Its looking like another year, just happier

For Christmas I ate so much cakes, sweets, and just food that not only did I get baking related gifts, I'm sure I put on an extra couple of pounds! Which is totally worth it. Food is always worth it!

But this year the baking gifts have been so epic cool!

• Cupcake Calender (Thanks mama!)
• The New Primrose Bakery Celebrations Book (Thanks again mum)
• A set of measuring shot glasses (Yet again thanks mum)
• A diary that has my name on it!!! (NOTHING EVER HAS MY NAME ON IT!!! So I was very thrilled with this. Thanks mum!)
• Conversion Apron (Very helpful Naomi and thank-you)
• Undead cookie cutter (This is totally cool! Thanks Ben)
• Green tea ice cream powder (Naomi this is so cool!)
• Green tea x 2 (Will be drinking this quickly, thanks Naomi)
• Caramel covered dates (Again thanks Naomi)
• Camel Milk chocolate (ermm... thanks Naomi...  Not sure what to make of this one. I bet it tastes great.) 

Also, this is wicked cool, a necklace with my name on it. Its so hard to find something with my name on it. Thank-you Lucy this is so lovely!

Not featured in the photos is

Great British Bake Off Calender (thanks Sofia!)

A pretty butterfly cake stand (Thankies Naomi!!) 

Gingerbread man soap (Yummy smelling thanks Lucy!)

After the celebrations of Christmas and the partying of New Year has worn off the dreaded January Blues begins to set in. Its been 5 days into 2014 and its starting to look like another year. It's that sort of thinking along with going back to work or studying and the cold weather that really get the January Blues really gets going. I've found out that on January 10th, most new year resolutions get broken. (This post is going somewhere, it won't be doom and gloom. Just keep reading.) This is why I don't make new year resolutions I always forget them in the end. But this year I've decided to keep to 2 resolutions:

• Cut down on the swearing. I know it sounds strange that this lovely looking, not awkward at all lady, swears at all. But after working in kitchens and the frustrations of uni, yes I do admit I have a swearing problem! So for the sake of my families and friends ears, I'm cutting down the swearing. 
• I'm trying the 100 happy days challenge, trying to be happy for 100 days... that's pretty much it! And why not? January is a bit of a bummer month but doing even the smallest things can bring us an amazing amount of joy. 

So that's how I'm fighting the January blues with a little bit of happiness everyday. I encourage all of you to do the same because we can make this year like every other... just a lot more happier. What's my first happy moment? Well it's writing this post! 
(Update 07/01/14 I may not be able to update the blog everyday, however all the pictures will be published on the facebook page)

Merry Christmas and Banoffee Cupcakes Recipe

2 days before Christmas and I'm watching the London news as I type and the weather is not looking good. 
90 mph winds and heavy rain, not the best start to Christmas. You want to snuggle up inside with a blanket with a good Christmas film- I'm watching this, which I got for my secret santa gift at work:

Because I'm very very lucky in saying that I'm ahead with my university work! Which means I can take a little break at the festive season. Thank goodness I need a break from the work. 

I'm back in the big smoke aka London, so I've got some time to have coffee with friends, dinner with my family and to do some baking! I wanted to make something a little different. I made banana cupcakes with a caramel buttercream-so banoffee cupcakes! Very yum. 
If you've never heard of banoffee, its an English dessert which has a crumbly biscuit base or pastry base with toffee made from condensed milk, sliced banana and whipped cream. It's a little old school but very tasty!

Banoffee Cupcakes Makes 24 cupcakes (Recipe inspired by The Primrose Bakery Book)

• 250g unsalted butter, room temperature
• 500g golden caster sugar
• 4 large lightly beaten
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 baking powder
• 8 ripe bananas, mashed with fork or broken into small pieces (riper the better)

Caramel buttercream:

• 90g unsalted butter
• 135ml/9 tbsp semi skimmed milk
• 360g icing sugar, sifted
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Christmas sprinkles and glitter

Equipment:

• Sieve
• Muffin tins lined with 12 cupcake wrappersx 2
• Heavy based saucepan
• Wooden spoon
• Piping bag fitted with a star nozzle
• Electric hand mixer/ worktop mixer (which I used this time)
• bowl x 2
• Masher
• tablespoon
• teaspoon

For the cupcakes:

1. Pre-heat oven to 180c/Gas mark. Line muffin tin with muffin cases

   

   Step 2. Creamed butter and sugar

2. Cream the butter and sugar in a bowl with electric whisk until pale and smooth.

   

   Step 3 The batter with all the eggs added

3. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing briefly after each addition.
4. Add vanilla extract and beat again.

   

   Step 5. The Cake batter with the flour added

5. Gradually add the flour and baking powder and beat until well combined.

   

   Step 6. Mashed banana

   

   Step 6. The finished batter

6. Mash the bananas up and add them to the mixture and beat until all combined.
7. Divide the mixture evenly between the cupcake cases, filling about 3/4 of the way full. 
8. Bake in the centre of the oven for about 25 minutes.
9. Turn out onto a wire rack and wait for them to be completely cold before icing.

To make the buttercream:

Step 1. Butter, milk and sugar

1. Combine the butter, milk and brown sugar in a heavy-based saucepan and put on the hob over a high heat. 
2. Stirring continuously, bring the mixture to a boil.

   

   Step 3. Allow to boil

3. Allow it to boil for 1 minute then remove from heat and stir in half of the icing sugar

   

   Step 4. Add the rest of the icing sugar

4. Allow the mixture to cool slightly, then add the rest of the icing sugar and vanilla extract.

   

   Step 5. Thick and runny icing
5. Stir until thick and slightly runny. (if it starts to set, put in a microwavable bowl and put on for a few seconds until runny and beat a little. If you need to add a little milk)

Have a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! See you in 2014!

What I Did For My Birthday

Even though I thought on my birthday week that I could take it easy and not lift a single palette knife. Of course, I got drafted and I made two chocolate cola cakes. One for my cousins birthday, which was handed out at work.

and then I made another chocolate cola cake for my boyfriends parents and of course, 'my cake tester' boyfriend.

Oh doesn't that scream chocolately goodness? 

I wanted so badly to make my own birthday cake but I was strictly warned that that wasn't going to happen as I do so much baking all the time, so I needed a break from it. Instead my lovely nan had a cake made for me and my mums birthday.

How cool is that? My mums loves bingo, (she's at that age), so she got a bingo card and I got a cute little cupcake, of course!

I was greeted on my birthday morning with a bunch of awesome presents! 

 I wasn't thrilled with all of my presents... I got some anti-wrinkle eye cream...I'm twenty-something but I think someone was trying to give me a hint there.

 However, one of my coolest cards was a beautiful Snow White card from my friend Sofia, who I made a birthday cake for. I love Disney so this was the best card! My present was inside the card...and the surprise was when I opened the card...

 Yups I'm totally going on a Ghost Bus Tour! OMG!! Thank-you Sof!!!
One of my other passions is anything scary, anything horror and ghosty. So it's not just all about cakes. 

Another one of the most beautiful cards I got, nearly moved me to tears. It was from my friend Naomi, all the way in Dubai, who I miss terribly. (Check out the Good luck cupcakes I made for Naomi here!)

 It really shocked me to see my face plastered all over the card! It looks wonderful but what made me smile was the message:

 Even the back was personalised! Thank-you Naomi, this card moved me to tears. Please come back soon!! We all really miss you here!

I was also lucky enough to spend time with my family and my boyfriend. We went out for a meal and even went out for bingo! I didn't win however. But I had an excellent birthday. 

I would like to thank everyone for my gifts, cards and for the wonderful memories. Closing this post here's a picture of one of my favourite foods, which I had the day after my birthday: Crab on Fries from Ventnor Haven Fishery on the Isle of Wight. 

These are some amazingly tasty chips!
Bake On!

Sofia's Cherry Blossom and Vanilla Birthday Cake

In my eyes, spring starts in April, when the cherry blossoms are in bloom.

The light pinks to delicate white flowers take me back to childhood. I have no idea why, but cherry blossoms  would fascinate me. I could have stood for hours just dreamily staring at all the dainty little flowers. 

To me those flowers are magic and will always make me smile. Even today as an adult I still smile at the sight of a cherry blossom tree.

The start of spring is special to both me and my friend Sofia, as we both celebrate our birthday's in April!

Born just 4 days apart, ever since we met 12 years ago, we have always celebrated our birthdays together.  

This year, I struggled to decide what to make my dear friend as she knows what she likes. Stumped for ideas, I was taking a walk and saw a beautiful pink cherry blossom tree and just stared for a moment....

Then it hit me!
A Cherry Blossom Cake! First I texted Sofia to double check if she liked cherry:
I love cherry!

Awesome, now to find some cherry blossoms to bake and decorate the cake. I sadly did not succeed.
I tried so very hard to find Sakura (Japanese Cherry Blossom) jam and when I found some on the internet, it was too expensive to purchase for a single cake. My luck changed when I stumbled upon a recipe in a cookbook for cherry and almond cupcakes!
Success!

I adapted the recipe to make a cake instead of twelve cupcakes. I would say that next time I make this cake I will be using two 7 inch sandwich tins, instead of one 23 inch cake tin as it turned out really flat. I think a good cake has good height.

Recipe: The Cake (Adapted from Making Cupcakes with Lola)

•        100g self-raising flour, sieved
•        70g plain flour
•        ¾ teaspoon baking powder
•        95g butter, at room temperature
•        150g caster sugar
•        ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
•        2 eggs
•        85ml whole milk
•        90g morello cherry jam
•        2 tablespoons flaked/slivered almonds

Recipe: Cherry Blossom Frosting

•        75g Morello Cherry Jam
•        125g butter, at room temperature
•        1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
•        250g icing sugar
•        Decorations of your choice like writing icing and glitter. I made   my own cherry blossoms made from royal icing which I will soon publish soon! Promise!

Equipment:

•        Bowl x 2
•        Electric hand-held whisk
•        Sieve
•        Scraper
•        Saucepan
•        7 inch sandwich tins x 2 lined with silicone paper
•        Measuring jug

    1. Pre-heat oven to Gas Mark 5/375f/190c. Grease and line the sandwich tins.

Step 2. Sieve the dry ingredients.

    2. Sieve the flour, baking powder, and salt together in one bowl.

Step 3. Cream the sugar and butter.

    3. Cream sugar and butter together with an electric whisk, in a separate, until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at the time and then add the vanilla extract. Mix until smooth.

Step 4. Mix the dry and milk alternatively 

   4. Add the sifted dry ingredients and milk alternatively and beat on a low speed until the cake mix is combined.

Step 5. Heat the jam for 30 seconds

Step 5. Pour the jam into the cake mix

Step 5. Roughly swirl 

   5. Put the cherry jam in a saucepan and heat gently for about 30

    seconds or until slightly runny. Pour the warm jam into the cake mix and roughly swirl in with a spatula.

Step 6. Sprinkle the almonds on top

   6. Pour the cake batter into the prepared tins, sprinkle the almonds on top of cake batter and bake for 35-40 minutes. 

   7. Make sure that the cake is cooked by inserting a skewer or a knife into the middle of the cake, if it comes out clean, it’s cooked. Once baked leave in the tray for 10 minutes and transfer to a wire rack.

   8. To make the icing, put the cherry jam into a saucepan and heat gently for 30 seconds. Strain the warm jam and discard any bits.

Step 9. Beat the frosting until smooth

   9. Put the butter in a bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer, until very smooth. Stir in the vanilla and sift half of the icing sugar in the bowl, beating until all of the frosting is smooth.

Step 10. Creamy and Pink frosting

   10. Add the other half of the icing sugar as well as the smooth jam and beat for 5 minutes until thick creamy and pink. Add a tablespoon of milk, if the frosting is stiff.

Step 11. Sandwich the frosting between the two cakes

   11. To assemble the cake, place one of the cakes on a cake board and spread a layer of frosting.

    12.  Place the second cake, with the flat bottom pressing down on the frosting, on top of the first cake.

    13. Spread some more icing on top with a palette knife. Decorate as desired. 

I know it turned out very flat but the birthday girl was happy. She was a little embarrassed when the staff at Prezzo sung happy birthday to her, before cutting the cake and enjoying a slice. 
I hope you had a wonderful birthday Sofia and thank-you for my pressie as well. Of course, that will be mentioned on the blog soon!

Bake On!