Sugar Cookies

So I'm a member of a baking community (you're shocked, aren't you) and one of the members on there made the most amazing looking sugar cookies. I've never made them before because I'm not a huge fan of biscuits as I don't really like hard crunchy things. These, however, have remained soft enough for me, while still being biscuity and crunchy. God bless Pioneer Woman for this perfect recipe. I can't remember whether she added almond extract to hers, but I'm going through a nut thing at the moment and so I did. If you like almonds, add some extract. It makes life that little bit shinier :)


The icing is simply royal icing (2 eggs whites, 2 tsp lemon juice, enough icing sugar to make the right consistency, about 3 1/2 cups for this I think) with a tsp of almond extract thrown in. I wasn't kidding when I said I was going through a nut phase.

Usually the 'correct' method of icing sugar cookies is to make a thick icing, pipe an outline and then thin the icing down enough to 'flood' the cookie. I completely ignored this as a) it seemed too much faff and b) the original sugar cookie-r recommended not doing it. So I pretty much just piped away with a medium consistency icing. It occasionally spilled off the edge, but that was completely my own fault as I got over enthusiastic.

So, sugar cookies. Another phase I think I'll be going through soon! The only problem is that I halved the Pioneer Woman's recipe and I *still* got something ridiculous like 30 or 40 cookies. Maybe it's the size I was doing them. Maybe I rolled them a bit thin. Or maybe that gorgeous recipe yields a huge amount of cookies!

Welcome Baby Cake

The patches say 'Beary nice to meet you Molly!'

She's 2 days old today, welcome to the world Molly!

Wedding cascade!

Here is my latest creation, for a wedding fair yesterday. I'm a little bit in love with the top cake. I think it's the blue and the butterflies combined! I'm a sucker for pretty things.

Coffee and Walnut Fudge Cupcakes

Om nom nom, can't stop thinking about those coffee cakes. Deeeelicious. Want a recipe?

Coffee and Walnut Fudge Cupcakes
4oz marg/butter
4oz caster sugar 4oz self raising flour, sifted
2 eggs, beaten pinch salt 1tsp coffee dissolved in 1 tsp boiling water
50g walnut pieces 4oz butter 2tbsp milk Icing sugar to taste


Makes 8 cupcakes

For the cakes

Cream butter and sugar
Beat in eggs and flour in thirds alternatively until smooth
Beat in 3/4 coffee syrup and half the walnut pieces
Bake for 14 minutes at 170'C
Leave in the baking tray for 5 minutes to cool slightly and then remove to a wire rack.

For the fudge

Melt butter on a low heat with the milk and remainder of the coffee syrup (or a bit more to taste)
At this point I measure the icing sugar by eye, but you're looking for it to be thick and smooth, but not solid (as it is still warm and should solidify as it cools)
Pipe on fudge while still lukewarm (should be warm enough to be pipeable but cool enough to hold its shape as you pipe) and top with a walnut half.


Enjoy!

Cupcake Stands

Cupcake stands are love. I got one from my sister for my birthday and bought a pretty gold one this week. I got it from a bric-a-brac stall for Cancer Research and they were only asking £2.5o for it. Okay, so one of the little feet is missing, but it can be held up quite easily by blue tack. Obviously I paid a bit more than that, but still, nowhere near how much it would go for in the shops. I felt a bit guilty actually.

So to cover my guilt I made some lovely butterfly cakes. And then gratuitously displayed them in my new stand of joy.

Other yummy things made this week include coffee and walnut fudge cupcakes. Nom nom nom :D

Bugs :)

Well I did promise a cupcakes post. And here it is.

So my goddaughter had a 'nature' project at her school a while ago, so I found myself making 36 vanilla cupcakes (when did the class sizes get so big?!) with bugs on. Now, while I thought this would be 'orrible, it turned out to be really quite cute. I loved the hedgehogs in particular. I don't have any pictures of the snakes that my goddaughter contributed, but I assure you, they were great :)

And check out the bumblebee!

Have a good week :)

x

Cakes yo!

Gosh, I'm rubbish aren't I? If it makes you feel any better, I've been devoting my time to my business website www.flutterby-cupcakes.co.uk . And it's all finished now and I loves it lots :-)

Right, cupcakes or cake? Cake? Oh go on then.

This is a 50th birthday cake for someone who loved toucans. Butter cream transfers all the way methinks.


And I loved doing this one. The client had a big sparkly candle that they wanted to put in the centre - which is why there's a bit of a bald patch in the middle of it :) But this is my very first modelled figure. The expression is a bit terrifying, but only if you can imagine her humming the funeral tune.

I don't know why my head works that way. But yes, butterflies. I loves me some butterflies, so when I was asked for a butterfly cake I was thrilled. There's another bigger butterfly that goes on a wire. I do love butterflies on wires.


I promise faithfully to have a cupcake post soon. Promise :-)

Have a good week y'all!