I’ve been on a bit of a baking spree lately and these dinosaur cupcakes are my latest creations. Inspired by all the cool retro Christmas deers that people put on cupcakes, I thought I’d give dinosaurs a go. These cakes are actually pretty special as I made them as a belated birthday cake for Miles, as we were in Italy over his birthday. The little retro dinos were from an office supplies shop in my home town (Whitstable) and I  accompanied them with some pink sugar. They look quite effective, in a new-rave 1990′s kind of way.

Miles being a former huge dinosaur fan loved them, and although not edible kept the dinosaurs on them until the very end. To make the cakes I always use the Hmmingbird Bakery vanilla cupcake recipe and then combine this with the Primrose Bakery’s buttercream icing recipe, as I think it creates a nice, firm icing.

This week has been so crazy busy, I’ve barely had time to stop, however there’s always time for cupcakes – even if I have been eating them at 10pm, when I should be brushing my teeth for bed! In other news, I’m really late to the party but, I’ve just discovered the joy that is Laura Marling. I also want to buy everything in the Boden and Hobbs NW3 collection – not god! I hope everyone’s had a great weekend? x

Everything you’ll need below. Try to source cocktail sticks with flat ends. I managed to find mine in a specialist cook shop, I think they are indented for displaying cheese and pineapple creations – retro.

Step 2 

Depending on the length of the flag you want to create, snip off your tape and lay the cocktail stick in the middle and try to make sure the two sides of tape are roughly even.

Step 3

Bring the two sides together, making sure they are smooth.

Step 4

You can cut the end of the flag straight, or you can take the ribbon approach and snip the end into non-fray points by folding in half gently and slicing out a V shape.

Final Product (remember to bake cake)

Pop the flag carefully into the tip of the pipped icing on your cupcake. If you are making a big layer cake you could use wooden BBQ skewers (cut to lengths) to make larger, more dramatic flags with happy tape – put into the cake a different heights. More pictures of the end product here.

I hope someone finds this helpful. I know they are not the most technical things to make, but for anyone not great at icing (like myself) they do detract and hide any pipping mistakes nicely. They would be great for a baby showers and general partys  - not just weddings!

I hope you all have lovely week…

It’s been a while since I talked cakes here on the blog, in fact I think this was the last time – and that was quite a while a go! So, with much of my crafty attention going on thinking about the wedding, I thought it would be good to start experimenting with some wedding-related crafts and happy tape cupcake flags was something I thought might work well – whatever your colour scheme! Happy tape is everywhere lately and I’m huge a fan, it’s brilliant for everything from wrapping presents and sealing greetings cards, to putting pictures up (mark free on the wall) and making flags! The great thing is that you can quite literally get every colour and pattern, I got my pastel colours from Present and Correct a long time a go and they are still going – 2 years later!

When I dreamed up making these little toppers I was actually inspired by all the lovely ribbon ones I had seen online, but alas I didn’t have anything thin enough, I also didn’t have graphic design skills to create and print my own – so happy tape was my solution! I think it makes a pretty good flag and is really sturdy. Simple pale pink cupcakes, with pretty pastel flags, on a stunning white tired cake stand could work nicely for a wedding (or my wedding) what do you think?

(P.S Yes, I’m crazily considering a way that I can somehow make my own wedding cakes, did anyone else do this, any tips on how to juggle this time-wise? Any advice is really, really welcome.)

So, it’s Valentine’s Day in the morning. I have to say the shine of all things heart shaped, pink and love related is wearing a little thin with me now. After years of making a big deal of Valentine’s, I’m starting to see it for what it is – a money spinning drain. That said, I do think that it provides me with a good excise to make something for the one I love and this year I’m only making things, not buying them. My gift this year is cakes, chocolate ones with pink vanilla icing and pink wafer roses. Oh, not forgetting the glitter – you got to have glitter. There were a few other love related items laying around the house so I thought I’d capture them too. I really hope everyone has a happy romantic Valentine’s, I look forward to seeing lots of pretty pictures.

These are the Nutella cupcakes that I made for my nephews 10th Birthday. It’s hard to believe that my nephews are 10 and 12 now, I still remember the day that both of them were born – I even gave my youngest nephew his first bottle feed. Happy memories. Anyway, I used the Hummingbird Bakery recipe to make these, minus the Nutella inside them (I ran out). They were rather yummy, well I think so, I only had one.  This weekend has been pretty hectic, frantic shopping on Oxford street, mass baking, trip home to Kent and lots of lovely time with the family. Also, I must note, the lovely Liberty print napkins in he photo are a very generous birthday present from my good friend Holly (check out her Tumblr here - it’s pretty). I saw the King’s Speech this evening, it was very good and it was even nicer to go to the cinema with my mum and dad – lovely family time! I hope  everyone has a great week, I’l be sure to add the recipe for these in later (sorry, I’m feeling terribly lazy).

Despite the fact that it’s pretty much winter and the weather is dismal, I couldn’t resist baking some summer style cupcakes. Well, I think it has lots to do with the fact that blueberry and lemon are one of my all time favourite flavour combinations. I love a blueberry and lemon american pancake and the same can be said for cakes – they are yum! These didn’t turn out to be the best looking cupcakes I’ve ever made, but they do taste good. The icing was a little soft as I was about 50g out on the icing sugar (which does effect the consistency) but I had to go with what I had in the cupboard. Another pitfall is that they do bake quite heavy with the fruit in, next time I would reduce the amount I use to try and get them a bit lighter. The wafer flowers on top of the cakes I picked up from The Country Living Christmas Fair on Wednesday, but I think Squires Kitchen sell similar ones.

You’ll need the following:

115g of unsalted better

115g of golden caster sugar

115g of self raising flour

2 medium sized eggs

the grated rind on one lemon

a table spoon of milk

1 generous handfull of blueberries (washed)

For the icing:

500g of icing sugar

100g butter

Around 50ml of milk

The rind of 1/2 a lemon grated

How to make the cupcakes:

1) Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy and light, then beat one egg in at a time until mixture is smooth.

2) Add in the lemon rind and mix again. Now sieve in the the flour and mix until smooth. Then add the milk to make a dropping consistency.

3) Roll the blueberries in a little flour to stop them sinking, shake them off then fold in gently to the cake mixture.

4) Spoon mixture into cupcake cases, making sure to only fill them a 3/4 way full. Bake for 25-30 mins  at around 150 degrees.

5) For the icing blend the butter until soft add in the lemon then add half the icing sugar and milk, mix until smooth. Then add the other half of the sugar and blend – the mixture should now be very stiff, add as much milk now as you want to create the desired consistency. (Stiffer icing is easier to pipe)

Happy Sunday, I hope everyone has a lovely cake filled weekend. I’m hopefully off to the Mid-Century Modern show at Dulwhich today  - if you like Mad Men or well designed furniture take a look here. Also I plan to make some more seasonal cakes soon, when I do I’ll be sure to share them. However if you want some fun cake-spiration, check out this AMAZING cake my friend Sarah created for someone’s birthday.

Sorry for dropping off the blog radar for a little while, to say I have been busy would be a huge understatement. Anyway, I’m back now and I thought I’d share my most recent cupcake creation. These are vanilla sponge, with blue vanilla frosting and coated choco bean sprinkles! I’m not normally a fan of such unnatural icing colours but they were a welcome home gift to Miles – who loves all things blue. Plus these were meant to be man cakes, so pink just wouldn’t cut it. I managed to fashion a cake stand out of 2 plates and a vintage Champagne glass. All in the name of making a pretty decoration.

The truth is, as I am without my own camera its really hard to post when Miles is away as I have no means to take any snaps. I think I may have to consider opening my blog up a little winder. I was toying with the idea of starting a Tumblr blog for all the inspiring things I find on other blogs, as I try to keep this blog for pictures I take myself. However, keeping  it to photos I take can be limiting and lead to irregular blogging when I haven’t been up to anything creative. So, I think it’s decided, I can’t afford the £400 new camera right now so I will post about inspiring things and hope you all don’t get bored of me. Fingers crossed. Also right now I’m enjoying tunes from The Like and Slow Club and reading Fifi Lapin’s book – too cute for words!

I decided the other day it had been far to long since I last baked, so this weekend I re-stoked my baking cupboard and set about making something yummy. Since the weather has been so unseasonably hot here the situation called for something fresh, light and lemony. So, after much debate I decided to adapt my vanilla cupcake recipe and make it a lemon cupcake recipe – the result was quite yum indeed – just what the stomach called for! Well, not really since my taste buds love cupcakes but stomach really quite hates anything with white flour in! he,he!

I wanted to use my new Greengate cupcake cases that Holly got me for Christmas and my new edible flowers Miles bought me from Squires Kitchen. All-in-all they make a yummy, light, summery treat if you’re looking for something fill the sweet craving without being too heavy. If anyone fancies giving them a whirl here’s the recipe – it makes around 8-9 cupcakes.

You’ll need the following:

115g of unsalted better

115g of golden caster sugar

115g of self raising flour

2 medium sized eggs

the grated rind on one lemon

a table spoon of milk

For the icing:

50g of unsalted butter

100g of full-fat cream cheese

300g icing sugar

half a lemon rind grated

1 drop of vanilla extract

How to make the cupcakes:

1) Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy and light, then beat one egg in at a time until mixture is smooth.

2) Add in the lemon rind and mix again. Now sieve in the the flour and mix until smooth. Then add the milk to make a dropping consistency.

3) Spoon mixture into cupcake cases, making sure to only fill them a 3/4 way full. Bake for 20-25 mins  at around 150 degrees.

4) To make the icing cream together the butter, cream cheese – then sieve in the icing sugar mixing as you go. Add lemon rind and vanilla extract mixing until smooth. Pipe onto the cakes once they are fully cooled.

Simple, yummy and fresh – let me know if anyone gives the recipe a go, I’d love to know how you got on! Have a lovely week.

I’m feeling rather summery at the moment. The sun is shining and flip flops are the staple footwear choice. I’m sure all this will change in the blink of n eye and rain will pour – after all this is England! I managed a spot of baking today, another recipe from the Harry Eastwood cookbook. Previously I have attempted the courgette cupcakes, but today I went for the peach and sweet potato muffins. My thinking was that these will make really great breakfast snacks. If you are not familiar with Harry’s philosophy, she tends to avoid butter in her recipes and substitutes this with vegetables to get the same (if not more) moisture – cakes that are actually pretty good for you, whoop!

For anyone looking to give them ago here is the recipe.

You will need the following:

2 medium free range eggs

120g caster sugar

200g peeled and finely grated sweet potato

100g white rice flour

100g ground almonds

1 table spoon of poppy seeds

2 teaspoons of baking powder

1/2 teaspoon of barcarbonate of soda

1/4 teaspoon of salt

3 small peaches cut into small cubes (or 1 regular tin of peaches cut up)

These are really quick and simple to make with very few steps.

Here’s how to do it:

1) Whisk the egg and sugar together for 3 minutes, until fluffy and light.

2) Use a wooden spoon to mix in the sweet potato, ground almonds. Then sieve in the flour, baking powder, barcarbonate of soda and salt. Finally adding in the poppy seeds. Mix well.

3) Add in the chopped peach (I coated my peach cubes in a teaspoon of flour to avoid them sinking to the bottom) and mix well again.

4) Spoon the mixture into muffin cases to the top, make sure you use a muffin tray to bake them. Then they need 3o minutes in the oven at 180 degrees or gas mark 4.

5) Once ready turn them out on to a wire rack to cool – then Eat! Yum!

If anyone tries them out please let me know, love to know how you got on. Also if anyone wants the book here’s the one that I have.

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!