Ice-cream Cupcakes

As summer leaves us and Autumn blows in I've started to hanker down.

Jumpers out...check!

Thick duvets on...check!

Autumnal spices and other seasonal goods drooled over...double-check!

Summer this year was great...we played in the garden, walked the dogs, picked berries, went to adventure parks and played played played. It was brilliant and as such this years Summer deserves it's very own cupcake creation.

And what better way to show your appreciation for long hot days in the garden with the family than Ice-cream cupcakes?

I've made these cupcakes for two reasons...

1. To celebrate the fab British summer we had this year!
2. My eldest baby is now officially at school and I don't know if I'm quite ready to let go of his toddler years...hence the cute cupcakes.

Here's how you make these beautiful little cakes for your favourite people...they deserve it :-) xx

1. Take your favourite vanilla sponge and butter-cream recipe 
2. Fill your cones to the line below the stars (see above pic)
3. Place the cones into a mini cupcake tin to steady them whilst baking.
4. Bake at 180/160 fan/GM4 for 20-25 minutes.
5. When baked leave to cool on a rack, so the base doesn't go soggy.
6. When cooled swirl your vanilla frosting onto the cupcake and decorate as you wish.

I used wafer curls and hundred & thousands. A flake and chocolate sauce would be awesome too!!

This recipe makes 12 cones.

I have linked this recipe up to the Calendar Cakes Challenge for September hosted by Laura Loves Cakes which this month is CUPCAKES.

Head on over the check it out!

Happy Thursday!

xx Kat xx 

Chocolate OD Pie!!

Helloooooo friends!!

I'm back (for now anyway)

I'll tell you what I've been up to...

• Starting a Bookkeeping course
• Looking after my home/animals/kids/husband
• SLIMMING(ish)
• Shed tears over my eldest starting primary school
• and I've gone back to work!! (boo hiss)

It's been hectic to say the least.

You know you're busy when you can't play with your own blog. Who knew I'd be one of those "on the go" mums, I'm a lazy sod at the best of times! 

But having 3 kids, 2 dogs, 2 chickens, a big house, a "needy" husband, a job, a blog and a course really takes up my time.

This pie is one I made about THREE MONTHS AGO, this is how far behind I am! 

Anyhoo this is how I made this scrumptious dessert...YOU MUST MAKE THIS YOURSELF!!

Recipe

Ingredients ~ serves 16

Base
400g triple choc cookies
150g unsalted butter (melted)

1. Blitz the cookies in a food processor.
2. Add the melted butter and blitz again until it looks like damp sand.
3. Press into a 10 inch, fluted, loose-bottomed tart tin.
4. Refrigerate for at least 1/2 hr (or until cool).

While it's chilling make the filling...

Filling

200g mini marshmallows
2tbsp cocoa powder
125ml milk
300ml double cream

1. Place the mallows, cocoa powder and milk into a saucepan and heat on a low heat until the mallows have completely melted. 
2. Set aside to cool.
3. Thickly whip the cream (be careful not to turn it into butter!!!)
4. Using a hand whisk mix the mallow mixture into the cream.
5. When completely combined take the base out of the fridge and fill with the mallow/cream mix.
6. Stick it in the fridge again or at least 1 - 2 hours.

Cut that bad boy into 16 slices of joy!

You are welcome!!

Until next time...

xx Kat xx

Courgette Cake

So now I live in the sticks I have space; space to play, space to relax, space to grown my own.

And grow I have (I'm using the word "I" loosely...hubby may have done it!)

We've had all sorts of things...

Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, gooseberries, redcurrants, apples, rhubarb, peas, string-beans, carrots, lettuce, spinach, sprouts and herbs. But no courgettes!!

Why?...I have no idea...ask the hubs.

Luckily my gal pal, up the lane, has tonnes of them.

She asked me when she should harvest them, I told her to take her fella up there with his measuring stick! Admittedly I didn't really think that one through, now she's given me a bunch of them and I feel all awkward taking my knife to 'em...ouch!! 

Plus...the hubs gets all moody when I compliment Sammy on her impressive courgettes!! Ha!

Anyhoo...slightly off topic, back to business.

Hubs was really please to come home to this delicious delight after a hard day at work.

The smile makes it worthwhile. 

Recipe

Ingredients

250g self-raising flour

250g caster sugar

250g butter (soft)

3 eggs

½ tsp baking powder

2 tsp poppy seeds

1 tsp vanilla

270g grated courgettes

Preheat oven to 180 / 160 fan / GM4

 Grease and line 2x 20cm tins.

 Place all dry ingredients into a bowl.

 Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Add eggs one at a time making sure each is fully mixed before adding the next.

Add the vanilla and poppy seeds.

Fold in half of the dry ingredients.

Fold in the courgettes.

Fold in the rest of the dry ingredients.

Divide equally between the tins and bake for 25-35mins (depending on how wet your courgettes were)

Lemon-pop Buttercream

100g butter (soft)

200g icing sugar

1-2 tsp lemon juice (dependant on taste)

1 tsp poppy seeds

Cream the butter until light and fluffy.

Add the icing sugar a spoon at a time (avoids sugar clouds)

Add the lemon juice and poppy seeds and whip until fluffy.

Lemon Drizzle

150g icing sugar

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp water

Stir a small amount of liquid into the icing sugar to make a paste

Add the rest of the liquids until you have a good pouring consistency (not too runny)

Place the buttercream on one of the cakes and place the other on top. Drizzle the, er, drizzle, on top letting some of it fall over the edges. Sprinkle on some poppy seeds to finish.

ET VOILA!!

Enjoy the bounty of your harvest.

xx Kat xx

Lindt Chocolate & Strawberry Layer Cake...and a giveaway!!!

Well helloooooo my friends,

I have been lazy.

In the garden.

In the sun. 

No "British" weather complaints coming out of my mouth I can tell you.

Whilst I was enjoying what was left of my maternity leave, I got a very exciting email from the chaps at Lindt asking if I'd like to try some of their new chocolates and host a giveaway for my lovely readers. 

"YES" I say.

Gimme, gimme, gimme

Mmmmmmmm...Lindt (she says with a mouthful)

I had my choice of goodies so I picked the 70% cooking chocolate and the Strawberry Intense. 

When it's hot outside there's nothing better than a light, sweet dessert to finish a meal. 

So I make a stonking great Chocolate and Strawberry Layer Cake! 

YOU ARE WELCOME!!

Here's how you can make you beloved's cry with joy...

Recipe

250g sugar

250g butter

200g self raising flour

50g Cocoa

2 eggs

1 tsp Vanilla

1 tbsp golden syrup

1 tsp baking powder

Dash of strong (cooled) coffee... I used about 15 ml

• Preheat oven to 170/150 fan/GM4 and grease and line 3x 18cm cake tins.
• Cream the butter and sugar.
• Add the vanilla.
• Add eggs one at a time making sure each is fully mixed before adding the next.
• Add the golden syrup.
• Fold in half the dry mixture.
• Fold in the rest of the dry mix.
• Add the coffee.

Divide the mixture equally between the tins and bake for 30 minutes. Leave to cool in the tins then wrap each cake and chill for a least 2 hours.

Icing

250g unsalted butter

460g icing sugar

3 tbsp strawberry jam (no bits)

30ml milk 

• Cream the butter.
• Add the icing sugar a few spoons at a time.
• Add the jam and mix well.
• Mix in the milk until you get an easy, smooth cake covering consistency.

Place one sponge on top of your turntable/plate and frost with a small bit of icing. Place another on top and do the same again. Then do the crumb coat (thin layer of icing all over the cake to catch the crumbs) chill for 1 hour. When the icing on the cake has hardened off you can frost the cake as normal.

Chocolate drizzle

100g Lindt 70% cooking chocolate

100ml double cream.

• Place cream and choc on a double boiler until melted and smooth.
• Leave to cool for a bit then pour over your chilled cake...letting it drip down the sides. 

ET VOILA

If you'd like to win a bar of cooking chocolate and two packs of Strawberry Intense then all you need to do is leave a comment to say what you'd do with them. One comment will be randomly selected next Saturday and the winner will get these...

This is my first giveaway and I'm really excited about it! I can't wait to see all the wonderful things you'll do with this amazing chocolate!

Until next week...

xx Kat xx

Citrus Cheesecake

I love no-bake cheesecake, baked ones just seem wrong to me and are never as good.

Every Sunday myself and the brood go to my husband's Great Aunt's house for a roast, the woman is 92 but wouldn't have it any other way. I set the table, do the gravy and drinks, Aunty P and Brad dish up. I tell you what, her roasts are sooooooo good! 

Anyhoo, last Saturday my husband decided it would be a good idea to take a baseball bat to our windscreen! (not really, he broke it with a plank of wood by accident) Thus rendering us car-less at the last minute.

So it was down to me to make us a roast! Um...OK, I'll just wing it, it'll be fine.

And it was LOVELY!! So chuffed with myself. 

The only problem is that I didn't have any carrots (edible ones anyway) because the hubby decided to go all fancy and not peel them or boil them, but to just cut the ends off, throw them in a tin with a foil tent and throw in what I can only describe as EVERY BOTTLED JUICE WE HAVE in there...lemon, lime, Worcester etc!!

URGH!!

The rest of the roast was at least edible.

The best bit though, was the dessert, which I made in 20mins + chilling while the food was cooking.

Us women can multi-task...oh yes!

I call it Citrus Cheesecake because of the lemon, lime and mandarins used, here's what I did....

Ingredients

300g digestive biscuits

140g unsalted butter (melted)

4 tbsp lemon curd

1 tbsp icing sugar

2 tbsp lime juice

300ml double cream

300g cream cheese (at room temp)

1 tin of mandarin segments (in juice NOT SYRUP)

1. Line the bottom of a 8" round, deep sided cake tin.
2. Blitz the biscuits in food processor (or by hand) until fine crumbs.
3. Add the butter and mix until it looks like damp sand.
4. Put base mixture into tin and press firmly and evenly.
5. Chill while you make the topping. (15mins minimum)
6. Mix the cream cheese with the lemon curd, lime juice and icing sugar.
7. In another bowl whip the cream until it just gets to the thick whip stage.
8. Using a hand whisk mix the cream into the cheese mixture.
9. Smooth the mixture onto the base and decorate with the mandarins.
10. Chill for at least an hour.

Serve this delicious dessert straight from the fridge by placing the tin on a pint glass, slowly pull down the sides of the tin to release the cake, then slide the cake onto a plate and dish that beauty up!!

My guests definitely thought this cheesecake was the best part of the meal.

ENJOY

xx Kat xx

Hellooooo Spring!! Pic-fest!

Spring has sprung people!!

Whoop!

I got all excited and trigger-happy and so here's what me and the kids did yesterday...

Mr & Mrs Chicken

Hello Mr Bumblebee 

Fun fun fun...

To celebrate the arrival of Spring I'll be making some cute novelty cupcakes.

Keep and eye out for them!

Enjoy the weather...long may it continue.

xx Kat xx

Loopy Bars

KIDS...

WHY DO WE DO IT TO OURSELVES!?!

I took my boys shopping, leaving the little miss at home with daddy.

They're normally very well behaved, as they were this time, however my eldest decided it was about time he started telling me what to buy! 

This week it was Fruit Loops; I have to admit I love all things from across the pond and have always wanted to try Fruit Loops, so I didn't put up much of a fight.

M.I.S.T.A.K.E

Fruit Loops are not the best, the boys are definitely NOT keen. 

So, after a week of arguments and bribery I gave up trying to get them to eat the loops.

What to do?

Whack them together with some white chocolate and mini marshmallows? Er...YEAH!!

Oh Mah Gah!! These are sooo amazing, I cannot even tell you. 

They were eaten...in 10 mins!

It's really easy to do......

Ingredients

150g white chocolate cake covering

60g Fruit Loops

30g mini marshmallows

1. Smash up the loops into little pieces (leaving a few whole ones)
2. Melt chocolate according to packet instructions.
3. Mix the loops and mallows into the melted choc and stir until everything is covered.
4. Pour mixture into a square takeaway tin and leave to set.
5. Cut to desired sized pieces.

I got eight good sized bars out of this recipe.

ENJOY

I'm linking this post to my Sweet Leftovers Link Party go take a look at what others are doing with their sweet leftovers.

Have a great Monday!

xx Kat xx

Banana Maple Loaf

My hubby loves Banana Loaf...I find it boring to make as I've made it a thousand times!!

I always make it when I'm on the verge of throwing browning bananas out, this time is no exception. 

Here's how it goes....

I MAKE IT

THE BOYS WANT IT

THE HUBBY EATS IT.

All in one day! 

I feel I need to tell you that my hubby is a farmer working long hard days, so I let him off the greediness most of the time.

I also hate sultanas in baked goods but he likes it so I do this for him...

The ingredients seem a bit choppy but this is all I had available (I usually use all wholemeal flour)

Ingredients ~ makes 1 loaf

100g butter

100g sugar

90g wholemeal flour

20g self raising flour

1 egg

1 large, overripe banana (mashed)

100g sultanas (don't add these if you don't want them)

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tbsp maple

1. Preheat over to 180/GM4/160 fan.
2. Grease and line your loaf tin.
3. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Add the egg and beat in until full incorporated.
5. Add the syrup and mix well.
6. Take just over a pinch of flour and toss the sultanas in it (this stops them sinking)
7. Fold in the flour and baking powder.
8. Fold in the mashed banana.
9. Fold in the sultanas.
10. Fill your tin 3/4 full and bake for 40 - 50 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

Et Voila!!

A beautiful Banana Maple loaf (with added sultana's for the hubby).

ENJOY

xx Kat xx

I'm linking this recipe up to my Sweet Leftovers Link Party...go check it out!

Sweet Leftovers Link Party #2

So last week my link party was very dull, only two entries, both of which were mine!!

But...I'll stick with it in the hope that my blogging pals will share their sweets made with leftovers. 

I'm going to link up my Banana Loaf tomorrow as it was made with banana's that weren't going to be eaten as they'd started to brown. 

In the mean time Link up you goodies!

THE RULES

1. Create some yummy SWEET TREATS using leftovers and post it on your blog.
2. Add your creation to my link list, you can use old posts if leftovers were used.
3. Include a link to this link party in your post.
4. Follow my blog so you'll know when my next link party gets started. Not absolutely necessary!
5. Enjoy looking at all the fab creations from fellow bloggers and they'll do the same :-)

I look forward to seeing your creations.

xx Kat xx

Versatile Blogger Award

I'm ashamed to say it's taken me just shy of a month to post this....

I was surprised to hear that Cupcake Girl of My Cupcake Habit has given me the Versatile Blogger Award! It's great to know there are people who read my blog and like it enough to award me! Whoop whoop 

Thank you very much Cupcake Girl, I would've nominated you if you'd not already nominated me! :-) 

This award is a "get nominated and past it on" kind of thing. It's a way for bloggers to reconise and appreciate each other.

Here's how it works...

When you're nominated you need to thank the person who nominated you, then you need to nominate 15 others. People who have been nominated before can be nominated again, however I'd make sure it was more than a year ago. On your post you also need to share 7 things about yourself so your readers can get to know you a bit better.

I went through my list of fav blogs and came up with 15 however 5 of then had already been nominated within 12 months, so I've compensated by adding 5 more things about me...you're welcome! 

So I only have 10 but they are awesome, check them out....

What Kate Baked
Obsessive Compulsive Baking Disorder
Nelly's Cupcakes
Hugs & CookiesXOXO
Diary of a Mad Hausfrau
Coleen's Recipes
Chocolate Teapot
Chocolate Log Blog
Cakes and Bakes by Kate
Butter Hearts Sugar

Here are my seven twelve things...

1) I have the worlds best husband.

2) I have 3 wonderful dark haired, blue eyed children who are super sweeties (all under 5!!!) 

My babies!!

3) I'm currently on maternity leave which allows me to just about keep my 4th baby, which you are reading, going.

4) My favourite colour is purple.

Yes this is my sofa :-) 

5) I have a hen called Dave, a cockerel called Chick and a Jack Russell called Milly.

6) My favourite flavour combo is mint and chocolate.

 

7) Black coffee is my best friend!!

image courtesy of Precision Nutrition

8) I'm definitely NOT a morning person.

9) Vampire Diaries is my addiction...mmmmmmm, Damon!!

VAMPIRE LUST!!

10) If you haven't noticed I'm having a cupcake slump, I'm sure I'll be making them again soon.

11) I will be married 7 years on 29th of this month.

Hubby & Me

12) I find it impossible to let my eldest help me bake, I'm too much of a perfectionist!!

Well there you go...my favourite blogs and some slightly interesting things about myself.

I hope you enjoyed reading.

Make sure you check out the above blogs, you won't be disappointed.

xx Kat xx

Apple Crumble Cake

My favourite dessert is apple crumble...or any fruit crumble for that matter.

I ADORE IT!!

Really hot with vanilla ice cream or cold with hot custard.

Mmmmmmmmm crumble...

Because of my crumble fetish I have worked hard to perfect my crumble topping and by-heck I've gone and done it! Crunchy, sweet (but not too sweet) and not powdery at all.

I had some apples which none of my brood wanted to eat (as they were on the bruised side) so, as I've made crumble loads already, I decided to see if I could turn it into a cake.

The result....?

AMAZEBALLS APPLE CRUMBLE CAKE!!

Here's how you can nail crumble cake too...along with the best crumble ever for a million different sweets!

Cake ~ makes 2 x cakes (or 1 cake and 6 cupcakes...as I did)
4 apples (stewed & cooled)*
200g butter
150g caster sugar
50g soft dark brown sugar
200g s/r flour
2 x eggs
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
50ml milk

Crumble ~ covers both sponges
200g plain flour
150g butter
125g demerera sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Always make the crumble first so the cake batter isn't hanging around...

1. Add flour and cinnamon together and mix well.
2. Add the butter and rub into the flour using your fingers (kids love doing this) until it looks like crumbs.
3. Add the sugar and mix in the same way as the butter.
4. Cover and set aside while you make the cake batter.

You can freeze any unused crumble to up to 3 months for your other crumbly projects! Whoop whoop

Cake instructions...

1. Preheat over to 180/GM4/fan 160
2. Grease and line 18cm/7", deep, loose bottomed round tin.
3. Put all dry ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
4. Cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.
5. Add the eggs one at a time making sure one is incorporated before adding the next.
6. Add the Vanilla and mix.
7. Add half the dry ingredients and fold in.
8. Add the milk and fold in.
9. Add the remainder of the flour and fold in.
10. Finally fold in the apple mixture.
11. Pour into the tin and flatten off, sprinkle the crumble on top making sure there is even coverage.
12. Bake in oven for 50-55 mins until the top is golden and a skewer comes out clean.
13. Leave to cool.

You can serve this cake warm (not straight from the oven) with ice-cream.

When I first cut into the cake I was shocked at how dense this cake is, but don't worry it's definitely cooked. The thick apple cake plus the crunchy crumble topping was pure heaven on a plate!!

I could seriously marry this cake!!! 

I'm adding this recipe to my weekly Sweet Leftovers Linky List because of the borderline apples used.

I've also sent this over to Ros of The More Than Occasional Baker for this months Alphabakes challenge which this month is the letter "A".

Next month I believe the host of the Alphabakes challenge next month will be Caroline of Caroline Makes, go have a look at the beginning of May to join in or head on over to The More Than Occasional Baker to enter this months challenge.

Also I'm doing the Calendar Cakes blog hop as hosted by Dolly Bakes and Laura Loves Cakes.

       

ENJOY

xx Kat xx

* To stew the apples, place them in a pan with a splash of water. Turn the hob to a medium to high heat and cook until they are mush, stirring regularly. Add dashes of water as you go if it starts to stick to the bottom. I got impatient after about 20mins...stubborn bloody apples...and used my hand blender to get the smooth paste. Don't let your stewed apples get too wet as it will ruin your cake batter. 

Cranberry Flapjacks & my first Sweet Leftovers Link Party #1

Well Hellooo,

This week has been full of thriftyness for me...

I hate waste, HATE it!! 

So I've been rummaging through my pantry finding open foods, almost out of date stuff and fruit that is past it's best. All of which have been thrown into my bakes and puds.

It's so much fun finding something random(ish) and old food and trying to incorporate it into my baking, it gets the creative juices flowing. 

Today it's cranberry flapjacks...because I had 1/3 of a pack of dried cranberries left from Christmas.

Ingredients

350g porridge oats (4c) 

80g sugar (1/3c)

250g butter

3 tbsp golden syrup

90g (all I had left) dried cranberries (roughly chopped)

1. Pre-heat oven to 180/GM4/160 fan
2. Line a square 8" pan with parchment paper
3. Melt butter, sugar and syrup until all the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved
4. Take off the heat the throw in the oats and cranberries 
5. Pour into the lined pan and squash it down until nice and packed and level on top
6. Bake for 30min until golden all over

When still warm cut into desired slices...if you want bars you'll easily get 12 if you want square bites you'll get 24. Leave to cool.

Because I'm nosey, I love to see what others are up to, I've decided to do a weekly Link Party so we can all see what others are doing with their leftovers. It'll be every Friday, for five days, that's when the leftovers start to take over the cupboard!!

Rules

1. Create some yummy SWEET treats using leftovers and post it on your blog.
2. Add your creation to my link list. You can use old posts if leftovers were used.
3. Include a link to my blog and this link party in your post.
4. Follow my blog so you'll know when my next link party gets started. Not absolutely necessary!
5. Enjoy looking at all the fab creations from fellow bloggers.

Come join my party!!!

Kat xxx

Sweet Shop Cake!

Yes...I've caught the Cadbury Fingers bug.

Oh Yes...

We were given one of those finger selection boxes (basically a big box with all 3 types of biscuit) for Christmas, and I ate it... ALL OF IT...in 2 days!!!

Will power...no!

Greedy cow...hell yeah!!

This cake is soo easy...

Make 2 vanilla sponge and buttercream (double the quantities of that post) bake in 18cm loose bottomed round tins.

When cooled sandwich the sponges together using strawberry or raspberry jam.

Cover all over with the butter cream ~ no need to be neat here are you won't see it ~ and place the fingers around the edge.

Completely cover the top of the cake with all the sweets you love. The possibilities are endless.

Et voila.

The end result is a, very easy to get, neatly finished cake.

ENJOY.

Until next time.

xx Kat xx

Easy Strawberry & White Chocolate Buttons

Check out this pic....no fuzz!!

It's my birthday today and my hubby came through, as required, and bought me a new camera after breaking mine.

Thank you baby :-) xxxxx

Anyway...I was thinking of a quick Valentines treat I can make today while I look after the kids and try to have fun on my birthday at the same time. 

The perfect answer is CHOCOLATE!!

This is such a simple thing to do!

All you need is......

150g White Chocolate

50g Silver Spoon Strawberry Flavoured Drops or candy melts

a Lakeland Silicone Macaroon Mould

What you do is......

1. Melt the flavoured drops as per instructions.
2. Drizzle over the macaroon mould ~ be as creative as you want.
3. Melt the white chocolate in a heat proof bowl on a pan of simmering water (make sure the bowl doesn't touch the water).
4. Gently pour the white chocolate into the moulds (don't over-fill)
5. Ease the chocolate to the edges.
6. Leave to cool and set

I've taken a pic of the half filled mould so you can see what I did.

I tried to get a fondant heart in the middle of some of the buttons but as you can see below, it didn't work so well. 

These are soo pretty and yummy AND easy that you have no excuse not to do it!!

ENJOY

xx Kat xx

Romantic Raspberry Cheesecake

There's nothing I love more than eating making deserts. No-bake cheesecakes are one of my favourite!! 

This is a lovely romantic desert for you and your beloved, it's super simple too. 

Here's what you do....

Ingredients

200g digestives

80g unsalted butter (melted)

200g cream cheese

100ml double or whipping cream

4+ tbsp seedless raspberry jam (to taste)

Fresh raspberries and icing sugar ~ to decorate 

1. Crush digestives until they are crumbs.
2. Add butter to crumbs and mix until it looks like damp sand.
3. Press into the base of a loose bottomed tin of your choice. (I used my 18cm round cake tin)
4. Chill for 15mins.
5. Mix the Jam to loosen it then add to the cheese and mix until smooth.
6. Whip the cream until thick but be careful not to do it too much as you'll get butter!!
7. Whisk cream into cheese mixture by hand until smooth.
8. Pour onto the chilled base and give that baby a wiggle to smooth it out.
9. Chill for a minimum of 1 hour.
10. If required pile raspberries in the middle and sprinkle on some icing sugar.

I LOVE this sexy little cheesecake and so will your loved ones.

Enjoy.

Until next time...

xx Kat xx

BTW I'm entering this beautiful dessert to Calendar Cakes as hosted by Dolly Bakes and Laura Loves Cakes this months it's all about love. Head on over to this months host Dolly Bakes and check it out.

Classic Valentines Cupcakes

I'm starting off this years Valentines bakes with the classic cupcake ~ I am the Cupcake Baker after all!

As it's Valentines day soon I thought I'd be really original ~ or not ~ and use Red Velvet. My last attempt to make my own Red Velvet didn't go very well as I couldn't get the bright red colour I was looking for, click here to check it out.

This time I decided to make it from a box (saves time) I used Betty Crocker Super Moist Cake Mix - Red Velvet

That bad boy rises!!! Thought I was gonna make a mess in my oven!!!

Also...I made the roses atop the cakes with sweets, I came across the idea by reading one of my favourite blogs Confessions of a Cookbook Queen to check out how she does it click here.

These are the tools I used and what I did...

1. Roll the Winders up until you get the size of rose you want, the wobblier the better.
2. Roll small, equal sizes of green Chewits into balls.
3. Shape balls into teardrops.
4. Press Teardrop from the tip to the rounded edge with the wider end of the modelling tool, pulling down slightly.
5. Gently scrape the leaf off your surface and place under the rose on either side. 

This is what you'll get...

I also tinted some Lemon Frosting pink (to match the Valentines theme) and piped a nice swirl.

ET VOILA ~ say hello to this pretty lady...

Until next time.

xx Kat xx

I've linked this recipe to the Valentines hoosierhomemade link party.

Also.....

I'm entering this beautiful dessert to Calendar Cakes as hosted by Dolly Bakes and Laura Loves Cakes this months it's all about love. Head on over to this months host Dolly Bakes and check it out.

My Favourite Bakes So Far....

As most of you know I had another bambini 3 months ago so now I have 3 children and no time! Life is hectic...and I'm slightly disorganised/lazy.

I know you've been neglected over the last few months so I've decided to make it up to you by giving you a peek at my 10 bestest bakes since I started my blog. YOU'RE WELCOME :-) 

Click on the pictures to go to get the recipes........

I made these for my beloved hubby for Val Day, he loves tasting my bakes...good job as there are lots of them. 

Another Hubby special...yes his name is Brad.

These are sooo cute, I made these tiny flowers while watching TV one night. It takes a long time but is really relaxing.

A Christmas special for my team at work, they tasted just like a Terry's Chocolate Orange!

These cakes were commissioned by a friend for her grandson's birthday, it was only my second time modelling fondant...can you tell?!

My first cake ball/truffle attempt. I surprised myself with how great these were!

Another cake for my work colleagues and another big hit!!

My dad gave me this cupcake mould for Xmas and so I made some tea cupcakes...made sense to me.

Cute cute cute!! I could eat these all day every day.

For my friends niece and my first go at using a finger surround. Very effective!

I hope you've enjoyed my round-up.

Until next time...

xx Kat xx