Fluffy Cupcake Tower
Enough scary zombies and back to my nephews birthday bake-off. This was the fluffy cupcake tower I made for him and everyone to devour. I know, I know, it’s pink! I can’t get my hands on any masculine food colouring around here. I need to get some of the colouring jelly/pastes that pro’s use, but I must find the best store to get it from first. So long as it’s sweet, edible and colourful kids love it no matter what. I made a giant pint Martha Stewart pom pom the other night and it keeps creeping into the background of photos, so everything feels more pink than it is.
I got a chance to use my new piping skill that I learnt at The Make Lounge, it uses so much less icing than the swirl and is a little less sickly – result! Speaking of more blue cupcakes and The Make Lounge, the yummy cupcakes I decorated there have been featured over on Denise’s adorable blog, The Swelle Life. I am really flattered to have my cakes featured on her very cool ‘Cupcake Monday’ section, her love for blue cakes is on par with my love for pink ones! Cakes and fashion fans check out Swelle Life it’s a visual treat!
Flooded Birthday Cookies
I know this is another baking post but I couldn’t resist as the other day it was my nephew’s 11th Birthday, 11 years old! This seems so surreal because I’m only 24. Time flies so fast, as I remember the very day he was born, all those moons ago. Now he’s choosing a secondary school and walking him self to class everyday, I really can’t keep up.
Anyway, as we were having a family party I decided to bake for the occasion – lots of colourful things that kids like. These orange and lemon flooded cookies were just some of the baked good I rustled up for the occasion, believe me I was baking all day long. It was worth it as they all went down a treat and I got to try out lots of techniques that I hadn’t had time to previously, like flooding cookies.
My attempt, by no means is perfect, my yellows don’t quite match and my shaky hand lets my down, but it was a fun first attempt and spurned me no to try more. Christmas biscuits would be the dream, however piping santa and co could more a lot more tricky than a huge chunky flower. I picked up this technique over on the very helpful, Cake Journal – really this site is a wonder – I love it!
The Make Lounge Cupcakes
Last night I went to a cupcake decorating course at The Make Lounge in Islington and here are the fruits of my labour. It was a lot of fun and I learnt a fair amount about cakes and the different ways you can decorate them. I learned about the joys of marzipan and how best use it, the best way to color ripple butter cream and how to fall in love with cake glitter.
I went for an Ice blue and lemon lime colour-way to be different I managed to resist the pink for once. I think they came out quite nicely, however I would love to practice more so I improve my piping and come up with new ideas. Please note my new milk glass urn in the picture, I snapped up this beauty for a mere £4 at a Hoxton street market – joy!
Enough about the cake and more about The Make Lounge. Anyone near London or visiting you should certainly book yourself on a course, it’s so much fun and there’s such a good atmosphere. The course options are endless with sewing, cushion making, candle making, rubber stamp carving and so much more the list goes no and on. It’s a been a crafty hectic week so far….. I’ve really enjoyed it!
Strawberry Sandwich?
Saturday morning’s American style fluffy pancakes left me with a handful of left-over strawberries and to be resourceful I created my take on the classic victoria sponge. I used fresh cream not buttercream and real strawberries over jam – personally I prefer the fresh version, it’s so sweet, yummy and perfect with a cup of tea.
This cake reminds me of being a child when my mum used to make this exact cake but layer it 3-4 sponges high, filled with lashing of cream and strawberries – makes mine feel quite modest. The higher the better really, perhaps when the weather warms I’ll make a sky high strawberry slice? When strawberries are back in season – it’s now time to use some more seasonal fruit.
I am pretty excited by the week ahead, yes I’ve got to work, but mid-week I am off to the Make Lounge to a cupcake decorating evening course. I am attending with Holly, so hopefully we’ll have lots of fun. If anyone is a crafter in the UK and hasn’t heard of the Make Lounge in London, have a peek they offer some great courses. I’ll be sue to let everyone know how it goes – hopefully I’ll come out a pro piper and dab-hand decorator?!
Sunday is Baking Day Part 2
You guessed it, this is a two part post! The baking didn’t stop with the cupcakes, I moved on to my first attempt at mini meringues, which along with cupcakes are a favourite of mine. I really enjoyed piping them out onto the baking try and then seeing them puff up with the heat of the oven, it’s really quite fascinating stuff. They are a little crumbly, but still tasty – now I need to think what to do with them? With no whipped cream, jam or anything good it’s a tough one, Nutella?
If only I wasn’t so blooming sick, i’d invite everyone round for tea, cakes and some crumbly vanilla meringues – perfect! Alas, as I sit coughing my insides up, wrapped in a blanket I think I’ll save everyone from the misery of my germs. I think it’s back to the newly downloaded Scrabble app on my iphone, it’s been keeping me entertained for hours this weekend. I hope everyone has a great week, any good meringue tips would be welcomed. x
Sunday is Baking Day Part 1
I don’t really like to leave the house a great deal on a Sunday, it really is my lazy indoors day. I don’t sleep in much so I have to seek rest from other things and I find staying for a day works wonders – plus I’ve been pretty ill for over a week now and I’m in need of some serious healing R&R.
Amidst all the relaxing and resting I do enjoy a good bake on a Sunday and I seem to be making it a regular slot. I’m getting a lot quicker at baking these days, whipping up some cakes to keep Miles content doesn’t seem to take up the whole day anymore. After the other weeks’ peach and mascarpone offerings I thought I’d try to perfect my piping skills on the basic (but favourite) vanilla cupcake.
I got inspiration from this month’s Sainsbury’s Magazine (I think I’m the only person under 35 who loves this magazine to pieces) which is filled with how to create the perfect cupcake tips. Note please check out my pink heart shaped doilies, I’ve waited s long to use them! They say ‘Love’ in the middle and I’m totally smitten with them.
New Cakes and New Blog
It’s been a quiet bank holiday Monday here in the new flat, I’ve been feeling a little poorly and Miles has been attempting to plough on with work. However, I have managed to get a little baking done and rope Miles into re-designing my blog – what do you think? The cupcakes I made are peach and mascarpone and are hands down the yummiest things around. I first tried them at my daily hunt Nusa Kitchen, London and found the recipe online at Waitrose.
They are super simple to make and well worth every calorie! I had no piping bag to ice them with so they are a little rough round the edges. However, don’t be fooled, perfectly piped icing won’t add to their flavour, they’re amazing through and through, even with messing icing. So between baking cakes, riding my new bike and finally getting a new blog I’m a happy girl this bank holiday – thanks Miles! Love to know what you think of the re-design?
Birthday Tea Party Fun
These are the photos from my Birthday tea party, they are a little late coming but I haven’t been able to get my act together the sort them out or sit down and write a blog post. It was a lovely little gathering of my girl friends and honorary girl, Miles (of course). We ate cakes and crustless sandwiches washed down with wine and Champagne (it was at night). The night was topped off with some dancing at the very cool club Matter!
Thanks to everyone who came, I had a great night! Any excuse to get all my china tea cups and pretty things out again and play hostess. It’s currently snowing here in London, it’s been snowing all day and I have just returned from a snow blizzard on the motor way – which was pretty hairy! it was my nephews Birthday so we had a little party in my home town of Whitstable. Miles and I start our ballroom dancing lessons soon at the Pineapple Studios in Covent Garden, I seriously can’t wait to dance again. I’m not sure we’re going to have the best moves, but at least we’ll be moving!
This shot is my fave, it shows off my lovely cups from Laura Ashley, we have a small kitchen and no dresser so my china has to be packed away when it’s not being used. I can’t wait for the day I can give it a proper home. I have been passing my time listening to Passion Pit, Little Joy, She and Him and Little Boots (thanks Charlie for the tips).
welovelocal Cake Recipe
I recently made a welovlocal.com cake for work it was my colleague Dan’s Birthday and plus I thought It would be nice to make some cake for the office, anyway people always ask for the recipe and because I kind of make it up I can never simply write it out for them so I thought I would do it on here and be done with it (for you Elaine).
Ingredients: (2 sandwich cake tins, well greased)
8 0z of margarine Large slab of cooking chocolate (scotch block)
7 oz castor sugar Large jar of Nutella
4 eggs 2 huge heaped table spoons of coca powder
8 oz of plain flour 2 level teaspoons of baking powder
- Cream the butter and sugar together until it’s fluffy then beat the eggs in one at a time.
- Sieve the flour, baking powder and coca into the mixture giving it height for extra air (fluffiness). Fold and mix the mixture adding hot water in to stop it drying out, mixture should be moist and drop off a spoon.
- Divide the mixture into the two tins and smooth out mixture to give an even surface and then bake on a medium to hot gas mark in a pre heated oven for about 20 – 25 mins (keep checking to avoid burning). Put a clean kinfe through the cakes to see if the are fully cooked if it comes out clean then they are done.
- Leave cakes to cool and then begin to grate your chocolate for the covering, I use cooking chocolate as real choc melts too quickly. Grate one whole big bar and keep in the fridge until ready to use.
- When the cakes have cooled used a generous amount of Nutella as the sandwich filling it gives a great taste. Melt some non-cooking chocolate to a runny consistency and add and stir in a generous amount of Nutella (this will be used to cover the entire cake).
- Now you have you two halves of the cake together smooth over the melted chocolate and Nutella, after a few mins remove the grated chocolate from fridge and cover the cake in the chocolate shavings (making sure you have no gaps) and then decorate with anything you like.
If anyone gives it a go I would love to know how you get on? x
Make or Bake
I have had a great weekend, it has been really relaxing – something that doesn’t happen very often. Miles and I spent Saturday strolling for miles around London. We went to the very lovely Borough market which is really near London Bridge. The market primarily sells food to buy, but it also sells cooked food that you can eat there – all so yummy. I opted for a roasted vegetable, couscous mint yoghurt wrap and Miles had a parma ham and mozzarella Portuguese roll. Today I spent the day baking, which is a real treat as I literally haven’t baked in over 3 months. I had forgotten how much I love it, and how relaxing I find it.
Mileswas my faithful assistant, he did really great and his icing skills were boarding on pro. I had to post a picture of these cute cake cases when I lined the tins I looked at them and saw how well they match the radio which was keeping me entertained. I had to capture them in all their colourful glory. They are a new line that the supermarket offers, I usually order unusual ones from the internet but these made great substitutes until I get some others. I hope everyone else had a lovely weekend. x
