Bronze stars and golden hearts

Love is in the air again.  

The week marvellous mum came down to help out, as its much more fun with two- plus marvellous mum is much better at the maths involved in upscaling recipes.  I would always need a pen, paper, calculator plus a cool drink and a lie down to work out the maths sometimes.  I can do it, it just takes a while, whereas marvellous mum can work it out in her head in a jiffy.  

Adventures in Cake had a big wedding order, 70 double chocolate brownies, and 70 carrot cake cupcakes, and banana and walnut cupcakes were the bride and grooms desire for their wedding party.  

Testing out the recipes were a lot of fun and they all turned out mighty pretty and glamorous looking.  They were for a wedding reception in a Lawrence of Arabia style tent and I hope went someway to matching this magical, romantic setting.

Stormy weather and re-homing heros

We have been asked to move.  The problem with renting is that when the landlady wants her house back, you have to go.  It such a shame, we have loved living here.  Sure the house is shabby chic, but is it big and beautiful, with unforgettable views.

We have been rescued from uncertainty and homelessness by our wonderful, generous friends who live in a nearby village.  They are in fact the parents of our Cruwys Morchard chums who happen to have a 2 bedroom cottage lying idle.  They have offered it to us.  We went to visit it and its perfect.  Only 3 minutes further along the hill from Tivvy, so still near the farm.  Plus we will be closer to our friends, which is lush too.

Handsome husband and I hardly know how to thanks our re-homing heros.

White currants and mischief

Whilst on a day trip to our local national trust place, we were strolling in their fabulous walled kitchen garden and by the gate there was a pile of produce and an honesty box.  Always keen to try new things, and feeling peckish I picked up a punnet of white currants.  Darling boy was very keen and nearly ate the whole tub- well it makes a change from cake!  although looking not unlike frogspawn, or alien eyeballs, they are actually pretty tasty.  Sharp, juicy and sweet.

One of Darling boys favourite things to play with is gravel.  Don't ask me why, it's a boy thing I guess.  And what do stately homes have by the tonne? gravel pathways.  Whilst us oldies took a rest, Darling boy busied himself with the gravel at our feet.  Granny, feeling mischievous, suggested he put some gravel in grandad's Crocs shoes- as he had, of course, fallen asleep. As Darling boy was obliging with the stones (the cheeky child's version of a shape sorting toy?)  his Great Granny leant forward.  She is old skool and fairly quiet most of the time.  I was expecting a telling off, but instead with a twinkle in her eye, she pointed out a good hole in which to stuff more stones.  I was amazed and delighted at her joining in the fun and would even go as far as to say I now see her in a whole new light.

Chocolate butterflies

I had the delight of an old friend from university days drop by to visit recently, and what better treat to have with our hot coffee than a flutter of chocolate cupcakes, decorated with butterflies and matching glitter.

We used to dance together, she was a fabulous dancer and performed in most of my pieces whilst we were studying.  We haven't seen each other for ages and ages, and she is now doing very well as an actress.  Her career success seems to have come as something of a surprise to her, but I couldn't think of a nicer person to wish such success on.

Summer breeze

Tonights bespoke cupcake order was for a party on the Tiverton horse drawn canal barge.  Talk about a lovely setting, and beautiful weather for a birthday party.

The customer in question wanted something 'summery and lovely'.

I suggested pastels colours, with flowers and she agreed.  They turned out very prettily, I think.

When we went back to collect the stand at the end of the night- they had all been eaten- the sign of a tasty cake Id like to think.

The roar of Kitchenaid?

I have decided it is time for my magimix to take a backseat, what I really need is a commercial grade mixer.  Something with power and capacity (and if it's really pretty that wont hurt either) How exciting.  I have done my research and have decided Kitchenaid is the way to go.  Aside from its classic good looks (who can resist such a handsome beast) it has some serious welly too.  It proports to be both mouth and trousers.  I shall call him Kitty.

I tootled around the internet and found buycatering.com, where the delightful Jonathan helped me choose between the K5 and the K50.  I plumped for the K50, it has an extra bowl, which might come in handy, but mostly the overload switch it has might one day save the Kitchenaid from an accidental hammering from too cold a slab of butter, or whatever bashing it gets in the Adventures in Cake kitchen.

I placed my order just now and it should be arriving on Tuesday (not in time for the cupcakes I have to make for a party tomorrow night, but ready for the next wedding)

Happy is a girl with parcels arriving in the post, and even happier is the girl with a new toy to play with.  Miaow.

A kaleidoscope of butterflies

Whoever knew that this was the collective noun for butterflies? The internet is an amazing place.  Anyhoo, I had an order from repeat customer (how lovely!) who first said congratulations on the birth of Little brother, and then said she wanted to place an order!

She wanted one giant cupcake lemon cupcakes as well as regular sized and baby cupcakes too.  All in lemon and all with butterflies.

I was only too happy to oblige and with an new edible gliter to try out, very excited about making them.

They turned out very well and, I hope you will agree, look good enough to eat. which is handy as that is just what they are for!

Marvellous mum and I delivered them to my lovely customer this morning in Tivvy and all she has to do now is drive up to North Devon v.e.r.y.s.l.o.w.l.e.y (the roads round her are super windy windey)with her precious cargo and the party cakes will be ready for admiring and eating.