In a time gone by, yet not that long ago, as the wheel turned there would often be celebrations here at the Cottage, an open invitation to even the most solitary practising witch, an invitation to sip tea and eat cakes that was seldom turned down.
Though the way we connect looks and feels a little different these days, let us not deny ourselves tea and cake.
Here is my own version of a Beltane cake, that can be made completely plant based with a few changes, is a nod to Scottish tradition, and includes produce from the cottage garden, including lemon thyme, an herb known to be used in magick to ease grief and trauma, and lemon rind, associated with the Sun and the Lunar Goddess energy, a symbolic union of Goddess and God. Honey and oats are also strongly associated with this fiery festival.
COTTAGE BELTANE CAKES
Makes 12
INGREDIENTS:
3 1/4 cups of oats
1 cup of nut mylk (I used oat mylk but any kind will work)
1/4 cup runny honey
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt (I love using Murray River salt)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon bicarbonate soda
Zest of one lemon
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
Extra oats, to sprinkle on top
METHOD:
Heat oven to 180℃
Using a blender, grind oats to a fine powder.
Put 3 cups of oat flour and the rest of the dry ingredients together in a bowl, whisking thoroughly to evenly combine.
Whisk wet ingredients together, ensuring the honey is dissolved. The thyme leaves are so small that they don't require chopping. I used lemon thyme but common thyme would be equally as nice, complementing the lemon and honey.
Add wet ingredients to dry, folding to combine. Let the batter rest for five minutes.
Grease 12 muffin holes and distribute batter evenly amongst them. Sprinkle oats on top of each cake.
Place in the oven for 7 minutes, turn, and bake for a further 7 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
Cool for 5 minutes before turning cakes out on to a rack. Store in the fridge for up to two weeks or the freezer for up to six months.
To make this recipe plant based swap the honey with rice malt syrup and the eggs with chia, or flax eggs.