Summer Baking!

Today we had family round for lunch.  Not trusting the weather enough for a barbeque I rustled up chicken, quiche and chick pea burgers with a load of yummy salad.

But the reason I have blogged this fact is, infact, more about the pud.  Inspired by The Great British Bake Off and wanting to make up for the fact that my gluten freeness precluded me (and my poor family) from Tea at Reids` Palace whilst in Madeira.  I made some yummy mini chocolate eclairs and mini butterscotch sponges, all gluten free of course.  I am really quite pleased with the baking, if not the rather hasty pictures taken with my phone before the hungry rellies tucked in.

Charity Shop spoils

I went into town yesterday to get some supplies for some new rag dolls I am working on at the moment. More of those later when they are complete.  On the way I spotted this cute glass cakestand in one of our charity shops at only £3. Only having a little cash in my purse and quite determined not to use the plastic, I got my thread and elastic first, and as luck would have it, exited needlework shop left with £3.27 in my purse. It was meant to be wasn`t it? No, I dont need it really, but £3!  I ask you, would you have passed it up.

Oh Dear, I have Been at it Again!

So despite the fact I said I would sit on my hands regarding crockery and the like and not go near ebay. I lied! I realised my 3 duos needed plates. Well they could not be upstaged by the trios at the other end of the sideboard. So I found a sweet deal on these white Colclough teaplates which pull together the pink one and its black companions. You will see that I have been baking again too. These came out nice despite being simple sponge and royal icing. I could not resist playing with decoration even if they are just for us to nibble.

Happy Halloween,

Tomorrow is Halloween, so we have been gearing up a bit.  We had some friends round for dinner this evening so a bit of a halloween theme ensued.  We had chilli and hot dogs follwed by a rather embarrassing amount of cupcakes I had made. Not vegan this time but still all gluten free.  There should be some left for any trick or treaters tomorrow.

 Vanilla Sponge with royal icing. Spooky spider webs and spiders (except that one in the middle)

 Red Velvet Cake with vanilla buttercream and some icing devil horns. These were my fave of the day

 Purple monsters are strawberry sponge (with a hint of blue for the gory colour) vanilla buttercream again.

Orange ones are cinnamon pumpkin and cinnamon vanilla buttercream

 This is my witch I had to make after I made one for a craft swap. Along with the knitted pumpkin I recieved in the swap from Crafty Helen

I have had this pumpkin tealight house from Partylite for goodness knows how many years, and although lots of partylite has passed through the house and been sold as my whim changes, I cannot see me ever parting with this.

 Here is my little homage to All Hallows Eve on the mantlepiece. There are witches hat candles from the swap in the candle holder in the middle but it was hard to get far enough away to get the whole shot and make them vsible. Trusty laptop was not supposed to be there but thats where it always seems to be so why pretend otherwise

Happy halloween to one and all, x

Gluten free and vegan but definitely tasty Red Velvet Cupcakes

As you know, I love to bake cupcakes.  It has for some time been a dilemma for me when my dear daughter comes to visit because she eats vegan but loves cake.  So last week I had a search around for vegan cupcake recipes.  Several problems cropped up. The first being that they were all US recipes that called for cups as measurements.  Now this is odd because I didn't have anything accurate for measuring that. Then as if by magic, I had a birthday last week and my work colleague got me these measuring cups as a gift. Timely or what!

The next thing is its a double whammy for us because I have to eat gluten free. Sheesh!

However, I found a recipe. The first batch was less desirable, so I tweaked the recipe and the results were very pleasing. Those raspberries just keep on coming.

This is what I used. You will need measuring cups for this. I know mine came from Waitrose but i guess you can get them other places.

Gluten Free & Vegan Red Velvet Cupcakes

.75 cup gluten free flour-I used glutafin  This has a bit of raising agent so if you use a plain one, up the baking powder by another teaspoon.
.
1tsp baking powder

1tbs cocoa

1.5 tbs veg oil

.5 cup sugar, maybe less, bit sweet I used unrefined caster

.5 cup water

1.5 tsp cider vinegar (if you dont need gluten free you can use white malt vinegar)

.5 tsp vanilla essence
.5 tsp strawb food colour. you can add a bit of red colour too if it does not look red enough.
 

I made 9 in bun cases. Just mixed it all thoroughly in the food mixer and put in cases.  Baked at 180degrees centigrade. My oven took around 18 mins but do check them as our ovens all vary.



For the frosting,

this is in ounces as that's how I work I am afraid.

6oz icing sugar

2oz vegetable based margarine

1oz white veg fat. I prefer Trex

Dash of vanilla extract and a little water if needed.

This mix gives nice flavour which is not too sickly IMO.  Just beat it all together until its nice a fluffy and soft enough to pipe.  The raspberries and cake stand are not obligatory but they do look kinda nice

New Cups and New Cupcakes, Everything stops for tea.

So last week I told you about the vintage cups and saucers given to me from my Nans collection.  I am still searching for more of the delectable pink ones but I found these two shiny black ones on ebay and to my delight I got a free trio for a predetermined spend.  How nice do they look with the non vintage cakestand?

This is the trio I got free and I have to confess I have just ordered the other two sets they had left as I have become quite smitten with them. This is my little birthday present to myself.  I cant believe that china from around the  1912 -1930 era can still be around. I am going to have to be so careful because I have broken modern china so quickly in the past. thankfully, the dining room is a carpetted sanctuary. They would not stand a chance in my tiled kitchen and all its chaotic mayhem. 

More cakes were produced today.  These are cinnamon raisin with cinnamon maple buttercream. This is all thats left after the boys spotted them.

 These are St.Clements cupcakes.  Orange sponge topped with lemon vanilla buttercream.  I do love anything lemony.  Dear daughter will be sad as they are not vegan.  I have found a recipe or 2 and as I have next week off day job, plan to have a go at those. 

 Lastly, on the teatime theme.  I made my friend a tea cosy at the weekend.  Quite chuffed with it and think I might need one for my kitchen now as mine is a little shabby.  She just text me to say it was a perfect fit.

A new Obsession

Last week I spent a lovely afternoon with my parents and made these yummy cupcakes (if I do say so myself).  `This is no new obsession` I hear you cry!  `She is already obsessed with cup cakes!`   Very true indeed and there is a closer pic of the strawberry flavoured treasures with raspberries from the garden (so proud of those berries) at the bottom of this post.  The cake-stands are nothing new either. Love those too!

The focus of the new found love lies clearly at the door of that pink teacup and saucer in the picture.  This was my Nans. It came with a few others as Nan has gone to live in a care home where she can be pampered a bit as she is 90!  It has to be said that Nan and I do share a good few traits, and pretty things like this is  just one.  Some have been squirrelled away but once I noticed how well this one went with my cake stand I just had to have more.  I also kept out this lovely trio and a colour scheme was borne.  The dining room has a oyster/black colour scheme but I think it can take an injection of pink.

I have just bought a couple more on ebay so really looking forward to adding them and the free trio I got for spending an undisclosed amount of money.  Don't worry its not megabucks, but prob more than I would pay for modern china.  Anyhoo, think I must now stay away from ebay and sit on my hands for a while.  I will show the new acquisitions when they get here and I have a feeling that the charity shops and jumble sales may get more visits than in the past. I really would like another of the pink one. Probably spend the rest of my life looking as I don't know much about it other than it is Queen Anne.  Do feel free to enlighten me.

Do you like Pina Coladas?

Cupcakes that is. You can take them to work and not get in trouble though, unlike the title drink.


Well, retro they are, but I really do. No, BTW I hate getting caught in the rain. I have been trying to make these for a while and the US recipe I had was not very successful so I played around with it and these ones were scrumptious. Not Pina Colada as such, but sounds more exotic that pineapple and coconut. I want a more stands-up-alone buttercream style topping, so I will work on that and then share my recipe. This one tastes sublime, but I think the improved one will be better.

Yummy no calorie cards

A week or so ago I had a flurry of birthdays and thus a flurry of card making. Now those birthdays have all passed and loved ones have recieved them I can share my work. I must have been hungry that afternoon because they are all foodie!

Cupcake Inspiration

Yesterday I visited my sister-in-law for the first time in ages. I said I would bring cake as my gluten freeness is a bit of a pain and its just easier if I bring them. Also, I just love making cupcakes. I said this to my son and he enquired "If you could only make cupcakes or only eat cupcakes, which would you choose?" I said `make` obviously, and I really meant it. I would be far more mortified if they outlawed making them than eating them. Not that they are not yummy, I just love creating more than eating.
I have been totally inspired by this lady`s creations, and went a bit further on the normal. The photography in the dullest of August mornings leaves a bit to be desired. As they were leaving the house, they did not make it onto a nicely staged cake stand (which I do own 2 of actually), which would have improved the whole presentation a lot. Nonetheless, I am kinda chuffed and will be presenting more to bore you with in the future.






This item is possibly the best thing i have bought this year. Pesky flies thwarted.



As a footnote. Finally got my son to try felafel! Hubby wont even entertain the thought but no 1 son is a bit more adventurous. He was ambivalent about chick pea goodness itself but did agree that this was kinda posh for weekday lunching.