Bonjour Monsieur

I sincerely apologise for going A.W.O.L i have simply been crazy busy with both work and then going back to uni time seems to slip away.

So today I thought I'd give you an update on one of the things i have been up to and managed to squeeze in whilst I've been away. Lots of my friends now that half have them have graduated are starting out on their own two feet to start careers and a lives for themselves. Unfortunately this takes friends further a field than would like. So mid september my group of friends lots a dear friend to the european continent. He decided he wanted to start a life with his French girlfriend in Paris.

Naturally, we couldn't let him go without a party, a Bon Voyage. In fact... a french themed Bon Voyage party of course!

Oooo la la. the boys looking fetching in bretons and moustaches!

 Us girls definitely went the extra mile with our costumes, even Adam's girlfriend thought so...

~ Shorts and Jumper: H&M ~

Very fetching indeed! Hoping he makes quite an impression in Paris...

A party is really party with out three things. Wine, Food and great friends. Well we cover wine and the great friends part with ease with french wine flowing freely. As you can see the Baguettes and cheese were going down a treat but what really topped the evening off was my French themed chocolate cupcakes. 

They were the sweet treat that were the perfect snack for later on in the night. We partied away in to the early hours. It's safe to safe we gave Adam a good send off!

The Graduate

So the other day was my boyfriend's long awaited graduation from University of Manchester. It was a very proud day for both myself and his parents, it was worth risking the rain to go and attend the traditional and laves ceremony. It's safe to say that University of Manchester pulled out all the stops, with pin and champagne in flow and congratulation speeches of praise. 

Afterwards we went to Jabez Clegg an old fashion beer hall where we grab a drink and had a catch up with a debrief of the highs and lows of the day. We swiftly departed and made our way back home to catch up with the rest of the family and join them for a fabulous chines banquette!

University is an important time when growing up and it begins to shape the person you will be in the future. I am very please for my boyfriend and hope the future will bring him good fortune.

~ Jacket: H&M ~ Dress: Oasis ~ Shoes: Topshop ~ Necklace: Mulberry ~

Jubilee Celebrations

As it's a special weekend as it is the Queen's Jubilee, her 60th year on the throne! Across the nation people are celebrating and getting into the swings of things with the luxury of a four day weekend, wahoo!

Today, after work i knocked up these little beauties. Soft vanilla sponge with butter icing the colour of the British flag : red, white and blue. They are so yummy and i'm currently resisting the urge to gobble them all up! These have to be the perfect weekend bake and so easy.

If you'd like to find out how i did the icing you can read here to find out and you too can have these little Jubilee cupcakes! Per haps if you're having a street party you could whip some up as they be great for a tasty party treat !

What are you up to this Jubilee weekend?

Anyone having a Street Party?

Floral Tea Cupcakes

Like winnie the Pooh i always crave something sweet and delicious, only my craving is not honey but instead it’s cake. So in my mind i start thinking of ways i can satisfy my stomach and get creative at the same time in the kitchen…Then it comes to me a few days earlier i had seen Raspberri Cupcakes post the most cutest cupcakes ever. the colours were so well suited so i thought to myself ‘that gives mr a fantastic idea!’ So here they are my rose  tea cupcakes!

Ingredients:

Cake

6oz Butter/ Margerine

6oz Sugar

60z Self Raising Flour

1 tsp Baking powder (level)

1 tsp Vanilla Essence

3 Eggs

butter Icing

4 1/2 oz Butter

9 oz Icing sugar

1 tbsp Milk

1tsp Vanilla Essence

Food colouring ( i chose pink and blue)

1.In a bowl or mixer combine the sugar and marg together until a pale cream colour and looks fluffy

2. In a jug beat the eggs and slowly add to the sugar and marg mixture. At this point you can also add your flavouring and if you wanted to make the sponge a colour your colouring also.

3. Sift the flour and baking powder into the bowl and gentle combine with the rest of the mixture insuring you don’t beat it too much or the air that will help your cake raise will disappear!

4. spoon mixture into cases and baking for around 20-25 minute at 160 C. Take out and allow to cool before icing.

Now for the icing.

1.  Remove the butter from the fridge 30 minutes before starting.

2.Place in a large mixing bowl and beat at high speed, gradually adding icing sugar (and adding the milk and vanilla about halfway through) and beating until light and fluffy.

3.  Split your icing into different bowls to add the colouring

4. Place in a piping bag and alternate which colour you place in the piping bag. (like below)

5. Pipe icing on top of cupcakes, I used a Wilton 2D nozzle to get the rose shape look.

Hopefully you to will end up with some beautiful cupcakes as well!

Fool Proof

When I was younger it’s safe to say I wasn’t the easiest person to cook for, I was very picky pushing away nutritional food my mum offered me and hope she would present me with a ‘better’ option. This was often bribery with something sweet: “Sweet heart if you eat your pea then you can have some maltesers”. I ate very little and opted always for the sweeter options whenever I could and mum would always fuss over me worried sick that I never ate anything real. However, whenever we went to my aunties it was a very different story!

My Mum’s sister (Auntie Doo Doo as we affectionately call her) has always been a fantastic cook and baker. Going to her for lunch was always an exciting, hoping she had made her famous chocolate flake cake.  We’d usually have some kind of cooked dinner around lunch time which would consist of roasted meat and fresh vegetable and if we were lucky a tradition desert or more than likely cheese and biscuits. About 4:30pm Doo Doo would start to prepare the afternoon tea to fill the gap for the journey home. On a little tea trolley she would lay out the cheese and biscuits from lunch time, a selection of sandwiches which were usually cucumber sandwiches, smoked salmon and roasted meat from lunch sandwiches. There would also be on the trolley a fresh pot of tea, which always had loose tea, leaves in and had to be strained when poured in you delicate tea cups on patterned saucers. Best of all Doo Doo would bring out her freshly baked cakes. Fruit scones with jam and cream and an enormous chocolate cake decorated with flakes on top.

The chocolate flake cake was always perfect, crumbly and oh so chocolaty. It one of those cakes that you can only ever eat one slices of but definitely makes you want to ask for more! When i was older enough to get in the kitchen on my own i ask for the recipe to this famous cake so i could also hold the secret to the famous chocolate flake cake! The secret behind this cake has to be that it’s so simple! There is nothing particularly special about the cake and its method is so simple to follow even a fool could bake it! I occasionally adapt the recipe according to how chocolaty I am feeling, so gradually my Auntie Doo Doo’s cake has evolved. Amongst my friends this cake is legendary, it’s the one all the boys constantly ask me to bake for them and when i suggest something like a Victoria sponge cake they turn their noses up and say “we prefer the chocolate one”. 

So I hear you ask “How do I make this delectable delight?” Lucky for you I am willing to let you into my families’ secret recipe! 

For the Cake:

175g unsalted butter or stalk margarine , at room temperature

175g caster sugar

175g self-raising flour , sifted

50g Coco Powder ( or if you prefer 75g of melted dark chocolate)

1 tsp baking powder 

3 eggs

1. Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Line and butter 2 x 18cm sandwich tins. 
2. Beat the butter and sugar in a bowl together until a pale cream colour.
3. sift the cocoa powder and flour into you the other ingredience and with a metal spoon gently fold together.
4.  Divide the mixture between the tins and level.    
5. Bake side by side for 20-25 minutes until the sponges are risen, slightly shrunk away from the edge of the tin and spring back when lightly pressed. Leave to cool for 5 minutes then turn out onto a rack and peel off the paper. 
6. Cool completely before filling.

For The Icing:

128g/4.5oz butter, softened

255g/9oz icing sugar

150g/5oz Dark Chocolate, melted (best if it’s over 60% cocoa solids)

1-2 tbsp milk

1. To make the buttercream, beat the butter in a large bowl until soft. Add half of the icing sugar and beat until smooth.
2. Add the remaining icing sugar, melted chocolate and one tablespoon of the milk and beat until creamy. Beat in more milk if necessary to loosen the icing.

So very easy and tastes great! Enjoy!