
The first time The Eldest went off to camp with his school was just for one night. Not too much of a wrench you might wonder.
But it was… very, very much so.
I carried a mixed bag of feelings as we farewelled the bus – watching him in his seat as he chatted animatedly to his friends; he didn’t even register the departure.
Yes, yes Jonathan Livingston Seagull – set them free etc. – I know I know…
The house echoed. The silence that I so often longed for – resounding. Unpleasantly so.
The Youngest wandered around looking for things to do alone – then gave up and went to snooze on his absent brother’s bed.
It’s beginning I thought. Although of course as parents we know it starts as soon as they are born and it is as it should be. The ability for your children to function on their own, happy and with confidence. Not everyone is blessed with this gift – some children need constant assistance.
Here it is – the niggle that came to the surface as an aha moment, half way through his trip.
This truly was the first experience where The Eldest would have have memories of which I played no part. Other than packing his bag and kissing him goodbye I was not of that trip. So begins his life, still tied to my heart – but not clutching to my side.
Those of us left behind had a great time, The Youngest revelled in having us to himself. But because we were three – it felt odd to not be the matching pairs of four.
In honour of The Eldest”s return The’Youngest and I made his favourite chocolate cake. One that my Mum used to make for our birthday parties – it is easy for kids to follow with a little help, tastes of love and is light as fluff – not a heavy cake at all. As the handwritten recipe says “big enough to feed a shearing gang for morning tea…”


Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
200g unsalted butter
2 cups caster sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup milk (soured with dash of vinegar)
1 cup freshly made coffee
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups self-raising flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
¾ cup cocoa
pinch salt
ICING (optional)
3 cups icing sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 tablespoons softened unsalted butter
3-4 tablespoons pre-boiled warm water
Method
1.Preheat the oven
•Turn the oven on to 160C.
2. Prepare the baking dish
•Spray the baking dish with olive oil spray to prevent the cake from sticking during cooking.
•Or line the dish with baking paper.
3. Make the cake – wet ingredients
•Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy with the whisk.
•Add the vanilla and then the eggs, one at a time, adding a spoonful of flour between each.
•Add the milk and the coffee.
4.The dry ingredients
•Mix the flour, the cocoa, the baking soda and the salt together.
5.Mix ingredients together
•Carefully mix the flour mixture into the butter mixture with the wooden spoon.
•It is important to mix quickly and stir just a couple of stirs (be very careful not to mix too much or the cake will not rise nicely and it will taste tough).
6.Fill the baking dish
•Without delay quickly spoon the mixture into the baking dish. Using two spoons to scrape the mixture in.
7.Cook the cake
•Put the filled dish in the oven and cook for about 45minutes – or until risen and bounces back when pressed.
•Using oven mitts, remove the dish from the oven & set it on the cooling rack to cool.
8.Make the icing
•While the cake is cooking, make the icing.
•Sift the icing sugar and cocoa into a bowl, add the butter and mix together with enough pre-boiled warm water to make a thick but spoonable icing. When cold ice the cake. Use the back of a butter knife to spread the icing on top of the cake.