Voting is open...

Please go to "No One Puts Cupcake in a Corner" and vote for me if you feel so inclined :)

The number 8

I have been tagged by Alissa over at grace's birdcage wedding - my first ever tagging :D. Thanks Alissa!

8 Things I'm Looking Forward To:
1. Dinner tonight - I am mighty hungry!!
2. Tax return time, hopefully I will finally have enough money to get a new oven.
3. Zoe's first birthday - I can't wait to make her cake and cupcakes :P
4. Mat finishing his charity events so that he has less to stress about.
5. Losing the last bit of baby fat so that I can look buff again!
6. Making my first batch of marshmallow fondant - I will do it soon!!
7. Potentially opening up my own little cupcake shop.
8. Getting a full nights sleep!

8 Things I did yesterday
1. Bought a new pair of bathers.
2. Ate a doughnut.
3. Sang incy-wincy spider numerous times.
4. Dropped our dinner on the floor - splat!
5. Spent 4 hours shopping - very tiring.
6. Visited my mum.
7. Picked up Mat from work.
8. Had an extremely overpriced lunch.

8 Things I Wish I could do
1. Be a positive thinker.
2. Stop procrastinating.
3. Bake every day :)
4. Stop chewing my nails - what a disgusting habit!
5. Remember all of my dreams.
6. Actually enjoy clothes shopping.
7. Knit.
8. Paint my toe nails neatly - I always make a mess of it.

8 Shows I Watch
1. Americas Next Top Model
2. Lost
3. House
4. Flight of the Concords
5. Fringe
6. Dollhouse
7. Spicks and Specks
8. Grand Designs

and now tag 8 people...
Sarah from A Little About Sarah
Jessy from Apparently Jessy
Chantel from Creative Hands
Danielle from Grammatically Delicious
Amy from Love, Bubs and life on our little farm
Lorelei from Mermaid Sweets
Amanda from is this thing on?
Jocelan from CutesyPoo

Wednesday Etsy Picks - Rabbits

1. Forest critters - wall stickers, removable decals by mae
2. Jinx moon bun by Moon's Creations
3. Off with their heads - small tote bag by c.lit
4. Bunny rabbit field bag by rainbowswirlz
5. Lapin de lune by Lou Lou and Oscar
6. Organic cotton baby hat - chocolate bunny by Adrienne Kinsella
7. Winking bunny puff sleeve top by Em and Sprout
8. Purple mushroom bunny brooch by Danielleorama
9. A spring collection by fifi lapin
10. Handcrafted childrens hopping rabbit pull toy by Stump Pond Woodworks
11. Personalised jackalope cards by Farouche
12. Bunny embroidery pattern by Sadie and Oliver

Baking Mondays - C is for Caramel?

Okay so I was very excited about having caramel as the flavour for this week and I was tossing up between baking caramel spice cupcakes and caramel mud cupcakes. My ever so lovely husband decided that the caramel spice cupcakes sounded nice so I set out on my baking mission. Once they were all baked I sampled one of the cupcakes to make sure they were worthy of frosting (something I do with every batch) - and guess what? They don't taste like caramel at all! In fact I would say they taste more like gingerbread. So while that was a bit disappointing - I must say for a spice/gingerbread cupcake these were darn tasty! So I present to you Spice Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Swiss Meringue Buttercream.

Spice Cupcakes
(Caramel cake from The Australian Women's Weekly - More Cakes and Slices)
Makes 16

185g butter
150g brown sugar
80ml golden syrup
2 eggs
40g almond meal
125ml milk
300g self raising flour, sifted
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground ginger

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius and line 2 12 hole muffin trays with cupcake liners.
2. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and beat well with an electric mixer on low speed until combined.
3. Bake for 15 minutes (again remember my oven is silly - so this time may vary for you).

Brown Sugar Swiss Meringue Buttercream

4 egg whites
1 cup brown sugar
250g unsalted butter
1 tbsp vanilla extract

1. Combine the egg whites and sugar into a heatproof bowl and whisk over a saucepan of simmering water until sugar is dissolved and the mixture is as hot as you can get it without the egg whites cooking.
2. With the whisk attachment on your mixer whisk the egg white and sugar mixture on high speed until a stiff meringue is formed and the mix has cooled down to room temperature.
3. Now put the paddle attachment on your mixer and with the mixer on a low speed add a tablespoon or two of butter at a time. Once all the butter is incorporated turn the mixer up to medium speed and mix until the mixture is light and fluffy again.
4. Add vanilla extract and mix on medium speed until you get a good piping texture.

The ratings?

Me - 8/10 - very light, spongy, moist and tasty!! The cake is great and the buttercream is very subtle. My only complaint was that it didn't taste like caramel at all.

Mat - 10/10 - unexpected flavour - but they were sensational (and Mat doesn't even like gingerbread)!

Mat's work friends - 12/10 :o)

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

It is time to vote again. We are up to the delightful letter D! So your choices this week are:

Death by chocolate
Dates
Doughnuts
Daiquiri

As per usual vote using the poll on the left. Oh and while you are here any thoughts for flavours for the letter E?

And the winner is...

Caramel!

Stay tuned for the next Baking Monday post to see the caramel cupcakes come to life.

Flickr Friday - Start

As Michael would say...

You Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'
You Got To Be Startin' Somethin'

1. fresh start..., 2. stART, 3. The future will start tomorrow, not today, 4. a start has a end ..., 5. Start!, 6. Getting started..., 7. {1} Starting Life, 8. Start, 9. START or STOP?