What my Christmas looked like

Well.........this has been one of my best Christmas's EVER!!!!

I'm going to bamboozle you with pics now because, as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.

This is what my boys got up to..................

Christmas Tree Mini Cupcakes

So the 12th of December was Harvey's toddler group Christmas party.

I don't go to toddler group anymore (boo hiss work!!) so my sister-in-law takes my brood over every Monday.

One Monday I came home and was promptly told I would be making the cupcakes for the Christmas Party. I was quite excited about it and had loads of ideas for tiny Christmassy cupcakes.

Then I remembered I don't have a Mini Muffin Tray 24 cup :-( BTW I don't think I'm getting one for Christmas, donations are greatly appreciated *wink-wink*

Also by the time I get home on Sunday night ~ after the weekly Sunday trip to Aunty P's house ~ it's too late to get the rugrats to bed and start baking.

Short-cut it is then.

For these little cuties you'll need 24 mini cupcakes, I bought mine from Tesco (yes it is the only store in my town!!)

You'll also need green buttercream, I used my vanilla buttercream and coloured it green with Sugarflair Paste Colour - Party Green. To decorate you'll need Polka Dots, Dr. Oetker Soft Silver Pearl and Dr. Oetker Soft Gold Pearls.

The kids were all over these, so I was told.

I hope you like them too.

Have a great Christmas Eve Eve

xx Kat xx 

Chocolate Coated Pretzel Stars

Hi guys *waves*

5 more sleeps to go!!!!!!!!!!!! 

I have been buying and cutting and taping and wrapping and writing and singing and drinking and baking and eating *breathes* and I am still coo coo for Christmas!!!! 

Aaaand as promised, my Pretzel Stars....

Chocolate Orange Cupcakes & this months "We Should Cocoa" entry

HAPPY DECEMBERRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!

I am so friggin' excited!! December my favourite month, winter is my favourite time of year. 

All the towns and cities have their Xmas lights up, it's cold (perfect for snuggling), I can go shopping without getting told off by the fella and the food is crazy good!!! :-) 

Dino Cupcakes

My friend asked me to make dinosaur cupcakes for her grandsons 3rd birthday party.

Never done dino before, so why not?!?

Me and the kids have been ill all week and I was supposed to have the cakes done and delivered by Saturday ~ que Friday night......

Chocolate Cake Truffles

I am soooo excited for Harvey's 3rd birthday on Saturday so yesterday I decided to make these sweet little truffles for my son to take to nursery today.

Apparently they were very popular and even the Nursery Leader, Helen (Hi Helen *waves*), wants the recipe.

Chocolate Cupcakes for Grandad's 70th

Last week was my first back to work *crys* it was also the week of major birthdays (manic doesn't quite cover it). Aunty P was 90 and my Grandad was 70 ~ It baffles my mind to think that Aunty P was 20 when my Grandad was born!! 

This is how my week went......

New baby Girl, Great Aunt's 90th & Halloween Weekend

So here I am, home alone on the scariest weekend of the year. Hubby has gone out to watch Paranormal Activity 3 with his brother. The kids are in bed, well, I say in bed but I can hear some thumping and chatting coming from Harvey's room so either......

• My boy is possessed!! eeeek!! (not such a stretch tonight)

or

• The little monster is playing when he should be sleeping. 

I am totally freaked out! Just before my hubby left me, all alone, our microwave blew up (No exaggeration!! The thing popped and there was smoke!!)

Then, about 10 minutes later all our lights went out!!

Luckily Bradders was on hand to save the day ~ Before he buggered off and left me to fight the ghosts, vampires and zombies by myself, Damon Salvatore excluded "swit-swoo, you naughty vampire!!"

Anyhoo, back to the cakies......

I was absolutely delighted when my friend text to say she had given birth to a beautiful baby girl on Tuesday, we are going to visit them tomorrow and I am keeping my, freaking out, mind busy by baking her some girly cakes. 

Also it's my Great Aunt-in-laws (a mouthful, I know) 90th birthday next Thursday so I am also taking her over a few cakes. 

Aunt and friend live in the same town, just so ya know.

I haven't got the time to do two different flavoured cakes so I've plumped for my Vanilla Cupcakes and decorated them differently. 

So here's my One Cake Two Ways

Aunty P's Vanilla Cake (she can't have too much icing)

Have a great Halloween guys.

xx Kat xx

First Attempt at Fondant Characters

I LOVE my boys, maybe a little too much (if that's possible)

My eldest, Harvey, is 2 (3 in Nov) and he's really started making me laugh with some of the things that come out of his mouth.

Byron Bay Cookies: A Review

I love sweet things...... no secret, right?

So when the opportunity came for me to review the Cafe Cookie collection from Byron Bay Cookie Company I jumped at it like a sugar starved ninja!!

I've never done a review before and thought I'd get a small, bitesized cookie to taste. Oh no, not from Byron Bay, I got a whacking great box with full sized cookies of each flavour ~ BTW Byron Bay Cafe Cookies are the size of wagon wheels...... happy days!

I've won blogger of the week!!!!!

How blown away was I to receive an email from Sabrina at Fruit for the Office telling me I have won their blogger of the week award?!?!?

My entry for this months WE SHOULD COCOA Challenge

Say hello to my entry for this months WE SHOULD COCOA challenge.

This month challenge is to come up with a recipe that includes both Chocolate and Chilli. It's not a cupcake challenge. The founders of the challenge are Choclette of Chocolate Log Blog and Chele of Chocolate Teapot as you can guess they are chocolate blogs. If you want to have a go to make absolutely ANYTHING that includes chocolate and chilli and enter it yourself, please visit Choclette for all the details and rules.

Impromptu Chococino Cupcakes

Picture this......

Me, in my lounge, lazily sipping at my coffee while Harvey plays and makes Preston laugh his cute baby chuckle. Hmmmm.... I could sit like that for hours.

The time ~ 1:15pm.

Naughty blogger.... tut tut!!

Well firstly I must apologise for breaking the cardinal rule of lying on my blog!!! I promised I would post last week and I didn't! TUT TUT......... slap my wrist!

Yes I am still here

Hi guys,

Just a quickie to let you know I am still here, had a really busy time of it lately so haven't posted for almost 2 weeks!! tut tut

Blackberry Cupcakes ~ Seasonal Stuff :-)

It's well worth making the effort to use in season ingredients because...... 1) Superior taste 2) It's cheap/free 3) Doing your bit for the environment.

Banana Daiquiri Cupcakes ~ My entry for Augusts British Cupcake Challenge 2011

So I was searching the net for a fun cupcakey style something to give me an excuse to keep baking ~ this is due to my hubby getting fed up of me baking for no reason and, as he puts it, "crapping up the kitchen!!" Anyway I got a bit bored so checked out my flickr page (yes I am on flickr). I was looking at cupcakey groups and found the British Cupcake Challenge 2011. At the beginning of every month they give you some ingredients and you have to create yummy tasting/looking cupcakes, post the picture of the finished cupcakes to the group, then wait to be judged at the end of the month!!

Lemon Cupcakes

They called him Mellow Yellow!!

This is the second half of my nieces birthday cakes.

This is how this pretty little monkey is made...

Lemon Sponge ~ makes 12
150g butter
150g caster sugar
150g self raising flour
2 large eggs
1 tsp baking powder
4 tbsp lemon juice

• Preheat oven to 180/gas mark 4.
• Line 12 hole muffin tin with 12 cases.
• Cream the butter.
• Add sugar and mix on low until light and fluffy.
• Add eggs one at a time making sure the first is fully incorperated before adding the next.
• Add the lemon juice.
• Add the flour and baking powder and mix until just incorperated.
• Fill cases 2/3 full and bake for 20-25 mins.
• When baked take out of tin and leave on cooling rack until completely cooled.

Lemon Frosting
100g butter
300g icing sugar
4-5 tbsp lemon juice

• Cream the butter.
• Add the icing 100g at a time, mixing in fully before each addition.
• Add the juice, mix.
• When juice is incorperated put the mixer on medium for 3 mins.

Frost as desired, I did a swirl and sprinkled with pink sugar.

ENJOY

xx Kat xx

p.s This is the finished cake stand :-)

Old Favourite - Coffee & Walnut :-)

It was my father-in-law's birthday on 10th so I made him his favourite cake, Coffee & Walnut - well actually I made two and had leftovers so made some cupcakes too :-)

These are the two cakes... I apologise for the poor icing technique!! This is my first attempt at frosting an entire cake (confectionery course is desperately needed methinks!!)

The sponge on these beauties is amazing!! Really Walnutty with a definite crunch to it....perfect in my book :-)

Here's how.....

Walnut Sponge makes 1 cake + 6 cupcakes or 24 cupcakes
250g butter
250g caster sugar
250g self raising flour
4 large eggs
200g walnut pieces
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup semi-skimmed milk

• Preheat oven to 180/gas mark 4.
• Grease and base-line 2x 20cm sandwich tins.
• Cream the butter on low.
• Keeping the mixer on low mix in the sugar.
• Put the walnuts in a hand-held elec chopper and chop until fine (almost powder) don't worry if there are larger pieces at the top - these add to the texture of the finished sponge - just make sure they're no bigger than a mini smartie.
• When butter and sugar mixture is light and fluffy add the eggs one at a time, making sure one is fully incorperated before adding the next.
• Add the vanilla.
• When the vanilla is fully incorperated sift in half the flour and baking powder, take the bowl off the mixer and fold this in gently by hand.
• Add half the milk and fold this in.
• Repeat with the rest of the flour and milk.
• Add the walnuts and fold in gently until evenly distributed.
• Fill both sandwich tin 2/3's full.
• Place in the over for 25-30mins - if you move them too early they will sink in the middle.
• When baked, place tins on cooling rack for 10mins, then take the cakes out of the tins and place on racks to cool completely.

If you have any batter left over throw some cupcake cases in a muffin tin and fill them 2/3's full until all the batter is used, I got 6 :-) - place these in the oven for 20 - 25 mins.

Coffee Frosting
200g butter
600g icing sugar
1 tbsp semi skimmed milk
4 tbsp very strong coffee (to make the coffee, pour 1/4 cup boiling water into jug, add 6 tsp coffee granules, mix and set aside to cool)

• Cream the butter on low.
• Add the icing sugar 100g at a time.
• Add the milk and the coffee and mix on medium speed for 3 mins until light and fluffy.

This makes enough to ice your cupcakes too :-)

Et Voila!!

Oldie but a goodie!! NOM NOM NOM

ENJOY

xx Kat xx

White Chocolate Cupcakes

Cake Recipe - makes 12
150g caster sugar
150g butter
150g self raising flour
1tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/4 cup milk

1st attempt Red Velvet Cupcakes, with Raspberry Buttercream & jelly lips :-)

It's tricky to know what to take to a lingerie party, most people take booze, which is fine, but there's always too much; or no-one takes anything as they want to take booze but think everyone else will be doing the same.

So I'm like... "I'm taking cupcakes" and there was booze a'plenty and cakes for everyone, plus sneaky seconds - perfect!!

Marshmellow Flowers

It's my Nieces 6th Birthday party tomorrow and I am making 12 white chocolate cupcakes and 12 lemon cupcakes. I'm having a bit of a time crisis so I'm doing lots of prep-work to get the fiddly bits out of the way prior to any baking.

Colouring Sugar

This is my first time colouring sugar, I have done coconut before and it's pretty much the same thing.

You need to buy the correct sugar, for most things granulated sugar gives the best effect - sprinkling on cakes, cookies etc.

Charity Shop Finds

As a distraction method, so we wouldn't have to go home, my 2 year old dragged me into the new Charity shop in my High Street.

While he was wandering around going "WOW!" and "COOL!" at old lady shoes, ragged teddies and games with half the bits missing, I decided to have a looksee at what they had.

I found this book Meet Me at the Cupcake Cafeit looks right up my alley, due to my very wierd and uncontrolable love of all things cupcake!! It's chic lit/cookbook as it has recipes inside (genius)!! I can't wait for the hubby to get home tonight so I can take my hour long bath and get reading!!!
I also found The International School of Sugarcraft 1: Beginners Bk.1which I am going to use to help me in my new college course (yes I did eventually organise my enrolment, whoop whoop)

Oh yeah!............

I also made my Raspberry frosting ready for the lingerie party on Saturday night, it is so yummy that I hid the spoon away from Harvey and licked it clean myself - Evil mummy!!

I'll give you the recipe in my next post (on Mondayish) trust me YOU WILL WANT THIS ONE!! :-)

TTFN

xx Kat xx

p.s Happy Birthday www.cakespy.com 4 years yesterday x

Impossible? Maybe...

Why is it that nothing works properly anymore?
Cash machines are always broken! (meaning no money for me that day)

Cars are just made to break down!

Cornbread Muffins

Last night I found we'd run out of bread, sausage rolls, pork pies, and all things "lunchy" so today I had been struggling all morning with an idea to feed Harvey this lunch-time.

Peanut-Butter Chocolate Cupcakes & Mr Froggy

This morning we had a visitor..........

Look how small he is next to Harvey!!!!

Not moving after all!! :-(

So after weeks of holding everyone in my chain off until we got an answer from our mortgage provider they came back to us!! yey!

THEY REFUSED TO PORT OUR MORTGAGE!! boooo!!

The reason is I have gone part time and we now have 2 children so now they consider the mortgage we currently have, that is easily paid every month, as not affordable! What The...........

When I eventually stopped crying and calling everyone I know to tell them what horrible thicko's my mortgage company are, I thought about it and, although we still won't be near to any family, the town we currently live in has a lot more kid friendly stuff than the town all our family live in. Which is a nice thought.

Plus my hubby just bought me a 100cc scooter, peep peep!!!! Got to do my CBT then I can scoot about as much as I like :-) after years of not having a car when hubby is at work and the car do we have being a diesel guzzling monster, it's gonna be great to nip out when I want to.

Coco Caramel Cupcakes

My cupcakes have become famous amoung my work colleagues, so when it was time for my first "keeping in touch" day (days I can go into work while I'm on maternity leave) I decided that I would try a new flavour and bribe the lot of them to be nice to me :-)

My Favourite Bloggers!!

Here is a list of Baketastic Blogs that I absolutely love!!!!!!!!!

www.confessionsofacookbookqueen.com
www.thelonebaker.com

www.cupcakestakethecake.blogspot.com

Trust me..... I have spent hours trawling the t'internet for noteworthy cakey blogginess and these 3 are head and shoulders above the rest!!

The Life of an Idiot Blogger

Yay!!! My fave blogger emailed me yesterday (her time) or this morning (my time) Kristan of Confessions of a Cookbook Queen, she is so nice!! I've been trying to make my blog better so keep editing my posts but something was missing, Kristan gave me some great inspiration and a big "no no" so I've got my base to work on.

Then I had a brainwave ( due to my partially functioning brain and inherited daftness I am ever so slow on the uptake!! )

No Cupcake pic today guys

Hello bloggers/readers,

Harvey is in his room playing and Preston is sleeping on the sofa, Daddy is at work, Milly (dog) is growling at the front door and I am playing with my blog again. Typical day at my house!!

Vanilla Day with my 2 year old

Harvey and I were at a loose end last Saturday (daddy was working) so we decided to mess up the kitchen, as you do.

Easter 2011

Chocolate sponge with a gooey choc centre, chocolate frosting and of course CHOCOLATE EGGS! 

Yummy yum yum............. chocolate heaven from Devon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Heidi's 28th Carrot Cakes & Lemon Frosting April 2011

My Bessie mate Heidi turned 28 so I was like "What's your favourite cake?" and she was like "Carrot".... nuff said :-)

Animal Cupcakes

I was asked by a work colleague to make Noah's Ark themed cupcakes for her grandson's 2nd B-day party, this terrified me to my very soul as I knew it would have to involve lots of animals (that I had never attempted before).

So I start researching the idea and found inspiration online and in the sweet shops.

It was a case of "oooo those will make great ears" and "wow fantastic nostrils!!" the sweetshop lady now thinks I need some serious medicating!!

Anyhoo...... these are the finished products........

I hope they inspire you for your animal themed cakes.

"the animals came in two by two.....hurrah hurrah"

                                                   

xx Kat xx