60 Flights of Stairs and a Sand Cake

I’m utterly exhausted, but in a good way. This morning I spent two and a half hours going up and down stairs, ringing doorbells and asking people to donate to the Danish Cancer Research Society. Yes, the same society I’m donating all my book proceeds to this month. It was very heartwarming to meet so many generous people who, although they did not have much to give, gave whatever they could. 60 flights of stairs. No wonder my legs hurt.

When I got home I went straight back to my book on the balcony. I think that will be my reading and writing nook for spring and summer. I love the idea of starting a new story while looking over the water. It did mean I had to drag myself away from there to bake, even though I knew exactly which cake I wanted. One of the buildings I went to smelled exactly like my great-grandmother’s kitchen when this cake was in the oven. It’s probably the most traditional Danish cake you can get. It’s called a Sand Cake.

You will need:

200g soft butter
200g sugar
200g flour
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla sugar

Beat the eggs and sugar together. Sift in the flour and vanilla sugar and mix well. Add the butter, a little at a time and mix until smooth. Grease a rectangular bread tin and add the mix. Draw a line down the middle with a knife. Bake at 175C in the bottom middle of the oven for approximately 50 minutes.

It’s perfect with coffee or tea and was a great way to finish off this relaxing (despite the 60 flights of stairs) weekend.

Back to the balcony now.