Happy 27th Birthday Karl

It was twenty-seven years today,
Mamma brought you to the show
You’ve been going in and out of BNE
And you’re guaranteed to raise a smile
So may I introduce to you,
The act you’ve known for all these years
Karl Johann Palsson, the first-born
We’re so very proud of you
We hope you are too
Karl Johann Palsson, the first-born
Sit back and let the evening go
Karl Johann Palsson, Karl Johan Palsson
Karl Johann Palsson, the first-born
It’s wonderful you are there
It’s certainly a thrill.

Happy Birthday Big Brother.

I was speaking to Karl on MSN the other day and asked him for the sake of it what sort of cake he wanted for his birthday and he answered with Lemon Poppy Seed Cake which was quite a surprise as I had bought lemons and poppys eeds the other day as I wanted to try my hand at making a Lemon Poppy Seed Cake. Karl may not be on the right side of the globe to enjoy his cake but still when Mum and I cut the cake we had a candle and wished you happy birthday.

I used a recipe from Southern Living to which I added more poppy seeds and more lemon juice.

Lemon Poppy Seed Cake.
Adapted from Southern Living

225g cooking margarine, softened
2.5 cups sugar
6 eggs
3 cups plain flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 cup buttermilk or sour cream (I used half and half as I had some left over sour cream to use up)
2 tsp vanilla
zest and juice of 1 large lemon
3-4 tbs poppy seeds

1. Preheat oven to 160°C.
2. Cream margarine and sugar and then mix in the eggs one or two at a time.
3. Mix in the flour and baking soda and the buttermilk/sour cream in alternate parts until just combined.
4. Mix in vanilla, poppy seeds, lemon juice and zest
5. Cook in a 24cm spring form cake tin for 1hr 30 minutes (The recipe on Southern Living has directions for all sorts of other sizes but basically just use your common sense)

Lemon Cream Cheese Icing
zest of one medium sized lemon
juice of half above lemon
dash of vanilla
2 or 3 tbs caster sugar
200g or so cream cheese softened.

1. Cream together cream cheese and sugar.
2. Add the lemon zest, juice and vanilla and beat till smooth
3. Ice the cake

I personally am not a fan of sugary sweet icing, it should be accompany the cake and not overbear it, however if you like sweet icing just add more sugar.

And now for two other items of news.
I am tickled pink to announce that my uni results came out for the semester the other day day and I recieved FOUR DISTINCTIONS and ONE CREDIT!!! (Marks go High Distinction, Distinction, Credit, Pass, Pass Conceded and Fail)
If anyone can pick the uncanny link between the dates of Karl’s birthday and my birthday there is a piece of cake waiting here for you.