Garden sponge cake

Very easy. Typical sponge recipe:

225g softened butter & 225g golden caster sugar if possible, or white sugar if not.  Mix butter & sugar together with a spoon.

half a lemon or lemon juice 225 self raising flour or plain flour with baking powder,

4 large free range eggs, beaten/ whisked.

Splash of milk.

Pinch of salt.

Then add your herbs from the garden, or shaven apple, slice of citrus, add,  some nut morsels, I like flaked almonds or walnuts, whatever you like.

Bake in a pre-heated oven of 180 degrees Celsius, ideally in a tray set in a larger tray with 2 cm of water in, which creates a slightly steamy oven to make the cake rise more.

Bake for 40 minutes or until you can slide a knife in & out without sticky batter showing on the knife.

Cool. Sprinkle on icing sugar or, if you prefer, add a syrupy icing made from brown sugar, butter, & lemon juice. I make using a tablespoon of butter, 1.5 tablespoons of brown sugar, juice of a whole lemon, & I also add .5 tablespoons of local honey. Cook gently on the hob until a syrup starts to form. Add to top of cake while syrup is hot. Then leave cake to stand & cool.

Enjoy your wholesome garden cake.