Happy Birthday Harricane!!!

Finally - the big day has been and gone .... but not before a number of birthday cakes have been demolished

First ... there is the spruce up before the party....

..

Then the opening of the presents, where Harricane proves that children do prefer the packaging to the contents of a parcel.....

This year's theme is Bob the builder....

Although our wee Bob is yet to ascertain that striking oneself in the head with our new hammer is likely to be a little tender......

Harricane's Birthday Cake

Little Harricane is having a birthday this week.

So Harrisam helped TCM to make a chocolate mudcake

As usual, they assisted with the clean-up....

Then washed it down with a goody gumdrops ice-cream.

CHOCOLATE MUDCAKE

2 cups sugar

3/4 cup cocoa

1 &1/2 tsp baking powder

1 &1/2 tsp baking soda

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1& 3/4 cup flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup oil

1 cup milk

Mix together and add 1 cup boiling water.

Mixture is very wet - that is ok.

Bake at 160oC for about 1 hour but keep testing after about 50 minutes.

Ganache Frosting:

1 cup cream

350 grams chocolate

Bring cream to the boil, pour over the chocolate.

Mix well until all melted together.

Frost the cooled cake

Introducing Strawberry Samcake.....

For quite some time now, Fairisam has been asking if she can grow some strawberries......

So on the weekend, we planted a strawberry patch.....

Harricane helped with his new wheelbarrow

and Fairisam gave the thirsty plants a good drink....

TCM and Fairisam then made a sign to keep the birds away

Let's hope the birds can read......