Lemon Drizzle Loaf

Lemon Drizzle Cake is a favourite with my fiancé’s Gran. I wanted to give it a go and see how I got on. I decided to make a loaf instead of a tray bake because I think it looks more appealing and to make it extra zingy I added extra lemon juice and zest to the batter. While the loaf baked for the best part of an hour, I made the lemon syrup for drizzling over when it’s still warm and a lemon icing for aesthetic purposes on the finished cake. To me, this lemon drizzle loaf looks really appealing. I couldn’t wait to have a slice! I loved this cake so much; I wanted to make another one for when I visited my parents. For my second attempt, I added poppy seeds to the sponge to add a little bit of sophistication. It went down a treat! 

Carrot Cake

When I decided to go home for the weekend, I wanted to make something special for my Mum. For some reason Carrot Cake jumped out as the obvious choice. Having never made a Carrot Cake before I was excited about the challenge and wanted it to be outstanding. It took a while for me to pick the recipe I wanted to use but eventually settled on one and added a few of my own tweaks. Instead of one large sheet cake I wanted a towering layer cake, generously iced with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting. The cake itself was moist and flavourful which balanced out the sweetness of the frosting. I like the 'naked' looking cakes so I left the sides bare, I only wish I had added more frosting to the top. I finished by decorating with Walnut halves and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Had I used Pecans in the recipe I would have decorated with them instead. I enjoyed a wedge of this scrummy cake with a cup of tea!  I was really happy with how my carrot cake turned out and the feedback from my family made it extra special. I will definitely be making this again!

Chocolate Fudge Cake

Decadent Chocolate Fudge Cake, made for a good friends, friend's birthday. This is a triple layer chocolate sponge cake, layered and coated in chocolate fudge icing, topped with giant chocolate buttons to give that little extra bite. I really love the look of the buttons on top with the whimsical red ribbon which finishes the cake beautifully. I was a little sad to give this cake away because, I believe it's the best chocolate cake I've ever made, and I would have loved to cut it open. I'm sure it will be a hit with the birthday boy and all those celebrating!

Lemon Cupcakes

Looking for a zingy teatime delicacy? Then treat yourself to some Zesty Lemon Cupcakes. A fluffy lemon sponge filled with a lemon curd core and topped with refreshingly lemon buttercream icing! What a lovely match for your afternoon tea, They're so light, you could easily be tempted to have seconds. I sprinkled them with edible glitter (not really seen in the picture due to my poor photography skills) to keep them looking effortless and chic. 

Happy 50th Birthday Sadie!

A few days ago, one of my friends and work colleagues asked me to make her mothers 50th Birthday Cake. This is the first time someone had commissioned me to bake a cake for them. I was truly honoured, if a little hesitant at first.  With a simple request of a vanilla layer cake, filled with vanilla butter cream and raspberry jam, how could I say no?! I was informed that her mother like all things Scottish, so I finished the cake with fondant icing and added thistle flowers and a bow for decoration. I am really proud at how elegant the cake turned out to be. The cake gets collected later this evening so hopefully it goes down well. 

Empire Biscuits

Empire Biscuits are typically considered to be a traditional Scottish snack. Two layers of crunchy shortbread, sandwiched together with a dollop of raspberry jam in the middle, topped off with a drizzle of icing and a glacier cherry on top. Although, I don’t like glacier cherries that much so I opted for a fruity jelly tot decoration instead. I love the rustic, messy look, to me, it adds a touch of character and charm. 

Banana Mini Muffins

   

 

Recently I have been going bananas (Pun intended) but they are amazing! Banana Muffins are essentially the little sister of the of Banana Loaf, and they’re a snap to make. When pulled from the oven, they’re golden brown crusts are delightfully crisp and chewy yet the body of the muffin is lovely and moist. Topped with freshly whipped up Caramel Buttercream, they are simply delicious!