Let Them Eat Cake

Over the last few weeks, Eddie-B has been flooded with students, the clubs of Leeds have become somewhat quieter and Facebook and Twitter are peppered with statuses of frustration. Yes: the deadline period is upon us all. Whilst carefree freshers are living the dream, the majority of Leeds University students are cracking under the pressure.

Recently, I’ve overheard so many people attempting to keep organised and stay driven, but – more interestingly – trying to find ways to avoid stress eating. Honestly though, why avoid it? During times of essay writing and revision, we should allow ourselves to embrace all our guilty pleasures and indulge in the little treats we’ve been dodging for so long. If there’s a point at which you can guiltlessly do this, it’s now. Why get even more frustrated in attempting to ignore your overwhelming chocolate cravings? It makes life a lot harder!

(photograph by Jaemie Paraon Nov. 2011, http://calibermag.org/articles/in-hindsight-thankful-for-a-break/stressed-student/)

We all have our own rituals which help us de-stress. For some, a good teary phone call and some pearls of wisdom from mum do the trick. But I find that after I’ve been battling over an essay, there’s nothing more satisfying than baking. Sad? Maybe! But there’s something about an afternoon spent measuring and mixing which I find therapeutic, not to mention the added bonus of a delicious end result. I am a very keen baker, and even during my most stressful weeks – with multiple deadlines and endless reading to do – I find enough time to bake a cake… or two. This is why I can’t help but abandon my ‘diet’ – because I find a slice of cake with my evening cuppa solves all of my problems. And to be honest, I’m sure it would do the same for all students who appreciate the deliciousness of homemade baked goods.

Of course, all cakes are undeniably yummy, but I have a few favourites, the very best of which work magically to ease my stress. So here are my five favourite cakes to help you get through your deadlines…

1. Chocolate Cake

No doubt you all saw this one coming, and with good reason, because this cake is indisputably the ultimate in indulgent cake experiences. There is something magical about chocolate cake, and especially this recipe. Once it’s been heated in the microwave and dressed with a dollop of ice cream, all your worries melt away in a velvety, chocolatey heaven. My favourite recipe (for the king of all chocolate cakes) is BBC Good Food’s very own. The buttermilk is what makes its oozy, moist texture, and I love it so much that I try to recreate the consistency in all my cakes by using buttermilk in everything!

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/3092/ultimate-chocolate-cake

2. Carrot Cake

What I love about carrot cake is that you don’t have to feel guilty when eating it, as in my eyes it’s classed as one of your five a day. Of course, that is simply my ethos with all cakes: add fruit or vegetables to remove any sense of guilt. Like the buttermilk in the chocolate recipe, the carrots are what make the cake so famously moist and rich. I find that the best recipe for carrot cake is from The Guardian’s ‘How to cook perfect carrot cake’. It does what it says on the tin. The article goes through each element of the cake and highlights both its importance and how it can be varied. So even if you’ve never made a carrot cake before (in which case, shame on you!), you should check this recipe out.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2012/mar/15/how-to-cook-perfect-carrot-cake

3. Victoria Sponge with Strawberry Jam and Cream

The Victoria Sponge is beautifully simple, whilst being equally delicious. It’s cheap and easy to make, meaning you have no excuse! Its light sponge is deceivingly delightful: it allows you to have more than one slice and it makes you feel as though it has fewer calories (ignoring the cream of course). Happy days! Also, following my baking ethos, I like to throw in some mixed berries with the jam and cream, just to make it even more delicious and guilt-free.

(photo: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oLtT…)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/victoriaspongewithst_90309

4. Lemon Drizzle Cake

Another of my favourites is of course the lemon cake with its zingy drizzle. It’s great because it’s easy to make, you don’t need to be a goddess in the kitchen, and the ingredients aren’t expensive – you’ll probably have most of them in your fridge and cupboards. My favourite recipe is one of Nigella’s, mainly because she uses syrup to soak the cake, which, when teamed with a glaze, makes for the most lemony experience.

http://www.theextraordinaryartofcake.com/2010/05/nigella-lawsons-perfect-every-time.html

5. Coffee and Walnut Cake

For me, the ultimate combo for de-stressing is a slice of cake accompanied by a cup of coffee. Honestly, they are a match made in heaven – destined for one another. Recently, I have been drinking an unhealthy amount of coffee, and I thought what better to go with it than a coffee cake. Moist, rich, indulgent, and with all the ingredients at an arm’s reach – what more could you want? Now sticking to the pros, I like to use BBC Good Food’s recipe, which I find makes a very delicious cake.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/coffeeandwalnutcake_87248

So there are my five favourite easy cake recipes to help you get through your deadlines! Enjoy!

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