The following story is with thanks to Ballykissangel, who provided me with this prompt: "Mrs Hudson teaches the boys how to bake a cake."

Word Count: 682 words.


"Do you know Watson, I believe that Mrs. Hudson has quite surpassed herself," my companion remarked as he brushed cake crumbs from his clothes.

It is an unusual occurance for Holmes to compliment our housekeeper in such a manner. I looked up with interest. "Has she?"

"Yes indeed. I have never had such a dry, tasteless cake! See for yourself."

I was about to respond when the sitting room door opened.

"Mr. Holmes," our housekeeper entered and stood before us with her hands on her hips. "If you wish to make a complaint-"

"Indeed I do," he interrupted. "This cake is as dry as a bone and quite lacking in flavour. I believe that even I could do better."

I laughed at this ridiculous last remark, for Holmes' cooking leaves a great deal to be desired.

Mrs. Hudson turned her icy glare upon me. "You think so, do you? Very well gentlemen, we shall see what you are capable of. Down to my kitchen with you."

We each exchanged an expression of disbelief. Surely she was not serious!

She was serious. She chased the servants from the kitchen and gave orders that she was not to be disturbed before handing my companion an apron apiece.

"Have either of you baked a cake before?" she enquired with a glare.

I shook my head and turned to Holmes, who was busy turning his apron over in his hands with distaste.

"Then we shall bake something simple. We shall need eggs, flour and sugar first of all."

Needless to say, we made rather a mess. Holmes is no better at cracking eggs than he is at boiling them and he was not interested in using the scales to measure the ingredients.

"There is no need for scales," he announced airily with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Years of practice with my chemistry set has left me perfectly capable of measuring these ingredients with my eyes."

I refrained from reminding him that he has on occasion misjudged the quantities of some of his chemicals, often resulting in explosions.

When we were finished, the kitchen looked like a war zone. There was egg on the floor and flour everywhere (even in Holmes' hair, though I am not quite sure how he achieved that).

"Well," my companion said as he tossed aside his apron, "I believe we have completed our task Mrs. Hudson. If you would excuse us..."

Our housekeeper barred our retreat as Holmes made his way towards it. "Oh no you don't! You have made a terrible mess, which you can now put to rights, and you have a cake to keep from burning."

I started to sweep up the flour without a word of objection, feeling that the mess was probably my fault as I had allowed my companion to take charge. "Could you wipe up the egg that you dropped, Holmes?"

He frowned at me and hopped up onto the counter beside the sink, as it was the only surface not covered with flour. "Certainly not!"

"Then keep an eye on that cake. Please."

"Mr. Holmes!" Mrs. Hudson had returned from the larder with cream and jam. "Get down from there at once! You are not to sit upon surfaces that are meant for preparing food."

Holmes jumped down and was presented with a dustpan.

"Help the doctor with the sweeping, if you please. I shall pick up the egg that you smashed on my nice, clean floor."

Holmes crouched before me and held the pan steady while I swept the flour into it.

After much complaining and sneezing from my companion, the flour had all been disposed of and the kitchen was clean again.

"Thank you gentlemen," our housekeeper acknowledged as we washed our hands. "The cake should be ready now."

The cake was a horrible mess! It was too wet due to the lack of accurate measurements and there were pieces of eggshell in it. Holmes' argument was that it was rather good for a first attempt, but he was always careful not to insult Mrs. Hudson's culinary efforts after that.