What compliments the British summer time better than a bowlful of succulent, sweet strawberries?

Plump and juicy, perfect with a little sugar and a splash of soya cream. Or in a delicious, creamy breakfast smoothie. Or in a beautiful vanilla and strawberry loaf cake!

A little bit like banana bread (without the banana, bleurgh!), this cake is crusty on the outside and marvellously mmm…. mmmoi, mooiss…. nope, I can’t say it. That word is too GROSS!

Unlike this cake, which is gorgeous and has a centre which is the opposite of dry :p

Vanilla and strawberry cake

Ingredients:

• 2 x cups flour
• 3 x tsp vanilla essence
• 1 x tsp baking powder
• 0.5 x cup vegetable oil
• 0.5 x tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 0.5 x cup soya milk
• 1 x tsp salt
• 0.5 x tsp cider vinegar
• 1 x tbsp. white sugar
• 1 x cup chopped strawberries (30 – 40 strawbs)
• 2 x tbsp. maple syrup Plus extra for decoration.

Method:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 170^oC.
2. De-stem and chop the strawberries. Place in a bowl and mix with the sugar before mashing slightly. Leave to one side.
3. In a large bowl, mix the flour, bicarb, baking soda and salt with a wooden spoon.
4. Next, stir in the strawberries and wet ingredients. Keep stirring until thoroughly mixed. You should end up with a thick and glossy batter that is smooth apart from the strawberry chunks.
5. Pour into a greased baking tin and wrap in foil.
6. Bake for 50 – 60 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Be sure to take the foil off the cake after 30 minutes.
7. When ready, leave to stand for 5 mins before turning out of the tin onto a cooling rack. Once cooled, you can add the icing.

Icing

Ingredients:

• 3 x tbsp. icing sugar
• 1 x tsp vanilla essence
• 1 x tsp soya milk

Method:

1. Put the icing sugar into a bowl and add the vanilla essence.
2. Stir in the soya milk a little at a time until a thick but spreadable paste is formed.
3. Spread over the cake and decorate with slices of strawberry.

And the perfect way to enjoy this cake is with a nice cuppa tea, whilst watching a couple of bouncing bunnies ♥ Here’s introducing my Bezzie’s wonderful little furry friends. These fella’s eat even more kale than I do!

Flash-Gordonette…X