A New Year and a new cake

So, it's the last day of 2013. Where has the time gone? I've had a busy year but I have a feeling that the coming one will be even more jam-packed full of things to do!

Of course, with a new year often comes resolutions - and hundreds of new gym memberships. Whilst I usually pledge to be healthier - and admittedly this year has been the best so far - I think that if you are a little more focused on what you want, rather than making it general, you are more likely to succeed. Another little thing I read was to write your resolutions in the present tense, to make them more achievable.

So, focus on small things - changes you are actually going to make and have a relatively good chance of sticking to. Not 'avoid all chocolate', but instead, 'keep chocolate as a weekend treat'. Make it realistic and you'll soon see results! 

Here's a little picture that I thought summed up some positive changes you could make. The pretty illustration is helpful too! 

Anyway, pep talk over. One thing I  need to add to the list above: have your cake and eat it. I don't think I could give up cake - crisps, yes, sweets, yes, chocolate, maybe... cake, no.  

This recipe is fruity and fresh - a light sponge flavoured with orange zest and cranberries, drizzled with a little sweet icing. However, it nearly took a savoury turn when I mistook the pepper pot for the salt - do read the label. 

It's still winter and so I can pass it off as a seasonal recipe - who says oranges have to be confined to Christmas? The fresh cranberries here may be a little difficult to get hold of - I used up a box in the fridge that weren't turned into sauce - but you could use dried cranberries instead. It freezes well un-iced, too, so you can enjoy it throughout the season (though I doubt that it'll last for a month!)

Cranberry and Orange Drizzle Cake (makes two small loaves)
Cake
225g soft butter or margarine
250g caster sugar
4 large eggs
250g plain flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
75g fresh cranberries
75g dried cranberries
Zest of one large orange
Pinch of salt

Drizzle
Juice of one large orange
Sifted icing sugar

Icing
Juice of 1/2 orange
Sifted icing sugar

1. Heat the oven to 180°C (fan 160°C). Grease and line two small loaf tins.

2. Beat the butter and the sugar together until light and fluffy. Whisk the eggs together and add slowly in small amounts to the mixture, beating vigorously between each addition. Add a little of the measured flour if it begins to curdle.

3. Gently fold in the baking powder, salt and all but one tablespoon of flour. Toss the cranberries in the remaining flour and fold into the mixture along with the orange zest. 

4. Spoon into tins and bake for 50 minutes or so until a skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool for a couple of minutes. Mix the drizzle ingredients together until it forms a light syrup. Poke holes in the cakes and pour the drizzle over.

5. Mix the icing to your desired consistency and drizzle over the cakes when cool. Enjoy! 

Freeze the cakes between steps 4 and 5. 
 Adapted from Lorraine Pascale's Lime and Blueberry Drizzle Cake, Sainsburys' magazine, March 2011.