My First Official WEDDING CAKE !!!

So before you start thinking that I have done some amazing Martha Stewart wedding cake, let me lower your expectations, I haven't.  But I must confess I did get the inspiration from her to use white flowers with a touch of colour.

It was a small cake for my housemate’s sister who was getting married at the Registrar office before her big wedding in Spain the following week. I was so privileged to have been asked to make this cake for her. The first time she had tasted my version of the Hummingbird cake was when I had made it for her sister/ my housemate’s birthday (KG). She fell in love with it and asked if I could make it for her birthday.

On the day she looked gorgeous and she had no idea that she was getting a cake. She thought I was just being my usual self which is I am constantly baking everytime she visits.

They loved the cake and she wished I was making her official wedding cake in SPAIN. Everyone loved the cake and all their diets were thrown out the window. Before the cake was all eaten my housemate managed to take a picture of the cake.

I was so proud and excited that I had made something to beautiful and that it was loved.

There is still hope for me yet.

I love pretty things and this is my best cake yet. 

White Chocolate Strawberry Cupcakes

I was extremely excited about trying this new recipe and what better combination that strawberries and white chocolate.

But I was highly disappointed when the cake came out. I made cupcakes because they would be easier to dispose of when I took them to work.

The recipe was good and easy to follow. My disappointment was the white chocolate. There was not even a hint of white chocolate flavouring and it just added to the sweetness.  And note to self never put fresh strawberries on cream the night before because the morning they will have wilted.

I’m hoping that someone else will give this recipe a try and let me know how yours turns out

Recipe: http://uktv.co.uk/food/recipe/aid/651301

I have to admit that the cupcake looked gorgeous and decadent despite the disappointing taste.

PINK and GOLD Baby Shower

Now this was a first. I had never heard of pink and Gold going together as theme colours for a baby shower. But hey , each to his own ( as my bestie would say it)

So this was my first paid job and I was peeing in my pants (not literally). I had 46 cupcakes to make which was the easy bit it was the decorating that freaked me out. I had never done it before apart from just making cupcakes for friends. And the added pressure of knowing someone was going to pay for it and I could make a mistake.

So the whole week I researched on how to make gold icing but I came across this fabulous spray.

This helped cut my job in half because all I had to do is make the buttercream icing and then spray.

For the pink cupcakes I used a basic vanilla sponge recipe 

and for the gold cupcakes I used a cappuccino cake recipe and each cupcake had a ‘Rolo’ in the middle.

I learnt some valuable lessons. Don’t bake the cupcakes for too long because they become dry . the same for the cappuccino cupcakes because of the prolonged heat the caramel in the cupcake turns into toffee.

Lessons learnt and I am yet to try the cupcakes again but I haven’t had the opportunity.

After making 46 I was exhausted and I was happy to see them go.

The client was happy and realized that at times I am my own worst critic. After that I have had  7 cake requests from the same client.

BEAT that Mary Berry!!!!!!

So the GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF was another TV program that just fuelled my love for baking.  Who other than Mary Berry to teach you!!! Before this program I had no idea who Mary Berry was, only to find out that she is the Queen of baking. Most of the British celebrity bakers have been inspired by her baking. So the hardest challenge that the Great British Bake Off contestants had to face was making the chocolate roulade. Mary Berry did a demonstration and the bakers had to repeat the recipe. Although I am not a chocolate cake lover I knew it was a challenge that I had to conquer. The technique alone had me intrigued. 

This was the result of my attempt.

Beat that Mary Berry and all the British Bake Off contestants.

I was so proud of myself and although I only had a taste of the ends that I cut off I knew that I had nailed it. My dinner guests were impressed the next day and since then word has spread amongst my friends and church family that ‘Taffie makes great cake’. All thanks to Mary Berry!!!

Has anyone tried any of Mary Berry’s recipes?

Please do share!!!!