This post was originally published at Novelicious.com and is now at WritingTipsOasis.com. WritingTipsOasis.com acquired Novelicious.com in June 2022.
Three women. One cafe.
In Stirred With Love Kate is not happy. Her rows with her husband, Nick, are becoming too much. Something has to give.
Chloe is just finishing her A-Levels. She feels she should go to university but has little enthusiasm for it.
Both Kate and Chloe spot the advert for the cafe. "Excellent prospects for the right people," it says.
Lily Mortimer wants to reopen her cafe. She lost her husband not long ago and the cafe became neglected during his illness until it eventually closed. Her friends, Alf and Irene, think she should be enjoying her retirement and going to bingo, but Lily is adamant.
So the three of them come together; a special team of women. The jobs also comes with accommodation. In the flat above the cafe where Lily lives, Kate and Chloe are invited to move in and call the place their home.
On the first day, moving in day, Lily welcomes them. And provides a magnificent feast of cake. Madeira cake, scones, carrot cake. And a layered chocolate sponge cake.
What a welcome. Yes, I think the women will be happy here.Stirred With Love is published on 3rd September.
Equipment
- Two 8-inch/20cm, loose-bottomed if possible, cake tins. Grease each tin with butter on the bottom and sides then add a little flour, tapping it around so it covers all the butter. This stops the cake from sticking.
- Electric mixer
- Wire rack
Ingredients
For the cake (for three layers)
- 340g/12oz butter
- 340g/12oz caster sugar
- 6 eggs
- 340g/12oz self-raising flour
- 200g dark chocolate (70%), melted
For the buttercream
- 175g/6oz butter, softened
- 340g/12 oz icing sugar
- 200g dark chocolate (70%), melted
- A splash of milk
- Pre-heat your oven to 160 fan.
- Using an electric mixer combine the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs along with a spoonful of the flour (to stop the mixture from splitting). Mix.
- Add the rest of the flour and mix well.
- Melt the dark chocolate then pour into the cake batter while the mixer is still going.
- Add a splash of milk.
- Once thoroughly combined, divide equally into thirds between the two greased cake tins and keeping the remaining third to cook afterwards. (Unless you have three tins of the same size!)
- Place in the oven for 20-25 minutes.
- Test if cooked through by pressing the sponge lightly. If it springs back it is cooked. You can also test using a metal skewer. If it comes out clean it is cooked. If it isn’t done, bake for a few more minutes.
- Allow to cool in the tin a little then tip out onto a wire rack.
- Wipe then grease one of the tins. Place the remaining cake mixture in and bake as before.
- To make the buttercream, combine the soft butter with the icing sugar in the electric mixer.
- Add the melted chocolate along with a splash of milk.
- Mix well for a few minutes.
- Once the sponge has cooled spread the buttercream over one third. Then place the other third on the top. Spread that with buttercream and add the final third once it has cooled.