A Lilac Dream

The inspiration for this was simple. No where to look for an inspiration but to a childhood dream of having plenty of bubble gum, running in the park seeing different flowers and an obsession with the colour lilac.

So, the blue icing is bubble gum colour and to soften it a bit, marbled it with a little pink. The edges are flower petals in lilac and the flowers on the top are softer pink. It turned out great and not childish at all, in fact it turned out quite lady like :)

Individual Cakes . . . Full of Roses

I have been quite, haven't I? well, I have been busy perfecting my sugar crafting skills, which to my own surprise paid off well! I am obsessed with making miniature cakes only due to the fact that I find them elegant. I think the cupcake era is well and truly over, with whoopie pies pushing cupcakes aside in New York. Right now, I am in miniature cake phase, sugar pasting, sugar crafting and fondant on any thing! This cake turns the cute into classy, if you know what I mean?

Fond of Fondant

The weather today is so summery minus strong winds and I was in the mood for creative learning. I need to get a few supplies for my figurine making sessions and a few tools, but I didn't do too bad with my "Petal-licious Princess" wearing a dress made of rose petals. Except, my princess is a little ghostly looking for it's white skin .... hahaha ... I am in need of beige so bad!

I am craving ginger&pear cake which I baked a few months ago ... anyone offering to bake it for me??? no such luck for a baker :(

Special recipes, extra baking goodness

Be sure to check the facebook page for some extra baking goodness these coming weeks ... I am hoping to make it to Taste next weekend. Last year Taste was so amazing that I'll be greatly disappointed if I didn't go this year.

Lemon Lamingtons

Kids can be kids. The little grater in the photo, which is used almost always for zesting lemons and oranges turned out to carck my 4 year old nephew who found it to be a toy! He was laughing at our naivety for using it as a kitchen gadget, but we were laughing at him for his tender age naivety ... at least we all had a laugh!

It's Friday Baking Afternoon!

It's Friday afternoon, and the Auckland weather has been causing a nuisance lately. Oh well, let it rain! Friday afternoons are usually the perfect time I am in baking mood and I bake up a storm! The weekly supply of cookies (which last til mid-week) and maybe other goodies ... after all of that baking, nothing better to do than to sample them with a cuppa.

I must admit I am playing the role of a bad blogger recently, with absolutely lifeless photos to tempt you. So, today I pushed myself with vanilla cookies, chocolate cookies, a vanilla buttercake and with a left-over egg white I made these coconut macaroons. The vanilla cookies will get an icing of zesty lemon, the chocolate cookies will trun into whoopie pies and the buttercake into lamingtons ... maybe tomorrow. But, for now I am excited about the new book I am reading. Having just finished Brown's 'The lost Symbol', better to relax my brain with Dessen's 'The Truth About Forever', full of grief, fear and love.

Fruit and Nut Loaf

Sweet loaves are quite old fashioned, but if made properly loaves are actually healthier than cakes. They generally made of the same ingredients as a cake but with a lot less egg, butter and sugar. Banana loaves are a real cafe stable cabinet item for two reasons; a) old bananas are cheap to buy b) the name loaf sells like hotcakes, only because it means healthy. Be warned if a loaf is too tasty and addictive ... most likely banana cake batter went into a loaf tin ;)

This loaf is dry and not to sweet and made the traditional way. Email me if you need the recipe.

Gingernut Cookies ... Let's Get Dunking!

Goodbye Griffin's gingernut cookies! well, I have just made more than 3 packets of Griffin's cookies and it's cheap I tell u ... no egg and small amount of butter and the one ingredient that's cheap as chips ... yup, WATER! Mixed the soft dough with my hands and 15 minutes later I am the proud owner of gingernuts. Excpet, mine are masculine size, next time I'll make them petite :)

Here is the recipe: 2 cups flour, 1/2 teaspoons bicarbonate soda, 1 tablespoon ginger powder, 125g butter, 1 cup soft brown sugar, 1/4 cup boiling water, 1 tablespoon golden syrup.

Sift flour and mix all dry ingredients in a bowl. Add chopped butter and sugar. Rub butter into dry ingredients until it resembles fine crumbs. Disolve the golden syrup in boiling water and add to dry ingredients. Mix to a soft dough. Roll 2 teaspoonfulls of dough into balls and place on baking trays. Bake at 180C for 15 minutes.

Back on facebook!

After having a long quite time ... I am back on facebook! the baking diary has it's own page with a distinctive square pink doily. So, Go on Click LIKE!