Coffee and Cake

A spur of the moment's invitation, brought on by unaccustomed bonhomie, to four neighbours to come for coffee and cake on Wednesday evening has made me look to my laurels and bake yet another cake.
There is just enough domestic goddess lurking within me that a bought cake would be an admission of defeat and I must suffer for my hospitality, otherwise it would all be too easy and angst free.

It is a flourless ( I'm a devil for punishment) almond and apricot cake and I have blipped most of the ingredients so that you can see that there is no excuse for failure on account of the contents.

With bated breath I have taken it from the oven and am currently waiting to see if the middle will cave in as per usual. However the topping is dark chocolate mixed with sour cream and should be able to cover any deficiences.

What seems like a gentler form of US storm Sandy seems to have arrived on these shores today. It is blowing a hoolie outside with the trees stripped bare and the eddies of leaves caught in the corner of the house swirling and jigging against the kitchen window with a constant rapping noise as if they want to get inside to the warmth.

With my friend o.m.t's having a birthday during the week I have offered to do the visiting this afternoon. I will be borne along on the wings of the storm at least in one direction.