Let's talk rhubarb

Bit of radio silence recently due to a trip oop north for the niece's 18th birthday shenanigans. More of that later.

Cake club first. Our inaugural meeting was set for 26th January and I was a bit nervous about it. I won't lie to you, I'm not a natural joiner (socially speaking, not whittling) and dread that glazed look my victim gets when I attempt a bit of small talk - seems not everyone loves Escape to Chimp Eden as much as me - so I approached it with a bit of trepidation. I shouldn't have worried. We had a blast. Everyone there was so much fun and the cakes were amazing. You may remember I was toying with rhubarb for my contribution, the theme being "cakes with benefits". I love rhubarb. I love any word with a silent H. And I love custard. So I tried this little number. It went down well but if you want the full S.P., my trusty co-organiser @riversidebaking has done a splendid post about the meeting so do have a gander.

Laura's cake

A quick word about the niece's cake. She loved it. And I was really pleased with it too. And what's more, the talented little rascal took some great pics of it, and a few other cakes I made whilst I was there too. I know I sound like a biased Aunty, and I probably am but one thing is for sure, I really need to up my game, photo-wise this year.

Anyway, I won't bang on about the niece. Like Escape to Chimp Eden, it's a subject I find endlessly fascinating but I can feel your eyes beginning to glaze.

To return to rhubarb, my tasters expressed some interest in the whole rhubarb and custard vibe when I mentioned my cake club offering during the last delivery. In fact, one of them accosted me in the street yesterday complaining about the lack of cake last week and were they still getting the promised rhubarb one to rate? So, let's see how they rate it. I want to mention the stencil pattern on the cake, but it's difficult. Jon, god of spatulas, bought me a cracking set of cake stencils but I'm having a right flounce with him at the moment. He's in PR and, more specifically PR of a technical persuasion. He's having these "Tech PR" drinks tonight and refuses to invite me (or tell me where it's being held), despite my offer to demonstrate how to answer the iPhone to his techie friends. And he's flaunting these drinks all over Twitter, knowing full well that I stalk him. So please join me in a group tantrum and don't even look at the lovely stencil effect.

I don't know about you, but having a tantrum always makes me feel out of sorts. What to do to perk us all up then?

I have no words.