Beehive cake

Baking mode is on today. Bake this beehive cake for the first time. Taste good and the texture is just right. I must lower the oven temperature next time to avoid the rising and cracking problem.

My first beehive cake

Ingredients:

1/2 can sweetened condensed milk - 194g
3 tbs butter

Sieve together:
120g flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda

5 large eggs
1 cup castor sugar
200ml hot water


Method

1. Beat condensed milk and butter till pale and fluffy. Gently fold in sifted dry ingredients. 
2. In another bowl, beat eggs till fluffy and almost double in volume (I used hand whisk, maybe should use blender). Add into the condensed milk batter.
3. Caramelize the castor sugar in a thick-based pot till it dissolves (I feel so 'syiok' looking at the white sugar turns to brown - first time did this). Add in hot water slowly and stir till it forms syrup. Stir to combine well. Turn off heat. Let it cool. 
4. Fold slowly the caramel into the mixed batter but don't overfold or air bubbles will be deflated.
5. I left the mixture in the kitchen for 7 hours before baking. Some recipes said leave for 2 - 3 hours and another baker left hers unintentionally for overnight. But I want to make sure I will get the beehive texture so 7 hours it is.
6. Pour the cake batter into prepared tin and bake for 160C at 40 mins (I tried 175C but I should stick to 160C next time).

Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre (SECC)

Been there last month but forgot to share the pics (only a few). Anyway, it was too cold that day and our fingers became numb during the photo shooting process.

The covered overhead bridge

 SECC is Scotland's premier national venue for public events, concerts and conferences

 To BBC Scotland

 Night view

 Hubby said they are so smart to use a windmill there to generate power, thanks to the strong wind

My first hiking experience to Ben Arthur (aka The Cobbler)

One hour train to this highland...not counting the journey of walking to reach the mountain yet. Have to climb the path of stones in the heavy rain to reach the peak of the mountain. We counted the hours of climbing the mountain ~ more than 4 hours.

There were 12 of us but the four of us (Trisha, Janna, Jenny (8-year-old), and me) only managed to go 3/4 of the way and decided that we didn't want to continue to the peak as the young girl said no and our bodies said no too. My nose kept on dripping when I was walking in the rain - this trip reminded me to buy a jacket with a hood next time.

~Let the pics show you the beauty of nature (can be prettier if the sky is sunny blue)~

The hiking group

Too bad the dark clouds were coming our way

Washing face with the spring water

The waterfall

Hehe, feel so excited even though haven't reach the peak yet

Lunch break

The "sensible" ones were going down the mountain (including me)

while the "tough" ones were still trying to reach the peak

The real view is superb

We stopped at this hotel to have a cup of hot cocoa - anything hot is good enough for me

Despite the smiling faces and the fun, my leg muscles start to become painful for the next two days - but worth it cos we sweat a lot and it is a good experience.