Giant Jungle Cupcake

For my gorgeous nephew’s first birthday I made this giant jungle cupcake.  Originally, my brother and sister-in-law wanted to come up with the most challenging cake they could think of (King Kong climbing up a sky scraper and Tracey island were a few of their ideas!!!), but fortunately they decided to be kind and opted for a jungle themed cake.

 (the cake got a bit wet in the rain!)

The cake is an orange sponge soaked with orange sugar syrup; layered with orange butter cream, chocolate ganache and an orange curd with a milk chocolate cupcake shell.

I need some practice when it comes to the fondant figures, but I enjoyed making them, it’s just like playing with play dough but without being bossed around by children!!!

Auntie Bob's Coffee Cake

December was also the month for Auntie Bob’s birthday. Bob is not her real name, but the name she has been affectionately given by my daughter and now sometimes, I can’t actually remember her real name!

Auntie Bob got her request in early for a “coffee cake incorporating white chocolate in some way”. So, I decided that following on from the giant rocky road cupcake, I would repeat the chocolate case but in white chocolate, fill it with a coffee cupcake with coffee buttercream icing and a white chocolate ganache filling.

I actually remembered to take pictures a long the way this time too!

A Very Rocky Road...........

A good friend of mine was coming round to visit and I’m so pleased she now has her own little bundle of joy (who is gorgeous) and they can hang out with us whilst on maternity leave; I thought this was definitely an occasion where a cake was required. Now we’ve known each other a long time and she’s eaten many of my cakes and vice versa and since she shares my appreciation for cake, I thought something a little bit different was called for. So I asked my daughter if she had any ideas and her reply was “umm I think a cake with marshmallows would be a good idea", so I thought that sounded like a plan and suggested we make some rocky road cakes.  

Anyway, I got slightly carried away and made a few improvements on our first plan and here it is: a giant rocky road cupcake with a chocolate ganache filling, chocolate cheesecake icing, inside a chocolate case....plus coordinating extras of course!!  Perfect for celebrating with one of my favourite people!! J xx

Giant Halloween Cupcake!

So I know Halloween has been and gone but it still feels like we’re not quite over it in our house yet; we’re still eating the sweets that were intended for the trick or treaters that never came, my eldest daughter is still very much into “balloween” crafts and I’m quite pleased with all the bargains that are in the shops that I can put away for next year…...and probably forget about until after the event!

Anyway here’s the cake we made for our Halloween party, it’s a giant chocolate cupcake filled with a chocolate orange ganache and topped with orange flavoured buttercream! It didn’t last long (my family are beasts!) but I guess I wouldn’t have it any other way, if they’d left any I would wonder what was wrong with it!!