66%

Every year around this time of the year, myself and other people around the globe set out new years resolutions. This time last year I set three new years resolutions on the table:

1. To  start a blog
2. To start my own skincare line.
3. To become a runner

Now that the year is over I can now look back and see how I’ve done.

As you are reading I have evidently started a blog. Sure I’ve only posted 10 articles but that is 10 more than the previous year and the year before that. So I can give myself a big TICK for that goal. I do plan on continuing and to be honest I could have done more and I will do more. I also want to make my articles less self involved and present a wider variety of my interests so watch this space. Thank you to all the friends and family who always checked up on me and made sure I was sticking to my goal.

In terms of my skin care line, I will have to give myself a huge X. Unfortunately I grossly under estimated the amount of $$$ required to start a new product. Long story short, I will need to be patient with this and raise enough money to get it right. I am now in a much better job than my previous one so that’s a good start. But for now lets call this one a fail.

The last goal is one I am most proud of. Although it was hard and very erratic, I have continued with my quest to become a runner. The year started off good. I adopted a falcon programme which was running and walking and which increased the running every week. I enjoyed it till a misstep in town sprained my ankle, I was forced to put the brakes on for a while. I actually tried running too soon which made it worse and further slowed my progress. When I did get back on my feet I was again interrupted by new job, and moving to a new city. Anyway I finally settled and I am back in my trainers. In my resolution I had actually stated that I wanted to run a mini marathon… that was wishful thinking. However I have joined a fantastic fitness programme and I get to run 3 times a week with ladies of my size, shape, fitness level and end goal. I have made good friends and I love it. Who knows, maybe this year we’ll double our 5km route. So even though I didn’t sign up for a mini marathon I can still call myself a runner.

So two goals out of three is not bad. 66% is a pass in anyone’s book.

One thing I’d been dying to do for a long time was go on holiday and although it was not set as a goal, I still managed it. I went on two wonderful holidays which I hope to post in the near future. So… What does the future hold? What are my resolutions for next year? The answer to that one is easy. To become a better person than I was the years before and I will only achieve this by; loving God with all my heart and with all my strength, with all soul and with all my mind.

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” ~ Luke 10:27

For I know by seeking FIRST God’s Kingdom, all else I desire to achieve shall be a given unto me. Life is as simple as that. That is my word for 2013 SIMPLICITY. Good luck in all you goals in the coming year.

I.Am.Linah

2012 in review

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

The new Boeing 787 Dreamliner can carry about 250 passengers. This blog was viewed about 1,600 times in 2012. If it were a Dreamliner, it would take about 6 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

The Muffin Factory Diaries: Branflakes Muffins

Bran-flakes Muffins are one of my favorite things to bake. They have my favorite cereal, their quick, easy and best of all cheap. Today I’m going to show you step by step how to make them and hopefully inspire more people to get into the kitchen. Like I was always told in chemistry class; be sure to read all the instructions before you start the “experiment” and make sure you everything you need is laid out from the beginning. There are also some tips and tricks I’ve included at the end which you’ll find helpful as well.

Ingredients: For approximately 12 Muffins

• 2 cups cake flour
• 1cup sugar
• 1 cup bran-flakes
• ½ cup raisins
• 2/3 cup cooking oil
• 2 cups Milk
• 1 egg , lightly beaten
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 pinch salt
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon

(see links at the end for conversions to grams and ml)

• 

  Ingredients

Required Instruments

• 2 mixing bowls
• Medium sized muffin tray
• Set of measuring cups/Kitchen scale
• Kitchen brush
• Small tea strainer
• Set of measuring spoons or a tablespoon and 2 teaspoons
• Ice-cream scoop (optional)
  

  Instruments

Directions

Step 1:  Preheat the oven to 180°C

Oven Temperature

Step 2: Grease and flour the muffin tray.

Greasing- Step1

Greasing – Step2

Take the kitchen brush and lightly dip it into some cooking oil, then oil the bottom and sides of each muffin slot. Make sure it’s a thin layer, not too much.

Flouring -Step1

Flouring- Step2

Then take the tea strainer and sprinkle flour gently over the muffin tray. Lift up the tray and evenly distribute the flour till the sides of the muffin slots are evenly coated. (Best thing is to do this by the sink)

Greased and Floured

Step 3: Place the Bran-flakes in one of the boils and add the milk. This allows the bran-flakes to soften just for about 2 minutes or so. I use Kellogg’s but any bran-flakes of your choice should work fine.

Bran-flakes with Milk

Notice I used sour milk because I think it’s creamier. However mine is homemade cause I live on a farm so it readily available. Shop bought sour milk is likely to be a bit too sour so I would suggest using regular milk.

Step 4:  In the second bowl, measure out the dry ingredients and mix them together. I.e. flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt, baking powder and raisins.

Dry ingredients

Dry Ingredients

Step 5:  To the first bowl, add the lightly beaten egg and cooking oil. Mix together, just till ingredients are evenly spread out.

Combining Wet Ingredients

Wet Ingredients

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I didn’t add the egg cause of my allergies. So since the egg in muffins plays a binding role I added 1 tablespoon of custard powered instead as the substitute.

Step 6: Mixing – Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Add them all at once or in two large batches depending on the size of your mixing bowl.

Wet and Dry Ingredients

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients

Muffin Mixture

Mix them together until just mixed but DO NOT OVER MIX. That is the secret to muffin baking. Ignore the thickness, ignore the lumps. Just make sure there is no dry flour is present. If necessary add a tablespoon of water till no more dry flour can be seen.

Step 7: Take the ice-cream scoop and a small glass of cold water mixed with a teaspoon of oil. Dip the scoop in the water and scoop a portion of the muffin mix and drop into one of the muffin slots of the tray. Fill all the muffin slots, dipping the scoop in water after every 2-3 scoops so that the mixute doesn’t stick to the ice-cream scoop.

Filling Muffin Tray

ice-cream scoop + oil/water mixture

Scooping Mixing

The ice-cream scoop makes it easier to fill the tray but a large table spoon works just as well.

Filled Muffin Tray

Step 8: Place the muffin tray in the pre-heated oven and allow to cook for 20 minutes +5 minutes on a low to mid-height position in the oven. Bake until lightly browned on top.

Placed in Oven

Step 9: Once done, remove from the oven and place on a heat resistant surface. Wait 5minutes before removing the muffins from the trays.

Baked Muffins

After 5minutes, remove the muffins by lifting the sides of the muffins with a small knife.

Remove from Tray

Place the muffins on a cooling rack or oven rack to further cool.

Place on Cooling Rack

Cooled Muffins

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step 10: Make yourself a cold or hot beverage and enjoy!!

Branflakes Muffins

Other variations:

Oatmeal muffins: Replace the Bran-flakes with fast cooking oats and reduce the flour to 1 ½ cups instead of 2 cups. Follow the procedure as above.

Banana Muffins: Replace the Bran-flakes with 3-4 large very ripe bananas that have been mashed. Reduce the amount of milk used to 1 ½ cups instead of 2cups. No need to soak the bananas in the milk, just be sure to mash the banana first cause it takes a bit of time. Add the banana with the wet ingredients. The riper the banana the less sugar required. I usually use ½ cup of sugar when I bake banana muffins. Also, there is no need to mash the bananas till they are smooth, a slightlychunky mash works just as well.

Cereal Muffins: A question I usually get asked is; can you replace bran-flakes with cornflakes? I say yes. I personally don’t like cornflakes so I don’t like the taste of cornflakes muffins. However, you can use this recipe for any of your favorite cereals in fact. Just remember that if they are cereals that get soggy or mushy when they soak up milk with just leave out the soaking time and add them with the dry ingredients.

Additional Optional Ingredients: In muffins, you can add any dried fruits and nuts of your choice. I add raisins because their easy to find and add sweetness which allows me to reduce the sugar I put in the muffins. Plus you can add as much as you like of them. Alternatively, dried fruits and nuts can be left out altogether.

More Tips and Tricks

1. An alternative to the grease and flour method of greasing the muffin tray is to use paper cups or a non-stick kitchen spray if they are available. I generally don’t like paper muffin cups unless I’m baking cup-cakes and non-stick spray is rare and expensive.
2. When measuring the ingredients, be sure to level out the cup or spoon measurements. Do not heap the cups or the spoon. Only heap when the recipe states to heap the cup or spoon.
3. I have included some of the measurements in grams incase others don’t have measuring cups but only have a kitchen scale. Here is a link that will help you make future conversions from cups to grams and ml. (Bear in mind that 1cup of flour and 1cup of sugar won’t translate to the same mass in grams), also if need be these links can also convert the measurements to ounces.

http://allrecipes.com/howto/cup-to-gram-conversions/

http://www.jsward.com/cooking/conversion.shtml

That’s all from the muffin factory. This is just the beginning of recording my culinary adventure. Happy Eating

I.Am.Linah

Fighting the you in you – Overcoming Insecurity

Heya. Came across this article a few months back and I’ve been meaning to share it. I can’t take any credit for this. Here is my source: http://m.crosswalk.com/faith/women/overcome-insecurity-11570022.html

Enjoy it.

When fears and doubts gnaw at your soul, you may feel like shrinking back from living the way God leads you to live. But when you understand who God is – and who you are in Him – you can find the security that will empower you to live a bold and fulfilling life.

Here’s how you can overcome insecurity:

1. Look in the right place. Stop wasting time and energy looking for security from your money, your health, your husband or boyfriend, your friends, your job, your beauty, or anyone or anything else that’s not God Himself, who is the only true source of security. Recognize that you won’t find security by chasing it down through circumstances (such as by thinking that you’ll feel better about yourself once you just lose some weight, find a boyfriend, get a better job, buy a newer car, etc.). Understand that security can only be found in the peace God offers you through Jesus. Embrace your identity as God’s beloved child and be assured that, through your relationship with Jesus, you have all the power you need to do God’s will in every situation.  

2. Discover God’s goodness to overcome perfectionism. When you ask the question, “Am I enough?” realize that you are, thanks to God’s goodness that gives you grace when you fall short and empowers you to grow. Don’t compare yourself to other women, give into envy or jealousy, insist on following your own agenda rather than God’s good plans for you, take credit for your strengths instead of recognizing that they’re God-given gifts, or give up when you fail rather than relying on the confidence God wants to give you. You don’t have to earn God’s love; He already loves you completely and unconditionally. His favor is based on His mercy, not on your desire or efforts. He has already made it possible for you to do whatever He calls you to do, simply by trusting Him and relying on His strength working through you. Even when you can’t see Him, remember that God is always at work bringing good outcomes out of even the worst circumstances in your life. Every day, make time to thank God for specific ways He has helped you in the past and is helping you now. Trust Him to continue to act according to what’s best for you in the future. Instead of trying to force situations to work out the way you want, surrender frustrating situations to God, telling Him that you trust Him to work them out in the right way at the right time. Celebrate God’s goodness to you by praising Him and picking up or buying a special memento that commemorates a specific answered prayer.

3.Discover God as your rock to overcome self-reliance. When you ask the question, “Who can I count on?” realize that you can always depend on God. Make decisions based on God’s faithfulness, rather than just your own strengths and weaknesses. Look beyond your own limited resources to God’s unlimited power to provide for you. Turn your worries into prayers by refusing to dwell on anxieties and choosing to pray about them instead. Make a habit of praying about your concerns as soon as they come into your mind. Don’t forge ahead with your own plans in situations where you don’t yet see what God is doing; wait for His guidance to become clear to you before acting. Listen to advice from faithful people you respect and trust. Read and meditate on God’s promises from Scripture that apply to the challenges you’re currently facing. Trust God to help you in every area of your life rather than withholding certain parts from Him. Thank God for the many ways He has delivered you in the past, and trust Him to continue to do so.

4. Discover God as your anchor to overcome dependence. When you ask, “Will I be rescued?”, realize that God has already rescued you from sin and its consequences through Jesus’ work on the cross. Decide to tap into the power that God has already made available to you. Look to God to complete you – not another person. Instead of bemoaning frustrating circumstances, focus on the state of your heart, asking God to give you the internal peace that will fulfill you despite your circumstances. Consider what your life would look like without your relationship with Jesus, and let Him know how grateful you are for all He has done for you. Trust God’s strength to help you in your weakness. Make a daily habit of relying on God’s power instead of your own, so you can face whatever situations you encounter with confidence.

5. Discover God as your guide to overcome worldliness. When you ask, “Will I be successful?” realize that you don’t need to worry about that when you follow where God leads you. The ultimate success is fulfilling God’s great purposes for your life, so make that your goal – whether or not other people happen to view you as successful. Each day, ask God to guide your decisions in every area of your life (from your relationships with family and friends, to your career and volunteer work). Learn from your mistakes and failures so you can grow. Share your dreams with a few trusted friends, and ask them to pray with you about them. Be willing to let go of dreams that don’t align with God’s will for you, and to take the risks necessary to pursue the dreams God has placed in your heart. Remember that God’s view of success is far different from our culture’s view. True success isn’t about what you’ve accomplished or what you possess; it’s about the quality of your relationship with God through Jesus. As long as you’re doing your best to follow where God leads you, you’re successful.

6. Discover God as your guard to overcome self-protection. When you ask, “Who will protect me?” realize that God is the only One who truly can protect you – and He will, if you invite Him to do so. Don’t try to escape the reality of our fallen world through fantasies (like escaping into books or movies), by numbing yourself (such as by consuming alcohol or drugs), or through isolating yourself from meaningful relationships with other people. Instead, be honest about your struggles and willing to be vulnerable about them with God and other people you trust. Remember how God has answered your prayers in the past, and trust Him to continue to do so as you present your struggles to Him and ask Him to intervene. Every day, put on the full armor of God mentioned in the Bible – truth, righteousness, readiness, faith, salvation, and the Word of God – to guard against evil. Pray for your enemies and be willing to forgive, with God’s help. Remember that God will use even the worst circumstances in your life to accomplish good purposes if you trust Him.

7. Discover God as your advocate to overcome approval seeking. When you ask, “What do others think of me?” realize that, no matter what they think, God loves you fully, just as you are. He cares about your deepest needs.  He will uphold your cause. He sees who you really are, and He loves you anyway. Let go of anxiety over what other people think of you (from your appearance to your performance). Don’t compare yourself with others; embrace the unique person that God created you to be. Don’t let harsh judgment from other people bother you, because God’s opinion is the only one that ultimately matters. Pray for the courage you need to make decisions that please God, no matter how others might react. Give other people grace when you disagree with them, trusting God to judge them however He sees fit. Read Scripture passages about God’s love for you, and trust that all of His actions toward you are motivated by His great love.

8. Discover God as your comforter to overcome fears of being alone. When you ask, “Will I be alone?” realize that God will never leave you or forsake you. Ask Him to help you be aware of His constant presence with you. Resist entering into a romantic relationship with the wrong person just because you don’t want to be alone. Don’t look to another person – whether a romantic partner, a close friend, or a family member – to meet needs that only God can meet for you. Understand that you can be alone without being lonely. Whenever you feel lonely, pray about your feelings, and God will comfort you. Read comforting Scripture verses when you’re going through any type of struggle, and apply them to your situation. When you sense a void in your life, turn to God instead of romance or a co-dependent relationship to fill the void. Ask God to help you be sexually pure, and to build intimacy in healthy ways with Him and other people. Rest assured that God will always be there for you whenever you need Him.

Adapted from Secure in Heart: Overcoming Insecurity in a Woman’s Life by Robin Weidner, copyright 2006 by Discipleship Publications International. Published by Discipleship Publications International, Waltham, Mass.,http://www.dpibooks.org/.

Stop! False Start.

Hello all. As the title suggests I’ve had a false start in the running department, bhoo hoo! Just when I was beginning to like it. What happened was that a simple mis-step resulted in a sprianed ankle. Ouch! I actually thought it was broken when it happened. However X-ray showed no fractures thank God. It would have been better had it not been for my heels. (Just when i was beginning to like wearing them). So as a result I was off my feet for a while and I obviously had to hang up my running shoes.

After a week the limp and bandage was gone but the tenderness and swelling were still there. At the end of the second week I was feeling confident and attempted a morning run with my significant other just incase something went wrong. My ankle started throbbing halfway through the run and was outrightly complaining by the time I finished. Lesson learnt; not yet ready to run. I consulted a physiotherapist a few days later cause I was concerned that there was something wrong cause most people told me a sprained ankle heels in a week. However the physiotherapist told me nothing was wrong and that I should stay in my flat shoes and give it some rest.

By the end of the third week since the accident I was eager to start running again but life happened. Was travelling and not keeping to a proper schedule, I had other commitments and blah blah blah. The list can go on but the bottom line is the same…The excuses aren’t good enough. I’m still failing to make time to run even though i’m not busy anymore and the shorter days and colder mornings don’t help. Sigh.

So what have I learnt from all this:
1. Don’t walk down slopes or slight inclines with heels. Especially heels with and ankle strap.
2. Don’t always listen to what people say especially when your body is saying something else.
3. Not running has shown me how much running is now a part of my life.
4. I need help. As much as this is a personal goal, I’ve realised that I need help. Especially with rehabilitation for my ankle and improving my supper slow running pace. Last but not least;
5. Although I didnt manage to complete the running program on time, running is now in my system and I can call myself a runner.

I may be down but i’m not out. Watch this space.

Get Set

Get Set

Hey guys, long time no blog, having computer problems blah blah blah. Anyway I want to give you an update on my running progress. I’ve currently just completed week 4 of the “Couch to 5km” running program. I’m really happy I’m now up to running 5 minutes nonstop! YAY me!

THE UPS

I’ve already started experiencing/noticing small changes in myself. The most prominent change is my appetite. I am always hungry now. I had to switch my eating from three standard meals to five small meals. I’ve never been a fan of dieting cause I feel it goes against my “foodie” nature, I love my food. The five small meals do help with the hunger pangs and it is said to help increase metabolism which is an added bonus. The second most obvious change is an increase in energy, I find I get more done out of my day and I actually wake up early without the help of my alarm, plus on days where I don’t run I feel restless at night, which I’d like to believe is the excess energy. Another change is that I have noticed a slight weight drop but no-one has said anything so I think that may be all in my head.

THE DOWNS

Although I’m on week four I’m technically 2weeks behind on the program (very bad) I won’t attempt to make excuses because the bottom line is there are no good ones. I just need to up my commitment levels a bit and buckle down and get it done. In one of the weeks where I didn’t get out it was mainly the early morning drizzle which deterred me and I felt I had a valid excuse not to run until I spoke to my cousin who is also a runner and she made some reasonable suggestions which I had never even thought about. That got me questioning my commitment and motives and why I actually run.

So after some thought I realise why I run, or why I want to become a runner:

1. I run because I have always wanted to be known as a runner, weird I know.
2. I run because I know running teaches traits such as focus, drive, perseverance and a” no quitting” attitude that can be applied in everyday life.
3. I want to be runner because being a runner is a sure fire way to stay healthy. Just like any habit once it gets in your system it becomes a way of life. In addition my family has a history of diabetes, high blood pressure and asthma so I know this will make a huge difference in my chances of getting any of these ailments and hey, if I look good in the process that will be a bonus ( I’m far from being a weight watcher.
4. Lastly I run because I love the feeling of accomplishment after each session and I love that it really is a stress reliever, I feel lighter after every run.

I know in the coming weeks I will have to constantly remind myself of these reasons when the going gets tough. I love how people always ask me about my running and the progress and that keeps me going so THANK YOU.

Here are the Links to the running program I am following incase you want to read more about it.

www.c25k.com

181.shtml

Melt My Heart to Stone

Right under my feet there’s air made of bricks
Which pulls me down and turns me weak for you
I find myself repeating like a broken tune
And I’m forever excusing your intentions
And I give in to my pretendings
Which forgive you each time
Without me knowing
They melt my heart to stoneAnd I hear your words that I made up
You say my name like there could be an us
I best tidy up my head I’m the only one in love
I’m the only one in loveEach and every time I turn around to leave
I feel my heart begin to burst and bleed
So desperately I try to link it with my head
But instead I fall back to my knees
As you tear your way right through me
I forgive you once again
Without me knowing
You’ve burnt my heart to stoneAnd I hear your words that I made up
You say my name like there could be an us
I best tidy up my head I’m the only one in love
I’m the only one in love

Why do you steal my hand
Whenever I’m standing my own ground
You build me up, then leave me dead

Well I hear your words you made up
I say your name like there should be an us
I best tidy up my head I’m the only one in love
I’m the only one in love

“Melt My Heart to Stone” by Adele from her album 19. Beautiful song.

Hostel vs Hotel

Hostel or Hotel? You Decide.

Recently I got talking with my workmate about our boarding school experiences. Boarding school stories is one of my favourite topics as I’ve been a boarder since the tender age of grade two (I asserted my independence quite early) so I know everything I there is…or so I thought.

My education on the differences between boarding schools started in my first year of college. It was a good natured conversation where we were trying to cheer up fellow classmates who were living on their own for the first time and had always been day scholars. So as people started sharing their boarding school stories I realised that my complaints were rather weak and petty in comparison. My boarding school complaints ranged from: “We only had meat twice a day” , “why do we always get eggs for breakfast and only get bacon once or twice a week” to “I haven’t gotten my jeans back from the laundry yet” and “What do we need two hours of studying for?” not forgetting “I bathed too late now the shower is luke warm”
The other boarding school complaints I heard were much more horrific, in my eyes anyway. They were: “everyday we ate sadza and boiled cabbage, with sugar beans once a week as a treat.”, “Of course we washed our clothes! Who do you expect to wash them for you?”, “After supper we had study from 6pm to 930pm” to “You had to get a pass to go home during the term unless you were sick, otherwise you would be at school all term!” and the classic and most frequent “If you were late bathing you wouldn’t bath!”. So needless to say, the differences were vast.

The good natured conversation ended with me being told not to share my “hotel” stories and only share my “hostel” stories. It made me realise that we all have different experiences and upbringings that make us who we are today and what didn’t kill us only served to make us stronger. The moral of this story is that one mans meat is another mans poison. Luxuries and neccesities differ from person to person. Feel free to leave a comment sharing your hostel (or hotel) stories. Take care.

In other news, i’m on day 2 of week 3 in my running program and loving it. Details to follow in up coming press.

On Your Marks

The Beginning

In keeping with my new year’s resolution to become a runner, I have finally made some progress on that front. At the beginning of the year I went for a couple of runs but I soon realised I needed structure, planning and a way to measure my progress so I did a bit of research. My initial research was very disheartening because the running schedules seemed very hectic obviously designed for seasoned runners; the sites covered everything from running plans, monitoring breathing, diet to types of running shoes! It was only when I narrowed my search to running for beginners did I feel like I was getting somewhere and I was able to focus on the important things.

So after much reading I have decided on The Couch to 5km Running Plan. http://www.c25k.com/

It is designed to transform someone from a couch potato to a runner in 9weeks.The program outlined here is less of a running regimen and more like a walking and jogging program… my kind of plan. It starts off really easy and is intended to allow the person to develop their muscles and strengthen their bones gradually. You can find the full comprehensive plan in the following link if anyone wants to join me. http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml

DAY ONE

I have been going to the gym since September and I walk to work everyday, so I didn’t consider myself a couch potato, and I was tempted to skip week one and go into week two but I restrained myself seeing as I didn’t do any exercise in December. The program for week one was; 5 minute brisk walk for a warm up, followed by 8 sets of running 1minute and walking 1 ½ minutes, finishing off with 5 minute walk to cool down, 30 minutes in total.

My route consists of just run up and down my +200m stretch of road which is safe, has a moderate incline and best of all canine free. As I started all was well, breathing was even and one minute didn’t hurt at all and passed quite quickly. However when I got to the 6^th set, my legs were feeling the uphill incline and I appreciated the walking. The heat was the most uncomfortable part especially when I was facing east. I’ll be sure to wear a cap from now on. All in all it was good, I realised I was fitter than I thought I was.

I really enjoyed it and I will be sure to do my best to continue. Watch this space.

The Mission

Hello, today its Happy Birthday to Me!! I’m 25years old now going on 35 and looking about 19. It’s good to be me. For my birthday this year I decided not to do anything fancy I just planned to do nothing so to speak. The only thing I really wanted to do was make a cake of my own design. To accomplish this I thought of the cakes that I love, the cakes that I have wanted to try and the cakes that I know how to bake in my sleep…so combining all these elements together, the Eggless Red Velvet Cake with a Peach Filling and White Ganache Frosting was born!

This cake fit all the criteria of what I hoped to achieve.  So I drafted a recipe from my head making sure there was a good balance between proportions and flavours and the goal was to make look something Like this.

Red Velvet Cake

Red Velvet Cake Slice

Red Velvet 3-Layer Cake

My first obstacle was finding the rarer ingredients. No small feat as I work out of town and the supermarkets in my lovely small town can surprise you with their lack of products. Luckily I was successful after only 30 minutes of supermarket hopping. The second obstacle was ZESA and for the foreigners out there, that is electricity. I had no intention in baking my cake with rare and expensive ingredients only for it to be disrupted by a power-cut. Thank heavens that was not a fear I had to face because I decided to bake at night when electricity is always available. Obstacle two defeated.

The third and most prominent obstacle was the ganache. Now ganache frosting a simple (so I thought) icing comprising of fresh cream and chocolate. I had watched and read enough about it to know that it was pretty simple to make. For my ganache I wanted white chocolate instead of the usual milk chocolate or dark chocolate that the recipe usually calls for. Also I could only find UHT fresh cream instead of the simple full fat cream. So I thought these were good substitutes…little did I know. Long story short the ganache didn’t come out the way it was supposed to. It was initially runny then in my attempt to thicken it, it became lumpy and still not as thick as I wanted. The only plus side was that it tasted great…hopefully the unsightly nature would be forgotten on the tasting.

So the final result came up like this:

Cake Dripping with white ganache

My Eggless Red Velvet Cake with a Peach Filling and White Ganache frosting

I’m just grateful that the lumps are not visible in these pictures.

So was it a mission accomplished? I say Yes, even if it was a 85% pass. A pass is a pass. All in all a great experience filled with learning curves and a sense of accomplishment.

Presents time!

So for my birthday I would like a specific present from everyone. Whether you know me or not I would like all of you to think of those less fortunate than yourself. After you’ve thought of them I would like you to do something about it. Find ways in your communities or surrounding areas where you can lend a hand. Whether it be monetary aid, volunteering, donation of old clothes, appliances or excess food, offering your professional services free of charge, encouraging them or even giving a smile, all of us can help and all of us SHOULD help. That is what I really want for my birthday.

Take Care and God Bless.