Rum & Raisin

Ah I just tried one of my Rum & Raisin cupcakes I baked this morning and they are defiantly up on top with the elderflower and mint choco cupcakes! 

As per usual, I used the basic cupcake recipe with the extra addition of some chopped raisins soaked in rum extract and 1 1/2 heaped teaspoon of cinnamon powder. My mum requested some cakes this morning and after finding rum extract in Sainsburys the other day I knew what I wanted to bake, however if you have more time and more money (which I don't have) it's probably best to soak the raisins over night in dark rum instead of extract for 10 mins like I ended up doing. Nevertheless, these cakes are lovely! 

The butter cream consisted of both vanilla and rum extract and pipped using the Wilton 1m nozzle, finished off with 3 raisins and a sprinkling of cinnamon powder. I also added a dash of milk to the cupcakes just to make the sponge a little less solid! 

Hope you like!

Where has the time gone?!

Today has been one of those days where you sit and do absolutely nothing yet the time seems to fly by, this little saying is my inspiration for today's post which has no relevance to cupcakes whatsover. 

I found my old blog today and reading it made me realize how much time has flown by, it only feels like yesterday when I found out I got a place at UEA and now I have one year left to make the most of being a uni student! 

I started a blog in my first year where I posted photos I had taken every few days or so with a description of the day to remind me of days that I probably would have forgotten about otherwise, reading it back today brought back so many memories and I have realized how much I want to carry it on. 

I have no idea who actually reads this blog, or if anyone does but this is not only going to be dedicated to my love for baking cupcakes but will also include the odd posts about days I don't want to forget or random thoughts here and there! 

So whilst I'am here I will dedicate this post to the end of Summer and the beginning of my 3rd and final year at University (ek...).
The Summer holidays began with an amazing week at Tenerife with my best girls, I can safely say that the holiday is the cause of me having the biggest holiday blues I have ever had! Then straight after I made my way round Italy and Croatia on a cruise with the family on board the Celebrity Silhouette. I can not explain to you how amazing the boat was and how much I miss looking out of my balcony to see the different views each morning! 

Harry Potter Studios!

My Laptop won't let me upload anymore cruise photos :(

Cousins Wedding

Tenerife!

Hyde Park

Other than the two holidays my summer holidays haven't been all that exciting this year. I have a job as a bar girl, I went to my first ever wedding and have pretty much just been baking and spending most of the time with my girls at home.
A little message goes out to my brother who I haven't seen or heard properly in what it feels like a year as he is having the time of his life travailing South Africa and now Australia. I feel like an only child at the moment and I really am not enjoying it but hey ho, as long as he is having a good time that's all that matters! 

So I think I have rambled on enough, I hope everyone has made the most of Summer 2013, Christmas isn't far away and Summer 2014 will come round quicker than you think. 

Keep smiling and enjoy the last few weeks of the holidays! 

Lots of love, Kathryn x

Shhh... Zara's Birthday Cake

Evening! 

Today was spent baking my friend's surprise birthday cake for her 20th on Saturday!

She is obsessed with the colour turquoise so I have tried to take this on board. I previously, maybe around 3 years ago now, created a giant cupcake for her birthday in this colour and if I can I'll try and find a photo to compare! 

I find these cakes such a hassle to make however I am happier with this cake then my birthday cake I baked a few weeks back. The candy buttons worked in my favour as did the cake. I know it could be neater but nothings perfect in life :) 

It is filled with a Victoria sponge with vanilla buttercream and apricot jam.

Hope you like! 

Cake Pops

What a mess.

 These so called 'cake pops' sound like the easiest little things to do however, they are not. Seeing as my parents destroyed my birthday cake (they are still yet to tell me what happened), the guilt made them buy me a set of cake pop molds and sticks :). 

I used a normal cupcake mix and placed on the bottom of the silicone mold and placed the top on top so that the cakes rise into the molds, however next time I think I shall add a bit of baking powder to give it an extra rise. After this I used chocolate on the sticks and stuck them into the cake after they had cooled and placed in the fridge for 10 minutes to set, then you 'simply' cover the balls with dark chocolate or whatever chocolate you have and decorate :). 

Yeah its really not as simple as that, firstly they are so difficult to keep standing if you don't have a holder , then the chocolate gets everywhere, they fall into each other and then they melt and the cake falls off the stick. 

Its safe to say I think I'll stick to baking cupcakes! :) 

Enough of moaning, here are some photos! xxx 

Great British Bake off!...Banana & Chocolate

Its back!

So my all time favourite show 'The Great British Bake Off' was back of our screens last night, ek, and what better way than to use one of Mary Berrys recipes for some Banana and Chocolate Chip Muffins (as our bananas were going mouldy)

Here is the link http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/you/article-2271296/Mary-Berry-food-special-Banana-amp-chocolate-chip-cupcakes.html :) and here are my versions. Of course I have made them all dairy free so replaced with soya milk and dark chocolate chips!

Giant Cupcake

Hi all :) 

Tomorrow I am re-celebrating my birthday! It has been a long day; getting the ingredients, making the decorations, baking the cake, letting it cool, making the mold, letting it cool blah blah blah! And I really don't think it was worth the hassle haa! 

The photos seem to do it justice however I would like to mention several mishapes that I hope don't happen again. Firstly for some stupid reason I forgot to add flour when greasing the pan, as soon as I put it in the oven I slapped myself, hence when it was ready to be removed it fell apart. Then the candy melts just did not work, it broke into pieces so I have tried to photograph the parts without cracks. 

Hope you enjoy the photos :) xxx

Birthday ♥

Happy Birthday to me!! 

I am starting to feel pretty old by turning 20 and ending my teenage years. I spent the day with my girls and visited the one and only Harry Potter World Studios in Watford. Even if you don't even like or watch Harry Potter it is still an amazing experience and I would recommend it to absolutely anyone! 

So what did I get for my birthday... A LOT of cupcake goodies. I haven't actually made my birthday cake yet as I am having another celebration on Saturday and I shall attempt to bake a giant cupcake. 

Yesterday I was in such a rush so I can safely say that I was a bit disappointed in myself with these cupcakes but it was mainly to try and experiment with my new 'toys'. 

Here is what I created :)! 

Enjoy and thank you for everyone who messaged me and made my birthday brilliant!

♥

Teacup Silicone Case: Lakeland

Plant Pot Silicone Case: Lakeland

Elderflower & Lemon

A month ago or so I started a new job at Hadley Wood Golf Club as a bar girl and absolutely love it. However like my previous job we can not drink coke/lemonade/ginger beer etc from the tap and have to drink boring cordials but thankfully this has brought me to discover my new favourite drink, elderflower & soda. So that is my influence for todays cupcakes!

For the cupcakes you will need:

• 3 eggs (together mine weighed around 208 grams)
• 208 g Margarine 
• 208 g Caster Sugar
• 208 g Self raising flower
• 1 1/2 tbsp Elderflower cordial
• 1 lemon zest finely grated

Beat together the sugar and margarine, then add an egg one by one

Mix in the flavourings

Slowly, without activating the gluten sieve in the self raising and fold 

Fill the cupcake cases

& place in a pre heated 180 degrees over for around 20-25 minutes :)

Lemon Syrup

When they are nearly cooled, measure 25 grams of caster sugar and squeeze around 1 1/2 lemons to get 75 ml juice. Boil together for a few minutes, then with a skewer pierce several holes and pour a small spoonful over each cake!

Butter cream! 

Mix icing sugar and butter with some elderflower cordial and squeeze the lemon out to get some drop of juice. Add some yellow colouring and pip.Voila! 

Sorry I apologize for the lack of description for the butter cream! Just taste and add whatever you like :)