wordle 15 – Victoria Sponge

Take four eggs and weigh them in their shells,
blend with the same weight of richer butter
add sweetness with an equal weight of sugar.
Take a deep breath, use a flexible whisk
and forceful energy to beat the hell out of them
until the mix dramatically becomes  light and fluffy

The tricks of the trade
require you now to replace
energy with lightness, tenderness and love.
Sift the same weight of plain flour,
with a teaspoon of baking powder
into your frothy batter,
holding it high above the bowl
so that it falls like white rain.

Push the hair out of your eyes
with the back of your hand
and exchange whisk for metal spoon.
Gently, lightly, turn your wrist
over and over until the flour merges
and all is smooth again.

Your oven is ready, hot but not too hot,
Two loose-bottomed tins are lined
with baking parchment.
Divide the pale mixture quietly
between the tins, and place
in the middle part of the oven,
being careful not to joggle them.

Now you must be patient.
Glance in on them from time to time –
you don’t want them to burst into flames –
but you mustn’t open the door.
I repeat, do not keep opening the door.

When the cakes have risen evenly,
and acquired an all over light tan,
now you can open the door.
Reach in with hesitant finger
and gingerly touch  the middle.
Each perfectly cooked cake
will spring back at once,
to where it was before you prodded it.
 
Take out your luscious booty,
stand the tins on a board for a breather.
Now you must be brave.
Push up the bottom of each tin,
and cautiously slide the cake
in its paper onto a wire rack.
Remove the rings and paper
and wait another little while
until they’re cool.

Spread home-made jam –
any flavour will do – on one;
slap on a dollop of thick cream,
stack the other one on top,
lightly dust with caster sugar
and enjoy your teatime treat –
the perfect Victoria Sponge.

Brenda described this week’s wordle words as a baker’s dozen, so my poem naturally sprang from thoughts of baking.  The best butter and thick cream are counsels of perfection – the cake may be lighter made with margarine, but won’t taste as good.  It also helps to add a tablespoon of cold water to the egg mix.

I used all the words.  I missed last week’s wordle, so I hope you’ll forgive this rather long one. There will, I am sure, be less prosaic wordles on Sunday morning at http://sundaywhirl.wordpress.com/