Mini lemon & blueberry loaves with lemon drizzle

Did I ever tell you I love a mini loaf? Its not too small and its not too big, just right (as Goldilocks would say). They pack well in square containers, big enough for the big school appetite and big enough for a morning tea break without being too full for lunch. Oh what the heck! I love cake, at any size but I do love how these mini loaves turn out.

I was lucky enough to take part in trialling some of the new Coles Create & Bake range and I must admit, what could be so different about these packet mixes that I haven’t tried before? I’ve always bought the ‘no name’ brand for the kid’s birthday cakes and I might use one if I’ve got to ‘take a plate’, that age old Australian tradition of taking something with you when you’ve been invited for a bite to eat.

I really had visions of something with lemon and blueberries so I picked up the blueberry mix in the Create & Bake range and was pleasantly surprised at how full of actual blueberries it was. There was two packets of blueberries in the box and the other will keep for a long time in the pantry. I filled the mini loaf pan with the delightfully lemon scented batter (and I got to lick the bowl all by myself) and swirled through the chunky blueberry puree.

If you had ‘smellovision’, when these little loaves finished baking the house smelt like a cake shop. I was really surprised at how well the loaves had risen and how the cake had such a beautiful crumb, very much like a homemade cake and unlike normal packet cake mixes.

I had one packet of the lemon icing mix in the Coles Create & Bake range leftover from the Apple & Ginger Cakes with Lemon Icing I made the other day so used that to drizzle over the cake. I served it with some new, in season strawberries, with a cup of hot tea in Mum’s china and I felt like a Queen.

I think I’ll be keeping a couple of packets of this basic lemon cake mix on hand, if not for the convenience but for the taste and the versatility of this mix. Stay tuned for another recipe using the lemon cake mix later this week.

Disclaimer:  This is not a sponsored post. I received products from the Coles Create & Bake range to try. All thoughts, opinions, photos and recipes are my own.

Pineapple & Mint Cakes with Lime Drizzle

You know me and those silly cravings I get. I had a craving to make a Hummingbird Cake a few weeks ago but that didn’t happen so I’ve had a can of crushed pineapple staring at me in the pantry every time I opened the door. No point making big cakes in our house anymore otherwise I just eat the lot. I bought myself a mini loaf pan and this pineapple recipe was perfect.

Ideally, one of these ‘mini’ loaves might do two people but I ate the whole thing. It wasn’t that big, really. This recipe can be made in a normal sized loaf pan, a ring pan, round pan or cupcakes. You could also add lime zest to the icing for a bit of extra lime taste.

Pineapple & Mint Cakes with Lime Drizzle

• 1 1/2 half cups plain flour
• 1 x 450g can crushed pineaple in natural juice
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 tbs dried mint leaves (or 2 tbs Gourmet Garden mint)
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 6 tablespoons oil (I use canola)
• 1 teaspoon bicarb soda
• half teaspoon salt
• 1 cup icing sugar
• enough lime juice to mix with icing sugar to form a honey-like consistency for Lime Drizzle

1. Turn oven to 180 C (375 F). Grease or line baking tin well.
2. Mix the flour, sugar, canned pineapple (including juice) and water in a bowl.
3. Add mint, vinegar, oil, baking soda and salt. Mix well.
4. Pour into the tin. Bake 20 to 25 minutes.
5. Cool for 10 minutes then take out of tin.
6. Drizzle with lime icing.