Ace of Cakes (well, not quite but close enough!)

As you might know I'm making my mum's wedding cake in October (does she know what she's let herself in for??) and obviously having never decorated a cake before it is prudent to practice before the big day.
So today I iced a fruit cake I had rather disastrously marzipanned last week.

I cheated a bit. I used ready made fondant icing. Though really this isn't cheating as such, just using my brain. Why give myself more than one element at a time to mess up?!

I had intended solely to knead the icing, roll it out and put it on the cake without mucking it up. However I had a bit of time on my hands, and some left over icing, so I decided to have a play....
This is the result.

I doubt that Duff Goldman is quaking in his boots just yet, but I am quite pleased with my first proper attempt. And in a further moment of madness, spurred on by my confectionery triumph, I promised to make little 'un's birthday cake this year as well.... watch this space!

Chocolate and milkshake

..makes up most of my week this week! It seems that the only way to get eggs into my child at the moment is via pancakes, and preferably with chocolate chips in them! We're not talking the lovely thin lacy ones we have on Shrove Tuesday, nor American ones with buttermilk in (where do you get buttermilk from anyhow!) But they are american style I guess - lovely fat pillows of pancakes studded with chocolate chips. Really quick and easy to make but one day i will actually measure out the quantities of ingredients I use! Flour, egg, a mashed up over ripe banana if one is available and a spot of milk to make into a dropping consistency (remember all those drop scones you made as a child and you're there)

Chocolate truffles was the next up - mix left over cake (I know, that's a sin!) with melted chocolate and leave to set.

And milkshake cakes. Ok they aren't exactly milkshake cakes as such. Make up your favourite sponge mix. (I like Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's recipe) and add milkshake syrup - enough for one serving. So for the mix I used it was 25mls. A handful of white chocolate chunks for good measure too, which I felt would compleiment the raspberry milkshake syrup very nicely, and it did.

I try not to mess too much when baking because it often has disastrous results...but this one worked and I'm sure it's one I will use again in the future.

Craft-wise, well I've begun a crochet'd scarf and have completed the crochet'd flowers that I'm making for wedding favours - only the sewing up to do and the putting-it-all-together...the most boring and labour intensive part I think, and the one I'm dreading. Forgive me for not posting pictures of them when complete, but I do want them to be a surprise for all. Photo's after the big day!

On my knitting needles is a blue and white striped ensemble that will one day, I hope, resemble a tea cosy. I'm making it up as I go along though so it might be interesting to see the end product! I see that Innocent Smoothies are having their *BIG KNIT* http://www.innocentdrinks.co.uk/thebigknit/ So scraps of left over wool might go towards knitting up a few of those as well. All in a good cause!

And don't forget knit-a-square too! http://www.knit-a-square.com/ I have only managed one completed square so far, with another on the needles. Can anyone help me out?!

A busy week with not much done!

It has been an odd  week really.I think I've come across the perfect chocolate cake for the top tier of my mum's wedding cake - it's an adaptation of a Hugh Fearnly-Whittingstall one and since it is still moist and edible even after 4 days or so I'm sure it will be good on the day. My only job now really is to work out how much cake batter I need for the size... but I'm sure it won't hurt me to *practice* making it a few more times!

One or two cards have been made and I'm actually posting some photos today!

We've also been cutting and sticking to make a little scrapbook for little 'un. Some fun crafting that didn't involve torment over whether things are straight or cut properly, or measured and beaten correctly! And for those who wish to know... yes, pva glue does come out of hair without tears or the need of a hairdresser...!

I have made a (feeble) attempt at felting. Not overly pleased with the results, but I'm sure something can be done with the mass of matted fibres currently drying on my kitchen table... if anyone has any ideas I'd love to hear them...

Well it's tea time now so time to attempt something creative with a cheese sandwich and a biscuit cutter... does my imagination know no bounds?!!

Toodle pip!