I can't believe im actually looking forward to Monday

It is a very sad thought but I can't wait for Monday. I will be starting my cake decoration and sugarcraft course. I got my list of things to bring today and so I am off to the shops in the morning to get my last minute items, one of which is an apron. I was hoping to take a home made one but it has as yet not appeared. Mum does have two days to magic one up!

It has been a slow week on the baking front. I have managed to pull together a very easy and tasty peacan pie. It was sooo good I had to give most of it away so I didn't eat it all. I also made Halloween cupcakes (from a pack. Terrible I know!!) I had only made a mini batch as I have been banned from making cakes at home (they like them a little too much) I left the best batch in my new carry box by the door, to remind me to take them to Amity's new flat. Well while I was getting my stuff together my brother came and left with the best batch thinking they were for him!! Why oh why would he think they were for him? After much swearing I took Amity the crap cakes, they were sub standard in look but not taste. This is why I have no photos for the cakes. They were snatched from hands before their time.


 

PUMPKIN PUMPKIN PUMPKIN

Having finally found tinned pumpkin I can now begin to experiment with all the pumpkin recipes that I have. I started with of course the best possible thing to do with pumpkin, I made a Pumpkin Pie. Oh my was it was good especially when you squirt a little cream on it. Yummy yummy. I was a bit silly and forgot to take photos of the mighty pie but it was enjoyed all over the country (as I took the pie to Bristol and then finished it in The Forest of Dean. It travelled very well)


I did also make pumpkin cupcakes on a pre Halloween theme. I used my orange food colouring paste for the first time and was very impressed with it. The cakes had a pumpkin cake base and a cinnamon frosting. The cakes were a little heavy and I think would have been better with a vanilla frosting. Next time they will be perfect!!

 

Woop woo!!

The quest is over!! I have finally found and purchased tinned pumpkin. I have searched high and low but finally found it in what is probably the only Waitrose store which stocks it. Woo hoo here comes the pumpkin (just in time for Halloween)

Cake and Rope

Last night I went to Ping Pong to celebrate Esmay's birthaday. I of course baked a cake. This time I had a my friend Esme helping to bake the cake which was very useful as we were short on time. I went with a chocolate marble cake with chocolate frosting and to top it all of mini cupcakes to decorate. I like the marble effect before it is cooked but it seems to get lost in the cooking process. The main difficultly I came across was carrying the cake. Why do I always make such large cakes? Using Esme's suggestion of putting string under the base and lowering it into the tin (I was very unsure of this idea) we did eventually get to Esmay. 

The Esmeralda

It is my great friend Esmay's birthday today. So Happy Birthday Esmay! As part of her gift I made her some special cupcakes. They were vanilla cake with rosewater frosting. I have named them The Esmeralda in honour of Esmay. 

Lola's Mini Cupcakes

During my quest to find the tinned pumpkin I ventured into Selfridges and of course could not stop myself from sampling some cupcakes that they sell. I bought four mini cupcakes from Lola's Kitchen. I love the size of them as it means you can eat a few and not feel too bad or sick. I selected four of their signature falvours - peanut, Oreo, coconut and chocolate. The decoration of all the cakes was great and I espically loved the ediable glitter on the chocolate one. I shall be putting in an order for some to jazz up my own cakes. The Peanut cake was a really nice flavour but the cake was a bit on the dry side for me. I really liked the coconut flavour. It is not something I would normally go for but it had great subtle flavours. Before consuming the cakes (which my family helped me with) I took some photos, combining my love for photography and cupcakes. I am still learning to use my camera so hopefully the photos will improve as the cakes do.

The Quest

The quest to find tinned pumpkin continues. I was oh so hopeful at the beginning but now I am starting to lose the will to live. I searched the Internet high and low but could not find any in stock (or under £5) I was correctly informed that Waitrose stocks it and on their website you can order it but they do not deliver to my area. There is still hope if I can get it delivered to a friends house. Having failed to find it in any of my local Waitroses I ventured further a field (this really is becoming an obsession) I was in town today anyway so went to the Edgware Road Waitrose but can you believe it nope the do not stock it. My final attempt to find the what is now my personal holy grail took me to Selfridges. After getting distracted by Halloween cutters (I got a pumpkin shaped one and I'm off to bake some as soon as posted this so expected pumpkin cookie pics soon) I found my way to the food hall and to the American food shelf. I hunted high and low and eventually asked a member of staff only to discover that they only stock for Halloween and Thanksgiving. So not all hope is lots as at least Selfridges will stock it in a few weeks but price is unknown. The trip was not a complete waste of time. I did pick up some Lola's Kitchen mini cupcakes (I have yet to eat them), a Halloween cupcake mix pack, Halloween cupcake cases and a Women's weekly Christmas treats cookbook. The excitement continued when I got home to a Amazon parcel of The Primrose Bakery cookbook and Tips for Better Baking to help solve all my baking problems, not that I have any of course ;) A lot of new things to try and play with. I am a happy bunny for now x

Gruffalo Cake

I could not believe my luck when the most amazing cake arrived at work on Friday. I nearly exploded with excitement at the combination of my love for amazing cakes and children's story. It was a Gruffalo cake! Oh my it was good. It was exactly like the pictures in the book. The kids loved it and so did I. I don't think my skills are quite up to making a Gruffalo yet but it something to aim for.

Inspiration

Having finally tracked down a copy of the October Sainsbury magazine I am now able to try out the some new ideas from the cupcake masterclass. The article which is all pretty and girly (which cupcakes do not always have to be) has some useful tips but nothing ground breaking in it. I do like the idea of cinnamon icing. This lead me the thought of an autumn/Halloween cupcake of pumpkin cake and cinnamon frosting. The only problem with this is that I having difficulty finding tinned pumpkin. I know I could just use a whole pumpkin but it is so much easier and i think will make for a more moist cupcake. Tinned pumpkin is more of an American thing so im hoping to find it in Selfridges and I have been told some Waitrose stock it. A trip to Waitrose for me this weekend.

Here are scanned pages of the article for your reading pleasure.

Where it all began!

As I was hunting through my old photos of previous cupcake adventures I came across some photos of me and my friend Esme in New York (the home of the mighty cupcake)a few years ago. While there we went to the famous Magnolia Bakery on Bleecker street. Oh my god! It was cake heaven. Not only were the cupcakes amazing and delicious but they were the size of my head. What I love about Magnolia Bakery is that was a real bakery it was not trying to be fancy coffee shop. It was simply selling mind blowing cakes.

The bakery in all its gloryThe cupcakes may not have the most technically amazing frosting but when its sky high and tasty what more could you want.