A Zingy Gluten-Free Sunday Cake

18th Feb 2024 ~ melreviewsherbooks ~ 1 Comment

Sometimes a Sunday Cake fills that little niggling feeling inside of you that desires something easy, yummy and super satisfying while you’re lazing around the house, in your pj’s … avoiding housework.

I’ve found the perfect cake to fill that void and let me tell you, I just KNOW you’ll be making this for yourself, your neighbours, for special occasions and just a simple but wholesome afternoon tea with loved ones.

I introduce to you, the gluten free cake of your dreams ☁️ A Lemon & Thyme cake with healthish cream cheese icing!

I sought this recipe from the Gluten Free Shop & added my own little spin by removing, replacing and adding some ingredients. Also, this Sunday Cake doesn’t include traditional cooking sugar, which I love!

CAKE INGREDIENTS

2 cups of Almond Meal (homebrand is fine)
1/4 cup of Honey (my preferred is any Beechworth Honey with an earthy undertone)
1/2 cup of Vegetable Oil
1 tsp of Baking powder (I didn’t have GF on me but is preferred)
2 tsp of Thyme leaves, washed
1 tsp of Vanilla extract
zest of 3 lemons
5 eggs, lightly beaten

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

500g of Cream Cheese, room temperature (homebrand again is fine)
3-4 Tbs of Honey, dependent on your sweet tooth cravings
2 tsp of Vanilla extract
Juice of 2 lemons

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius (fan forced).
Mix together all cake ingredients in a large bowl, adding your lemon zest and thyme last.
Pour mixture into a lined baking tin. I used a loaf tin this time, but a regular 20cm cake tin would do the trick as well.
Bake for 45 minutes. The top should be golden brown and firm to touch. (*hint* As this is almond meal, it will not have the regular spring of a flour cake. Be guided by smell and colour on this one)
Remove from oven and allow too cool for 15 – 20 minutes. While the cake is cooling, you can make a start on the frosting.
Whip together cream cheese frosting ingredients, either by hand or with beaters. (*hint* if you like a marshmellowly consistency, whip with electric beaters. If you’re open for a relaxed, hand whipped vibe, go with that)
Generously dollop frosting onto cooled cake and spread loosely with either a spatula or pallet knife. You don’t need to use all of this frosting on top of the cake, if your eaters prefer, provide a dollop on the side of their serving. Because who doesn’t love cream cheese frosting!
To celebrate this cake, garnish with lemon zest, thyme and/or caramelised lemon rind.
Serve up with a delicious cup of coffee & a good book ☕️📖

She’s got BIG BIG NEWS 💥

10th Dec 2023 ~ melreviewsherbooks ~ Leave a comment

Hey you, yes long time reader YOU! I cannot express how grateful I am for the support you’ve shown me since 2021! That’s right, Mel Reviews Her Books is heading into her 4th year – I honestly can’t believe it 💫

I wanted to share a few new things that you’ll see on our little happy book place in the world 🌏

BIG NEWS 1: Every month of 2024, I will be interviewing Australian authors on Instagram Live 🎤

You may notice that these Instagram Live interviews have already been happening and I’d like to keep that consistency going because, 1. Interviewing authors is so much fun for me & 2. I really enjoy bringing attention to the wonderful variety of Australian authors who write magnificent work.

Instagram Live interviews will take place on Saturday mornings, at a time that suits myself and my fellow authors. During this interview we will bring you a conversation around their most recent release, their writing habits and what their writing experiences have been like at different stages of their life.

Keep an eye on here for updates as to when these are taking place & also on my Instagram which you can find by clicking here.

BIG NEWS 2: You can now subscribe to my monthly digital Newsletter 📧🥳

In this monthly digital newsletter, you can expect to find a variety of fresh and exclusive content. There will be behind the curtain interviews with Aussie authors where we will be unpacking the ins and outs of the Australian and worldwide book industry, writing tips and tricks, as well as some of the most pivotal experiences they’ve had in their writing careers. I will also be discussing those spicy scenes that are a bit too hot and heavy to discuss on common public platforms! As well as what I really thought about that book I DNF’d, why it didn’t resonate with me and what I would suggest as an alternative.

By clicking on the top right hand corner of this blog, you can subscribe to the monthly newsletters for $4 per month, or $45 per year. Additionally, you may find that some spoiler book reviews will have limited reading due to a paywall. This will ensure only those who are interested in reading book spoilery content are subscribed and have a deep burning desire to know what happens in those final chapters 😉

So there you have it – TWO brand new updates to Mel Reviews Her Books!

I wouldn’t be able to progress this blog into it’s new stages without your support, of which I’m so grateful for 💖

Chocolate Weetie Bickies

3rd Sep 2023 ~ melreviewsherbooks ~ Leave a comment

I’ve always played with this biscuit recipe that my dear friend Georgie passed on to me years ago. I remember her saying it was from an old Marie Claire cookbook – remember those in a home kitchen!! Waaayyy back in the day 💫

The Chocolate Weetie Bickies has that OG biscuit base and then I added my little tweaks purely because I was missing one ingredient! Are you a baker who starts experimenting when you’re missing one or two ingredients? Comment below if you are ⏬

INGREDIENTS:

125g of melted butter *I tend to use salt reduced

1 cup of Brown Sugar

1 egg

1 tsp of Vanilla Essence or paste

1 cup of SR flour

1 cup of Plain flour

1/2 cup of crushed Weetbix

3 tsp of Cocoa

1 block of dark Cadbury or Nestlé baking chocolate, chopped roughly

METHOD:

Preheat your fan-forced oven to 170 degrees celsius.
Melt butter in the microwave or on stovetop, then mix through brown sugar.
Add 1 egg and vanilla then stir through until it makes a golden paste.
At the same time, add in both flours, Weetbix & cocoa. This is the stage where instead of Weetbix and cocoa, you’d usually add 1 cup of dedicated coconut 🥥 (OG Marie Claire recipe) but I didn’t have this handy so I experimented! (I don’t even sieve my flour and cocoa because I’m usually in a rush to make these but they always turn out great!)
Mix all together 🥄 It’s going to look pretty dry but trust the process. It will come together to make the perfect consistency for bickies.
Prepare a large baking tray with non-stick paper.
Divide bickies into whatever size you like! I tend to enjoy a large, chunky and gooey bickie. I make around 12 or 16 depending on guests and/or my planned baked good delivery for friends.
Bake for 20 minutes (*hint* I’ve found from years of watching Crumbs & Doilies – she’s EPIC, that biscuits actually keep baking after you’ve gotten then out of the oven and they need that time to set the outside crust to become gooey on the inside. So if you like a nice soft biscuit, get them out just a touch sooner than them going brown on top!)
Allow to cool (as per previous *hint*) and serve once warmish. These are also epic with icecream … just saying 🍪🍦

Simple & Marshmallowy Carrot Cake 🥕🍰

4th Jun 202317th Jul 2023 ~ melreviewsherbooks ~ 3 Comments

Are you excited to spend your Sunday recreating this simple & marshmallowy Carrot Cake?

This is a Women’s Weekly recipe. You can find the OG recipe which I have used for the exact base and some of the topping for via this link.

What you can find right here, right now, are my suggested little tweaks and additions to the OG Carrot Cake.

INGREDIENTS:

Cake Mix

1 cup of brown sugar

1 cup of vegetable oil

3 eggs

2 cups of self raising flour, sifted

1 teaspoon for ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon of bicarbonate soda

2 cups of carrot, grated

1/2 cup of walnuts, roughly chopped

Toppings

500g cream cheese, room temperature

3/4 cup of pure icing sugar

2 Tablespoons of lemon juice

1 Tablespoon of brown sugar

1 teaspoon of cinnamon

1/4 cup of walnuts, roughly chopped

METHOD:

Pre-heat a fan forced oven to 108 degrees celsius& prepare a 22cm cake tin with baking paper.
Whisk together brown sugar & vegetable oil.
Whisk one egg at a time into this mixture
Sift flour, cinnamon & nutmeg into the mixture. Stir through the flour mixture well.
Stir in grated carrot and chopped walnuts.
Make sure you taste test the mixture at this point – key notes of deliciousness should be evident 😉
Pour your tasty mixture in the cake tin and place in the oven for 1 hour. *tip* every oven is so different with their heat, however I have baked this cake in two different ovens and both took 1 hour exact. Be sure to skewer your cake and if it comes out clean, your cake is cooked. Another *tip* when you start to smell your cake, you should be checking if it’s cooked.
Take a break, read a book. Then with 10 minutes to go in the oven, start making your topping.
Beat together cream cheese, icing sugar and lemon juice. *tip* To make this marshmallowy, keep beating with the electric beaters a bit longer than you think you should. You want to aim for the look of silk. If your frosting is starting to look like shiny, smooth and soft – you’re complete!
After letting your cake cool completely, cut your cake in half length ways – our aim is to create layers.
Layer half of your cream cheese frosting onto the bottom half of the cake. Smooth out. Sprinkle on brown sugar and cinnamon. Close the cake with its lid.
Now throw your flare in – for me, I like thick and high frosting. I will roughly smooth out leaving dips and curves. With a cake like this, I prefer not to frost the sides as it allows us to see what we’re about to get on the inside. Finish off with a sprinkling of walnuts and if you desire, a little pinch of cinnamon & nutmeg.
We’ve made it to 13 and this is the most important step – EAT & SHARE! My cake was eaten over a cup of tea & a game of rummy-o with a dear friend 💖