We may not be able to control everything in our lives but we can control how we take care of ourselves. A little self-care can enhance health and wellbeing and aid in stress management. Muzungu Sisters recently shared these activities in their newsletter and we think they’re great, simple ways to incorporate wellness into our current situation.

Coloring Sheets

These Muzungu Sisters coloring sheets feature original illustrations and are perfect to enjoy with the whole family.

RAINBOW CAKE RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

(You'll need x3 of these for six sponges.)

1/2 cup butter softened, plus a little extra for greasing

1 3/4 cup plain flour

3/4 cup golden caster sugar

3 medium eggs (very important to use the correct size)

1 tsp baking powder

pinch of salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

edible food coloring - red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple, plus optional pink

For the icing

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 x 8 oz tubs cream cheese or mascarpone

1 1/2 cup icing sugar

METHOD

Heat oven to 350° F. Grease 2 round sandwich tins and line the bases with baking parchment. Tip all the sponge ingredients, apart from the food coloring, into a mixing bowl, then beat with an electric whisk until smooth.

Working quickly, weigh the mixture into another bowl to work out the total weight, then weigh exactly half the mixture back into the mixing bowl. Pick 2 of your colors and stir a little into each mix. Keep going until you are happy with the color – the color of the batter now will be very similar to the finished cake, so be brave! Scrape the different batters into the tins, trying to spread and smooth as much as possible – but try not to waste a drop of the batter – a rubber spatula will help you. Bake on the same oven shelf for 12 mins until a skewer poked into the middle comes out clean.

Gently turn the cakes out onto a wire rack to cool. Wash the tins and bowls thoroughly, and start again from step 1 – this time using another 2 colors. Unless you’re making the optional pink layer, repeat one more time to get 6 sponges, all of different colors. Leave them all to cool.

To make the icing, very briefly beat the vanilla and cream cheese or mascarpone with an electric whisk until smooth. Sift in the icing sugar and gently fold in with a spatula. Be careful – the more you work it, the runnier it will get, increasing the chance of splitting.

Smear a little icing on your cake stand or plate – just a dab to stick the first sponge. Start with the red, then spread with some icing right to the very edge. Repeat, sandwiching on top the orange, yellow, green, blue and finally purple sponges. Spread the remaining icing thickly all over the sides and top of the cake.

Enjoy!