Happy No Reason Day

So today I decided to make my brother a cake for no reason. It was a Lemon, All spice, No Reason Day cake with a Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting.

Cake

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups white sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon Powder
• 1 teaspoon Nutmeg Powder
• 2 teaspoons Lemon Concentrate Powder
  
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons distilled white rum
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients together.
2. Combine all the wet ingredients together in another bowl.
3. Pour the liquid ingredients all at once into the dry ingredients, and beat until smooth.
4. Pour batter into a greased 9 x 13 inch pan.
5. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven for 20-25 minutes. Let cool in pan.

Frosting

Ingredients

16 oz Cream Cheese
1 cup White Sugar
1teaspoon Vanilla
4 Tablespoons Whipping Cream

Directions

1. Using a mixer, combine Cheese and Sugar ( 2 minutes at medium speed)
2. When combined, mix in Vanilla and Whipping cream at low speed for 1 minute
3. Mix for another 3 minutes at medium speed
4. Cool on freezer for at least 1 hour before using

After cake is cool, just frost any way you want. Its not Icing so dont worry if its not super thick.

Here's how mine looks

Sorry It's Late

Hey guys. So my brothers birthday cake was so epic. I think I did a pretty good job. The eggless pound cake went off without a hitch and the butter cream frosting was delicious. I promised pics so here they are.

Birthday Bonanza to come

Hello friends. Not really a new food post but I will post pics tomorrow of my brother's birthday cake using the eggless pound cake recipe. So look out. Till then, happy eating!

Eggless Pound Cake

Hola my friends! Como Esta? Today my recipe isn't exactly globe driven, but rather family driven. My brother Leon is a vegetarian, so I decided to try to find an eggless cake recipe. His 30th birthday is coming up and I want to make him an awesome cake. I want it to be bright, colourful and fondanty. I'm going all out!

Here's what I found

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1 cup orange juice

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup melted butter

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C)
2. Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan
3. Sift together the flour, baking powder and baking soda into a large bowl
4. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda
5. Make a well in the center and pour in the sweetened condensed milk, orange juice, vanilla and melted butter
6. Mix well and pour into prepared pan
7. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean
8. Allow to cool

Hope you guys enjoy. Vegetarian or not.

From me to you

Buon Appetito!

Lisa Rhooms

Viva Espana!!

Victory for the Spanish! Yes!! Well deserved. Spain watched their World Cup victory materialize today after a 1-0 victory over the Netherlands. The winning goal was delivered in the 116th minute by Andres Iniesta, the Barcelona saviour, who's shot was layed up by sexy Cesc Fabregas and I dare say even Fernando Torres.

The Spanish today have made me proud to be an ardent supporter, and to the many who got us to the finals and victory, thanks. Since I don't have a word limit, I'll go ahead and name them. Thanks to Casillas, Busquets, Xavi, Xabi, Pique, David Villa, Pedro, Ramos, Capdavilla and Carles Puyol. You guys really are a remarkable team! European and World champions! and may I say deservedly so!

Special congrats to David Villa for his 5 well needed goals, to Puyol for that critical, lone goal in the semi finals against Germany, Xavi Hernandez for completing the most passes of the tournament and Casillas for being a rocking captain and bad ass goal keeper, stopping shots like a machine. It was the wonderful touch, pass football which brought you and your Spanish supporters gold. I'm not taking anything from the other players, without whom, victory may just have slipped away. After all, it was the team who won.

While I am so caught up and pleased with Spain, 2 other special congratulatory comments are in order. Congratulations to Diego Forlan of Uruguay for getting the golden ball for being the player of the tournament. Diego, it was well deserved, you were my player of the tournament with your crazy goal scoring abilities and you sportsmanship. The other accolade goes out to Thomas Mueller of Germany. Well played Mueller! You deserve the golden boot for the 5 goals you scored. Best wishes in your sure to be wonderful, lengthy career, after all you are only 20.

So I know this is a food blog, but I believe in variety. Hats off the South Africa for the vuvuleza (I love them) and an excellent World Cup. Congrats to Spain! Espana! And see you guys 4 years time in Brazil for truly the greatest show on earth.

Lisa Rhooms

Simple Sangria

Today was once again a beautiful day. The matches today were quite interesting. The two I watched brought me great joy.

First up was Brazil v Portugal. Though I thought the match was going to be epic, it was slightly boring owing to stalemate, gridlock, no goals and 7 yellow cards in the first half alone. But I was joyous that Portugal made it through to the round on 16.

The second game was much more to my delight! Spain v Chile. It was quite a wonderful match, with David Villa scoring Spain's first goal and another also in the first half. While Chile scored in the opening minutes of the second half, I was unperturbed, I knew Spain would make it. Ask my friend Monique, I called the 2-1 score from the very beginning.

So both Spain and Chile are through. Today's drink recipe is in honour of Spain and its one of my favoutites. Its a basic, simple Sangria.

Ingredients

3 1/4 cups ( 26 fl. oz) dry red wine
1 tbls sugar
Juice of 1 large orange
Juice of 1 large lemon
1 large orange, sliced thin crosswise
1 large lemon, sliced thin crosswise
2 medium peaches, peeled, pitted and cut into chunks
1 cup (8 fl. oz) club soda

Method

1. Combine all the ingredients except for the club soda in a large punch bowl or serving pitcher, mixing well
2. Refrigerate overnight
3. Immediately before serving, mix in the club soda for added fizz
4. Ladle into cups with ice cubes

Hope you enjoy.

From me to you

Buon Appetito!

Lisa Rhooms