Manchester tart...

In between Christmas and now there hasn't been much baking in the cupcake-fest household - although I did make some functional goodies including a large tray of caramel shortbread (no picture though), a Madeira cake, and some plain flapjack.  However, I was inspired to make a Manchester tart the other week after seeing one on the Hairy Bikers/Bakers programme - the one on the programme included bananas which I thought was wrong, as the version I remembered from school was a pastry casing with jam on the bottom, then a good slab of custard, topped with coconut.  I made mine based on how I remembered it.  I confess now to *buying* the pastry case (although I think the aluminium tray gives it away) and the custard is made with powder, but there's a part of me that thinks that all of that contributes to what it is!

Birthday Bus!

What to make as a cake for a 2 year old - it was a choice between a bus or a character of In the Night Garden and I decided to go with the bus.
Here it is:

I know the windows could have been squarer, but having committed to the pipe round the outside and flood inside it method of icing the cake there wasn't much I could do to correct it - plus, the little one was thrilled with it wonky windows and all!

Sticky cinnamon buns!!

We like these.  They are very easy to make - another Nigella recipe and a family favourite, however, they usually only appear on high days and holidays as the quantities of sugar and butter involved are quite staggering...

Before

After!

They aren't burned (and I'm not being defensive!) the sugar is caramelised and this is how they are tastiest! Yum!

Christmas Cake

I was going to make an impressive Christmas Cake extravanganza - like the previous year's ice castle arrangements complete with lights and things, however, we got overtaken by the season and it just didn't happen!  I did, however, make the usual selection of cakes for gifting, although only remembered to take a photograph before we gave the last one away, so only have the one photograph...

Similarly, I made a huge pile of mini sweet mince - some iced, some topped with stars and some with no topping, and only remembered to take a picture of the last one!

December Birthday Cake for Hubby!

I asked him what her would like for a birthday cake and he said the Nigella recipe ginger cake - fair enough - his birthday, his cake.  here it is... complete with gingerbread reindeer and pine trees!

It's been a while since I've been here!

I can't believe it's March already and I haven't put on the Hubby's Birthday Cake, the Christmas Cake or the Birthday Cake I made for my child!  In the meantime here are some cupcake things I got for my Birthday in November!...

I also got these pyjamas...  http://thesweetcupcakecompany.blogspot.com/2009/09/cupcake-pyjamas.html

and a couple of cupcake aprons!

But for the most part I spent a lovely day with friends drinking tea and eating cakes!