Challenge One: Technical - Cherry and Almond Cake

I found the recipe online after a quick google search, Mary Berry of course, and then set to work, weighing, mixing and baking. I have slightly change the recipe as my tin was larger than the recipe states. 

Click here for the recipe. 

But 45mins later when I turned the cake out, it looked good. Just how it should! Thank goodness :)

A lovely drizzle of lemon glacé icing and it was done, so time to taste. 

I didn't know what to expect with the taste really, apart from I thought it would be slighter drier than it was! But it really was yummy, light, very moist with a lemoney kick and added sweetest with the glacé cherries.

I ended eating a couple of slices! One on its own and one after dinner drizzled with homemade custard - that was delicious.

Challenge Two: Signature - Swiss Roll

This bake I made on Sunday morning in time for afternoon tea with my parents. Of course another Mary Berry recipe. But I don't think this went as well as it could have done as I don't have a sieve! (Yes I know a baker without a sieve!!). Swiss rolls are so light that they really do need a sieve as well…though thinking about it now I should have whizzed the flour up in a food processor.

I hadn't made a swiss roll in years and it surprised me with how quick it was to make. A great cake to make in rush.

I made a lemon, raspberry and mascarpone swiss roll and then fed it to my parents and boyfriend. It was actually a very large cake but by the time I took the photograph below - most of it had gone! They seemed to like it but I did notice a few blobs of unsifted flour!

Who else has attempted these recipes?