AWOL and Chocomint Cupcakes

I've been so busy with work and visiting Germany that Pixie Cupcakes has moved way down the priority list, but fear not, I am back and I am baking after the disaster that was halloween. Last week I ventured into the mystical realms of bread, the first time I'd ever made bread on my own in my life. It turned out a lot better than expected, even after I inadvertantly left the dough to rise for 12 hours in the airing cupboard... So today I'm baking a second loaf, fingers crossed that does just as well. The dough is busy rising at the moment.

I'm also starting my christmas baking today, Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes with Peppermint buttercream icing. I got the idea two or three years ago, from the food chain EAT. I was in London with the lovely Fleur, and we stopped there for lunch, and I had a cupcake of a similar description. I've been trying to recreate that cake ever since, but I think I might well be close go getting there now. The cakes are baking in the oven and I'm relaxing now, debating a festive drink of Port and Lemon, and contemplating how to make P&L into a cupcake... it'd taste so lush and fruity. Oh, I should make some peppermint creams too!

Halloween and bonfire night turned into a complete disaster. The original set of cakes for my order were a write off. One bad egg meant the whole batch was useless and as a baker I could not send out cakes that had any flaw in them. It would have been very unprofessional, so I threw them and started again. Next batch turned out great, and once delivered my client loved them and so did her kids. Order number three complete! Bonfire night never happened, my friend cancelled, and that meant no need for loads of food or anything, so all the plans I made were scrapped and we had spaghetti bolognese with bread. Nevermind, next year will be better.

Both are finished! Here they are: 

 

Halloween Bake-a-thon!

Its the 29th October, and today is halloween baking day! On the menu is a batch of cupcakes for a kids party, my third paid order, general halloween cupcakes and gingerbread cookies :D

The first lot of cakes are in the oven, and the batter is ready to go for more cupcakes when they come out! All in hand and I'll make gingerbread with my little helper tonight. Photos of cupcakes and decorations to follow!

I could scream, really, there's a strange smell about my cupcakes and I'm not happy with them. I'll have to make a  fresh batch this evening.

Cupcakes, Birthdays and Biscuits.

My client finally got her cupcakes, and her husband declared he was going to divorce her and marry me instead! High praise indeed, but no wedding bells yet, I have enough of everyone elses love lives to deal with without my own!

I've been commissioned for a few more cakes, including a set of cupcakes for wednesday, for some of my collegues at work, including trying to make one that looks like a sheep... that one may have to wait until I'm more focused. Several of my collegues have complained they've not tried my cakes yet, so I'm trying to get them in for when they are, but its proving difficult.

I've decided that this week is biscuit week, and possibly bread week. I'm feeling more savoury this week, so some fresh bread and savoury snacks would be a good idea. I think I'll make some ANZAC biscuits, and debate what savoury foods would be good to make.

Planning for halloween baking has also begun, alongside planning the menu for my bonfire night party.

My first ever order

So I've finally had my first ever paid order for my cupcakes! I'd taken some cupcakes into work with me, and my assistant manager asked me to make a dozen for her daughters birthday. Just plain vanilla cupcakes with pink icing and little wafer daisies on them, but girly enough that her daughter will love them.

They were supposed to be for the weekend just past, so friday I duly baked and iced them, and gave work a call to drop my assistant manager a line of how much they would cost, only to find she was off sick. I left a message and one of the supervisors said they'd drop her a line. Saturday morning I went into work, and she was still off sick. It transpired she'd actually cancelled but I'd not picked up the answerphone message. So this friday will see round two, and hopefully this time she'll get her cakes.

Welcome!

This is the start of a new adventure for me, and a lot of my friends. An adventure into the world of baking. This in itself isn't anything new for me, I bake a lot in my spare time, however I never really thought about showing my cakes, cookies, scones or whatever off to anyone. A lot of my friends have been impressed by cakes I've made, usually because they think they taste amazing, so now I've started to experiment with decorating cakes, and to experiment with sharing the recipes I use with people.

So that's where this blog comes in, I post photos, recipes, comments and the occasional video "master class" (once I've got the guts to do it) to show you exactly what I do when I bake. Not only this, but I'm hoping to use this as an oppourtunity to teach a few of my friends how to cook, not just bake. So there will be the occasional dinner recipe thrown in for you all to try your hand at. Basically, I'm trying to show my friends (and possibly you) just how much fun baking can be, and encourage more people to bake, and to ask parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, distant relations, heck even your next door neighbour for recipes they used to use. You never know, it could turn out to be the most amazing meal you've ever cooked for yourself!