I’ve taken a regular sponge recipe and added the zest of half a lemon. They are topped with lemon butter cream icing (add the zest and the juice of half a lemon) and a few pieces of crystallised violet petals.

Perfect for a hot summer evening served alongside earl grey tea. Take the tea black with a slice of lemon for full effect.

so out came the tea set and the brand new pink teapot and we ate a floral inspired spread all washed down with black earl grey tea.

rosemary scones topped with cream cheese, white grapes and parma ham

take an ordinary scone recipe, replace the sugar with flour, add 2 tsps of chopped fresh rosemary and a pinch of fresh ground black pepper.

violet petal shortbread

a basic vanilla shortbread recipe with a small piece of crystallised violet pressed in to the top whilst they are cooling.

lemon and rose drizzle cake

taking this recipe as a starting point, use 2 tbsp of rosewater for the cake mixture instead of lemon juice. For the drizzle, use a mixture of 2 tbsp rosewater/1 tbsp lemon juice to prevent too strong a perfumey taste and add a little pink food colouring. decorate with rose petals instead of lemon zest. It needs baking for 50 – 60 mins max though – not 1hr 15 like the recipe suggests.

Perfect for a beautiful sunny day. Happy birthday mum!

i love baking cakes. clearly. but one thing I love more than baking cakes for friends is baking birthday cakes for friends. and this is one.

it is a carrot cake but with pistachios instead of walnuts, orange zest and freshly ground nutmeg. it’s frosting is lemon cream cheese and I’ve decorated with crystallised violets and pistachios.

It’s all about to get demolished – just how it should be. Happy Birthday Chloe!