When The Kitchen is Empty and the Brain has Ideas :-)

An empty kitchen, always a sad sight. A lack of sweet goods in the kitchen, an even worse sight!! 

So I decided to fill the house with sweets. Fudge, French Macarons, Cake Pops and came up with a really scrummy buttercream recipe :-)

The fudge was aaaaaaaaaaaaaa-mazing!! Quick, easy, massive amount and soooooo tasty!! A definate winner and will definately be making that again!!

The french macarons were vanilla and filled with vanilla buttercream and although they didnt look overly wonderful, they tasted great!

The cakepops took ages!! I also couldnt bag them up until the next day, however, they looked great, tasted great and to top it off, i got to lick the bowl of the melted chocolate!!

I know I mentioned the buttercream, I cant give that one away just yet, I need to test it out on other people!!

Home :-)

Home Sweet Home! So I return from my jollies to Fuerteventura and came home to gifts from my parents! Its supposed to be me bringing gifts! But with gifts like these, no girl could complain!

And who could resist a couple of others?

Cake Pops :-)

After ordering the Bakerella book on how to make cake pops, it just had to be done!!  The way it is written makes making these adorable little treats so easy!! And what better way to show you the end result than to take piccies :-)

That has to be the most spectacular boquet ever!!

National Cupcake Week :-)

Yes, you read it right! National Cupcake Week is coming up. Its fromt he 12th - 18th September 2011 and to celebrate im going to make some beautiful cupcakes next weekend!

At this point, I would like to add that I will also be attmepting Cake Pops, Whoopie Pies and French Macarons :-)

Mini-Choccy Cupcakes :-)

Ah, chocolate. The greatest thing to be discovered. Great for when your in a good mood, even better for when your in a bad mood! Great for sharing, great for keeping to yourself! Great for cooking, great for melting and great for licking off a spoon! :-)

So, mini-choccy cupcakes incorporate the best of both worlds. Moist, vanilla sponge topped with creamy chocolate buttercream and a mini chocolate bar to top it all off! As a seperate note, I also made vanilla buttercream for half of the cupcakes!

home made mini-chocolate bars too! yummy!! :-)

Cameo Cupcakes :-)

So, Bank Holiday! I love bank holiday, an extra day off, an extra day to make cakes and an extra day to chill out :-)

I decided on Cameo Cupcakes - i've never done these before so I decided to give it a go.

First things First, making the cupcake toppers - I use a silicone mould for both the cameos and the mini chocolate bars.

After letting the toppers set overnight, I started the best part - making the cupcakes!

I used edible pearls on the quilt effect cupcakes and cameo cupcakes. I also used an ivory gel colour to slightly colour the white icing.

Finished result and as they say, proof is in the pudding ........ my favourite part :-)

Big Order of Cakes :-)

On request, Ive made some scrummy little ice-cream cupcakes for a 60th birthday! Start to Finish, 36 cakes done in just under 3 hours. I think thats pretty good for the biggest batch ive had to do in one go :-)

I used a mass load of buttercream - 32oz of icing sugar and 16oz butter!!

how cute are they?!

And to finish off with that oven still being warm, I couldnt resist making some cakes for me and the family!

I went for the ice cream cupcakes again - I loved the photos of the last batch so I just have to show these off again!

vanilla and strawberry ice-cream cupcakes

Saw This and Though of . . . . . . . . . .ME?! :-)

enough said :-)

The Proof is in the Pudding :-)

I am always being told 'never trust a skinny chef!'. I'm going against this!! I think you should trust a skinny chef as a chef is a chef!

I think the proof is always in the pudding when it comes to baking cakes and I love to try my own sweet treats :-)

Yummy chocolate sponge with Mr Whippy vanilla buttercream, and it was delicious if I do say so myself!!

Valentines Cake :-)

This was my first proper attempt at a three tier cake - i've learnt from this to use dowling rods to support the weight of the cake to prevent bowing or squishing of the lower layers!

Three Tiers:-

Top Tier - Vanilla Sponge / Vanilla Buttercream & Strawberry Jam
Middle Tier - Chocolate Sponge / Chocolate Buttercream
Bottom Tier - Vanilla Spone / Vanilla Buttercream & Strawberry Jam

* Please note that this was the first proper attempt at icing!! *

I can honeslty say, it tasted amazing and was well worth all the effort that went into it!! I just wish I knew about the dowling trick before this cake!!

Quick, Simple and Scrummy Cake :-)

So I wanted to make a quick, simple and scrummy cake! Something yummy, and fast. When I want cake, I really want cake, it's like a life or death situation!

So I made something cheerful and perfect for a birthday party and it only took an hour :-)

Vanilla Buttercream with Smarties :-) Perfect for a birthday party or just a little bit of pigging out on a sunday afternoon with a cup of tea (I prefer a lot of pigging out!!)

Ingredients

Vanilla Sponge:
6oz self raising flour
6oz caster sugar
6oz margerine / flour
3 x large eggs
2 x tbsp vanilla extract

Mix all ingredients together until pale and fluffy and divide between 2 x sandwich tins. Place in a pre-heated oven on gas 5 for 20-30 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean

Vanilla Buttercream:
6oz Butter
12oz Icing Sugar
2 x tsp Vanilla Extract

Mix together until fluffy ans smooth, pipe half of the mixture in the middle of the two sponges and use the remaining buttercream to decorate the top of the cake - add sweeties to decorate, I chose smarties :-)

Naughty New Buys :-)

Ok, so im officially a cake spendaholic! Ebay has the most fabulous stuff that you just can't get in shops near me!! I've been sucked into purchasing a mini chocolate bar mould - im thinking very cute on top of a cupcake!

not my cake - just the mini chocolate example!!!

Ive also bought an embossing rolling pin, I can't wait for this to arrive! Im so excited! Kinda like a child at Christmas!!!

Naughty little spending spree - although both items were under a tenner so . . . . . not so naughty!!

Pink Polka Dot Birthday Cake :-)

Ooooooh nothing beats a pretty pink birthday cake, apart from a pretty pink polka dot birthday cake! Handmade roses, beautiful pink icing, baby pink polka dots and a gorgeous vanilla sponge, all topped off with strawberry buttercream for a truly naughty birthday treat!

Roses - easier to make than I thought! Thanks to the internet, anything is possible :-)

Celebration Cupcakes :-)

Last month I was asked to make some celebratory cupcakes for my mums best friend, yet again, a lovely lady in need of some seriously lovely cupcakes for her birthday <3

I came up with an idea for some classy cupcakes for her party an I came up with these beauties :-)

Needless to say, cupcakes are one of the greatest treats known to human and these were no less than glorious and went down a treat!

One of the greatest benefits of making cake is the joy on a persons face when they are revealed! The second greatest is getting to lick the spoon :-)

The BIG Colourful cake :-)

This cake was a present for my oh so wonderful mummy :-) three layers of awesomeness to show my appreciation to the awesome, beautiful lady who made me who I am today <3

* Three Tiers *

Top  Tier - Strawberry Buttercream
Middle Tier - Orange Buttercream
Bottom Tier - Vanilla Buttercream

I honestly wish I had taken pictures from when we cut the cake, it looked fabulous, however, taking photographs means being kept longer from tasting the cake I had lovingly slaved over!!

This was the first time I had done anything other than white ice a cake! Adding different effects / colours to the icing was daunting however, I think it looks pretty damn good :-)

Juicy Jaffa Cupcakes :-)

I LOVE chocolate. Absolutely love it!! I also love oranges, they remind me of Christmas for some obscure reason! So what could be better than a chocolate orange cupcake?

Please forgive the use of twirls - I had to have the added chocolate (you dont have to do this!)

Ingredients
4oz self raising flour
4oz caster sugar
4oz margerine / butter
2 x large eggs
1 x tbsp cocoa powder (not drinking chocolate)

Mix all the ingredients together until pale and fluffy, divide between 12 x cupcake cases. Place into a pre-heated oven on gas mark 4 for 20 minutes or until springy under finger.

Leave to cool (not in front of the window as a wolf may pinch them!)

Buttercream
4oz unsalted butter
4oz icing sugar
Orange Flavouring / Zest of 2 x oranges & Juice of 1 orange
Orange Food Colouring
Twirls for decoration (optional)

Mix the icing sugar and softened butter together,add the flavouring (add to taste) and food colouring until you have a lovely fluffy mixture.

Pipe onto the cooled chocolate sponges and add the twirl for some extra chocolatey goodness :-)

More-ish Maraschino Cupcakes :-)

I am a nightmare! I love all things sweet and I love to try all things new, so why not try a naughty but nice maraschino cherry cupcake!

Gorgeous, to die for, delectable and not for sharing!!

Fluffy, light sponge topped off with maraschino cherry buttercream . . . . . . . . . . .yummy!!

Ingredients

Vanilla Sponge:
4oz self raising flour
4oz caster sugar
4oz margerine / butter
2 large eggs
2 x tsp vanilla extract

Mix all ingredients together until pale and fluffy, divide between 12 x cupcake cases and place into a pre-heated oven at gas mark 4 for 20 minutes or until the sponge is springy under finger

Buttercream
4oz unsalted butter
8oz icing sugar
2 x tbsp marashino cherry syrup
6 maraschino cherries - halved for decoration

Mix the icing sugar, butter and cherry syrup together with a hand mixer / stand mixer - add the sugar gradually or you'll have a sugar cloud!!

Pipe onto your cooled cupcakes and add a cherry on top :-)

Sexy Strawberry Cupcakes :-)

I thought about the perfect present to give to my friend for her birthday and I came up with something just as lush as she is - Sexy Strawberry Cupcakes!

I did settle on this idea until I threw some vanilla cakes into the mix as well! I think they look gorgeous and the leopard print cases top it all off spectacularly!!

The finished product! Fabulous cakes for a fabulous lady!!

Ingredients

Vanilla Sponge:
4oz self raising flour
4oz caster sugar
4oz margerine / butter
2 large eggs
2 x tsp vanilla extract

Mix all ingredients together until pale and fluffy. Split between 12 cupcake cases and place into a pre-heated oven on gas mark 4 for 20 minutes or until springy under finger.

Buttercream
Strawberry - I use 2 x tsps Dr Oetker strawberry flavouring (you can add to taste)
Vanilla - I use 2 x tsps vanilla extract (you can add to taste)

4oz unsalted butter
8oz Icing Sugar

Mix together until light and creamy and add flavouring to taste - pipe lovingly on top of the cooled cupcakes and add colourful sprinkles!

Ice-Cream Cupcakes :-)

So after reading through some blogs, I decided the way to go was with the summer theme, im thinking, old school summer. The kind of summer you remember from childhood, back in the day. The first thing to spring to mind? 99! The 99 from the ice-cream man!

Soft, Mr Whippy Ice-Cream completed with a heavenly chocolate flake :-) now that, makes me think of summer!

The finished product! Three flavours, lemon, strawberry and vanilla!


Ingredients

Vanilla Sponge:
6 oz self raising flour
6oz caster sugar
6oz margerine / butter
3 large eggs
2 x tsp vanilla extract

Mix the ingredients together until pale and smooth, pour the cake mix into 14 Askeys ice-cream cup cornets and place onto a baking tray into a pre-heated oven at gas mark 3.

The cones are ready after around 17 - 20 minutes or when the sponge is springy under finger.

Buttercream:
8oz unsalted butter
16oz icing sugar
2 x tbsp milk

Mix the butter, milk and icing sugar together gradually until thick and creamy. Add flavouring and colouring to taste. Don't forget the sprinkles!!