Exploding Hearts Cake Takes on a Moo Cow

This was a second request for the exploding hearts cake for a baby shower, and this time the mummy-to-be requested a little cow to take centre stage. Boyish and cute in blue, I love the little moo cow surrounded by exploding hearts.

A very big 12 inch chocolate mud cake with chocolate ganache. What a great way to celebrate an impending birth!

A Black and White Affair

 Little nephews and nieces are just the cutest and have the inate ability to make you smile on the inside. Plus, you can hand them back when they cry or need a nappy change. Perfect.

After a busy time recently changing jobs and doing some cake decorating, it is nice to take some time out to go on holiday to visit family. Travelling down to the south end of the country also involves a slight change of weather and I must admit I’m quite enjoying the cooler temperatures and rainy skies for a few days. This allows for the wearing of wintery outfits and warming up in front of the fire in the evenings.  Hmmm one sunny day wouldn’t go astray.

 Last weekend whilst still in the North, I created a black and white themed 50^th birthday cake for an ex work colleage.  I baked a 3 layer devil’s food chocolate cake, then filled and frosted it with a chocolate buttercream. After letting it firm up overnight, I covered it with white fondant, black stripes, white lid and silver ribbon and bow. I decorated with a hand painted gift tag (paint is made by mixing black powder colour with clear alcohol such as vodka) and a white fondant rose made using the Jem easy rose cutters. Roses are so pretty and these cutters make them easy peasy. The final finishing touch was a few clusters of shimmering pearls and a string of pearls to "attach" the gift tag.

The book Planet Cake by Paris Cutler has step by step instructions for a present box cake (I did mine a little differently), and for making a big fondant bow. Planet Cake have also made this great video on making a bow.

Plum and Almond Cupcakes with Heavenly White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

What does one do when faced with the dreaded phrase "I don't like chocolate"? Well, in short, you whip them up these amazing plum and almond cupcakes and hope like hell that they don't mind white chocolate in frosting!

I LOVE fruit in cupcakes.

Just had to have that sentence stand alone as it deserves it. Fruit (and vegies for that matter), give cakes a lovely moist texture and great flavour. Banana, carrot, pineapple, berries, pears and plums all make fantastic cakes. These cupcakes are simply divine as they are moist and tasty but not too sweet thanks to the cream cheese in the frosting. They make for pretty little morning or afternoon tea cakes, and dainty minis would be perfect for a do it yourself high tea. Try them, they are quick and easy to whip up and I have not had a single person not like them as yet.

The Last of the Easter Bunny Cupcakes

 

Inspired by the fabulous Bella Cupcakes I created these little cakes today to celebrate Easter. The cupcakes were leftovers from a trial run of a marble mudcake recipe so some are marble and some are white chocolate mudcake. I wanted to try to recreate the cuteness of my inspiration with a white, pink and purple colour scheme.

I was also inspired the equally creative Bakerella to try her cute little chick cake pops. These did not go as well as I substituted white chocolate for candy melts as I didn't have any. The white chocolate did not colour very well, neither does it go on very smooth. It's still a little bit of cuteness to brighten up the day.

The Best Homemade Easter Hot Cross Buns

Just brought these little bites of joy out of the oven a couple of hours ago. The glaze was quickly brushed over the top, the buns pulled apart and a generous swipe of butter applied while the steam continued to escape. I hurriedly took a couple of snaps before sinking my teeth into what is an amazingly satisfying hot cross bun. Once that was devoured I made up another for myself, this time a chocolate variation. Both were delicious with a warm, soft centre and a slightly crunchy outer. My personal pick of the two however will have to go to my version of the traditional Easter hot cross bun.

Planet Cake Basics 101 - Box of Hearts

After a long time of wanting, wishing and waiting, I have now completed my first Planet Cake course - their new Basics 101. I travelled to Sydney for the weekend and on the night before my course walking home from dinner, I felt it was fate to find this very large cupcake in the Louis Vuitton window display.

I See Seashells Wedding Cake

 I enjoy making cakes that are used to celebrate special occasions whether it be birthdays, last days, baby showers and of course weddings. This cake was made to celebrate the beautiful wedding of Stephanie and Grant which was held last Saturday at Dolphin Heads in Queensland. The wet season held off for a bright and sunny day perfect for a wedding by the sea.

I am so happy with how it turned out. Bright, cute and with the topper romantic all in one! Don't you just love the topper? Chosen and supplied by the bride it's a different take on the traditional and looks great. The silver cake stand is a new addition to my little collection and I feel it adds that little something to the overall look.

Exploding Hearts Baby Shower Cake

Since Christmas I haven't done all that much baking. And no cakes for almost a month! I have a bit of a baking addiction and the withdrawals  got a little too much, so it was necessary to make some sort of cake in January to ease the symptoms.

Gingerbread House

T'was the night before Christmas, and there are treats all through the house. There's plum pudding awaiting, ham glazing and last but not least there is a snowy gingerbread house with tasty gingerbread men.

Making a gingerbread house is not a last minute project. You need at least a full morning or afternoon up your sleeve to allow time for making the dough, baking, decorating, constructing and the final finishing touches.

I used the recipe and instructions from the December 2011 issue of Australian Good Taste magazine. The templates can be printed out on card, covered in aluminium foil and then placed directly on the dough and cut around with a large knife.

Festive Rum Balls

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. The tree and decorations are up, the shops are crowded and I've started playing Christmas carols on my days off. Yep, I'm one of those people. I like Christmas! With my gift shopping complete and Christmas lunch menu planned, I can sit back and start on the fun stuff.

Rum balls are not only delicious, they can make a fabulous gift for family and friends. Simply pop them in clear bags, jars, or chinese boxes tied with ribbon, or place in mini cupcake or truffle cases and a gift box tied with ribbon.

Cute As Birthday Cakes

Now that we're well into the silly season, my next post will be Christmas themed, I promise. But for today I wanted to share with you some last minute cakes I whipped up last weekend for the mother-in-laws birthday. Mothers are special creatures and as such must be appreciated and their birthdays celebrated with cake. The idea of someone not having cake on their birthday is just appalling to me.

Frangipani Wedding Cupcake Tower

On a beautiful tropical Saturday afternoon just over a week ago, a friend of mine tied the knot in the Whitsundays. It was a fantastic location for such a lovely ceremony which included their 2 gorgeous girls in formalising their commitment to each other. The bride looked amazing in her white dress and just a tad nervous as she walked down the aisle to her awaiting beau.