Baking for the Birthday Boy

Everyone knows the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, and as it was Neil's Birthday I thought I'd better get in the kitchen. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and I believe on your Birthday you should wake up to something special and indulgent. 

Pancakes are my speciality, and ever since watching that Matilda scene as a young girl I've longed to replicate those perfect pancakes she whips up as a four year old child. Well my friends at the age of 22 *cough 23 in 8 days cough* I think I've finally done it! Referring to a trusty Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall recipe Neil's Birthday pancakes were the best I've ever made and I topped them with some gorgeous Free Range Beech Smoked British Streaky Bacon from Waitrose and maple syrup. Check out the recipe here.

Well a Birthday isn't a Birthday with out a cake is it, so once he was out of the house I soon got to work on a Birthday carrot cake -his favourite.

If you've never baked a carrot cake before I cannot recommend it enough, I really enjoyed making this the smells are incredible before you've even put it in the oven. I followed Paul Hollywood's recipe which you can find here, its easy to follow and really 'scrummy' as Mary Berry would say. 

The Birthday Boy!

I hope you've all enjoyed this post, do give those recipes a go or share with me any of your favourite recipes. It's my Birthday next week and as you can see I've set the Birthday bar quite high so you'll have to wait and see if Neil takes part in the Battle of the Birthday Bakes - no soggy bottoms allowed!

xx