Making cakes is not really my thing but the ducks have been laying well and we have a lot of eggs to use up.

So I made my variation of a Norwegian Eplekake (apple cake).

Leftovers were the mixing bowl to clean, which OH duly obliged, and some peel/cores plus a rogue banana skin I added as it needed eating up.

So, while the cake was cooling, I went out with my bowl to find someone(s) who might like it.

Apparently Haakon doesn’t like cooking apple cores anymore.

Luckily Kolka, Iacs and Fivla do.

Vitamin wasn’t interested. She probably couldn’t hear what was going on behind her.

On my way back to the house, I met a Shetland bumblebee (Bombus muscorum agricolae) or “drummie bee”, as they are known here.  My first for this year.

And finally, here is my Eplekake of which I am rather proud.  A firm favourite in this house.

Recipe: (if anyone is interested and it is incredibly easy).

4 apples
3 tbs brown sugar
2 tsp allspice or you can use cinnamon.

200g caster sugar
200g butter
170g plain flour
1tsp baking powder
4 eggs

Oven 180 °C or Gas 4/5

1. Peel and core the apples and chop them into 1cm chunks into a clean empty ice cream carton with lid.  Add brown sugar and allspice. Put lid on and mix it all up.

2. Blend caster sugar and butter until creamy.

3.  Break eggs into jug and add slowly to butter/sugar mix in one at a time.  Blend well.

4.  Sieve flour and baking powder into big mixing bowl.  Add sugar/butter/egg mix – fold in thoroughly.

5.  Add apples and fold well again.

Quickly pour mixture into large baking tray that is already lined with greaseproof paper.

Put in middle of oven for 50 minutes.  Stick a knife in and see if it is done. If not, give it a few more minutes.  It can take an hour.  The knife must come out clear with no cake batter on it.

When done, put tin on cooling rack. Delicious warm or cold.

It doesn’t have to be just apple – sometimes I add crystallized ginger because I love it or if I have no apples, I use blueberries or rhubarb or anything you like really in cake. Be warned, all the blueberries sink to the bottom but it is still delicious and you can call it an upside down cake at that stage!