Thoughts on baking

As I was grating carrots earlier in preparation for baking carrot and orange cake (recipe to follow) I got to thinking about maths and how in many ways it is similar to baking and how that could be one of the reasons why I like both of them. Granted, the product of baking tastes far better than the product of any mathematics. However, the feeling of pride after successfully having got from the start to the finish after following all the right steps in the right order to get to a satisfactory end product is the same in both cases.

Carrot and Orange cake

Ingredients:
12oz plain flour
8oz grated carrot
2oz dessicated coconut
6oz margarine
4oz sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp mixed spice
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tbsp vinegar
1/2 pint orange juice

1. Set the oven to 170C.
2. Grease and line a baking tin with greaseproof paper.
   
3. Stir the flour, sugar, salt, spice and bicarb in a large mixing bowl.
4. Rub the margarine into this mixture with your fingers.
5. Once the mixture has an even consistency, stir in the coconut, followed by the carrot.
6. Pour the vinegar and orange juice over the mixture and stir well, but quickly.
7. Pour the mixture into the tin and pop it in the oven for 1 hour and 45 mins.
8. Test with a cold knife after this time. If it comes out without any cake on it then the cake is ready.
9. Leave the cake in the tin on a wire rack to start cooling.
10. Once it is cool enough to touch, remove the cake from the tin and remove the baking paper.
11. Store cake in an airtight container once it is completely cool.