How to : Checkerboard cake without any fancy pans!

(easiest with chocolate & vanilla sponge)

1. Bake as many layers as needed, I had 2 but can do many more.

2. Measure diameter of cake and draw onto baking paper. Divide up the circle into equal sections. I divided mine into 3, so when the cake is cut into a slice, you can see 3 squares of colour.

3. Cut circles out of baking paper, and lay on top of cake and cut out carefully with a sharp knife. (I greased mine so it stuck a little bit, helping to make the cutting more accurate) Once all the circles of cake are cut, start putting them back together but alternating the sponges.

4. Spread a layer of butter icing on (or jam, whatever. I cheated and used Betty Crocker) and repeat step 3 again with the second layer of cake.

5. Cover cake in icing (whatever you choose) making sure you can't see what's hiding beneath!

6. Decorate as usual. I made a stencil so there was a huge glittery 60 on top :)

Macaroon Mayhem

Recently I've tried making macaroons a number of times and every time I have ended up with one giant macaroon (mainly due to the fact I was piping the mix straight onto a baking tray), so I decided to invest in a silicone macaroon tray from Lakeland. O-M-G, it was the best £7.99 I've ever spent on baking goods (aside from my kitchenaid, which I didn't actually pay for so..). I learnt the hard way that you don't need to grease silicone trays, and my second attempt was a big success! I took the left overs (our new dog is quite partial to a macaroon it seems..) into work the next day and they went down a storm..best macaroons ever tasted apparently! 

I also went back up north for the weekend as I was baking the cakes for a friends mums 50th birthday party. Cue icing cakes in someone else's kitchen - NIGHTMARE. But I got there with the help of my apprentice (ha) Meg. One giant chocolate cupcake and 36 vanilla cupcakes later and we were ready to go! 

I'm baking again this weekend, this time for a work colleagues 60th birthday so I'll fill you all in on that one when it's done.

Peace out cake lovers. 

Doing my bit for charity

This week, John Lewis held a charity bake sale. So quite obviously, I did my bit. This was the first time I had tried dual coloured icing, and it worked an absolute treat! No need for expensive double piping bags; just put one icing in one side, the other in down the side with it, pipe until both colours come out and TA-DA! 

A giant bunch of flowers

This week I made a giant chocolate cupcake for a friends sisters birthday. I was told the birthday girl enjoys gardening so I thought I'd make a cake that resembled a giant bunch of flowers :) And here is the result..

99 with a flake please!

Chocolate cupcakes with white chocolate butter icing that I baked for my lovely colleagues at John Lewis this week. Topped off with a Cadburys chocolate flake and some chocolate sauce! Yum! 

Golfing Mad

Last week I baked chocolate and vanilla cupcakes for a friends husbands 40th birthday. As you can see, he's a golf enthusiast..! The decorating took a while as it was the first time I've used rolling icing..feel like I did a good job for my first attempt :)

Tally ho!

Baby Cakes

On Monday I went to visit my friend who gave birth to a beautiful baby boy named Oliver 3 weeks ago. Something amazing happened whilst I was there..I held a baby for the first time! I know, 24 years and no baby holding? Welcome to the life of an only child with a very small extended family :P So along with gifts of bucks fizz truffles and a pamper set, I baked her some chocolate cupcakes that she loved so much whilst she was pregnant :)

And this weekend, I shall be baking for my fabulous dad in aid of Fathers Day!

Long time, no blog!

Recently I have been pretty awful at blogging..the surprise heatwave, trips to Devon and Bath, the Queens Diamond Jubilee and generally having a jolly good time have got in the way! So here are some snaps of what I've baked over the past month..

A chocolate giant cupcake with 24 cupcakes for Jenny's 25th birthday..

Lemon meringue pie..

Jubilee themed cheesecake and red, white and blue cupcakes!

Chocolatey Goodness

Yesterday I went to visit my friends in Swanage who I hadn't seen in far too long. Seems silly that we only live an hour apart yet we see each other about once every 6 months, pffft. Anyway, they are all very supportive of my baking so I thought I'd bake them some treats; my infamous chocolate cupcakes. These are by far one of my favourites, chocolatey goodness in all it's glory. YUM.

As previously mentioned in my blog, my cakes and I have been featured in the lovely Made By Sami's monthly newsletter titled 'Wedding Belles'. Here's my little bit here;

Definitely go and visit Made By Sami's Facebook page and show your support for up and coming handmade designers and makers :)

Wedding Anniversary Cakes

Yesterday I baked cupcakes for my neighbours wedding anniversary. I went for the classic favourites; chocolate or vanilla sponges with corresponding buttercream, all piped into roses. I am still mastering the art of piping roses, it's quite tricky but I'm definitely getting better :) 

I also had a go at mini cupcakes for the first time. They're absolutely tiny, and getting the baking time right was haaard. I got there eventually. I definitely need to practise these more..I'm sure my chief taste testers at The Mill won't mind :)

This week it's both my mums and dads birthdays, and I'm starting my new job, so I best get my bake on!

Cupcakes for an expectant mummy :)

Yesterday was a good day..I got a new job at John Lewis and I baked cupcakes for an expectant mummy as she was leaving the restaurant for maternity leave. I absolutely loved baking these chocolate cupcakes..I ordered the edible decorations off the internet and went ribbon shopping. They went down an absolute treat, with everybody in the restaurant ooh-ing and arr-ing at the baby cakes. A good Friday the 13th all round :)

I got some stickers :)