Happy birthday Tanja, that’s what our children used to call you, remember?
The reason I say ours is because we spent a lot of time together when our children were bubbas and our children were like siblings.
Our friendship has remained strong even after you left your much loved family and Bondi beach (not sure if that's the right order) to give Canada a go for 14 years and a credit to you, you always made sure we would see each other every single visit. Over the years we have laughed together, celebrated together, and ate a million dinners together, but the most important part of our friendship is that we have really evolved as individuals, but still we have maintained a mutual love and respect for the way we have grown. One of the ways I’ve seen you grow into someone who is able to use their wisdom with ease and help people find their safe space, inner calm through your breath work classes. And if that wasn’t enough, you have started to sell a range of handmade yoga jewellery by the @thesattvacollectinau which is hand crafted from natural resources that empowers the wearer to deepen their self-awareness, and maximise their potential and sense of wellbeing. (I never take mine off)
What does it do with your cake? It wouldn’t matter what cake I made for you, because who doesn’t love cake, and, let’s be honest you’re Miss Congeniality and everyone loves you. Orange blossom cake, though, is a bit of a favourite, sweet and substantial for a sweet woman of substance like you, and orange blossom because you are in your second bloom dear friend
Happy birthday
Love you xx
Ingredients for cake
250g unsalted butter, softened
Zest of 1 orange, rind finely grated and juiced (about 1/4 cup orange juice) Zest of 1 lemon rind, finely grated (optional)
1 tablespoon orange-blossom water
1 cup caster sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
1/2 cup almond meal
Method for cake
Pre heat the oven to 180c
Lightly grease a 20cm cake tin lined with baking paper.
Using an electric beater, beat the butter, orange rind, orange blossom water and 1 cup sugar until pale and creamy.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Fold in flour, almond meal and orange juice
Spoon mixture into cake tin and bake for 45min -1 hour
Allow the cake to cool down before transferring on to a serving dish.
Ingredients For the syrup
3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tablespoons of sugar
Method for syrup
Combine orange juice and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until syrup comes to the boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half.
Use a skewer to pierce holes in surface of warm cake. Gradually poor the syrup over cake. Set aside to cool completely.
Once cake has cooled down completely decorate with butter cream.
love hearing from you! Let me know how it went and feel free to spread the word/passion/love, the more the merrier!
With love and gratitude
Nava