It’s something I have always wanted to do, create a online journal/Blog of my cooking adventures. I aim to post all the triumphs, all the disasters, and all the culinary adventures which will happen in the kitchen, or to me.

There is not much to look at right now, I have only just set up the blog, set up the twitter account @muddykitchen and it’s now too late to create and bake.

One of my first big tasks in January will be a birthday cake with a twist. Expect to see the try outs over the next few days. . . . . . . .

Oh, don’t forget, follow me on twitter, like the blog and tell your friends.

Below is a fruitless Christmas cake I made recently. I was inspired by my partners grandmother who used to make one similar, but she died many years ago with out leaving the recipe. I hope I done the cake justice.

My version was a basic Victoria sponge, to which I added

2 teaspoons of mixed spice
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of nutmeg

The topping and centre is a standard buttercream and a spoonful or two of brandy. Before filling the cake, I spread apricot glaze over the centres, and also the top.

I found this gives the rich full flavour of a Christmas cake, just without the dried fruit. I think this cake will be resurrected in December 2013, as there are a few variations I “need” to try.