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Margaret Megard
Editor

Growing up in a family with more creativity than money, Margaret’s parents embarrassed her by decorating their home with second-hand furniture and castoffs they lovingly painted, varnished and restored. Today, she thinks they were incredibly resourceful and talented and is happy to report that some of that resourcefulness spark has rubbed off on her. After a decade of editing home magazines such as Our House and Country Home Ideas, Margaret has seen tonnes of houses and when it comes to home decorating, she is keen to share what she thinks works and what doesn’t.

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Simple Baking
March 13, 2011, 10:58 am

Simple Baking

I enjoy baking simple cakes for my family. They’re usually tea cakes or cupcakes with minimal icing or decoration, but I do use the freshest eggs, butter and ingredients I can muster and they’re definitely made with love. Because they’re plain and unadorned, I try to jazz them up by serving them on vintage plates, antique cake stands or even on a piece of cardboard that I’ve wrapped with a wallpaper sample or favourite scrap of fabric. Recently my beloved mother-in-law came to stay with us for a week or two. She’s retired from kitchen duties so I thought I’d return the favour for all the scones she’s made for me throughout the years and I baked my never-fail yellow cake.

In an effort to expand my cooking repertoire, I’ve begun to explore other uncomplicated recipes and have had a degree of success with a carrot cake, a cake made with apples – and a banana cake. As I try to fool myself into thinking that cakes made from fruit and vegies are healthier than those with chocolate, my next experiment involves pears and I am thinking of trying out a few tried-and-true recipes from the Country Women’s Association. It’s reassuring to know that over the years, they’ve ironed out all the rough edges and the recipes are truly as good as it gets. It just takes a bit of preparation and knowing your own strengths and weaknesses. For me, I know that over-iced and tizzed cakes aren’t my forte and I intend to keep it simple in the kitchen.