Cupcakes, cupcakes, cupcakes...

Lots of cakes have been made, I'm just going to put up some pictures because the basic recipes are the same for most of them.

So this time in a month...

I will be very stressed out with the prospect of packing up an entire house. I am starting that process on Monday with the boys room. I am scared. Scared because their bedroom resembles a bomb site and scared because I know we have a lot of stuff! And most of it has to come with us - eek!

Still it will be more than worth it - I am excited about the new house and beyond joyus at the thought of more space. Hurrah hurrah hurrah!

We're nearing the home straight....

The plasterer starts a week Monday and has a mighty task ahead. I don't think there is a room that doesn't need at least a skim, actually maybe the downstairs clockroom but that is it!

Very, very exciting and especially more so now we've starting looking at finishing details like light fittings and carpets *squeals*

Will update a bit more soon, but have hungry children to feed and a couple of cake orders to fulfill this week.

So we're moving!

To a beautiful old house with a huge garden and best of all - a huge solid fuel rayburn. Previously used to cook and heat the house it will soon be used only to cook. I'm so crazy excited about it!

I'm planning on having a dinner party when we finally get in (heaps of work to do yet although it's happening quite fast now). So I keep planning my menu with the rayburn in mind, harder than I originally thought although a slow cook casserole as a main would be an easy option!

Anyway, possibly:

To start: Crab cakes with a mango and sweetcorn salsa

Main: Maybe a king prawn curry or slow cook beef or a casserole

Dessert: Mint chocolate pots or lemon/lime cheesecake

Cheeseboard

Any suggestions?

Happy Birthday Mummy!

My Mum's birthday was on Thursday and she had to work that night (she's a nurse!), I thought I'd cheer her up by making her some cakes to take in with her.

I made some regular vanilla ones and topped with iced buttercream roses. I then made some vanilla ones that I filled with strawberry coulis and then topped with buttercream and fresh strawberries. Finally I made belgium chocolate chip mini cupcakes and topped with chocolate genache and crispy chocolate balls.

Easter cupcakes

The friends commitee at our school is responsible for providing cakes and snacks for various events. Our resident cake maker was on holiday (how very dare she!) so I quickly made some for the Easter service that was held at the end of term.

Both types were a basic vanilla sponge mix. I iced the pink roses and topped with sparkles. The green icing was suppose to look a bit like grass and the bunnies are made from wafers.

Candy floss cupcakes for the Rainbows group party.

It was my daughters last week at Rainbows. They were having a party so I made some cakes for them all to share.

Made with a basic vanilla sponge recipe and finished with a candy floss flavoured icing. We topped these with tiny rainbow coloured stars.

Oreo cupcakes...

Yum, yum! Oreo cupcakes, made with a chocolate sponge and finished with oreo flavoured buttercream. Best eaten with a glass of milk, try not to dunk though as the sponge goes soggy....

I'm such a lazy arse!

I haven't updated my blog in, like, forever! I have been pretty busy with exciting new projects and it's not that I've stopped cooking or baking I just keep forgetting to document it. Fail!
So I have been making lots and lots of cupcakes in recent weeks, I have taken pics of some of my creations when I've remembered so I'm just going to upload the pictures and maybe add a description etc etc.

E xx

Red Velvet Cupcakes - the Jordan of the cupcake world

Jordan-esque because these cakes are about as fake as can be, but they taste scrummy (which I'm not sure she does but you get the picture!)

Stolen from the Hummingbird Bakery cookbook...

Ingredients60g unsalted butter, at room temperature
150g caster sugar
1 egg
10g cocoa powder
20ml red food colouring (preferably Dr. Oetker brand)
½ tsp vanilla extract
120ml buttermilk
150g plain flour
½ tsp salt
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
1½ tsp white wine vinegar
For cream cheese frosting:
300g icing sugar, sifted
50g unsalted butter, at room temperature
125g cream cheese, cold


Preheat the oven to 170°C.
Beat butter and the sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy and well mixed.
Turn the mixer up to high speed, slowly add the egg and beat until everything is well incorporated.
In a separate bowl, mix together the cocoa powder, red food colouring and vanilla extra ct to make a very thick, dark paste. Add to the butter mixture and mix thoroughly until evenly combined and coloured (scrape any unmixed ingredients
from the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula).
Turn the mixer up to slow speed, slowly pour in half the buttermilk.
Beat until well mixed, then add half the flour and beat until everything is well incorporated. Repeat this process until all the buttermilk and flour have been added. Scrape down the side of the bowl again.
Turn the mixer up to high speed and beat until you have a smooth, even mixture.
Turn the mixer down to low speed and add the salt, bicarbonate of soda and vinegar. Beat until well mixed, then turn up the speed again and beat for a couple more minutes.
Pour into 12 muffin cases
Bake for about 20 mins or until done. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick in t he middle, should come out clean if done.
Leave to cool slightly in the tin before turning out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Frost with cream cheese frosting.
For cream cheese frosting:

Beat the icing sugar and butter together on medium-slow speed until the mixture comes to gether and is well mixed. Mine formed crumbs instead.
Add the cream cheese in one go and beat until it is completely incorporated.
Turn the mixer up to medium-high speed. Continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy (at least five minutes). Do not overbeat, as it can quickly become runny.

Valentines cupcakes, for my Valentine :)

Adam loves chocolate. Mostly dark chocolate, but actually any will do. I'm not THAT keen on chocolate. I will at a push have some but only if it's with something else, like raisins or hob nob biscuits.

So, I think I'll surprise him for Valentines and made him some special cupcakes. Chocolate sponge with chocolate and orange buttercream icing. I love how the icing turned out and the cupcakes were well received - result.

Not baking, children, BUT Russell Howard

Sunday 20th February, Russell Howard at the o2. What a great night! We went up as part of my Christmas present to Adam and damn it was funny.

Short bullet points to remind myself:

1. Hamster in capes, let's flash mob Pets at Home and demand it!

2. Thailand ping pong shows - the budgie. Eek!

3. Danger wanks, I can now relax safe in the knowledge that I now know that this exists.

4. Old people still find farting funny. PHEW!

5. RUSSELL IN A PINK LA SENZA THONG!!!!!!!!!

What a night, home late. Bed at 2am. Up at 8am. Happy as hell - life is good :)

Finally cupcakes!

So it's the end of the week and FINALLY I got round to making cupcakes! I love making cupcakes, they are so easy, so fun and mostly just damn yummy to eat :)

I just use a pretty basic sponge recipe which can have flavours added depending on your tastes. I like just plain vanilla sponge and then to flavour the buttercream icing, but really you can do anything (coffee, lemon, chocolate etc)

So...

4oz Self Raising Flour
4oz Caster sugar
4oz Butter
2 Eggs
1tsp vanilla extract
2tbsp milk

Pre heat oven to Gas 5. Pop some cake cases into a muffin tin.

Cream the butter and sugar together, sift in the flour and then add the eggs, vanilla and enough milk to get a dropping consistency.

Fill the cake cases until 2/3rds full and pop in the oven for 15 minutes approx.

Take out and allow to cool on a rack.

Buttercream

Icing sugar
Unsalted butter
Vanilla extract - a couple of drops
A few drop of milk

Using roughly double the amount of sugar to butter I whip the butter and icing sugar together and then add a few drops of vanilla and milk to get a soft consistency. Pipe or spread onto the cakes and decorate with whatever you fancy!! Eat and enjoy!!




Lemon and Vanilla flavoured cupcakes!