the tragedy of the commons by gently covering up the discarded to-go coffee cup, the Styrofoam take-out container or the plastic bag. The trash that was blown down the road when the garbage can was overturned. The careless person who tossed a cigarette butt near the school. Now, there is no hiding and the clean-up must begin.

A simple act; picking up the trash along the roadway and park. The gesture though, is contagious. Somehow, it seems to give others permission to do so. It is something that I find myself doing several times a week in the spring, along with the help of my children.

While I’m nowhere near having a garbage truck named after me (see, Sedaris, for example), the continual act makes me feel a deeper connection with the community. The occasional nod or uttered “thank you” that I receive are encouragement to continue. Other times I am sure people are wondering why I put my kids to work.

As we dash into April, the month that contains Earth Day, I think it is important to consider the now age-old phrase “think globally, act locally.” While so many of the world’s problems are extremely complicated to solve and can make us feel frustrated, small, anger, hopelessness, confusion and sadness, it is important to remind ourselves of the daily acts that can make a difference in our community, environmental health and personal wellbeing.

Spring is a perfect time to volunteer and get involved in your community. Local city clean-ups, waterway clean-ups, highway walks and tree planting initiatives all begin now. Inquire how to get involved by contacting local conservation authorities, environmental organizations and community or neighbourhood organizations. Or, organize your own clean-up.

Tahini and Halva Blondies

March 16, 2018

It’s been a week since my knee surgery. Reading has occupied my time during my… convalescence. Writing has not come easily as bodily discomfort frequently sidelines my thoughts. My world became smaller as I focused on healing, the people around me and the physical things that occupy the space in my house. Far from the distraction of the television (that is located on the first floor of the house and the stairs were too steep to manage in the beginning) and unable to spend much time on the laptop or cell phone (the bright screen causes nausea), I really have been able to read without feeling as though I need to produce something. Between reading children’s book during long cuddle sessions with the kids to reading I am a Truck by Michelle Winters to flipping through design and food magazines, I have had an opportunity to daydream. To genuinely feel excited about the future.

Of course, I’m making recovery from surgery sound comfortable and perhaps desirable (who doesn’t want more time to read for pure enjoyment?). There are lots of terrible and uncomfortable things that come with it as well. The first time I tried to get out of bed was one of the worst moments. The nausea and foggy head from pain medicine. Taking off the medical dressings and thinking “that is definitely not my leg” and then realizing “that is my leg!" and then, that sick-to-the-stomach feeling. Or the fact that night time can be a sleepless nightmare. As always though, there is something to learn and gratitude that comes.

Overall, I am grateful to have had the opportunity to get the repair done. To live in a country where it is possible for anyone to have this surgery. I’m thankful for the tremendous care and talent of my surgeon, the anesthesiologist, the nursing staff, orderlies, medical student and resident at the hospital. More so, I recognize that I wouldn’t have been able to do it without family and friends surrounding me with their support (kind of sounds like I just won an Oscar so I will stop now).

The future is bright, I think. In mine, I now see skiing, dancing, softball and just being silly with my kids.

by Shauna Solomon

Linden & Lavender is all about baking in the here and now. The recipes that you’ll find are those that have are seasonal or perfect for a party or fill that late afternoon chocolate urge. I also write short posts on motherhood, all of the wonderful things that your can read and building a safe and sustainable community. Thank you for visiting! I'm glad you're here!