With January and February behind us and March creeping on (I could have said marching on but I’m not that pedantic or crass) and the 26th March, as well as being Mothering Sunday, is the day the clocks leap into spring!

In honour of this I have a couple of good old celebration cakes to usher in the new season. Taken from a book of Farmhouse Recipes dating back to the mid-eighties, the first has to be the strawberry cake!

What could be better with a nice chilled glass of bubbly alongside?

To follow there is a ginger sponge and a chocolate layer cake to add to the mix.

The chocolate inclusion is quite appropriate but the ginger, although becoming more accepted, is still a little bit risque!

Me I love ginger! I add it to such diverse dishes as peach crumble, shortbread biscuits and caramel cheesecake!

Fresh, it will brighten up the best curry, or enhance many a pork dish.

It features widely in Chinese and Malaysian cuisine as well as Indian, Pakistani and Sri Lankan dishes.

Hmmm. I feel an ‘Origins Of . . .’ post coming on to clarify the stuff in greater detail! Meanwhile, enjoy the cakes and don’t forget to have a glass of bubbly for me!