Chocolate Jaffa Mud Cake

We had our 2nd last cake decoration class last night, I'm quite sad that it is almost over. For this class we covered a cake with chocolate ganache, and placed the chocolate panels and curls on that we made last week.

I'm going to be making some more panels and curls on the weekend so l can share with you what l learnt.

I decided to make a Chocolate Jaffa Mud Cake, as l just love the combination together.

I used the Chocolate Mud Cake from Planet Cakes and added the Rind of two Oranges, as well as the juice of one of the oranges.

This cake is really worth trying!

I would love to hear your comments and suggestions so please feel free to leave some feedback.

Enjoy!

Y x

Ahoy there me Matey!

There is one big thing l learnt today, l have the upmost respect for teachers. I was asked during

the week if l could come in and teach the children at my sons school how to decorate Cupcakes. Sounds simple, but trying to contain 15 excited four year olds was some what challenging.

Cooper was so excited, he loved that everyone at school was calling him Master Chef Cooper.

The children did such a wonderful job, my camera battery died with the first photo l took so this is the only shot l got. Although l don't think l would of had the time to take anymore, they kids definitely keep you on your toes!

They got to enjoy there masterpieces after they had their lunch!

Enjoy!

Y x

Another cake order

By another cake order l mean my second cake order, l had so much fun doing this cake. The client asked for the theme to include a figurine of her husband who is a avid gardener. He always seems to have a bucket of weeds with him as well as his garden hose, so she wanted to include them in the cake somehow.

The Cake is a Chocolate Mud Cake filled with Chocolate Ganache. The figurines and grass were moulded with fondant. I wasn't really happy with the how the grass turned out, l might just have to purchase a Pasta Machine so l can cut the fondant like spaghetti.

The client picked the cake up this afternoon, and was so overwhelmed with it. She thoguht it was perfect! It was so nice to be able to see her reaction, l can't wait to hear what her husband thought.

I would love to hear your comments and suggestions so please feel free to leave some feedback.

Enjoy!

Y x

So so bad but so so good

On the weekend I decided l was going to make Nigella Lawson Brownies, we were having my nieces over for a slumber party and they just love chocolate so I thought these would be perfect!

By no means are these for the faint hearted or health conscious. But with their delicious chewy texture, they are the perfect indulgence treat!

The only thing l changed was that l didn't have any white chocolate so l just replaced it with some extra milk chocolate buttons.

Enjoy!

Y x

I've finished....

Well l've done it, l've completed my first two tier Cake! How exciting, all l can say from this experience is that l can't wait to try another one. I had so much fun doing it, although l'm not the fastest l loved everything about making this. I have so much to learn.

I got the idea to use the colours from some flowers my husband bought me, I instantly fell in love with combination. I used the yellow gingham to decorate the bottom the layer or you could say hide the small imperfections of the cake. With the top layer l used some of the yellow fondant to make a ribbon.

Next week we learn how to make chocolate curls and fences, I'm having so much fun l can't wait to learn so much more.

I almost forgot to mention, that the cake was a White Chocolate Mud Cake. I hate to say it but it was a packet cake eeeek this is the first time l have ever used one. As it is part of our course we were given packet to try, and l really hate to say it but it was delicious and the best thing it didn't taste like a packet cake. In fact it was so nice that l am going to give it another try, the best thing about this cake is that you can make it up to two weeks ahead of time.

Here is a picture of the cake once l cut it.

I would love to hear your comments and suggestions, so please feel free to leave me some feedback.

Enjoy!

Y x

Orange Butter Cupcakes

I know what your thinking, not another citrus cupcake. But really this one is delicious it's light, fluffy and has a beautiful creamy texture and the orange zest really sets it off.

I really wanted to bake these because of the icing, I've never melted fondant before so wanted to give it a try. It was really sticky and quite hard to work with. This may be because my cakes were cracked and quite domed. But once the icing set it was quite affective, l just don't know whether l will be rushing back to make the icing. If you didn't want to try the fondant l think a buttercream would go really nicely with the cake.

For the cupcake

• 90g butter at room temperature
• 90g softened cream cheese
• 2 teaspoons freshly grated orange rind
• 2/3 cup caster sugar
• 2 eggs at room temperature
• 100g plain flour
• 25g cornflour

Fondant layer

1 packet of white fondant

1 egg white

1/4 teaspoon orange flavouring essence

1. Preheat oven to 150c fan forced or 170c non fan forced, beat all ingredients except for the flours with an electric mixer until fluffy and pale in colour. Add flours and beat until combined. Spoon into patty tins. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Cool in tin.

Fondant icing

Place icing in a small microwave proof bowl and heat on 30% heat for 30 seconds, stir and test, then another 30 seconds. It should look soft like marshmallow spread. Stir in egg white and flavouring. Use immediately. Spread fondant quickly over cakes and to smooth the surface use a wide knife dipped in hot water to smooth surface (the knife will need some water on it or it will stick to the fondant)

I would love to hear you comments and suggestions, so please feel free to leave a comment.

Enjoy!

Y x

My first Cupcake order.... The Crying Baby

Wow what a weekend, l had my first cupcake order on Friday night I was so excited. You could say that l was so excited that it didn't quite register that she wanted the cakes on Sunday for her baby shower eeeek.

When I got home I started to panic, so off to the kitchen l went. l got the design from the Planet Cake Cook Book. l tried my first one, I was pleasantly surprised that they seemed a lot easier to make then they looked. The panic started to ease and l went off to bed thinking l WILL be able to do this!

I used this White Chocolate Mud Cake recipe, then iced the cakes with ganache and then the fondant. It was a bit of a process, but it was worth it for the affect it created.

I'm not going to give out the details of how to make the design, as l feel l will cheat the people who have created the book. But if you are serious about cake design and decoration it's a great book to buy and for $45.00 it won't break the bank.

I got them all finished with plenty of time to spare, she was thrilled with the Cakes!

I would love to hear you comments and suggestions, so please feel free to leave a comment.

Enjoy!

Y x

Busy busy busy more Gingerbread

Well what a busy couple of days, we've had some highs and some lows. My uncle who has cancer has just been told that he has to have open heart surgery, which has come as a bit of a shock. He has been going so well with all of his treatments, so much so that he feels great after his chemo which is just bizarre. He went into hospital with some breathing difficulties, which was the result of a blockage to one of his aortas (I think this is the right term). So after much deliberation of whether they should do the surgery or not they have to decided to go ahead with it.

My cousin was going to spend the morning with him, so l offered to look after the kids so she could some quality time instead worrying about the kids. I wanted to make something that she could take in for him, l thought the gingerbread biscuits were the perfect gift.

I made a couple of designs as you can see in the photo. He loved them and was chuffed with the idea, l hope his visitors don't steal them all!

I would love to hear your comments and suggestions, so please feel free to leave some feedback.

Enjoy!

Y x

Second Class of Modern Cake Design

I have some very exciting news, I found my Camera!. I can't believe it l have looked for it everywhere, and then it came to me today that l haven't looked in my nappy bag. So off l go to find the bag and lo and behold the camera is in there.

We had our second class of my Modern Cake Course tonight, we learnt how to ice a cake board, put together our centre piece and make bows out of organza ribbon to hide all the wire.

I'm pretty happy with how it all came together, the colours work really well with one another. You can't really see in the picture, but the flowers have glitter brushed on all of them.

Everyone in class decided to use white fondant to ice their cake boards, but me being me wanted to do something different and used a light lilac. The cake is going to be two tiers, l think l am going to ice the lower cake in a light yellow and do the top in the lilac.

This is just a short post as l am heading to bed!

Enjoy!

Yx

Gingerbread Cookies

Well what a day, it all started off fine that is until l brushed my hair. I know all of you are thinking what could go wrong with brushing you hair? mmm well l managed to do a lot of damage to my neck and shoulder. I don't know how l did it, but l am in sooo much pain. I managed to go the Chiropractor and she took a quick look and said mmmm you've done quite a bit of damage to yourself!

On a happier note l was still able to do some baking with Cooper, at his request we made some Gingerbread Cookies. I've made these biscuits many times before but have never iced them, we had a ball it took a while to get the hang of it a first. But l was pretty happy with the end result.

Gingerbread Cookies

125g unsalted butter, softened

1/3 cup soft brown sugar

1/4 cup golden syrup

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 cups plain flour

1/4 cups self-raising flour

1 tablespoon ginger

1 teaspoon bi-carb soda

Icing

1 eg white

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice (I used Almond Extract)

1 1/4 cups sifted icing sugar

Assorted food colourings

Cream butter, sugar and golden syrup in a small bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually add the egg, beating well after each addition. Sift the dry ingredients into the butter mixture and with a knife until just combined. Combine the dough with well floured hands, knead for two minutes then cover with glad wrap and place in fridge for 15 minutes.

Roll out dough so it is 1/4 inch thick, cut out shapes and bake for for 8-10 minutes.

For the icing, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually add the lemon juice and icing sugar and beat until thick and creamy. Tint icing to your desired colour and decorate biscuits.

I thought l would share a photo of the chef at work!

I would love to hear your comments and suggestions, so please feel free to leave your feedback.

Enjoy!

Y x

Sticky Date Pudding

We had some lovely friends over for dinner the other night, and what better to have on a cold and horrible winters day but Sticky Date Pudding. I've never made this before even though l love it, l just didn't like the idea of touching the sticky dates. But alas l got over that fear and am now at ease with them. I decorated with the chocolate flowers l made the other day. Everyone loved the rich comforting pudding, so much so that my husband was mortified that l was going to give some to my mum!

I got this simple recipe from Taste, it was very simple and easy to follow. I will be definitely making this again!

Enjoy! Y x

Mint Chocolate Cupcakes with handmade chocolate flowers

With great success yesterday, l couldn't wait to try another recipe from my new Divine Cupcake Book.

The next one on the list was Mint Chocolate Cupcakes, these were made for a friend who loves anything to do with mint and chocolate.

I decorated the cupcakes with chocolate ganache and some handmade chocolate flowers.

Once again l halved this recipe as it make 24.

140g dark chocolate

330ml water

4 tblsp Cocoa

300g self-raising flour

2/3 cup ground almonds

180g butter, softened

400g brown sugar

4 eggs

1 1/2 tsp peppermint essence

Pre Heat oven to 170'C

Melt chocolate and water together in a small saucepan

Sift Cocoa, Flour and ground almonds together

Beat butter and sugar together until light, add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Add peppermint essence.

Stir in the dry ingredients, then add the cooled Chocolate mix and blend until smooth.

Divide mixture evenly between cases and cook for 30 minute.

Chocolate Ganache

400g Dark Chocolate

375ml Cream

Melt the Chocolate and Cream over a saucepan of simmering hot water. Stir to combine, once combined remove from heat and let cool.

I would love the hear your comments and suggestions, so please feel free to leave some feedback.

Enjoy!

Yx

Banana Rama

I received this beautiful Cupcake Book called Divine Cupcakes from my mum for my birthday, it has some really lovely recipes that l couldn't wait to try.

I had some bananas that were very ripe and needed to be used, and they had a perfect Banana Chocolate Cupcake recipe.

I was a bit worried that they would be like a muffin, but l was surprised at how light and fluffy they were. I made some little bananas out of the leftover icing from school, and painted the ends with some food die to give it an authentic look.

I halved this recipe because it makes 24.

450g Plain Flour

30g Cocoa

2 tsp of baking powder

2 tsp of baking soda

60ml of milk

225g butter

440g sugar

2 eggs

400g over-ripe bananas

2 tsp vanilla essence ( I used vanilla bean paste)

Pre-Heat Oven to 150'C and line the muffin trays

Sift the Flour, Cocoa and Baking Powder together

Dissolve the baking soda in the milk

Cream the butter and sugar together until light

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Beat in the sifted flours and the the mashed bananas, vanilla and milk.

Divide mixture amongst cases and bake for 25 minutes.

Once Cooked, cool and then ice with the below Buttercream Icing

90g Butter, softened

1 cup Icing Sugar

3 tblsp sifted Cocoa Powder

1 tsp Vanilla

1 tblsp milk

Put the butter in the bowl and cut into small pieces. Beat hard with wooden spoon and stir until soft and creamy. Sift the sugar and cocoa powder into the bowl a little at a time, mixing well with butter. Then stir in the milk.

I would love to hear your comments and suggestions, so please feel free to leave some feedback.

Enjoy!

Yx

Cake Decorating School begins

Well last night was the first class of my 6 week course at MerryDay Cakes, I had a blast. Apparently the first lesson is the most basic, we learnt how to colour Pettinice (aka fondant) and make icing shapes on wires. These shapes will then be used as a cake topper for our two tier cake.

We all had to make 25 shapes using varying cutter, I'm making this cake for my niece so l decided to go with her favorite colours purple and yellow. We had two hours to make the shapes, many people finished within an hour eeek by that stage l had only made 4. You could call me a slow coach, but l prefer perfectionist.

Next week we are icing the cake board and putting together the cake topper, I can't wait!

Enjoy! Y x