As if I don’t have enough domestic challenges on my plate my dear husband upped the ante when he decided to start taking a lunch box to work. Now the morning regime includes making up his daily lunchtime feed which consists of savoury and sweet treat.  I have almost cracked the sandwich routine but last week I was caught out on the cake supply.  Although there were no complaints I was aware that my lunch box chef halo had slipped.

The trick is to bake a cake or cakes that will last for a week or more otherwise you find yourself caught with your proverbial apron strings untied come Thursday.  An out of date cake would never do.  What we really need is a bigger freezer then such worries would be gone but for now I’ve turned to a tried and tested bake that lasts for ages, is a favourite to eat and I am sure will never go out of fashion.

As I’ve blogged about baking this cake before I decided it was time to get a little more creative with the food photography even if the cake baking was a little more routine.  All I can say is that it’s quicker to bake a cake than it is to create a photographic record of the experience but it did give me a chance to try out some of the focus buttons on my new camera.

This foodie moment is dedicated to Auntie June (now a loved up Grandmother to the latest arrival in our family – Sophia) who I think of every morning as I pack up his Lordship’s lunchbox.  For June was in her time a demon lunchbox queen making up zillions of sarnies on a Sunday for the coming week.  I’m not sure she was too heavy on the cakes – I suspect there was more yoghurt and fruit for her lunchbox desserts.  We at Domestic Executive HQ tend to go for the heavy on the butter, sugar and dried fruit extravaganza.

Not forgetting of course nuts, nuts and more fruits.

With a splash of more fruitiness.

I can’t deny it, there is still a thrill to bring out the eggs from the pantry gathered fresh from the hens in the garden.  Now that the ladies have started laying again we can get a little more eggstravagant!

The amount of ingredients in this cake recipe calls for the heavy duty mixer which I inherited from my mother and after over 20 years service is still going strong making light work of the copious mixing.

Which is more that I can say of me when it comes to filling the cake tin.  In my defence this cake mix weighs around 2 kilos so it takes some effort if not skill to pour the mix into the tin ready for baking.

After three hours slowly baking you’re left with a perfect supply of lunch box cake which should keep a little less stress out of the morning regime.

If you’re looking for a little less stress in your life I heartily recommend a sugar rush with a piping hot cuppa for lunch – or indeed morning tea, afternoon tea, high tea or supper.  In fact, when is there ever a bad time for cake?

Enjoy!