There’s been a bit of a debate at “Turtle Towers” this week about Britishness. Perhaps it’s the prospect of Jubilee celebrations that have got us mulling this over but the one thing we all agree typifies Britishness is the slightly barmy things we do when the sun comes out (and even when it doesn’t!)

Not only do we have a propensity to fling clothes (and modesty) to the wind when the weather sneaks above 18ºC we also seem to believe ourselves imbued with superhuman powers as soon as the days lengthen (I like to call this May Madness). What other explanation could there be for throwing yourself down a hill after a cheese (unless you were very, very hungry) or seeing shin-kicking as a sport? We are lucky enough that “Turtle Towers” is nestled in the Cotswolds and it seems (whether by accident or design I wouldn’t like to speculate) to be the epicentre of quite a lot of the “crazy” and we love it.

Monday, 4^th June 2012 – Cheese Rolling at Cooper’s Hill 2012

http://www.cheese-rolling.co.uk/index1.htm

Heading out towards Gloucester at Coopers Hill we have the infamous (and now unofficial) cheese rolling on the late spring bank holiday. I have been lucky enough to be there in recent years jostling for position with the German and American TV crews and could only marvel at the recklessness that leads men and women to hurl themselves down a slope with a gradient of 1-in-2 and sometimes 1-in-1 into the waiting arms of the local rugby team.

Monday, 4^th June 2012 – Tetbury Wool Sack Races

http://www.tetburywoolsack.co.uk

Even closer to us are the Tetbury Wool Sack Races also held on the bank holiday weekend at the end of May; where teams and individuals carry 60lb wool sacks up a 1-in-4 gradient hill . This is Tetbury’s idea of a fun race! The tradition arises from rivalry between two local pubs – The Crown and The Royal Oak.

Friday, 1^st June 2012 – Robert Dover’s Cotswold Olimpicks

http://www.olimpickgames.co.uk

Finally, an event I attended for the first time a few years ago, Robert Dover’s Cotswold Olimpicks, where the self-explanatory shin-kicking competition takes place. Celebrating 400 years of the Cotswold Olimpicks in 2012 with extended celebrations, villagers and tourists alike venture to a field just outside the centre of Chipping Campden to see all sorts of events, most notably competitors kicking each other’s shins (ouch!) The culmination of this fabulous evening is a firework display and a torchlight walk back into the heart of Chipping Campden where a band entertains the assembled crowd.

We believe the greatest thing about these events (aside from the camaraderie of wincing at someone else risking their limbs) is their support of rural traditions, practices and businesses; whether this be Smarts Farm of Churcham, Gloucestershire – the makers of the much chased Double Gloucester or the Tetbury and Chipping Campden pubs which benefit from increased trade.

Makes me proud that I as well as Turtle Mats are “Made in Britain”.

…May not keep the doctor away but definitely keeps a smile on our faces here at “Turtle Towers”.

With Jubilee street parties fast approaching, we’ve been baking up a storm trying to find the perfect sweet treat with which to celebrate. The first of these delights is a cupcake recipe!

As always, we would love to hear from you whether it be with recipes, pics of kitchen successes (or disasters), stories of how your Turtle Mats help catch culinary spills (they definitely helped when road-testing this recipe) or any other foodie thoughts.

So without further ado, here’s the scrumptious cupcake recipe.

Magnolia Bakery’s Red Velvet Cupcakes (with Turtle Mat tweaks) with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

A rich, moist and unashamedly decadent American classic! The red colour of these cakes originally came from unrefined cocoa powder but today is often made with red food colouring. However, here at Turtle Mat we like to keep things as natural as possible so have improvised with raspberry juice – the cakes now take on a slight pink hue instead!

Makes around 24 cupcakes

For the cakes:

500g plain flour

165g unsalted butter, softened

500g sugar

3 medium eggs, at room temperature

6tbsp of reduced raspberry juice** (rather than the red food colouring in the original recipe)

3tbsp unsweetened cocoa

1 ½ tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp salt

330ml buttermilk

1 ½ tsp white wine vinegar

1 ½ tsp bicarbonate soda

** For the reduced raspberry juice

A generous handful of raspberries (about 20)

1 ½ tbsp of icing sugar

A “splash“ of water

For the frosting/topping:

300g cream cheese (we used half fat, futilely trying to keep the calories in check)

60g butter, at room temperature

340g icing sugar

1 ½ tsp vanilla extract

24 raspberries

•  Preheat oven to 180C/gas mark 4
• Place cupcake cases in cupcake trays and set aside
• Sift the plain flour into a small bowl and set aside
• Create the raspberry juice by placing the raspberries, icing sugar and water in a pan over a low hear and leave (stirring occasionally) until enough juice is produced for 6tbsp or so; the juice should be roughly the consistency of single cream. Leave the reduced raspberries to cool and then strain the juice.
• Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy and smooth (it’s best to use an electric hand whisk for this, rather than a hand whisk as I found out when testing the recipe here at Turtle Mat)
• Add the eggs, one at a time to the butter and sugar mix, beating well after each addition.
• Mix into a paste the cocoa powder, cooled and strained raspberry juice and vanilla extract. Add to the batter and again beat well.
• Add the salt to the batter then add the buttermilk and flour in three parts, alternating between them and folding the flour in carefully so it is fully incorporated but so the mix isn’t “overworked”
• Mix together the white wine vinegar and bicarbonate soda (watch it fizz!) and then gently add to the cupcake mix (ensuring again it is fully incorporated).
• Divide the mix into the cupcake cases and bake each tin of cakes for 20 mins (or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean).
• Whilst the cupcakes are baking make the cream cheese frosting by whizzing all the ingredients together in a food processor until thoroughly combined. This will appear quite liquid so place in the fridge for about an hour to firm up a little before use.
• Cool the cupcakes in their tins for about 10 mins and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before adding the frosting.
• Top each cupcake with a raspberry and then enjoy!