Charity Launches Blooming Great Tea Party

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A simple and enjoyable way of raising money for Marie Curie Cancer Care

Jane Asher is a supporter of Marie Curie Cancer Care and a passionate cake baker. She would like to invite as many people as possible to join the charity’s Blooming Great Tea Party celebrations this summer.

Marie Curie Cancer Care is inviting people to hold their own tea parties any time between 12 June and 12 July to raise money for the charity. Every tea party, however big or small will help more Marie Curie Nurses to provide free care for terminally ill people in their own homes or one of the charity’s hospices.

Instead of going out for an expensive meal, a tea party at home can be just as much fun and can, at the same time, enable Marie Curie Nurses to support families through a very difficult time. From the simplest gathering of a few friends to an elegant high tea or a teddy bears tea party, there are loads of different ways of enjoying this great British tradition, and it’s a great excuse to get together with friends old and new, and show off your baking skills.

If you hold your tea party and send in the proceeds by August 31, you will be entered into a draw to win one of 10 signed copies of Jane Asher's book ‘Beautiful Baking’.

To inspire everyone, here is a delicious Jane Asher recipe to get the ball rolling:

Jane says: "You can’t go wrong with lemon, one of my very favourite tastes, and it makes for a zingy fresh cake that’s great for summer teas. It’s quick to make – and to clear up”

Ingredients
225g spreadable butter
225g caster sugar
4 medium eggs
300g self raising cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Zest and juice of 1 large lemon

Makes 14-16 portions

1.Preheat the oven to 180C (165c fan assisted), 350F, gas mark . Prepare a 30X23 cm baking tray. For deeper slices use a 28X18 tray.
2.Simply put all the ingredients into a large mixing bowl and beat well together.
3.Spoon into baking tray and bake for 35-40 minutes for the shallow cake and 40-45 minutes for the deeper one, until risen and springy to the touch. Let the cake cook in the tray.

Decorating ideas
1.Spread with lemony butter icing. Mark into 16 pieces and decorate each one with a sugar ‘lemon slice’.
2. Drizzle with lemon glace icing and, once it’s set cut into 16 pieces and top each portion with a slice of strawberry or with raspberries. Serve immediately, before the fruit ‘melts’ the icing.

May 22, 2009