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