Excuse me while I kiss the sky

Finally I'm home but the last week was a busy one! I've been busy at uni working with Brighton Fashion week - check it out here - putting together content for their newspaper that will be given out at all of the shows and in the lead-up to the event. Exciting but time consuming!

On Friday evening I decided at the last minute that I should pop to London to see my sister and niece. I'm so glad it did! A big fire as it started to gently snow, pumpkin gnocchi with pesto, toasted seeds and spinach, an ice cold beer and some big baby cuddles!

I woke up early on Saturday morning and popped to Oxford Street to meet some friends. Cami is moving to Paris for third year and somehow had never been to Liberty so we decided she simply couldn't leave without visiting! I stopped off in Topshop on my way to meet them and was pleasantly surprised by the SS13 collection. I'm not the biggest Topshop fan - expensive for what it is and not that original - but there were some really cute pieces that might be on my list of considerations for my summer wardrobe now the student loan is in! This dress... very simple and classic but really nice fabric.

And I think this shirt would be so lovely with high waisted denim shorts...

This dress is from one of the basement designers, I can imagine it looking stunning when tanned at a summery garden party, glass of pimms in hand... ahhh I wish...

And while I would never spend £25 on a 'vintage' scarf when I can get them for £1 at Portabello I was more than a little bit taken with this pheasant number...

A fab addition to the flagship store is the photo booth on the ground floor, cheesy but fun with a group of friends!

And Lola's cupcakes never fail to impress. This was breakfast!

I met the girls and as we wandered across to Liberty I came across & Other Stories. I'd heard so much about the shop but completely forgot where it was located and was SO glad I got the chance to pop in! Founded by the H&M brand, & Other Stories is for the more sophisticated customer, with spaced out rails, incredible fabrics and gorgeous pieces, all at reasonable prices. I didn't get the chance to try anything on but will definitely be heading back next time I'm in London as there was lots that caught my eye.

These shoes...

...and gorgeous tea dress especially!

After Liberty we headed straight to one of my favorite Islington hangouts for a girly lunch. Ottolenghi serves the best salads and cake and is located on Upper Street, in between Highbury & Islington and Angel tubes. The food is fab, service is always impeccable and everything tastes incredible. If you haven't been, go. Simple as that!

Lunch was the amazing salad plates, we didn't even go for mains and cake and fabulous company made the lunch fairly perfect! Now I'm looking forward to the trips to visit Cami next semester!

Ottolenghi Carrot & Walnut Cake

I'm home in Suffolk for a few days over Easter and the first thing I did upon arriving home was cook - cake and super green soup; an amazing combo! <3 

This is the most incredible carrot cake. It's the thing to choose whenever you visit Ottolenghi and is also a really easy recipe to follow. I ended up cooking it for nearer to 2 hours than 1 (I don't think the oven liked me very much that day!) but it was so worth the wait. Its very rustic and not the prettiest of cakes but wow does it taste good! - And don't do what I did and forget you don't have any carrots half way through the baking process and have to pop to the shop at 4pm in your pjs; ahh countryside living!!  

Serves 6-8

For the cake

• 160g plain flour

• ½ tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• ¼ tsp ground cloves

• 1 large free-range egg

• 1 free-range egg yolk

• 200g sunflower oil

• 270g caster sugar

• 50g walnuts, chopped

• 50g desiccated coconut

• 135g carrot, roughly grated

• 2 free-range egg whites

• a pinch of salt

• 
  

• Icing

• 175g cream cheese,

• at room temperature

• 70g unsalted butter

• 35g icing sugar

• 25g honey

• 30g walnuts, chopped

• and lightly toasted

1 Preheat the oven to 170°C/Gas Mark 3. Grease a 20cm springform

cake tin and line the base and sides with baking parchment.

2 Sift together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and spices.

Lightly whisk the whole egg with the egg yolk.

3 Put the sunflower oil and caster sugar in the bowl of an electric

mixer fitted with the beater attachment and beat for about a minute

on a medium speed. On a low speed, slowly add the beaten egg.

Mix in the walnuts, coconut and carrot and then the sifted dry

ingredients. Don’t over mix.

4 Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Wash and dry the mixer bowl,

making sure it is totally clean, then put the egg whites and salt in

it and whisk on a high speed until firm peaks form. Gently fold the

egg whites into the carrot mixture in 3 additions, being careful not

to over mix. Streaks of white in the mixture are okay.

5 Pour the cake mixture into the prepared tin and bake for approximately

1 hour; it could take longer. A skewer inserted in the centre should

come out dry. If the cake starts getting dark before the centre is

cooked through, cover it with foil. Let the cake cool completely and

then remove from the tin.

6 To make the icing, beat the cream cheese in a mixer until light and

smooth. Remove from the mixer. Beat the butter, icing sugar and

honey in the mixer until light and airy. Fold together the cheese and

butter mixes. Spread waves of icing on top of the cake and sprinkle

with the nuts.