Nigella Recipe Challenge: Rosemary Remembrance Cake (3)

Today was (and still is) a tremendously hot day. Despite the heat though, I could  not stay out of the kitchen. The oven was beckoning me to bake Nigella’s Rosemary Remembrance Cake. Hoping that the heat that was beating down on us, despite the dips in the swimming pool, will break because of some afternoon rain, I baked the cake to be eaten during tea time.

A Rabbit joined us for tea 

I am a very patient baker and can spend a long time beating, mixing, kneading and sieving with all the patience in the world (I am, however, not always so patient when it comes to waiting for the baked goods to cool down before trying it out!). But this recipe (like most of Ms Lawson’s recipes) is really quick and easy to make.  (Find her recipe here: http://www.nigella.com/recipes/view/rosemary-remembrance-cake-129)
It basically consists of apple, caster sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest, butter, flour, eggs, baking powder and of course, rosemary. The apple makes the cake nice and moist whilst the lemon zest adds something extra to the cake.

Tea time!  

The best part of baking and cooking is smelling the aromas develop. This cake is no exception. From the first steps of baking (adding the rosemary to the chunks of apple) the scent of rosemary fills the kitchen, even more so when it is starting to bake in the oven.

Such a moist cake. Hmmmm!

The results: a deliciously moist and golden cake with hints of lemon and rosemary which balances each other out. I will definitely make this cake again – not only is it deliciously fragrant but the sprig of rosemary neatly placed on the cake adds to the visual appeal.

Rosemary Remembrance Cake

The citrus notes of the cake does rather remind me of a Madeira cake. 

And the cake was an absolute winner during tea time – when the rain (which only lasted a few seconds) started to cool the very hot Pretoria down. 

So tell me, do you still enjoy baking, even if it's warm? And have you tried this recipe before? What is your opinion on it?