As the days grow shorter and dark nights draw in, our thoughts turn to convivial gatherings around log fires and quiet nights at home wrapped in blankets with a warming cup of tea.

While the bright days of summer have all but faded away, long dark nights bring new opportunities to delight the senses and capture the magic of the beautiful autumn season. Delve into the wonderous sights and scents that embody this enchanting time of year, as we share some of our favourite seasonal fragrances alongside a special recipe from our friends at the Exploding Bakery.

Inspired by the sparkling constellations of our star-studded heavens, our Celestial Candle Collection evokes the wonders of the night sky and invites us to celebrate nature’s gift of autumn evenings. Adorned with astronomical designs lovingly illuminated in astral colours, this dreamy trio conjures up sweet memories of stargazing and stories around the bonfire with your friends and family.

Nestled in these charming, effervescent pots are our beloved festive scents that enliven the joyful spirit of autumn and nurture our creative souls. Find a peaceful moment to reinvigorate your senses with the heavenly spice of Inspiritus, the soothing herbal aroma of Winter Thyme, and the warm, zesty notes of Orange & Cinnamon.

Inspiritus

With a harmonic blend of comforting spices and calming sandalwood notes, Inspiritus gives flight to your imagination and creates an inspiring mood perfect for reawakening your dreams. Its aromatic notes of earthy nutmeg, warming cinnamon, and peppery cloves bring the cosy moodiness of autumn nights in from the cold. 

Orange & Cinnamon

For a cosy night to yourself, settle down with a good book from your local library surrounded by the peaceful flicker of candlelight and the warming citrus aroma of Orange & Cinnamon. Enjoy the uplifting radiance of orange and mandarin with hints of spicy cinnamon that tell festive tales of adorning the family home with dried fruit and cinnamon-stick garlands. 

Winter Thyme

The soothing herbal scents and earthy woodland notes of Winter Thyme transport you to an enchanting forest floor peppered with fragrant pine needles and brightened by melodious birdsong. Transform your space into a nature-inspired sanctuary with the uplifting, contemplative aromas of rosemary and thyme for blessed relaxation this bonfire season.

 

To celebrate the wonders of the autumn season, we have teamed up with our friends at the Exploding Bakery who have kindly shared their bonfire night-inspired recipe for Toffee Apple Cake. Its deep caramel and fruity flavours are the perfect complement to the warming, spicy scents of our Celestial Candle Collection.

The Exploding Bakery have been delighting people with spectacular bakes since 2011. Going from strength to strength, they continue to take pride in their values and never compromise on what they believe is the right way to make cake. Whether it’s a birthday you can’t make, a far-flung friend in need of a little joy or a thank-you gift, the Exploding Bakery’s cake gifting service has the gooey goodies to lift the spirits.

Toffee Apple Cake Recipe

For those living in the Westcountry, apple harvesting really kicks off in the autumn. Windfalls can often be seen in baskets outside people's houses with a sign saying "Help yourself" or "Free". The abundance of fruit is celebrated for Halloween and bonfire night with apples being dipped in a hard crack caramel to make Toffee Apples, which is the inspiration for this cake. The additional apples for the second part of the bake are an indulgence, and perhaps at more frugal times can be left off, but the caramel adds an element of sticky toffee pudding to this cake, so dessert spoons and custard at the ready.

Ingredients

To make the cake

• 150g soured cream
• 3 medium eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 300g peeled, cored & diced apple (about 3 apples)
• 200ml apple juice
• 20g lemon juice
• 200g butter
• 330g caster sugar
• 220g self-raising flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon bicarb
• a pinch of salt

To make the caramel

• 100g (3½oz) golden syrup
• 100g (3½oz) sugar
• 150ml (5fl oz) double (heavy) cream
• a pinch of salt
• 50g (1¾oz) butter
• 3 sliced apples (core removed)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C fan/350°F/gas 6 and line your 22 x 33 x 5cm (8½ x 13 x 2in) baking tray (sheet pan).
2. In a heavy bottomed pan, on a medium heat, melt the butter, add the sugar, apple juice and lemon juice, stir until the sugar dissolves. Then set aside to cool slightly.
3. In a large bowl, mix the sour cream, eggs, & vanilla. Peel & dice 3 apples into 1cm pieces and add to the bowl and stir through the mixture. Pour in the melter butter mixture and fully combine.
4. Now add the self-raising flour, bicarb and baking powder and stir until you have a smooth batter. Working quickly, pour into a lined tray, bake for 40 minutes.
5. Now start making your toffee caramel. Heat the golden syrup and sugar in a high-sided, heavy-based pan over a medium heat, until they have melted together and are bubbling. Whisk in the cream and salt, along with 30g (1oz) of the butter, then increase the heat and keep things bubbling until the caramel becomes a deep golden colour. Remove from the heat, then whisk in the remaining 20g (¾oz) butter until well combined.
6. Remove the core from 3 apples and slice into wedges leaving the skin on. Take the cake out of the oven, lay the slices of apple over the top of the cake and pour the hot toffee caramel over the top, covering the apples. Return to the oven for a further 20 minutes so the caramel becomes more toffee-like and begins to soak into the cake, whilst the apples caramelise.

Delicious served on its own, but if there's some sour cream left in the tub, a dollop of that on the plate can offset the sweetness for an acid trip.

Whether you enjoy catching up with friends or indulge in a quiet evening at home scented with a St. Eval candle, we hope you make the most of these long autumn nights scattered with starry displays and bursting with aromatic possibilities.

What are your favourite scents of the bonfire season? We’d love to hear from you, either by email at marketing@st-eval.com or on social media @stevalcandles.

#steval #explodingbakery #bonfirenight