The Story of the Healthy Fruitcake-Cake Anglais, Recipe for a Biker on the Road …

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… and how this orange and rum spelt cake was born and named.  Make yourself comfortable now for the tale of a sociable and rather cheerful biker called Dookes.

One day he was on his Harley Davidson happily vrooming along the winding roads with the wind blowing against his face, … when his stomach started to rumble.

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Dookes on the road with Harley

DSCF2410‘What a beautiful view!’ thought Dookes, ‘but what I wouldn’t give for a piece of cake!’  This wish floated about his thoughts as he rode swiftly along the road so when night fell and he arrived home he knew he simply had to write a very important and urgent cloud message.

A cake-loving woman was pottering in the kitchen when she unexpectedly received this cloud message from a far-away place.  Her friend was URGENTLY requesting a cake recipe for his biking travels.  Well, not very very urgently but he would need to pack a healthy and solid (no, not brick-like) energy-giving cake for the long arduous adventures that soon lay ahead of him.

‘Now you might be busy and Mrs Dookes could easily bake for me’, wrote the biker tentatively.  ‘Are you certain you wish to make this cake?’

The woman felt somewhat confused.  Had news of her cake obsession, which lili’s cakes followers and her mum were so sadly aware of, not reached distant cloud lands?  Wild horses (or motorbikes) wouldn’t stop her!  She sent the virtual pigeon off: ‘I’d love to’ she replied.

DSCF5991Hmmm, but which cake?  The woman thought long and hard (a few hours at least).  Some of her cakes were delicious but too delicate for a road trip.  Finally, she decided to combine the light-crumbed cake anglais with a traditional fruitcake, filled with extra amounts of nourishing nuts and dried fruit.  It would be soaked in orange juice and rum, and made with honey, unrefined brown sugar and spelt flour, all good for you of course!  You could use plain flour, but the two friends had long ago agreed spelt flour was a lovely tasty and healthy substitute.

So the far away biker gladly gave the cake plan the thumbs up and the ‘ealthy orange and rum fruitcake-cake anglais was born.  It was a bit of a mongrel and no-one could decide what it was exactly so it was given a hyphenated double-barrelled name and became a posh cake!  Tada!  An extra special recipe to share with sweet readers, healthy cake-lovers in the clouds and fellow bikers like Dooke’s Harley brothers who roam distant lands and might be feeling a bit peckish.

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Healthy orange and rum fruitcake-cake anglais!

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Orange and rum spelt fruitcake-cake anglais!

Preparation (from 24 hours to 5 days ahead of making the cake!)

The woman happily chopped up an array of dried fruits into little pieces (except the glacé cherries, which she just halved) and thought of how they would soon glisten in rum with a delightful whiff of alcohol (pheooouw!).  She’d told her friends they could soak them overnight in only orange juice, but she herself liked rum and thought Dookes might too.

DSCF5692S0514099A few days later…

Now, the cake-loving woman was sure there was something she was supposed to be doing.  Her memory wasn’t quite what it used to be.  Oh yes, make the cake!  Doh…

First she pre-heated the oven, lined the loaf tin (metal or silicone) with greaseproof baking paper (making sure it was 2cm higher than the mould, all around) and allowed the butter to soften, before creaming:

DSCF5933S0631426S0641427She started preparing the other ingredients as she hummed merrily along to the tune of All about that cake (psst … have a listen, it’s a great cake song!)

DSCF5932DSCF5974DSCF5970DSCF6008Then she rolled her sleeves up to do some serious beating and whisking.

DSCF6005DSCF5949Finally, it was time for some gentle folding.

DSCF5953And off the cake went into the oven. 

After 5 minutes the cake-loving woman lowered the heat to 180°C (static, non-convection oven) or 160°C (fan-assisted oven) and let the cake bake between 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes.  She made sure she didn’t open the oven door for the first hour.  The cake was finally ready when an inserted skewer came out clean and the cake sprang back a little when pressed lightly with her finger.

The woman left the cake in the tin to cool for 20 to 30 minutes then made holes all over the cake with a skewer.  Using a tablespoon she carefully poured the remaining orange juice and rum liquid over the cake.  She let the cake cool then took it out of the tin, and tried a piece because she could wait no longer! (Note:  this cake actually keeps for up to a week or more, wrapped in greaseproof baking paper then again in foil or an airtight tin).

So the cake-loving woman settled down to munch her piece of cake then sent Dookes a new cloud message to let him know his cake was ready.  And out at the rock, she shared it with her climbing friends who always enjoyed eating healthily and so eagerly tucked into this spelt cake. They loved it and weeks later were still reminiscing about the luscious fruit, the hint of rum and overall tastiness of the fruitcake-cake anglais. 600_434344888One enjoyed his slice so much he took it climbing with him!

600_434299059So the cake-loving woman could easily imagine Dookes going on his next road trip through the mountains with Harley, having a break and a piece of his cake.

DSCF5955But then that’s another story, and one that Dookes will have to tell you himself as his biking dreams and adventures continue…

So sweet readers, where would you take your piece of orange and rum cake?  Hiking, shopping, on a picnic, to do sports or just to the living room for a nice cosy tea at home?

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Healthy spelt orange and rum fruitcake-cake anglais

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Healthy spelt orange and rum fruitcake-cake anglais

Now I’ll just thank Dookes for inviting me to write on his blog.  An honour and a pleasure.  Some of you might wonder about a biker and a baker teaming up for their first Guest Posting Experiment.  We met on an online blogging course and one day we’ll probably do what they recommend:  guest post in our own special fields on blogs similar to our own.

But this Guest Post is what’s great about the Land of Blog: expanding your horizons, going beyond your own walls to discover new things and make friends from every walk of life and corner of the world.  I’ve enjoyed my time in another land here where Dookes lives, as I’m sure everyone has and if you’re new have a look around.  I know Dookes will welcome you anytime at his blog and you’re also invited to come on over for a piece of cake back at my place, at lili’s cakes! 

So bye for now sweet and diverse readers!  Happy reading, biking, baking, blogging or eating! 🙂

And cheers Dookes, speak soon!  Hope you enjoy your cake.  Let me know how you like it and where it goes with you on your travels! 🙂

And Now For Something Completely Different!

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Regular blog followers will know that I have lately been partaking in a couple of Blogging University courses.

One of the great things of these events is the way you hook up with fellow bloggers around the world and share experiences and ideas. Indeed the course students are actively encouraged to take part in blogging exchanges where guest bloggers post on each others sites.

I think that this is a brilliant idea and that what is going to happen in future from time to time here on Hogrider Dookes! The guest bloggers won’t always be pure “Harley on the Road,” but I promise that they will always be interesting and amusing…or just plain tasty!!!!

The first “Guest Post” will be this Friday, February 27th.

I am very pleased to welcome on board my cake loving, Barcelona dwelling, rock climbing friend, Lili, from Lili’s Cakes.

Please everyone, come back on Friday, there’s going to be something good to get your teeth into!

Be there, or be square!

Dookes

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A New Day and The Brown Willy Effect!

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I don’t quite know what it is, but these days I find myself trying to put the brakes on the ever crazy speed that we try to live life in the “Western World.”

This morning was a good example. As I set out on my twenty-mile commute, sans Harley I’m afraid, across Bodmin Moor the sun was just beginning to claw itself above the hills, kissing the landscape with its golden light.

Time to pull over and take in the moment, the office can wait for a few minutes!

Colliford Lake glints like a shard of liquid silver in the half-light.20150217_073916

Looking North, Rough Tor on the left and Brown Willy to the right, the highest points in Cornwall.20150217_074008Notice how the cloud is being pushed out of shape by the air moving over the hills? This is a meteorological phenomena know as “The Brown Willy Effect.” In simple terms it occurs when warm moist air from the Atlantic Ocean blows over the hills of Bodmin Moor and is lifted by the altitude of the surrounding topography; this causes the moisture to condense and brings more rain to Cornwall than other parts of England… and that’s saying something! Nice to capture it in a photo without it raining!

Then it was time to move on, after one more deep breath of the fresh moorland air.

Catch you soon.

Dookes

“I’ve looked at clouds from both sides now…”

The Coast

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Today, in the South West corner of the UK, it has been absolutely heavenly. Some people call these early spring days the “False Spring,” as we all know that the winter hasn’t really gone just yet…but its nearly gone!

At Dookes H.Q. those wonderful little harbingers of Spring, the snowdrops, Galanthus Nivalis, have thrust themselves up through the cold ground to brighten our days with their happy flowers. If you flatten yourself to the ground they have a delightful scent as well!DSCF3779
So with all this optimism around it seemed a tad silly not to get out on two wheels and drink in the loveliness!

As part of my recently completed Blogging 201 course, I have undertaken to publish a monthly theme post. Living where we do, in a County that is virtually surrounded by the sea, it seems to me that using “The Coast” as the theme is a pretty good idea? What do you good people think of that?

It’s also a pretty good excuse to hunt out those special seaside foods, Dookes ain’t daft you know!

Last month I posted some photographs of the rugged North Cornish Coast, so today by way of a contrast, I thought I’d take you on a trip to the South East corner of Cornwall.

This is the small beach at Cawsand Bay, it faces East out across Plymouth Sound. I’ve been past it many times on ships leaving for France and Spain, but this was the first time I have actually visited. Quite delightful, but not a surfing hotspot!DSCF3754

After chilling for a while on the beach wall, Harley and I headed South and picked up the old Military Road which high above the sea gives stunning views from Rame Head across Whitsand Bay. It was one of those days when the sea and sky merge together in a gentle fuzziness without a clearly defined horizon. Not exact misty and not really clear either, but gentle and embracing nonetheless.DSCF3774

The sea lay glassy and still, with barely a breath of wind rippling the surface. It’s benign beauty concealing the fate of many ships and men who lie here in salty graves beneath the cold surface. These are dangerous waters.

Two specific losses spring to mind. In January 1914, Submarine A7 sank here with the loss of all her crew and the American liberty ship SS James Eagan Layne went down in March 1945 after being torpedoed by a German submarine. In more recent times the former HMS Scylla was purposely sunk, to create an artificial reef and diving site.

Rame Head and Polhawn Cove. Excuse two into the sun shots, but I kinda like them!DSCF3762

The Military Road was built in the mid Nineteenth Century to link coastal defence forts that were built to protect the coast and the important naval city of Plymouth. Today, only Tregantle Fort is still in military use and is regularly used for live firing with small arms; the big coastal guns have long gone. The views from the road are invigorating, with or without a Harley Davidson!DSCF3769

Even though it is only mid-february, you can see the yellow gorse flowers of the gorse breaking out and filling the air with its heady coconut aroma. We are about 360 feet above the sea here.DSCF3764
I do believe that Harley was glad to get out as well, she purred along, well OK, Growled Along, eating up the miles with ease. My chassis feels a little more tired this evening! I’m definitely not riding fit at the moment, fortunately the answer to that is more riding…
Life can be tough!

I don’t quite know how, but I managed to fail on the food front, probably because I was far to busy enjoying myself in the sunshine on two wheels! So, dear reader, I’ll endeavour to rectify that on our next Coastal Odyssey!

Until next time.

Dookes

“I’m gonna head down to the coast, where nothin’ ever seems to matter…”

The Ride For Life

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Sometimes I feel like giving myself a good talking to!

We all go there occasionally, that place call “self-centred.”

I’m sure that you know the feeling, for what ever reason life seems a bit “grey” and little things start to get to you.

Then along comes something that puts everything back into perspective.

Today, I was jolted out of a bit of minor downer by a blog post from my Harley Brother Rick, over at https://harleytravelsandtips.wordpress.com.

In the post Rick recounts his cancer diagnosis, subsequent treatment and recovery.

It’s gritty, honest and pulls no punches.

It also made me grateful for my lot and was just the talking to that I needed! Thank’s Rick.

Please go and read it!
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“He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother”

Dookes

Reflections

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I’ve been beefing about the lack of two-wheel action of late.

Yeah, I know I did get out for a few hours a couple of weekends ago, but… well it’s just a bit frustrating! My two-wheeled brothers and sisters will understand the feeling of wanting to get out there on the open road and for those of you who don’t ride, imaging sitting in a stuffy room wanting to open the window for some fresh air, but the window won’t open, that’s what it feels like!
Time therefore, for a bit of reflection.DSCF1176

I have a lot to be grateful for and loads of happy memories from rides gone by, as a dip into the blog archives will reveal. So let’s try something new. Here are some photos from previous posts, if you dear reader would like to click on the title, you will find yourself magically transported to the blog page in the archives, I hope! Please give it a go!

On Col de la Bonnette.

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Heavenly Hairpins. 20120618-234730.jpg

Simplon Pass. 20130624-232419.jpg

D-Day Airfield. DSCF3394

The Great Pretender! 20130623-220022.jpg

Well there you are, a little glimpse into the archives. You can explore more by using the Archive Selector in the Right Margin on a PC, or at the bottom of the page on a mobile device. I hope you have a bit of fun dipping around in my blog’s past!

“Looking back, over my shoulder…”

Catch ya soon!
Dookes

Oh yes, go here for a self-portrait!

Bounce Back!

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It was really cool to receive the Liebster Award and also involve other bloggers in the process. I was delighted when my Harley Brother, Rick, accepted his award. Please visit his site Harleytravelsandtips.

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Now Rick has decided that he wants me to answer some questions from himself as part of the deal, which is fine by me because I guess it gives everyone the chance to get to know me a little more, sort of!

So here we go with Rick’s questions:

Now here are some questions for Dookes.

1. Best place you ever found by accident?
Easy, Dookes H.Q., where we live. It’s a 300 year old stone built cottage on the edge of Bodmin Moor in Cornwall…the far South West of the U.K.. I wasn’t looking for a major restoration job, but when I saw this place I just know that I had to live here. Now, 13 years later, it’s almost finished!

2. If you could move any place where would it be?
Southern France, maybe the Provence region. I’m getting fed up of our cold and wet winters, love everything about France so that’ll be the place.

3. NFL or Premier League?
Tricky! To be honest I’m a Rugby Football fan and an ex-player. So the Premier League with its over paid prima donnas doesn’t really do it for me. The Championship, the next level down, is far competitive and not at all predictable. I don’t see much NFL these days, but in my youth I was quite a Washington Redskins fan; remember Super Bowl XVII, happy days! Needless to say, my cousin who lives in Chicago doesn’t quite agree with my choice of team! So we’ll say NFL.

4. Half a chicken or 10 wings?
Oh, half a chicken…far less messy!

5. Change your own oil or take it to the dealer?
Change my own, which I do a lot, cos oil is cheap and engines ain’t! Unless its under warranty, or part of a service plan. Oh, it’s gotta be fully synthetic too!

6. What do you know about Evil Knievel?
Robert Craig Knievel – The Last Gladiator. A boyhood hero, I got quite good at crashing my pedal cycle just like he did his Harley XR-750! I never saw the point of the Snake River Canyon thing though. I remember watching his jump, and crash, at Wembley Stadium, London, in 1975 like it was yesterday.IMG_0386

7.What and when-your first computer?
Some twin 5.25″ floppy drive pile of c**p with an orange screen waaay on back when Adam was a boy!

8. What was your worst riding experience?
I’ve had a few on horses, but I guess you mean motorbikes! It’s a dead heat between getting caught by a thunder-storm on Col de L’Iseran, 9088ft/2770m, in the French Alps or the white-out in a blizzard on the Grimsel Pass, 7100ft/2164m, in Switzerland. Sliding sideways on ice in the tunnel on Galibier runs it pretty close too. Click to have a look!

9. What was your best riding experience?
The last time I rode a motorbike, because that’s always the freshest in my mind.

10. How did you get two-wheel fever.
Well that bloke Knievel has something to do with it! My father had an old BSA C11, a single cylinder 250cc, it was always in bits, but it sort of got my curiosity going. Then in the 1970’s the Yamaha FS1E 50cc moped came out. Some of my friends had them and I started to ride theirs, no licence or insurance and don’t tell mother! I later worked with a group of lads who all had bikes and again I rode around with them, same situation regarding licence etc! The bug had well and truly bitten, so eventually I did the test and got legal. Now I do “Advanced Riding” and tell everyone how to behave…aw hell my secret’s out now!

11. Can I borrow some cash? (People ask me this all the time because I have a new bike they think I have money). It’s just good credit I say.
Now what makes you think I have any spare. Like you I own a Harley, but have you any idea how much genuine spares or parts cost to import here in the UK? Be glad to buy you a beer one day though!

So there you go Rick, there’s a few secrets outed there, hope you enjoy reading the answers!

Ride safe, ride hard brother!

Dookes

Blogging University: Blogging 201 The Next Step

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Outside it’s a miserable, cold, snowy winter’s night here in the South West Corner of England.

Luckily the log burner is not only warm, but also imbibes the room with the comforting glow that only a flickering flame can do. Before I doze off in the dusky coziness that our ginger tom cat calls home, I must complete todays task for the next stage of my Blogging University odyssey; Blogging 201.

Today’s assignment:
Consider what you want to accomplish with your blog. Write down three concrete goals you want to achieve.

Hmm, tricky.

Now I have to confess that I have been pondering this all day, since picking up the task over breakfast at silly o’clock this morning.

I was pleased to see a comment from Michelle W. at The Blogging U Commons site, when she observed that a fellow student had good goals, just a tad big! This gave me just the jolt I needed; I had great ideas, but yeah also just to darn big!

So after suitable “sensible” thought, this is what I have decided:

1. Aim to double my followers base by 1st June.
“Why then?” You ask. Well, because I am planning the next big road trip will start in June.

2. Publish a post at least once per week.
This will stop those long awkward silences!

3. Invite and persuade guest bloggers to post on my site on a monthly basis.
This should add a different perspective and maybe I’ll get invited to guest post on other blogs too!

So that’s the plan, you good people will have to cheer me on and make sure I stick to it!

I’m up for the ride, you coming?

“All down the line… well, you can’t say yes and you can’t say no.”

Dookes

Wow, an Award!

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Well knock me down with a feather!

My little blog site has been nominated for an award!

Thank you a million times to Lili at http://liliscakes.com for the nomination, it really means a lot to me to be recognised by fellow bloggers. By the way, Lili’s site is mouth-watering!

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These are the rules that go with the award:

1. Display the Liebster award on your blog. Done.

2. Thank and link back to your nominator. Done.

3. Answer the nominator’s 11 questions. Done.

4. Nominate 11 other bloggers with about 200 or fewer followers and link to them. Done.

5. Draft 11 new questions for your nominees. Done.

6. Notify your nominees via their blogs or social media. Done.

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These are Lili’s questions that I need to answer, with my replies:

How did you first feel about receiving this award?
Pretty chuffed really, like… WOW!

What have you been enjoying most about blogging?
Capturing my thoughts at a moment in time and sharing with the world, then going back later and saying to myself, “Yes, I did feel like that.” Sometimes it stirs quite strong recollections and emotions.

What is your idea of a good day?
Hmm, tricky. There are lots of things that push the buttons for me; being with close friends and certain family members is one, sometimes being alone in the hills or on the coast, but any day on my Harley really rocks!

What is your favourite cake and why?
Mrs Dookes makes the most amazing Breton Cake, it’s got to be that, partly because of who makes it and also because it always reminds me of days in France.

What’s your dream?
To ride all the way around the world on a Harley… though I can’t ever see that happening, unless Harley Davidson sponsor me to do it! Are you listening in Milwaukee boys?

What are your favourite possessions and why?
I had to think quite hard about this. Actually i’m not a very material sort of guy, despite having loads of “stuff” around the place. Sure I have some little things that are quite precious to me, but have no real value…like a pebble off a Cornish beach or a piece of rock from Galibier. If I had to say just one thing it would be my memories, that OK?

What do you usually do at the weekend?
There is no usual in my world! It could be riding Harley, gardening, walking, surfing, cooking, watching rugby, model engineering…the list goes on! Yeah, totally self-indulgent!!!

What makes you happy?
Riding my Harley, watching the Wales rugby team, nice food, making people happy too.

On average, how many hours a day are you blogging at the moment?
About two hours each evening, which is about what I normally do when I’m off on a trip anyway. I am really enjoying receiving and replying to quite a few comments at the moment!

What kind of blogs do you like following?
Well, thanks to Blogging 101, the variety has exploded! I follow blogs about travel, cooking, poetry, books, humour, photography… just about anything except teenage angst!

What are you going to do now?
Blogging-wise probably sign up for the 201 course and keep up the work I’ve put into my blog over the past month. Other than that, start planning the next road trip!

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OK, now my nominees:
Click on the highlighted text to link to their blog.

Science, books and silly things – A blog that makes you ponder things.

The Lodge on Haydon – Inspiration for a happy home and a happy life.

Rainy Day Reflections – Reflections about life, photography and creativity

Pay, Pack and Follow – Travel, words & great photos.

An Englishman in New England – What it says.

Alba10 – Photography and general randomness.

Kellies Food To Glow – Feel-good food that’s good for you.

Harley Travel and tips – Travelling the USA on a Harley Davidson.

Humour, travel, running – Laugh out loud with this one!

Confessions of a Food Tourist – What it says!.

Clumsy and Stupid – Life in the far North of Canada.

…and these are your questions:

1. How do you feel about getting nominated for the Liebster Award?

2. What made you start blogging?

3. Where is your favourite place in the world?

4. Bungee jump or surfing?

5. If you could go back in time and do something different in your life, what would that be?

6. Where will your next holiday/vacation destination be?

7. Dogs or Cats?

8. Tell us about your favourite food!

9. What is your perfect day?

10. Who would be your dream dinner companion?

11. Do these questions all seem very random to you too?

I think that calls for a drink, cheers!

Dookes

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An Uncle’s Pride

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It’s been difficult this last week in the wider Dookes family.

My Sister in law’s mother, Sally, passed away after a long and sometimes painful illness.

Today was her funeral.

The service was the normal affair for our part of the world, nothing extravagant, but full of love, remembrance and gratitude for the life of Sally.

During the service the eulogy was beautifully and courageously given by my niece Kerenza and a poem read with determined passion by nephew Christopher.

My eyes filled with tears and my heart bubbled with emotion, not for Sally who had a full and happy 79 years, but with pride and admiration for those two fine young people publicly expressing their love for their departed Grandmother.

The two children I knew had grown up; there stood adults, ready to carry the flame onwards.

I came away knowing that in one part of the world, the future was in good hands.
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