Doodge's Israeli Yoghurt Cake

My friend Doodge (Lisa is her proper name) made this cake for me years ago and as soon as I tasted it I HAD to have the recipe.  She very kindly shared it with me and I have been happily making this cake ever since. It's delicious! It's not what I call an 'in your face cake', it's subtle, understated and very very moreish. It's best eaten warm with a big dollop of vanilla yoghurt on top. It's got a lot of yoghurt in it and layers of cinnamon, brown sugar and pecan nuts in-between. This time round all the pecans slid into the middle of the cake for some reason and were not as evenly distributed as I would have liked, but it was still very yummy!

My friend, Doodge and I live very far away from each other now, the last time I saw her was over 2 years ago! I miss her friendship everyday and feel like she's in the kitchen with me whenever I make this cake.

Pre oven...

Post oven...

Pecan Nut Pies

My second lot of baking this December is for my work colleagues. I am very privileged to work at an amazing school here in Perth. It's one of the best private schools in the state and I have learned so much since I began working there two years ago. Some of it has been really challenging but most of it has been great!

I am lucky to work with such wonderful people, they are inspiring and supportive and I feel valued by them. So at the end of the year I like to give them a little tasty morsel to nibble on whilst reading my Thank You/Christmas card. I had been thinking about what to make for quite some time but just couldn't decide so I hopped onto a few baking blogs for some ideas. While I was reading one of my favourite blogs, Bakerella I saw that she had been baking Pecan Pies, this inspired me and I decided that I would make some of these babies for my work friends. So here are my very own versions...

Plum Tray Bake with White Chocolate Custard

So I'm am filled with the joys of Christmas, it is my favourite time of year! The weather has warmed up, but it's not too hot, school is almost done with and a wonderful 8 week holiday awaits me. Oh what I shall do with those weeks! 

So I have been putting all my happiness into decorating our little house, dabbling in a little present buying and baking (of course!).