Neil's photos of me

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It's a wonderful life.

Every year, I panic about Christmas. I get so overwhelmed. I don’t have that much to do. But I am a worrier.

I'm going to be honest with you. I don’t like Christmas. All my life, I thought I liked Christmas. I've finally admitted to myself I don’t. In fact, I’ve never liked Christmas—the hustle and the bustle and the scrambling. It's too intense for me.

I keep hoping that Christmas won't happen. Because I am a chronic procrastinator, and I hate shopping. If you see me at the shops, I'm sorry if I seem crazier than usual. Soon it will be over.

I'm trying to slow down and enjoy it.

Anyway, I have some great news. My good friend Neil (who is from New York) is coming to New Zealand for Christmas and New Year’s. I am so excited (and nervous) about his visit.

If you know me, I am a lazy, neurotic hermit. But since Neil and I have a lot in common, I think we will have fun.

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Sweet Tart Vegan Orange Syrup Cake

It’s that time of year. PARTY TIME! And in New Zealand, time for cake stalls at school fairs. 

I prefer a lemon tart to almost any dessert. But Seven is allergic to everything. (And in New Zealand, cakes reign.) So, for the gala at Seven’s school, I made this vegan orange syrup cake:

Vegan Orange Syrup Cake

with special thanks to the New Zealand Food Allergy Cookbook

3 cups plain flour

1 1/2 cups sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons oil
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups milk alternative, e.g. rice milk
125 g dairy-free margarine, melted
1 tablespoon lemon zest
sticky orange topping
1 cup sugar
½ cup water
2 oranges, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 180 C. To make the sticky syrup, dissolve 1 cup sugar in ½ cup water in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add thinly sliced oranges and simmer until oranges are soft (about 10 minutes). Put this aside while you make the cake batter.

Sift dry ingredients. In a small bowl, combine water, oil and baking powder. Add to dry ingredients with milk, margarine, essence and lemon zest. Beat until batter is as smooth as you can manage (2-3 minutes).

Grease and line a 25 cm cake tin with baking paper. Arrange orange slices on bottom and sides of cake tin (reserve the excess syrup). Pour in cake batter and bake cake for 45-60 minutes.

When cake is cooked, turn over on wire rack (oranges will be on top) and drizzle over reserved syrup with spoon. Cool before serving.

Variation:  Replace 1 cup plain flour with 1 cup ground almonds.

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You guys, I know I've been absent from my blog for MONTHS. But I am so excited to share this summer with you. I am full of other wild delicious secrets, and it’s anyone’s guess what will happen. More fun to come. I am dying to show you how sweet summer can be.