Friday 22 May 2015

Cupcakes Galore and an Earthquake

I was up before 7 this morning and started baking straight away. 

My first batch of everything-free cupcakes for the Vegans, gluten, rice and just-about-everything-else-under-the-sun intolerants were not a great success. They used millet and tapioca flour as some were allergice to soya and rice, the more usual substitutes, and coconut milk, dairy-free spread, cocoa, and bicarb to raise. 


Unfortunately, they looked awful and frankly tasted worse, although I used a recipe supplied by DD2s vegan friend who knows a thing or two about allergy-free cooking. 

 The first batch looked like mini cowpats and tasted as bad (not that I've ever eaten a cowpat)

I modified the next bake slightly and the second set have turned out better and taste passable after I added extra sugar and filled the cases up more. 

 Second attempt, still a bit cowpatty but larger and sweeter

I'm hoping they will be okay once DD's future mum-in-law ices and decorates them. 

The ordinary vanilla and chocolate ones I made from my usual recipe from an American book. They always dip a little in the middle when cool, but are so amazingly light and fluffy and I know from experience they will freeze well until next week.

 Regular Vanilla

Regular Chocolate

Mixed lot using up the mixtures


It was while I was up to my eyes in flour and eggshells that DD1 texted and asked if I'd heard or felt the earthquake. What earthquake, I replied with floury fingers all over my phone? Well, apparently there was an earthquake in East Kent last night. 4.3 on the Richter scale, it was felt from Margate down to Dover at least, and inland as far as Essex and even East Anglia. 


But not by me! 

After having had a couple of late nights, last night I slept like a log through the whole thing (although it only lasted about 10 seconds anyway). DH hasn't texted or called from work either to say he felt anything, so I guess he didn't, although DS2 said it woke him up. It's not the first one we've had in this area and I did feel the last one that was centred about 8 miles away around Folkestone. It just felt like something had jolted the house for a second or two. 

It makes me think how lucky we are that we only get these minor tremors and not the hugely devastating ones like they've had in Nepal. Still, it is a concern that we've had several small ones in the last 10 years or so.

So, that's my news so far today. Hope all is well with you. Love, Helen xx

2 comments:

  1. I am happy to say that we did not feel it either. This baking for special diets is hard work and more often than not the results are merely passable as opposed to acceptable. I am sure that they will be enjoyed on the day.

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  2. I laughed at the 'cow pats' they do look like that!! Well done with persevering- I'd have given up n gone shopping for fresh air cakes!

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