New tricks!

I've spent the past few days trying out some new bits and pieces. Yesterday I made some Cappuccino & Bailey's Cupcakes! They didn't look the prettiest and I was only trying out the recipe but they were certainly yummy and proved quite popular! Take a look!

I only made a few of them and they certainly didn't last long at all!
I've been making some decorations in preparation for the cakes I have this week. They've been hard work but fun! I can't reveal most of those items yet as they're going on cakes this week. I've made some roses. They're not perfect but for my first 6 roses I think they're a good start! I'm about to make some small ones for my Valentine's Cupcakes. I'll post pictures of those when they're finished! I think I'm getting the hang of them now so I'm hoping they'll look great! Here are my practice ones. Still got a way to go before they're perfect but you know what they say about practice!

Today I made my very first gum paste shoe! I'm pretty happy with how it turned out, my first attempt didn't go too well so I started again from scratch. I want to be able to do all these extra things so I always have something to keep me busy and I'm really enjoying it and find I can't wait to make something else! Here's the shoe, what do you think?

Thanks for reading! Back again in a day or 2 with some more Sugarplum antics!
Sam x

Excited!

The Sugarplum Bakehouse has got a busy week coming up! Among the cakes I have some naughty cupcakes for a friend's partner's birthday, a first birthday cake and the cake I'm most looking forward to tackling, a special topsy turvy cake! I've drawn up some plans and need to make some decorations in advance so they have time to dry out before they're needed. I think this may be one of the most challenging cake I've done and I can't wait to get started. I'll post some pictures once the occasion that cake is for is over. I plan on taking pictures of each stage of this cake as I think it could make for some interesting viewing.
I've been thinking about the website and I think it needs a bit of a spruce up! The plan is to make each cake in my range of flavours so I can show all the yumminess and maybe help people make their flavour choice! It also means I can do a few bargain boxes up for customers after a lot of cake for little cost! My 'Bargain Boxes' normally contain a mixture of cupcakes, a half batch of brownies and cake slices. They certainly prove popular each time I make them, normally means I have a manic day in the kitchen too baking all sorts of cakey goodness.
I've had a nice quiet day today, just a batch of brownies done. I just love baking brownies, I use 72% cocoa chocolate and the smell just fills the house. Not great if you're dieting though let me tell you!
Here's a picture of some of my Indulgent Chocolate Brownies, just check out the chocolate chunks and that rich fudgey centre.

Thanks for looking! See you soon!
Sam x

The Giant Cupcake Experiment

Today I did my first giant cupcake! I may have to tweak my recipe slightly to get them perfect but practice makes perfect!

First off, here are the halves filled with yummy chocolate cake batter! This was the second attempt as the first time I didn't fill the moulds enough. I used the additional piece of the mould not shown here to create a cavity in the top of the base to be filled!

 

Once the cake had cooled, I covered in a layer of roll of icing before filling the cavity in the base with some of my yummy hot fudge style chocolate sauce!

Annnd here is the finished article! This was my first time piping frosting roses. They're not perfect but I'll keep practicing until I get them just right. I've only made this one as a practice hence why the board is left uncovered but my next one will be fully decorated! I have some ideas for different designs including a few for Mother's Day.

Thanks for looking!
Sam x

More Cakey Goodness

I had a birthday cake picked up today. I finished the cake itself last night and had to do the finishing touches this morning when I got up. I was really pleased with how it turned out and I hope the birthday girl will be pleased when she sees it tonight! We decided to go with a Contemporary style cake, but a more classic sort of style rather than the big stripes and bold shapes. I wish I'd counted how many silver dragees and flowers I put on the cake, there were hundreds on there! Check below for some pics of the cake!

 

I'd love to do a tiered wedding cake in the same style so you can really see the effect of the blossoms on the cake. 

Tomorrow I'm having a play with my new Giant Cupcake Mould, I'm very excited! Can't wait to see how it turns out!I'm doing a Giant Filled Chocolate Cupcake. My friend is a very loyal filled cupcake customer so I'm making the cake to take pictures to add to my website and fan page, and she's getting it at a vastly discounted price! I shall post pictures of the cake tomorrow, might even do some during shots as well!

Thanks for reading!

Sam x

Can you tell what it is yet?

Thought I'd show you a picture of a completely naked (gasp!) cake before any icing goes on!

 Can you tell what it is yet? Yep, it's Thomas The Tank Engine! And here is the finished cake! 

 

He didn't turn out exactly as I'd hoped but I think he's still turned out nicely! I also had a play with some Valentine's Cupcakes too. I'm going to practice with some more yet in a couple of days with some red roses but here's a quick peek......

They're going to be available in Chocolate or Vanilla or 3 of each. I have a few orders in for these already, hoping to get few more in once I post more pictures of them.

I'm going to be making lots and lots of 'blossoms' later for a cake I'm making tomorrow. I'm thinking it's going to take me quite a while as I think I'm going to need a lot of them! I shall enjoy sitting in front of the TV doing those later! Pictures to come!

Thanks for reading, Sam x.

More goodies!

I've registered with Makro today so I can shop for ingredients! We had a quick loo round today as there was so much else to do but I did come out with cocoa, icing sugar and a whopping 12.5kg of caster sugar! I wonder how long that'll last! We popped into my local cake craft centre to get a few bits and pieces too, as usual I managed to spend a fortune after only going in for a couple of bits! Got some ribbons, lustre sprays, flower paste and some new rose cutters! A good friend of mine is getting married in July and I'm doing her wedding cake! Very exciting! She's decided on a white 3 tier cake with blue and white roses draped around. I'm looking forward to seeing that one finished!
Over the next couple of days I have a Thomas The Tank Engine Cake and a white cake with flowers and silver and turquoise accents. I'm certainly looking forward to getting on with them! I've bought some Valentine's sprinkles, glitter and some heart toppers for my Valentine's Gift Boxes. I've bought some cake dummies in too so I can play with some new wedding cake designs! How exciting! I've FINALLY ordered a giant cupcake mould! I've never had one or made one before and I figure it's about time I did! They certainly seem to be popular at the moment! Oh the poor bank balance has taken a bit of a beating just recently but we cakers need lots of tools to make lovely cakes!
I'll be back soon with some pretty cake pictures!
Sam x

Crafty Antics!

I was in a crafty mood yesterday so I made some gift tags for my planned Valentine's and Mother's Day cupcake giftboxes! I had great fun. I have loads more ideas of other bits and pieces to do and can't wait to do a bit more. Take a look, tell me what you think!

Watch this space for more cakes and crafts!
Sam x

Goodies!

Most of my goodies arrived this morning!

I'm still waiting for my glass cake stand and ribbons but most of it is here! I need a bigger stock cupboard though with all of the boards, drums and boxes I now have in stock! I do need a few more bits but I will have a look at the cake store I visit in Norwich when I go next week. I can't wait to get trying my new cupcake nozzles so I'm going to get some valentines themed cutters and sprinkles to make up some Valentines Cupcakes! I've going to try them with handmade gift tags attached to the boxes to add that little extra something. I'm going to get a start on those this week while the hubby is off work! Watch this space.


Sam x

Pretty Cupcakes

Today I have made a box of cupcakes for a friend to give to her mum. She asked for them to say 'Mum' and to be pretty. We went for pink and white with some shimmer, I think it was a good choice! She chose 6 Vanilla Cupcakes which I decorated with shimmering 'Mum' lettering and used some handmade dark pink edible roses and leaves and sprinkled with some pink and white sugar pearls. I really pleased how they turned out and I actually think the rose topped cakes are the nicest ones I've done. I do love a nice girly cake! Take a look, let me know what you think!

I will be doing these again for Mother's Day this year, I know my mum would love them so hopefully lots of other mums would be pleased to receive them too!
I'm now thinking ahead to the other 'holidays' this year, the next being Valentines Day! I just realised, I have no Valentines related cutters though so I had better have a look for some and think of some cupcake designs to do! I have some Valentine's card making and craft things so I might just have to get a start on them when hubby is off from work again in time for February 14th!
thanks for reading, I'll be back soon!

Ooops, Did I really just spend that?

I had a Christening cake picked up today for a Christening tomorrow. I hope the cake goes down well. It's a very large 12 inch square cake with lettering and a hand piped Pram design. The design was on a 'New Baby' card given to the customer on the birth of her son and asked that it be on the cake. I had to do it a little bigger than I expected in order to get the lines crisp but I think it's turned out well. What do you think?

It was time to stock up on a few cakey bits and pieces and I may have spent a little more than planned but I need the best tools I can get to keep making fabulous cakes! I have some weddings booked in for this year and more keep creeping in. One in particular I have in April is for an old friend who has chosen a gorgeous black and white themed cake, striking yet elegant and it called for a fancy cake stand. It's ordered and on it's way, I'm looking forward to it arriving to I have a good look at it. It will be available for hire from The Sugarplum Bakehouse too so if you like the look of it, you can contact me here or via my website. Here it is!

Gorgeous!
On that note, I shall leave you! More soon to come!
Sam x

Flickr!

I've just updated my Flickr account with plenty of new cake pictures! Please take a look, all comments are very welcome! http://www.flickr.com/photos/thesugarplumbakehouse/
Sam x