Happy Retirement cake

Following the cake i made for Chrissa, her aunty asked if i could make a cake for someone who is retiring at the school she works at. I was thrilled! I haven't had too much practice with cakes yet but i had done the one for Chrissa only a couple of weeks ago and i figure i wont get better unless i practice!

The only instruction i was given is for the cake to read 'happy retirement laurie' and she also mentioned that he likes planes. I hope Laurie likes the plane, my husband and i made it together and i thought it looked cute - hopefully Laurie wasnt expecting a realistic looking plane!!! This is what i came up with...

Scary cupcakes and cookies for Riley

Work is a great source for orders!! A work colleague was aware that i love baking and she had seen some previous cupcakes i had made for other work colleagues. She is just lovely and asked if i'd like to make some scary cupcakes and cookies for her son's 9th birthday. It really is lovely when people appreciate and like what you do.

It was quite amusing because her son had strict instructions on the design and didn't want anything girly for his female friends. He said that if he has to eat cupcakes with butterflies at their parties then they have to give in and eat boyish cupcakes too. His mum and i were discussing that his opinion will probably change in a year or two :)

I didn't have to do any research for the design of these cupcakes, i was provided with a picture of cupcakes that Riley liked. These were fun to make and a nice change from the very detailed Planet Cake baby cupcakes i have made recently!! Still though, i couldn't have done it without the help of my wonderful apprentice (yes, husband he he)...he did ALL the mummies. I think they look great, definitely my favourite design from the lot.

The cookies were packaged in little cellophane bags and tied with a blue ribbon. What a lovely thought - Riley was going to distribute these to his class mates. The chocolate cupcakes are for the family birthday on the weekend.

Happy birthday Riley!

A cake instead of cupcakes...

A friend's daughters birthday was coming up and she knows how much i love to bake so she asked if i would like to make cupcakes for her daughter's 3rd birthday. Naturally i said yes!

She confirmed that she would have 40 people attending and because cupcakes are quite time consuming we decided on a cake instead. The last time i decorated a cake was in October and that was my first cake on my own (first was actually at Planet Cake but i had help there, so im not counting it! :) ). I was a little nervous as i haven't had that much practice with cakes but i love a challenge and it really helped to build my confidence with cakes. Im looking forward to making more.

After doing this cake i realise that a cake is definitely much less time consuming that cupcakes. Cupcakes can be very fiddly....but they are still my fave!

The cake is chocolate mudcake with chocolate ganache and i decorated as girly as i could....pink, butterflies and flowers! Happy Birthday Chrissa, lots of love xoxo

Birthday cupcakes for my nephew

My nephew is turning 8 today and i couldnt resist, i just HAD to make some cupcakes :) There will probably be a cake, but i still had to do my thing!

Looking through flickr you soon to start to realise that most of the boyish cupcakes are about monsters and other scary creatures! It's hard to come by a really nice looking cupcake that suits a boy. But i found some ideas and came up with this:

I don't actually own number cutters in the same format as the alphabet cutters i used so i decided to spell '8'.

The cupcakes are my favourite recipe - the Planet Cake one. I topped the cupcakes with blue buttercream and some handmade toppers. I also made some brownies to take along tonight, at the request of all the kids :)

Happy birthday Jordan!

My first post and order for 2010 !

It was nice to have a break from baking over Christmas, but it was also a lovely surprise when i received a call last week for an order of baby shower cupcakes! The order was for 6 cupcakes and whilst many people don't take orders for such a small amount i just enjoy making cupcakes so much that i don't mind making half a dozen. I'm not a business so i dont have strict rules. I am just so honoured when someone asks me to make something for them. And plus i was just happy to bake after having a little break but it also meant that i wasnt going to spend forever in the kitchen :)

Nadine decided on the Planet Cake baby design for her friend's baby shower - 3 of the normal one's and 3 screaming babies. I was really looking forward to making the screaming babies as i had never made them before, and i love trying new things.

Thanks for your order Nadine, i hope the girls enjoy them.

Not a cupcake, but so tasty!

The lovely Virginia who i made the Planet Cake baby cupcakes for a couple of weeks ago asked if i could make some rum balls for Christmas. I love to bake no matter what it is so naturally i said yes!

Virignia requested 40, and i made a mixture of traditional Rum(less) Balls, Bailey's Truffles and White Chocolate Coconut Truffles. The truffle recipes are from the December Good Taste magazine and they are divine! I hope Virginia and her family enjoy them, i know we will!

Im quite happy to say that this is my last lot of 'baking' (although, there was no baking involved with rum balls and truffles!) for the year. I have loved the orders i received from work mates these last few weeks but also happy that Christmas is here and i get to enjoy time with the family.

May you all have a lovely Christmas! Eat lots and enjoy this lovely time of year.

Another order for Christmas Cupcakes!

I have had quite a few orders lately from people at work which i have been thrilled about!! I love the fact that i can make cupcakes for people i know, it takes the pressure off a little and they are usually quite happy for me to choose the design.

These cupcakes are for Jen who is having her family Christmas tomorrow. Her sister is going skiing for Christmas so some of the cupcakes are based on a white Christmas, and the others have a traditional Christmas theme.

The cupcakes are my my favourite vanilla cupcakes - Planet Cake recipe with white chocolate ganache, yum! I brushed white shimmer dust onto the stars which gave them a gorgeous sparkle, if only it would show up well on the photos!

I found a pic of flickr where they used two cupcakes in the middle with HO HO on them and i loved this idea! I designed the snowmen, trees, stars and gingerbread men.

I was really pleased with how these turned out, and hope Jen and her family will be too! :)