And the winner is...

Ferrero Rocher! Bring it on!

Flickr Friday - Shopping

Going shopping today :)

1. Record Shopping, 2. shopping floor, 3. Wreck this Journal: Shopping Lists, 4. Shoe shop, 5. Let the buyer beware (Gaunt shop), 6. Day 280/365: I Shop Therefore I Am, 7. finding happiness inside a shopping bag, 8. Manga shop, 9. shopping orange

Tuesday Etsy Picks - Bears

1. Cupcake Bear Sticker Sets by Notebooks, etc.
2. The Queen and I by Little Robot
3. The Giant Suburban Bear Monster by Matte Stephens
4. Masked Bear by Zukzuk
5. Snow White Bear with Crystal Egg in Paw Brooch by em's shop of bears'n'such
6. Little Bear by Craftpaca
7. He Says He Can Hear The Forest Whisper Card by Hide n Seek
8. Panda Bobby Pin by JooSweetie
9. Tiny Bear Head Vase by Pretty Random Objects

Baking Mondays - Banana Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

This week I had some left over bananas that were beginning to get a bit overripe - so it was a perfect opportunity for some banana cupcakes. I decided to finish off the cupcakes with some lemon cream cheese frosting and it was delightful! I am very happy with these cupcakes.

So the recipes...

Sour Cream Banana Cupcakes (from The Australian Women's Weekly - Cupcakes)
Makes 12

90g butter, softened
110g brown sugar
2 eggs
75g self raising flour
75g plain flour
1/2 tsp bicarb soda
1/2 tsp mixed spice
2/3 cup overripe banana
80g sour cream
2 tbsps milk

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius and line a 12-hole muffin tray with cupcake liners.
2. Beat butter, sugar and eggs until light and fluffy. Note: If I do these again I will beat the butter and sugar on its own first, and then the eggs to get a better consistency.
3. Stir in sifted ingredients, banana, sour cream and milk.
4. Divide batter amongst cupcake liners, and bake for 20 minutes.

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
Made more than enough for 12 cupcakes

60g butter, softened
250g cream cheese
500g icing sugar, sifted
juice of 1 lemon

1. Beat butter and cream cheese until combined, light and fluffy.
2. Add the icing sugar and beat until combined.
3. Add the lemon juice and beat until combined, and then keep beating until smooth.

And the ratings?

Me - 9/10 - yum, yum, yum! These were light, moist and delicious. The icing was very tangy and sweet - loved it! My only issue is that the cake could taste a little bit more like bananas.
Mat - 9/10 - best banana cake that I have made so far (even though I have only made one before :P)

A... B... Cupcakes! Brought to you by the letter 'F'

You know what time it is...

Voting time!! This week we are up to the fantastical, fun, fabulous letter 'F'! So without further ado here are the flavour choices this week...

Ferrero Rocher
Frangelico
Fudge

As per usual vote using the poll on the left - so go on you know you want to!

Flickr Friday - Motivation

Motivation is what I am lacking...

1. day 62 - school work, 2. ....a good way to motivate your model..., 3. Motivated, 4. motivation-001, 5. motivation, 6. A Little Push, 7. motivation, 8. internal motivation, 9. Motivation.

Baking Mondays - E is for Eskimo Pie

Chocolate cupcakes topped with vanilla swiss meringue buttercream, drizzled with melted chocolate and sprinkled with 100's and 1000's

This week Eskimo Pie won the poll, which is lucky because I was actually a bit of afraid attempting the egg nog cupcakes. I would of liked to make these more attractive - but Zoe wasn't very happy while I was baking so I kind of had to hurry it along. So please excuse the messiness of these.

Boiled Chocolate Cake
Makes 35 cupcakes ;)

500ml water
660g caster sugar
250g butter, chopped
35g cocoa powder, sifted
1 tsp bicarb soda
450g self raising flour
4 eggs

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius and line 3 12-hole muffin trays with cupcake liners.
2. Combine the water, sugar, butter, cocoa and bicarb in a medium saucepan and stir over heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat, simmer, uncovered for 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
3. Add the flour and eggs to the bowl and beat with electric mixer until mixture is smooth and pale in colour.
4. Pour mixture into the cupcake liners and bake for approximately 15 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.

Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Follow the directions for almond buttercream but leave out the almond essence and use 2 tablespoons of vanilla extract instead of 2 teaspoons.

Chocolate Drizzle

340g dark chocolate
3 tbsp vegetable oil

Melt the chocolate and oil in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Cool before using otherwise the buttercream will melt ;)


The ratings?

Me - 7/10, yummy! The cake was really moist and the texture was great, however, it wasn't very chocolatey - so it isn't the best chocolate cake recipe. The buttercream is good as always and the chocolate + 100's and 100's makes for crunchy goodness.
Mat - 7/10, not as good as the peanut butter cupcake, but still good.