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‘Cakes’ Category

  1. Tea and cake

    June 3, 2012 by Chrissie

    There’s just one thing better than a nice cup of tea and that’s a nice cup of tea and a bit of cake. Not every day of course, just now and again on a special occasion or when you’re in an undeniably cakey mood. You know, THOSE days.

    One would imagine that the only thing better than tea and cake would be tea and cake with all the people in the past, present and future that you have ever wanted to meet.

    I’ll go first:

    • Judi Dench – she seems like a tea and cake kind of woman
    • Barack Obama – just because I want to meet him and when he sand Al Green I fell more in love.
    • John Goodman – I bet he likes cake and another thing better than tea and cake is tea, cake and a good chuckle!
    • Helen Mirren – she definitely seems like she’d love high tea with all the trimmings
    • Stephen Fry – do I really need to give a reason?

    Other things possibly better than tea and cake:

    • Tea, cake and accompanying favourite live music – a tinkle of jazz piano perhaps for that extra high tea cliché
    • Tea, cake and room full of puppies
    • Tea, cake and your three best friends
    • Tea, cake and a winning lottery ticket in your hand

    You get the picture. I know we could both add lots more to these lists but instead, let’s ponder why tea and cake is so damn lovely.

     

    Well first of all, tea has some excellent health benefits. Dependent on which tea you drink, it can help prevent signs of ageing, can help with allergies, heart disease, bone strength, cholesterol and green tea is said to be cancer preventative.

    And what about cake, why is there nothing better than a lovely slice of cake? Of course the sugar content helps. It tastes good as well as gives us a little sugar boost, making us happy. If your cake is chocolatey then it too can have health benefits as it will contain antioxidants.

    So basically what we’re saying is tea and cake is the best thing ever and taken in the afternoon will give you the little lift you need to avoid a post lunch slump and get your day done.


  2. The Very Best Flapjack Recipe Ever!

    March 15, 2012 by Chrissie



    The best flapjack recipe is one that I have made for years. It makes the most delicious little bit chewy, but little bit crunchy flapjack on this side of the planet.

    Flapjack reminds me of my childhood.  Before I switched to the vanilla slice at 14 and after I switched from the plain donut at 8, flapjack was my go to choice in the local bakery! The ongoing beauty of flapjack is that it is deliciously tasty and very cheap to make!

    Flapjack is a really basic dessert or snack square, it doesn’t have the best nutritional content but is very delicious. If you want to get a little more healthy, turn the flapjack into a granola style bar with some dried fruit and nuts.

    Here is my favourite flapjack recipe, it should serve about 10 people and be ready in 45 minutes including cooking time. You will find most flapjack recipes are very similar:

    Ingredients:

    • 125g butter
    •  100g brown soft sugar
    •  250g rolled oats
    •  4 tablespoons golden syrup

     

    Directions:

    Preheat the oven to Gas mark 4 or 180 °C.

    • In a saucepan on a low heat, combine the brown sugar, golden syrup and butter.
    • Cook, stirring occasionally, until butter and sugar have both melted.
    • Stir in the oats until mixed well.
    • Pour into baking tin – 20cm works well.
    • The mixture will be 2 to 3cm thick.

     
    Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven. When the top is that lovely recognisable golden brown, take out, cut into squares and then leave to cool completely before removing the squares from the tin.


  3. The best Royal Wedding cupcakes

    May 11, 2011 by Chrissie





    Just look at some of these beauties – they are absolutely amazing!

     

     

    Excellent use of colour in these ones.

     

     

    Love the use of edible red glitter on these ones.

     

     

    Lots of different designs used here.

     

     

    Looks too good to eat…..

     

    This are just so much fun!

     

    British Bulldog cupcakes – too cute

     

     


  4. Kitchenaid Love

    January 11, 2011 by Chrissie



    I’m a huge fan of Kitchenaid Artisan food mixers but alas, due to the fact our house has the smallest kitchen in the world, it’ll be a while before I invest in one. Luckily this gives me plenty of time to plan exactly which one I want (lilac or purple) and what kind of cakes and other goodies I’ll make with it. I’m very excited about the thought of making bread dough with it too. Just need to get myself a bigger kitchen now…..



  5. 10 gorgeous cupcakes designs

    January 1, 2010 by Chrissie


    I’m great (she says modestly) at making loaf type cakes but have also been a bit hit and miss when it comes to making cupcakes – and muffins for that matter. My cupcakes never seem to rise enough or have the right kind of frosting/icing and they never seem as appetising as the ones I see in the shops. I’ve read countless recipes and food blogs (as well as more than one chocolate blog) but have never quite got my little cupcakes right. However, I will not be beaten and 2010 will be the year I make the perfect cupcake! In the meantime, I have put together 1o of my favorite cupcake designs as inspiration, enjoy!

     

    Banana Split Cupcakes

    I could just dive into these:

    Terrier Cupcakes

    Absolutely adorable – too good to eat really

    Alice in Wonderland Cupcakes

    So adorable

    Rose Cupcake

    Look at the details that has gone into this – amazing

    Pink Star Cupcakes

    How lovely are these – and how yummy does this icing look?

    Peppermint Vegan Cupcake

    Oh my….

    Cupcake Burgers

    How brilliant are these?? :-)

    Murder Cupcakes

    Creepy but inspired!

    Coke Cupcakes

    Love, love, love these

    Monkey Cupcakes

    So funny

    Photo credits: Philip, Pascal, Hippie2006, Toxel, mymodernmet, cupcaketakesthecake, hellocupcake,