Look at these sweet cupcakes so cute for summer!!

Crumbs do all kind of personalised cupcakes!! Look at this cute little mouse.

Cupcakes are still popular especially for birthdays and occassions. They look fab in a bow tied gift box , you can choose your flavours too!! I love chocolate and lemon cupcakes the best!!

The little figures are usually made out of fondant or paste which is ediable, so fun for childrens parties.

If you do not live near a cake store, or if like me you like making your own designs why not plan ahead for peoples birthdays and start making the little figures for the top of cupcakes, they can keep. They need to have drying time so about a week before is a great time to make these figures.

Many thanks to crumbs for the fab pictures!!

So there I was browsing the web for hoildays when this came up!! A beautifull beach wedding cake that is elegant and fun with a stunning beach design.

Yes ok, I do realise this is not a cupcake, but every once and a while I have to share larger cakes I have made or found when I think they need sharing

Of course you could turn this style design in to a cupcake tower by having a single tier and then shell style cupcakes…see cupcakes can be relevant!!

The cake by the pink cake box, is a great romantic design that would work for weddings in the UK or abroad!! Of course if made in the country of the wedding and stored in the correct tempratures until serving no one like off cake yuck!!

Pale colours are very in for 2013/2014 and its no surprise by looking at how beautifull this design is! The shells can be made out of modelling chocolate or fondant to create fun ediable decorations

I love how there is not too much on the cake making it still look classy!

Do not envy cake creations, just work hard to create something you are proud of!!

People do not just wake up one orning and become a masters of all things cake! They have practised, cried,laughed and if bad tempted like me properly thrown something across a room before.

Making cakes and decorating them should be a hobby, sure I have had some real diasters!! and wil no doubt have others in the future,,,,but that does not matter as long as you learn from them!!

The featured image made by choccywoccydoodah is an example of practise makes perfect!! If you have seen the show you can watch new employees go through the ranks to be able to create all kinds of different cakes!!

Keep going and have fun!!!!!

Happy Baking X

This is a cake I made on Friday for a friend, he is a musical director and also plays the piano!! Hes leaving for Uni in September, so it was a thank you for all that he has done from everyone at operatic`s , and of course to wish him well on his way!!

The cake was a chocolate crunchy cake, with chocolate buttercream, recipe below:

For the cake

• 115 g butter, softened
• 115 g caster sugar
• 115 g self-raising flour
• 2 eggs
• 3 tbs coco powder
• 2 crunchies

For the icing

• 50 g butter, melted
• 400 g icing sugar
• 3 tbsp cold water
• 1 crunchie bar (optional)

I sometimes dabble with fondant figures, but I wouldn’t say I am an expert!! It’s more of a hobby that I always hope for the best with!!!

I always keep a range of bright and light fondant colours in my airtight containers, for days like Friday when I need to make something fast! Of course it is best to use a setting powder and make them at least a week in advance so they can dry properly. Otherwise they tend to bend under the pressure and heads and allsorts pop off!

Anyway, here it is my quick but lovingly made, fondant piano cake

The cupcake craze is still at an all time high, with new recipe books and magazines being prodcued weekly!

The cupcake craze was said to have started in 1996 at “Magnolia Bakery” on Bleeker Street in Manhattan. Originally founded by three hard working individuals baking bread and pastries, the bakery soon started baking 6” Coconut cakes.

The recipe meant that there would be spare batter left over!! (Lucky I wasn’t there or else I would have just eaten it LOL) the spare batter would be poured in to cupcake cases and decorated late at night once the store had closed, ready for the next morning.

In July 2007 the shop closed down due to a few minor problems concerning the department of health. The Magnolia Bakery customers went mad and called the majors office pleading for the shop to be re-opened.

In what I feel would be one of the quickest turn around, the shop quickly resolved the minor problems and was once again open for custom the very next day!

If you are a movie geek like me you may have seen parts of this famous bakery in films such as Sex in the city, The devil wears Prada (one of my favourite chick flicks) and even sit cons such as Spin City!!

In 2010 the Magnolia Bakery expanded its name and opened its first Non US store in Dubai.

In the UK a popular bakery that springs to my mind is The Hummingbirds Bakery,(which has a store in London) is now on its third recipe book!! People are going crazy for the fun, funky and sometimes different ideas! Targeted to be an upmarket company, the recipes are full of flavour and a great choice to bake for special occasions.

You only have to venture out down to your local town to see how mad this craze really is. Everything is cupcake, from magazines, to fashion and of course supermarket isles offering great deals on these sweet treats.

A lot of Stores are now making home baking fun and popular again, with vintage designs of cupcake cases, pinnys, pipping bags and more!

Large superstores can buy in bulk which of course allows the consumer to buy things at a better discounted price! So home baking is once more affortable

So jump on the cupcake band wagon and start baking this Friday!!!

Happy Friday People X

Do you love Oreos? Then you will love these Oreo Cupcakes!!! They are fun and simple to make and taste delicious!!

This is my first ever attempt at these cupcakes..and as you can see they worked a treat!! As you can see in the picture I used orginal Oreos but of course you could use chocolate if you prefer.

This is the recipe

CUPCAKES:

• 6oz self‑raising flour
• 6oz caster sugar
• 6oz margarine
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1 packet Oreo cookies

For the buttercream

• 8oz butter at room temperature
• 12oz icing sugar
• 3‑4 tablespoons milk
• 1 packet Oreo cookies

To Decorate

12 Oreo Biscuits

Method:

I used black cupcake cases as I thought they would look effective and stand out agaisnt the butter cream

1. Pre heat your oven to 200 degrees (180 fan) and pop some cupcake cases in a deep muffin tray. This recipes makes 12 seriously big chunky cupcakes!

2. Then combine the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Take away three tablespoons of flour and replace with the cocoa, then combine everything in a food mixer….

Spoon a little of the batter into the base of each cupcake case, just enough to cover the bottom fully, then top the batter with an Oreo and fill batter on top. Or crush Oreo pieces instead, or try 6 with one method and 6 with the other up to you!

3. Bake for 15‑20 minutes. You can tell when a cupcake is done by lightly pressing the top; if it springs back of its own accord, you’re good to go. If not, give them a little longer.

You should end up with something like this? See how the black case is a nice contrast?

While the cupcake cool on a wire rack, begin making the buttercream….

Combine the all the ingridents in a food processor until smooth and creamy once the cupcake are cool you can pipe on your buttercream and pop on an Oreo.

Warning add Oreos just before serving!!! Sometimes they turn soggy!!!

There you have it my Oreo cupcakes

Ok so I cannot seem to stop watching this mad but brilliant TV programme about these cakes covered in chocolate!!! It really is completely bonkers, not to mention some of the cakes!
So while I was watching this programme I decided to go on their website and have a look at some prices, of course making cakes as a hobby I like to know how much things cost!! To say they are TV celebs in the cake world, some of their cakes aren’t too bad!! Especially if you are near to the area to pick up your order!!
If however like me you are far away this could be for you……
This “Taster Cake” can be bought for just £45 and has 5 flavours in it to try..crazy!! Ill have to order one of these at some point now to do a review on the service and of course the taste!!! Maybe for my birthday!! Hint to friends and family reading this!!
Other cakes need to be collected from either their Brighton or London store!! I want to go to Brighton!!!!!

I want to have a nosy in the shop and perhaps buy a bit of Choccywoccydoodah chocolate!!

How about a Smurf Cake this year? Who doesnt love the cheeky faces of the smurfs? Talking of smurfs have you seen the movie? I loved it really funny.

So come you know what Smurfs are dont you??

Smurfs are little blue comical characters that live in little mushroom houses in their far away lands, they love to garden and get work done . They happy little creations (exception of Grouchy) that are fun to be around!! (Keep away from Gargamel hes the baddy)The smurf on top of my cake is “Clumsy” you can have more than one character if you prefer.  ;-)

Smurfette is the only girl, so she is often the most popular choice for a girls cake! Although it doesnt really matter as my cake was made for a smurf loving adult!!!

If it was my birthday I would like Papa Smurf and of course being a girly girl Smurfette too!!!

Why not make mini Smurfs and fit them all on top of a cake?

Ok so lets take a look at my Clumsy Smurf cake….

Smurf topper by Top It Off

Seen as though smurfs love to garden I have created some carrots and cabbages, complete with some coco dirt (heheee) smurrr smashing!

My Clumsy character has accidently knocked over the mushrooms by mistake too whoops!!

I created the fench using chocolate fondant, destressing it to look like wood with a cake moddeling tool. I used a leaf cutter to create the greenery and finished with some flowers.

Iggle Piggle is a popular theme for a childrens birthday cake this year!! Iggle piggle cakes are fun and easy to make take a look at this one I have whipped up

Ok so I started by baking my favorite recipe a basic victoria sponge style birthday cake!! You could also make a chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream, I just prefer vanilla!

I then used a strawberry seedless jam with vanilla buttercream to coat the inside making it tasty this is my favorite part…I just must remember not to eat the leftovers as its not great for my waistline!!

The fun part……

I used a medium blue to cover the cake, as the cake for a boy and matched in well with litlle iggle piggle himself (made by top it off) a quick stamp out of his name and a number and a few flowers and were done!! Of course you could add more if you like, depending on the time you have, maybe a few brighter flowers. I didnt want to go over the top as this was for a little boy and they wanted to keep it all quite simple!!!

I keep lots of ribbon in the house for cakes as I feel they really finish them off! This Thick thick blue ribbon was a perfect match! Altthough green or red would have also of been a great choice too!!

Cakes are so fun to make, I could spend hours and hours decorating them as It is really relaxing , so go on try it foryourself (well or the child the cake is for) LOL get making an iggle piggle cake!!!

A slightley closer shot I took of the cake:

Many thanks to top it off for the fab topper!!

So, if you are looking for a unique and fun way to top off your birthday cake, I have found the perfect candle for you.

Who would have imagined one would find joy in blowing out a candle in the form of a cupcake. This is such a cute idea, this would make any boy or girl happy on their special day. The awesome part is the candles are also scented in most cases. You can find candles with the scent of 7-Up, pound cake, a hot orange danish, strawberry shortcake, and so many other delicious scents. The candles can completely match the theme of the party and your cake overall. This will be the added pop needed on any cake.

I hope you find this site helpful. The many different ideas to make the cake for your little girl or boy or loved one on their special day are limitless.

Have fun!

Thanks to Colorful Cupcake Candles for the picture!