I like!
How did you get the shape?

I used a cake/brownie pop mold. Rather than sticking a stick in, I left them as is and decorated them. . I usually have my sister's help in the decoration department, but I didn't yesterday. That's why it's not as nice and clean as it usually is. But I think the "trees" are cute enough. And they all go into the mouth. Nom...nom...nom...:DAttachment 41801

They look great! Really cute idea.

I made strawberry and cream cupcakes for my parents' wedding anniversary on Sunday.
And didn't take a picture. Oops.
Below is how they more or less looked anyway. Just with less teacups.

Mum requested them specially.
They're just plain cakes (not even vanilla) with half a spooful of jam baked into them. Then cut a slice from the top, load up with whipped cream and top with cut strawberries.
Pretty to look at, simple to make.

If I make again (possibly - the issue of fresh cream does mean all 24 need to be eaten in one day!) I'll forget the faff with the jam going into the cake mix. Very messy.
I'll just cut a slightly deeper well in the cake when cooked and put it in. Also, putting the "lid" back on means the same amount of cream has more impact.

Link to BBC recipe if anyone fancies them.

Oh, delish! those look scrumptious. Your mom is lucky to have you.

Oh, btw, since we're showing off our culinary skillz ---- I made peanut butter toast today!

sorry- no pics. Next time.

I've no talent, no drive...I could bake and cook all day long but all I do is whine to everyone on the cellar in every fucking thread there is. Seeing psych tomorrow. Won't help----but, gives me a reason to get up.

Peanut butter toast sounds yummy.

Sundae: The strawberry and cream cupcakes sound like a simple and elegant dessert. I like the way the site also list ounces. :D Anyways, how is it messy when you put the jam in before baking?

I found it hard to get the quite thick cake batter into the cases to start with. Then having to add half teaspoons of jam to all 24 cakes and make sure all the jam is covered with more cake batter. Only to find the jam dried up a fair amount during baking. I'd rather splat the batter all in and then deal with cooked cakes.

I am a clumsy cook.

I made Maple Syrup cakes with caramelised pecans yesterday.
Very crumbly and tooth-achingly sweet. I did not like.
I promise to take a pic this time - I will not be making again.

Kitsune's birthday was this weekend. I made him a cake.

Attachment 43890

White cake, filled with guava and pineapple, and frosted with meringue.

Easily the best cake I have ever made -- I'm trying to come up with an excuse to make it again!

IT, is the best excuse I can think of. :yum:

Choc that's a beauty.
Any shots of it cut?
If someone made me that cake I'd have to give them good sexy love!

To my shame I haven't made a real meringue for years.
Mum buys Lemon Meringue Pie mix and I make it occasionally to save her the trouble (even packet mixes require a little time and some washing up.)

Tempted, tempted...
Tempted actually to make Dads a birthday cake for tomorrow.
But he eats so little these days.
It will be all, "No, I'm okay thanks" and, "Oh I don't want to spoil my tea" and, "I couldn't fit it in." I know what I'm like, even forewarned I would resent any biscuit or square of chocolate he ate while rejecting my baking...!

Got no-one to cook for no more :mecry:

Unfortunately we were too busy digging in to take a shot of it cut. It just looked a mess, anyway -- the cake broke into chunks when I was getting it out of the pans, so the fillings helped spackle it back together.

Been there, done that :)

It's called Tuesday. Or you can refer to it as Humpday Eve. All the excuse you need.

Chocolatl: That looks and sound yummy! You don't need an excuse to bake. Just do it! :D Btw, where did you get the guava filling? Did you make it?

Bought Dad a classic cream sponge cake yesterday in Morrisons.
£1

Carried it through town as if it was John the Baptist's head on a platter - I didn't trust it to a bag. If you want to attract attention and smiles either carry flowers (as a man) a baby (as a young woman) or a cake (as a... well, as me.)

Iced Happy Birthday on it this morning before he got up. And have 7 and 3 as candles.
Just means if anyone drops by - and Mum's friends will - they can have a niiice slice-a caaake.

And the remainder can go in the food bin tonight because it's fresh cream and won't last and I won't be offended.

Breathe.

Sorry to bring a non-baking post to a baking thread!

Well done for finding a less-stress-all-round solution :)

choco, I made a cake like that with merangue on top, but mine had a lemon filling. It was for Mav's birthday if I recall correctly.

It's a yummy way to have a cake. My step mum makes a pie filling with pineapple which I assume is similar to what you've done with your cake.

I love cake. lol

Today I made a banana cake and iced it with philly cheese chocolate frosting.

Awww.....if only we're not an ocean apart, I'll let you cook for me. :D But I know how you feel. My mom and sister won't let me bake anymore. I miss baking. :(

WTF, bake anyway. If they don't like it, tough shit. If they won't eat it, give it to a shelter. :eyebrow:

Actually, baking some biscuits or scones for the local foodbank probably isn't a bad idea...





... not the same as cooking for someone who will eat it right there and tell you what they thought though.

Even better because positive feedback is almost guaranteed. :haha:

Come visit me in Yorkshire. I absolutely would not mind you cooking *grins*


Actually, you are very welcome to come for a visit if you get the chance. I'm sure Ma wouldn't mind carrotchops staying at hers for the nighttime so he isn't tramping about and jumping on the campbed :P

You nearly got me, babbalou.
Had a horrid row with Mum Saturday lunch. Cried til I retched.
We made up it, but not until I'd checked out how to get to Halifax.

If I wasn't waiting for payday I'd have been there by Sunday morning (Sundae mourning.)
Went for silent worship with the Quakers instead. Probably best.

Oh honey. You're always welcome. But glad it wasn't necessary :p

Question for all the bakers. I want to make my mom some almond cupcakes with raspberry filling and vanilla frosting. I have all the recipes, but I have no idea about storage. I want to take them into work and use my co-workers as guinea pigs, but I don't want to give them food poisoning.

After I fill and frost, do I have to refrigerate it or can I keep it on the counter?

If there's real cream in the frosting, refrigerate! Dairy products, left out at room temperature, will grow staph.

It's always safer to refrigerate if you have any doubts.

What kind of frosting is it? As Ortho said, if there's real cream in the frosting, refrigerate. I had once decorated with real buttercream frosting(homemade not the Duncan Hines) and left the cake outside for 3, 4 hours. Still edible. :D But I did put it in the fridge later. You can leave Duncan Hines and Pillsbury frosting outside without any problem.

You can actually leave the premade frosting out for days. The raspberry filling though, definitely not. Jars of jelly don't usually have a ton of preservatives in them, not like the processed frosting anyway. Standard picnic times only, 3-4 hours.

Gotcha - yea, gotta refrigerate. I haven't decided if I am making the fruit filling from scratch or using preserves yet.

Yep! 1 lb of guava paste (NOT jelly/preserves), diced and simmered over medium heat with 1/3 cup water.

I looked for guava paste and found some at Walmart. Gonna look for recipes with guava paste to make some desserts this summer. Hihi.....

Strawberries and cream cakes again.
No icing sugar this time, as it made them messier to eat.
Also smaller pieces of strawberry, based on feedback.

There is also a well of strawberry jam (added after baking) inside. Which made assembly slightly more fiddly, but baking so much easier.

Went down very well.

:yum: Have to back away ...

Honestly, they look great, Sundae. I can almost taste them.

Those look YUMMMMSTERS !!!!!

I asked my sister to buy me a small jar of good quality jam to make these today. She asked me if I will really going to make them because I always ask her to buy ingredients and never make the them and are they to be given away because we don't eat cupcakes. Got so pissed that I told her to forget it to which she happily crossed off the jam of the grocery list. :mad: I've been wanting to make the strawberry and cream cakes. :( Anyways, I have to bake the shortbread cookie dough first and when I have a chance to go to the grocery store, I'll just use my own money and buy the jam myself. Blah.

Sorry to hear of your jam-related woe, Lola.
I will add a jar of jam to my suitcase when I finally make it to America.
I'll even put a special label on it for you, "My friend came all the way across the Atlantic and all she brought me was a lousy jar of jam."

The recipe for the strawberry & cream cakes makes 24.
The fact that it uses fresh cream means they have to be eaten the same day, pretty much. So I talked to Mum about it and we decided I would make a whole batch of the plain cakes, but freeze half.

I defrosted six yesterday and made them into cola cakes. Basically just adding cola frosting, sugar and a couple of cola-bottle sweets. I wasn't sure how well they'd go down, so I didn't want to risk all 12.

I had one, the chap who came to clean the gutters had one, and this morning there is one left. I'd say someone in this house had more than one... Not pointing any fingers... Not a complaint, nothing makes me feel quite as good as people enjoying what I've made.

My Patronus memory would probably be Limey's post about my chocolate cake.

Sundae, you're such a sweetheart. Muah! :D she let me make apple cinnamon cupcakes for her birthday though.
Attachment 44425

This is her birthday cake. It is coffee flavored, and the decoration is really pretty. It's a tad expensive for an okay tasting cake.
Attachment 44426

I don't remember that. You'd better send me another slice :cool:

I finally get my benefits through on Wednesday.
Lots to pay off/ pay back.
But cakie will definitely follow. It's been in my mind for a while.

My dear girl, my cakie needs should, nay MUST come last on your list of expenditure!


Sent by thought transference

Mum had a rough day yesterday.
She has decided to give up her volunteer work because of it.
I'm not good at consoling her, so although I have done what I can verbally I thought a cake would mean more.

It worked out SO well.
I suggested she went to the market and asked for over-ripe bananas, half expecting that she'd just get them from Tesco and I'd have to wait for them to ripen.
Nope. She did exactly as I asked.
Chap on the market stall took her round the back (oo-er) and gave her six over-ripe ones for free. I've had the chutzpah to ask for this sort of thing for about 15 years, this was Mum's first experience as far as I know.
She came home glowing (although I bet she gave him some money anyway - I know my Mum.)

SO. More 'nanas than I expected, so two loaves.
One loaf of Wolf's Chocolate Banana Bread.
One of Mum's (from her big blue cookery book which was a wedding present back in the '60s.)

I will take photos.
I would also send samples, but I'm in the desert between benefits and salary.
As opposed to the desserts.

Because it was a monster bake I'm probably going to freeze 1/2 - 2/3 of each loaf anyway. Just need to check with Mum. She loves to offer home-made cake to visitors, and in fact loves it more if I've made it. Partly because it's less bother, but also partly because she can big it up without seeming arrogant. But if she has no-one scheduled this week I know she'd rather save it for when people are definitely coming.

Again, feedback when I get it.
'nanas not my bag.

:)

So nice, I hope your mom can find a happy resolution to her work/volunteer situation. Quitting sounds so final.

When Mum is offended she is OFFENDED.
They are dead to her now.
I know I come across harsh about her, but she can be very cut & dried herself.
They hurt her feelings, she will never go back.

Photo of banana bread below.

Will photog Wolf's chocolate one when it comes out of the freezer.
Mum enjoyed both, but clutched the chair in panic when I suggested putting half of this in the freezer.

I can't take any real credit for it, apart from being arsed to bake it. It's her recipe, her staple and she loves it. I just wanted to make her happy and it worked.

I made Sundae's "Ultimate Chocolate Cake" recipe today. When I first looked at the recipe, the thing that stumped me weren't the UK measurements but the different sugars and flour. Luckily, my googling was productive. I found out that an acceptable substitute for golden caster sugar and muscovado sugar is light brown sugar. Also, I found how to make self-raising flour. :D I'm sure the cake would've tasted better if I had used good quality ingredients, but it was good enough for me. :D I ended up not make ganache because I forgot to buy chocolate to make it. :p: And lastly, I made cupcakes rather than cake, hihi.

The reason why I had wanted to try this recipe is because I had tried this one chocolate cupcake at one of those gourmet cupcake shop, and it was really good. (someone else bought it and let me try, hihi.) I refuse to pay over $3 for a cupcake when I am most capable of make decent ones. Arrogant? Maybe but at least I won't be wasting money on cupcakes. :D (emergency, brb)

Okay, so if I want the cupcakes to be more decadent, I may add chocolate chips in them. I think they are good enough as they are. :)

(I hope tapatalk doesn't double post the pix again. :p )

Attachment 45027
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Arrogant? Lola you couldn't be an arrogant bunny even if you studied it for three years.
You're quite right, $3 for a cupcake when you're accomplished in the kitchen yourself is just wasteful.

Gosh your finished product looks teh yummeh.
I knew you'd give it the Lola polish.

How did you do in terms of keeping them moist?
I worried that even baking the cake in two tins (it's supposed to be cooked then sliced) might dry it out too much. And if fact I don't believe I've ever really achieved the gooiness other bakers mention...

Lola you could turn around and charge people $3 for YOUR cupcake! Looks delicious!

:D The cupcake turned out quite nice. It was moist, and I liked the coffee flavor in it. My mom said it was good. Ate one then took out an ice cream bar from the fridge. :right: My brother said it was too sweet, so sweet that he couldn't taste anything other flavor (coffee). He and his wife told me to reduce the sugar next time. :neutral: My sister liked it although she could taste the slight bitterness of the coffee. The next time I'm making chocolate cake/cupcake from scratch, I'm keeping it all for myself. :mad: Just kidding. :lol:

Anyways, I only baked it for 25 minutes. There were still some cake sticking to the toothpick when I tested to see if it's done. Don't bake until the toothpick (skewer) comes out clean. The cake will be too dry. I put the cupcakes on a plate and wrapped it with foil. The cake was still moist today. Don't really know how the cake would fare few days more because there are none left. :D My cake weren't gooey, which was fine with me. :) If I were to feel inclined to do this recipe again, I'm thinking of adding more chocolate to see how that may go. Or simply toss in chocolate bits.

Sundae, if you feel your cake is a tad dry, reduce the baking time. If you want to use smaller baking tins, reduce the baking time. :D

I did reduce the baking time, and I think it stayed moist. At least good people told me it did. Just never as gooey as I expected.

Oops, one of my amendments was to reduce the sugar.
Shoulda said that. Quite a few people in the comments section said it was too sweet, which isn't the idea of the cake IMHO - if you are using dark choc and coffee you are hoping for a slightly bitter taste.

I didn't know you had a brother!
Perhaps just because you mention your sister more.

So, I finally went back to check the original thread where you posted the recipe. See how arrogant I am? Didn't even bother to check how your cake came out. :p looking at your cake again, I think it looks fabulous. I think I'll make a cake next time and will have to remember to buy chocolates to make ganache too. And I will reduce the amount of sugar. :D

I do have a brother. I've talked about my nephew before, remember? He's my brother's son. :)

Oh gosh, I thought your nephew (who I certainly know about) was your sister's son.
See? No attention to detail on this side of the screen.

I printed off a photo of your cupcake for Mum (she was stressed out with Dad and in a bad mood, so I just left it in her breakfast bowl.)
It could be enlarged and framed, honestly.

Might send it to you as a postcard!

Here's where I get my cupcakes (and cupcake porn for that matter. SFW, but you've been warned).

Cupcake Royale.

I made Sundae's strawberry and cream cupcakes yesterday. I omitted the whip cream because the person I was making this for a lactose intolerant person. I put a thin layer of batter on the bottom of the cupcake liner then the jam because I remember Sundae said the jam would overflow. The recipe said to line two 12-hole muffin tray. After putting bottom layer batter in 24 liners, I realized there's only enough batter for 12 cupcakes. :( Anyways, long story short, the cupcakes turned out okay, but they did not rise enough. I think it's got something to do with my self-rising flour. Anyways, here they are.
Attachment 45067

Soz, Lola - I had issues with the amount of batter myself. Another reason for not baking the jam into the uncooked cakes. I should have posted a caveat.

They look good though!

Wolf's chocolate banana bread.
The one that should have been served to the rellies a while back and ended up in the freezer twicet.
Apparently this did it no harm.
I iced it just in case, then added sprinkles.
Then wafer flowers.
Then gold spray.

As I'm sure I've said before, some lilies can handle gilding.

General consensus?
Looks good.
Tastes great.
Yumski-scrumski (my wording there)
Well done Cherry.

And thank you Wolf.

God, that looks amazing. Looks rich, like something that would sit well on a Christmas table.

Maybe I'll bring one to Glasgow then!

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOH! yes please

oh good lord, yes!