In Praise of Cake

Love cake ?

Proper cakes, not those poncey little cupcakes and *spits* whoopie pies, or even worse - cake pops ? Me too. I make real cake, good old fashioned homemade slabs of coffee and walnut, Victoria Sponge and Lemon Drizzle.

I have been known to attend village fetes and elbow the old dears out of the way, clutching a fiver in my sticky paw, to be the first in the queue for a 6" high chocolate creation. Five Quid, the ingredients of my Chocolate Ganache cost me three times as much, so of course I am going to buy one for 500 new pence. The blood sweat and tears of the ladies at the W.I. always taste like a Mary Berry masterpiece.

Urban Cakes Coffee, Ginger and Pistachio creation - I've died and gone to heaven.

I was directed to this page championing Homemade cakes in London in The Telegraph, applauding good cake outlets in the Capital, and wanted to share. Urban Cakes looks the most appealing. Having a tea party and no time or inclination or skill to make your own impressive Banana Bread ? Then contact Julia at Urban, she will rustle up stunning treats on your behalf, and you can pretend it is your own handiwork. She promises not to tell.

I'd also like to suggest you try Clams Cakes too, they offer a postal service and their Carrot Cake is the food of the Gods. I have been known to send them as gifts to friends, not because I can't be bothered to bake, but because they are geared up to a decent postal service. My attempt at sending brownies through the post ended up with an unfortunate squashed package of damp crumbs. Ignore the fact that they also sell the cake pops and cupcakes I despise, someone out there likes them and there is obviously money to be made in momentary food fads.

Given the choice, I'll go for the traditional every time. Orange and Honey Syrup Cake from Urban Cakes has me dribbling, sight unseen.

Lemon Curd Cake from Clams in South Wales, available by post