Victoria Sponge Cake

When it comes to birthday cakes, there are a lot of options! Chocolate, vanilla, cupcakes, ice cream cakes, and even cookie cakes! There are tons of decoration choices, too. Turn on the TV at any moment and you can always find some sort of reality show that documents truly insane cake designs. If you want a life-sized cake of yourself for your birthday, you can totally find someone who can make it. But when my birthday rolls around each year, I prefer a very simple, old-fashioned favourite: a strawberry shortcake.

There are a variety of methods you can use to make strawberry shortcake. I've tested versions with a sweet biscuit base, a shortbread cookie base, chocolate-infused whipped cream, and recipes that use only fresh strawberries in the filling. In my opinion, it's hard to mess up the classic combo of strawberries and cream, so these were all pretty good. But my favourite version is a recipe by Irish chef and vlogger Donal Skehan. His sandwich uses a base of vanilla sponge cake and a heavenly filling of whipped cream and jam. The original recipe can be found here. I added a few tweaks here and there to suit my and my family's tastes, but the product is still amazing! It also happens to be super easy to make and requires very few ingredients. The measurements of flour, butter and sugar are all equal so it's super easy to memorize. If you cut the sponge into individual circles with a cookie cutter, it is the perfect no-fuss dessert to take to social gatherings. The first time I brought this to a family reunion, it was the hit of the day and everyone was begging for the recipe!

Of course, you don't need a special occasion to make this cake. Whip it up on any summer's eve and enjoy a slice. Or two. Or five.

Makes 1 tall, fluffy, creamy, fresh, AMAZING cake
Ingredients:
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup butter
- 4 eggs
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup flour
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup whipping/double cream
- 1 cup of your favourite strawberry jam (I use one homemade by my grandmother)
- 5-6 fresh strawberries, plus extra to decorate
- icing sugar (to decorate)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. In a large bowl, cream the sugar and butter together with an electric mixer until pale yellow.

3. Mix in the eggs one at a time so the mixture doesn't split. Add in the vanilla extract.

4. Using a hand mixing spoon, delicately fold in the flour, baking powder and baking soda. If you find the batter is too thick, add in a tablespoon or so of milk.

5. Grease two 8 inch springform pans after lining the bottoms with cutout circles of parchment paper. Divide the mixture between the cake pans and bake for roughly 20 minutes each, until golden brown on top. Let cool before handling.

6. Whip the cream in a cold bowl. *Some people do not like the taste of true cream and prefer a sweetened version. If this is you, add a splash of vanilla extract and half a cup of sugar when whipping.*

7. Spoon the jam over the bottom layer of the cake. Dollop the cream on top of the jam. Thinly slice a few strawberries and arrange them in a single layer over the cream.

8. Place the top cake layer over the strawberries and press down a little until gooey jam and luscious cream ooze out the sides. Pile extra strawberries on top and sprinkle a dusting of icing sugar over the top. Enjoy!

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Banana Coconut Oat Muffins - Vegan

The texture of these muffins is gorgeous. The oats are soft and the banana melts in your mouth like caramel, but the coconut and chia seeds add a nice little crunch. Serve with some chopped mango to really play up the tropical vibe of the banana and coconut.

Makes 6 muffins
Ingredients:
- 2 cups oats
- 1 1/2 cups almond milk
- 1 mashed banana
- 3 tbsp chia seeds
- 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- small drizzle of date syrup

Method:

1. These muffins could not be any simpler to make. Chuck all of the ingredients into a bowl and mix until incorporated. Place the mixture into a lined muffin tin and bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes until pale golden brown.

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Mini Meatloaf

I personally don't really enjoy meatloaf. It's one of those things that either you love or you hate and it's just not for me. However, my father and niece love it and they absolutely adore this recipe. It's moist and flavourful and can easily be personalized to suit their individual tastes. I prefer making mini tins so I don't have to make a massive loaf for only two people. If you like leftovers or are cooking for more people, double the recipe to use in a normal sized loaf tin.

Makes 1 mini loaf tin (serves 3)
Ingredients:
- 1 cup breadcrumbs or crushed saltines
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- 1/4 cup milk
- drizzle of olive oil
- 1/2 onion
- 2 stalks celery
- 3-4 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
- 450 g (1 lb) of minced/ground meat (my family likes a blend of beef and pork)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 eggs
- salt and pepper
Sauce:
- 1/4 cup ketchup or tomato paste
- 1/4 cup of your favourite barbecue sauce (I like Diana's Chicken and Rib sauce)
- 1/8 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp cooking molasses (optional, but adds a deep, smoky taste)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2. Combine the crumbs and parsley in a bowl. Stir in milk and leave to absorb.

3. Meanwhile, drizzle some olive oil into a hot pan and soften the onions and celery. Set aside to cool.

4. Alright, time to get your hands dirty! Place the softened vegetables, meat, bacon, and garlic in the bowl with the crumb mixture. Use your hands to break down the meat and mix everything together.

5. Whisk the eggs in a small bowl until slightly frothy. Mix into the other ingredients and season well with salt and pepper.

6. To prepare the sauce, mix all of the ingredients in a clean bowl. Make sure the brown sugar is well incorporated.

7. Place meat  mixture into an oiled loaf tin and brush a bit of sauce over the top. Bake for 1 hour, or until a thermometer placed in the centre reads the appropriate temperature for your selected meat.

8. Let cool slightly and serve with the remaining sauce.

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