It is of course September. And you know what that means? Birthdays!
I cannot believe how time has flown. The niece is 5 and the nephews are 3.
Sunday night, I came back home from a weekend of celebrating with family. It was nice weekend. It was great to see family and other people I have not seen for a while.
Lucky for us that the weather was fine.
When I returned home on Sunday evening I was quite tired but still had just enough energy to make another ras el hanout loaf cake. Lucky for me there were still some ingredients leftover in the cupboard and fridge. So it did not take long to rustle up another baked wonder. And wonderful it was. I adjusted the icing so there was not as much rose water but it still provided enough aroma and sweetness to balance out the savouriness of the loaf cake.
It has been a really nice treat for a week in which I have just felt under the weather and not myself. I’m not sure what is wrong. Monday I worked from home but I was sluggish all day, everything taking perhaps longer than it should but I could still function.I woke up on Tuesday morning with a horrible headache and pain and aching in my neck. I was also feeling a little nauseous and woozy, so work was not really an option. So I rested all day, it was all I could do save take a few painkillers. I certainly was not up for a long commute to work. Today was a bit better. I still had headache and neck pain but again with some analgesia I managed to get a report dictated, correct a few reports and sort out my clinic and trainee for Thursday.
It’s all rather odd and strange. I’m assuming it’s some bodily payback for not having quite rested at the weekend. I do recall that was exhausted even while driving down to our destination on the Saturday, struggling to stay awake and wanting more than anything to just lie down and sleep. However once we arrived the adrenaline, joy and happiness that flowed from seeing family banished any thoughts and feelings of tiredness. Sunday too was a good day and the tiredness was neutralised by an early morning cup of coffee ☕️. However by the time I was driving back to my home, I had the same problem again driving and it was rather scary.
I guess Tuesday my body was playing catch-up and forcing me to rest. I had no choice. But I hope in the next part of this week I will be able to maintain a better balance.
It’s Wednesday night now, I’m feeling much more human and tomorrow I head back into the office.I will inevitably take a few slices with me for my 2nd breakfast, lunchtime and late afternoon snack.
Job done.
Ingredients
- unsalted butter 150g, melted, plus extra for the tin
- eggs 3
- caster sugar 175g
- vanilla extract 1 tsp
- plain flour 175g
- baking powder 1 tsp
- ras el hanout 1 heaped tbsp
- buttermilk 150ml
TOPPING
- icing sugar 75g, sifted
- rosewater 2-3 tsp
- dried edible rose petals to decorate (optional)
Method
- Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4 and butter and line a 900g loaf tin with baking paper.
- Put the eggs and sugar into a large mixing bowl and use an electric mixer to beat together until smooth. Beat in the vanilla, flour, melted butter, baking powder and ras el hanout, and mix until smooth. Add the buttermilk and combine well.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 50-55 minutes or until cooked through and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin.
- To make the icing, put the sugar in a small bowl and gradually add the rosewater until smooth and drizzle-able. Once the cake has cooled, smooth the icing over the top. Sprinkle over the rose petals, to serve, if you like.
Just Bunmi 