30/08/2026
🐝 Not a cake in sight… but a VERY busy kitchen!
I don’t have any bespoke cakes to show you this weekend, but that certainly doesn’t mean nothing has been happening in the **Ally Bee kitchen!** 🐝🎂
Today has been dedicated to one of the less glamorous — but incredibly important — parts of running my little home bakery.
Cupboards have been emptied and sorted, expiry dates checked, counters cleared, and the kitchen has been **disinfected and steam cleaned from top to bottom**, making sure everything is in tip-top condition and keeping up with my food hygiene standards. 🧼✨
In between all that, I’ve answered customer enquiries, prepared quotes, planned upcoming cakes and ordered edible prints from the amazing company Incredible Toppers. https://incredibletoppers.co.uk/?srsltid=AfmBOoph8N_D_mus4De4OweP-WOyYBQuQCiEzulTNnCwgndMzZDNjNtv
But after all that cleaning, my incredible husband deserved a little TLC… and what could be better than **warm homemade scones?** ❤️
Now, full disclosure… I got slightly sidetracked on the phone to my little sister and they may have had a *few extra minutes* in the oven. 😂 But nothing that lashings of **real salted butter, strawberry jam and thick double cream** couldn't sort out!
And before anyone starts… I am NOT entering the *jam first or cream first* debate. 🤣 Mine get **BUTTER first**, followed by plenty of jam and a completely unreasonable amount of cream. End of discussion! 😂
Now it's finally time to sit down quietly and **BREATHE** before the cake orders begin again tomorrow.
And because **sharing is caring**, here's the quick scone recipe I use. I can't take credit for creating it — but whoever first came up with it, **I salute you!** 👏
**Quick Scones – Makes about 8**
**Ingredients:**
250g plain flour
1 tbsp baking powder
2 tbsp sugar
½ tsp salt
85g cold butter, cubed
160ml milk, plus a little for brushing
1 tsp vanilla extract *(optional)*
**Method:**
1. Heat the oven to **220°C (200°C fan)** and line a baking tray.
2. Mix the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.
3. Rub in the cold butter until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
4. Add the milk and vanilla and gently bring together into a soft dough — **don't overwork it**.
5. Pat to roughly 2.5cm thick and cut into rounds or 8 wedges.
6. Brush with a little milk and bake for approximately **12–15 minutes until golden**.
💡 **My tip:** Keep everything cold and handle that dough as little as possible for lovely light scones.
Now I'm putting my feet up and enjoying what's left of the Bank Holiday. Tomorrow it's back to **cake orders, buttercream and all things Ally Bee!** 🎂🐝💕
Hope you're all having a lovely Bank Holiday weekend. ❤️
**And just for fun… what goes on YOUR perfect scone?**
Butter? Jam? Cream? All three? 👇😋
