My most recent article for Country Kitchen was flowerpot baking. I just loved writing this article and experimenting with little cakes in tiny pots. This was our favourite cake!

Rose and lavender drizzle cake

Everyone loves lemon drizzle cake – it is always a teatime favourite. The rose and lavender petals add a delicate floral fragrance to the lemon drizzle. This is a perfect “garden” cake served in its flowerpot.

Preparation time 15 minutes, plus 25 – 30 minutes baking.
Makes one 8 inch cake

225g/8oz margarine
225g/8oz caster sugar
4 large eggs
225g/8oz self raising flour
Zest and juice of 3 lemons
1 tbsp of dried culinary lavender and rose petals
2 tbsp icing sugar

Preheat your oven to Gas Mark 5/375F/190oC. Line an 8 inch flower pot with grease proof paper, cutting a circle slightly larger than the base and a long rectangle curled round the sides of the flowerpot. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time and then gently add the flour and lemon zest. Bake at Gas Mark 5/190oC/Aga Roasting oven below a cold shelf for 40/50mins until the cake is firm to touch. If the cake starts to brown too much before the cake is cooked cover the top with foil. Just before you remove the cake from the oven, heat the lemon juice with the icing sugar and lavender and rose petals in a saucepan until the sugar has dissolved and you have a light syrup. Pour the syrup and petals over cake as soon as it comes out of the oven and leave to cool.

My favourite (and perfectly me) purchase in New York was this new cupcake book - Hello Cupcake! The ideas in it are fantastic and if you are going to buy one cake book this year, it just has to be this one! The fish bowl cake is my favourite - it had never occurred to me to decorate cakes on their side to use as a flat upright surface - very clever indeed. My other purchase in New York was a set of 100 icing nozzles so I can't wait to get over my jet lag and try them out on some of these new cupcakes!

Thank you all for your wonderful suggestions for New York - we managed a fair few but definitely need another trip back again soon to experience all the rest! The highlight of our trip was a birthday lunch for my brother at Jean George. With its 3 Michelin stars and $28 price tag for a two course lunch, this has to be the most exceptional value meal I have ever had. We definitely recommend it (and thanks to the blog reader who recommended it to us). Their Fois Gras Brulee made it to dish number 3 of last years Time Out "100 best things we ate in New York" and is definitely worth trying. Among the other dishes we tried were parmesan confit chicken with lemon butter and basil and delicious confit duck with white asparagus. The dessert plates (chocolate, citrus, apple and winter) at $8 (£4!!!!!) were such a bargain that we could have had all four! My favourite was the jar of home made marshmallows that they cut at your table - heavenly! This is a definite thumbs up recommendation and a must visit place in New York.

Of course, the main attraction so far has been searching for New York's finest cakes and we have tried many! I found a beautifully crysanthamum cupcake at Dean and Deluca which looked so pretty but sadly the shop assistance put it in a box that was too small and squashed the flower completely. Being polite and British, I did not complain but handed over my $5.50 (!!!) and took the squashed cupcake away. This afternoon I made it to the Magnolia Bakery - OK so I had to queue for 20 minutes but the wait was worth it and the air outside whilst you are in the queue smells of cinnamon and chocolate so all in all it was a very pleasant experience. I have to say that the cupcakes were not as spectacular as I was expecting but the large cakes were AMAZING! I have never seem cakes the size of their German chocolate cake and Coconut cloud cake. Defintinely inspirational. We also paid a visit to BabyCakes - which produces cupcakes and brownies which are all wheat and gluten free, made with spelt and other wholesome ingredients. I just loved their shop window (top photo)!

Well I have been in New York less than 48 hours and feel as if my feet have not touched the ground. We have done so much (thanks to my brother acting as an excellent tour guide) and yet I know we have only scratched the tip of the iceberg! This truly is a city where you can get anything that your heart desires. It has reminded me at times of the lands at the top of the Faraway Tree (I was an avid Enid Blyton fan as a girl) with shops that just sell different types of rice pudding (Rice to Riches) and a restaurant which only serves macoroni cheese! I feel as if we have not stopped eating since we got here - we are no longer hungry but are just having to try everything. Delicious breakfast burritos, fluffly pancake stacks with maple syrup, slow cooked pork buns in China town. Today we ate at a wonderful Mexian restaurant where guacamole was made in front of you at the table - I am wondering when this will hit the UK as it is a great idea - followed by delicious beef fillet tacos and sweet potato chips. We have sipped cocktails at a rooftop bar in the meat district (ubercool) over looking the Hudson River, drank Techinis (hard to describe but a tea equivalent of a cappucino that tastes of autumn... nuts, cinnamon, apple and caramel - truely delicious and unique) at Teany (a wonderful teashop owned by muscian Moby) and eaten pumpkin pancakes, not to mention a trip to Dean and Deluca!

A cheap bunch of roses from the supermarket can be transformed into a lovely table arrangement for a dinner party in just a few minutes. Place some soaked green oasis into a dish or a terracotta flowerpot and insert a candle into the centre. Cover the oasis with greenery from your garden, ivy and rosemary are ideal. You don't need any wire and can just insert the ends of the stems into the oasis. Cut the rose stems to 2 inches below the flower and insert into the oasis. A perfect center piece for a dinner party, costing only a few pounds!

Later this week I am heading State side to New York to visit my brother for his birthday. It is my first ever trip to America and I am really looking forward to it. I am taking an empty suitcake to fill with cake decorations, fudge frosting and other wonderful goodies for my store cupboard. I am really looking forward to visiting the Magnolia Bakery - who's cook book I have drooled over for hours. They must be the true home of American frosting and I am hoping to pick up some good ideas! Any suggestions of must see foodie places to visit in New York much appreciated!!!!

I have been given such a perfectly "me" present from my mum - this dear little cupcake teacosy! It will take pride of place in my kitchen and is perfect for my ever growing tea pot collection.

I have been working for most of the weekend (horrible law work rather than cooking sadly) but I have managed to sneak time to try out a few new pudding ideas. A peach melba clotted cream cheesecake, which I will post later this week - an idea I had during Masterchef that never made it to the plate and this pineapple and cinnamon tatin - a little splash of tropical sunshine to counterbalance today's snow!

Pineapple and cinnamon tatin
Serves 6, preparation time 10 minutes, cooking time 25 minutes
1 fresh pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into rings (you can substitute tinned pineapple if you are short on time but fresh is better)
250g puff pastry
100g butter
2 tbsp golden syrup
100g caster sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Heat the syrup, butter, sugar and cinnamon in a saucepan until the sugar has dissolved, bring to the boil and then remove from the heat. Pour into the base of a flan or tatin dish and set aside to cool slightly. Place the pineapple on top of the caramel in a decorative pattern, roll out the pastry and cover the pineapple. Bake in a hot oven (Gas Mark 6/Aga roasting oven/400F/200C) for approximately 25 minutes until the pastry has risen and is golden. Remove from the oven and leave to stand for 5 minutes. Invert the tart onto a plate and serve warm. We loved the smell of this pudding - bringing memories of holidays abroad and warm sunny days!

Cheese and Chive loaf

Cheese and onion are a classic combination – the chives in this recipe give a delicate onion flavour. This bread is hearty and goes well with soup.

Preparation time 20 minutes plus 45 - 60 minutes proving and 20-25 minutes

Makes one loaf

500g/1lb 2oz strong white bread flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
1 sachet of easy blend yeast (7g)
350ml warm water
100g strong cheddar cheese, grated
10g chives, finely snipped
1 egg, beaten

Preheat the oven to 200C/390F/Gas 6. Place all the dry ingredients in a large bowl and slowly add the warm water, mixing to form a soft dough. If the dough is too sticky, add a little more flour. Turn the dough out on to a flat surface and knead for 7 - 8 minutes until the dough is smooth and pliable. If you have a dough hook on your mixer, the kneading time can be reduced to 5 minutes. Leave the dough to rest for 5 minutes and then reknead for a further 5 minutes, adding the chives and 75g of the grated cheese. Form the dough into a round ball and place on a greased baking tray. Cover with a damp tea towel and leave in a warm place (a warm airing cupboard or on top of the Aga is ideal) until the dough has doubled in size. When the dough has risen, brush the top of the loaf with the beaten egg and sprinkle over the remaining cheese. Bake in the oven for 20 – 25 minutes until the loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.

I am away from my lovely Aga and cooking for a few days as I am over in Suffolk on business. Although its work I am staying at one of our Company hotels - The Bildeston Crown - which (without wanting to promote our company too much) is a very special place to stay and consequently it does not feel like work really! The chef, Chris Lee, creates the most wonderful food, and with 3 AA rosettes he must surely be on his way to his first Michelin Star. Last night we ate delicious pork - from Head to Tail, with 8 different cuts of pork, turbot with oxtail filled with salsify, and a chocolate tasting plate with warm chocolate fondant, white chocolate zabaglione and mocha ice cream. All delicious! The hotel magazine has a nice article about my time on Masterchef which you might like to read if you have a few minutes spare.

This weekend I catered a 70th birthday lunch for 16 people - when will I ever learn to say no!!!!! Actually it was good fun. Getting 16 plates of food out hot at the same time is always a challenge but we just about managed it!
This is the birthday cake that I made for Mike whose birthday it was. He likes sailing so this seaside cake went down a treat! My favourite is the shoal of little green fish at the front swimming up the side of the cake.

Freddie from GreatBigVegChallenge is soon moving on to squashes and has asked for a favourite squash recipe - so here you are Freddy! The squash is one of my favourite vegetables - they keep well so I usually have one in my vegetable basket that is always handy for stand by meals. This week, I used it to make a risotto - such a therapeutic dish to make with all that stirring - just perfect to unwind after a hard days work.

Roasted Garlic and Squash Risotto
Serves 3-4, preparation and cooking time 45 minutes
8 - 10 cloves of garlic in their skins
1 small butternut squash
3 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion chopped
100g mushrooms, sliced
300g risotto rice
100ml sherry or brandy
1 litre chicken or vegetable stock
50g butter
100g grated cheddar
salt and pepper to season
parsley to garnish (optional)

Peel, de-seed and roughly chop the squash. Place in a roasting pan with the garlic cloves and 2 tbsp of the olive oil and roast in a hot oven for 25 - 30 minutes until golden brown. Remove the skin and finely chop the soft garlic You can do this the day before if you are organised!
Finely chop the onion and fry gentle in the remaining tbsp of olive oil in a large pan with the mushrooms until they are soft. This will take a good 5 minutes. Add the rice and cook gently for 3 - 5 minutes until the rice become translucent. Add the sherry or brandy and cook for a further 3 minutes. Add the stock a ladle full at a time, cooking out all the stock before you add the next ladle, otherwise the outside of the rice will cook too quickly and you will be left with a crunchy inside. When all the stock has evaporated test that the rice is cooked (it should not be crunchy at all - if it is cook a little longer with some more stock or water) and then add the squash and garlic to the pan and stir well. Stir in the cheese and butter and heat gently for a few minutes. Season and garnish with parsley if using and serve straight away.

Yesterday my hens laid 9 eggs - one each! It is the first time I have been able to identify each of their different eggs and see the full range of colours!

This weekends cake baking project was a 1st birthday cake for a Tigger fan! As my husband pointed it, it was VERY orange. My response.... "Tiggers like orange...and honey...and haycorns and thistles..."! At University (and I am not quite sure I should be admitting this...), I was president of the Winnie the Pooh society. We held early morning pooh stick competitions, returning to college for breakfast at the same time as the rowers and woozle hunts around the city. We had a lovely red and yellow scalf that had been used by the Uni Winnie the Pooh society for years. Eeyore was always my favourite character as he was such a grump - somewhere in the loft I have an eeyore with a detachable tail and a "Pooh goes home to bed" game - I really should dig them out! If I am out in the garden and noone is watching, I sometimes play pooh sticks from our bridge over the stream in our garden!

Happy Easter everyone - I hope that the Easter bunny managed to hide your eggs somewhere safe and snow free. I have to say that it feels more like Christmas here today than Easter with a lovely deep coating of snow. Our nieces Alena, Devina and Priyna came to visit yesterday and did a wonderful job of decorating the Easter tree - it is amazing how a few twigs with blossom on can be transformed into something so spectacular. You might just be able to spy the little bird on a nest in the centre above the pink anemone! In exchange, they were rewarded with a few Easter cupcakes and some bags of Easter goodies. Hope that you all have a lovely, relaxing and peaceful weekend.

Our Easter wreath and egg decorations on the rose arch and a visit from the Easter Bunnies Josh and Rosie!

If you are baking this week, why not use any egg shells to make decorated eggs. These are two I decorated yesterday. To blow out your egg pierce a small hole at the top of the egg and a slightly larger one at the bottom - place a cup below and blow into the small hole at the top of the egg. The contents will pour out into the cup. You need quite a bit of puff to get it started. Rinse the eggs and dry thoroughly. Now for the clever bit. I have long admired the German craft of "Serviettentechnik" - I am sure that this probably exists in England already but I have never come across it - perhaps I have not spent enough time in Hobbycraft. Take a paper serviette with small designs and cut out motifs of your choice. The serviette is in three layers and you need to remove the bottom two layers, leaving you with just the design on a very thin piece of tissue. Paint your eggs (two coats - light colours work best) and leave to dry. Then place your tissue picture onto the egg and brush over pva (clear drying) glue - this acts as a varnish and will seal your picture on to the egg. Hey presto - a "hand painted" egg in no time at all! You can use this process on other items - I have a rather nice large stone as a doorstop decorated with pink and green roses.

Tomorrow I am seeing my friend Tina. It was her birthday whilst we were in France so this evening I have baked her a birthday cake - rose, violet and lavender drizzle cake. I found this little bird in a birdcage a while ago and I knew straight away that she would look lovely on top of a cake - it was just a question of finding the right person to bake it for - Happy Birthday Tina xxx Now the only question that remains is how to transport it to London...!

You will have to forgive the absence of a recipe today - sorry! I have just met my deadline for 4 articles (6 wicked summer berry recipes for the June edition of Delicious and Afternoon tea, Flowerpot baking and violet recipes for Country Kitchen) which have been taking up a lot of time this week. Yesterday I went to the Gala Evening of the Country Living Spring Fair in London - so many lovely things but I was having to be good as I am going back again on Saturday with my Mum and friends Jess and Tina. I did however find two items that I just couldn't resist - firstly, this lovely "Chick, Chick, Chick, Chick, Chicken, lay a little egg for me cushion" which I fell in love with. Secondly, this Easter Bunny Pocket Compass for deciding where to hide eggs. The later is of no use whatsoever, but it was so cute (and in my favourite duck egg blue colour) that I just had to have it. I am sure that our nephews and nieces will make good use of it in their Easter Egg hunt in our garden when they next visit.

They say good things come in threes. Yesterday I received my three latest articles all in one go which was lovely and made me feel almost like a genuine cookery writer. This month's Country Kitchen article is 4 breads made with herbs - Cheese and chive, Chorizo and Tarragon, Basil barleycorn twist and Rosemary olive oil bread. Country House has Mussels with Guinness and Poppy Seed Soda bread and finally I have two recipes in this month's Delicious Magazine ( you are going to have to take my word for it as they are part of the 20 recipe Chocolate Heaven feature - but I wrote them honest!) - Chocolate Praline Fondant Fancies and Chocolate Peanut Crumble Cookies.