Lego Batman and a scrummy chocolate cake

This week was all about a Lego Batman cake for a special little boys 5th birthday then a last minute request for a chocolate cake for an 18th!  Both these cakes are firsts, my first novelty cake and technically my first chocolate cake - unless you count hubby's wonky Jaffa cake birthday cake!!

Let's start with the chocolate cake, even though I absolutely love chocolate cake it's something I've always let somebody else make rather than try myself.  I think it's probably down to my Nanna she made THE best chocolate cake in the world but took the recipe to her grave! I was asked for a simple chocolate cake with an 18 on top.  I turned to the chocolate goddess Nigella and found the perfect cake in Feast here's her cake!

I hope it was ok as it was short notice there was no time for a trial run - which is so much better for my waistline!  I was full of grand intentions of making chocolate numbers but that didn't work! - something else to learn!! So I made fondant numbers and 18 stars.  Here you have it my take on Nigella's Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake  If it tastes half as good as it smelt it will be delicious!!

Next was another challenge a Lego Batman cake I searched my favourite place for inspiration - Pinterest!!  I came across this fab tutorial on how to make an anatomically correct Lego block!  Being married to an engineer must be rubbing off on me! I also found this fab Craftsy tutorial on making a basic Lego man, here's my first attempt using some leftover bits of fondant it took 10 mins and you can tell! But hubby was impressed!

I couldn't find a batman one so had to wing it but did find this fab you tube video to make Robin!  The basic lego shape is pretty straightforward its the faces I struggled with!

Here's the finished cake, I covered the cake board to look like a Lego base to complete the look! - what do you think?

a close up of Robin

a close up of Batman - can't see his face!

Then in a weak moment I said "there'll be plenty of cake left from cutting if you want I could make some cake pops for the party bags if you like!" What was I thinking!!!!!!  Anyway it was good practice! I made them into little Lego heads to keep in with the theme!  Something wasn't right with the chocolate it seemed to thicken quickly in the melting pot which caused issues don't know if it was do do with the amount of food colouring I put in which affected it! Anyway some of them were ok some looked like they should be used at halloween!  -there must be an easier way to cover theses scrummy little treats! 

the shocking backs of the cake pops!

 They looked better with faces painted on and in bags! I forgot to take a pic of them in the bags but here they are waiting for their faces to dry!

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Children's Centre Bake Off

This weeks update is a day late as yesterday involved a somewhat fraught trip to ikea but by the end of it we have now ordered all the kitchen units but (long story) no worktop! Now we have 2/3 weeks to clear a space in the garage to store the boxes until we can fit it! At least we are getting nearer to the new kitchen!

Anyway this week was the bake off for the children's centre who were raising money for Derian House.  I decided on cake pops as they're a bit different to cake and had a batch of cupcakes as backup incase they didn't work!

The cake pops arose from the cake disaster last week and using this fab tutoriall from the amazing Elise at my cupcake addiction - I love her ideas

So here's my version:-

Not quite as stressfull as last time but I've got different lolly sticks which are smaller and fit into the stand that seemed to get broken in the paddy of the cake pop catastrophe the other week! So had to be taped up with parcel tape!

The cupcakes were a little basic as I didn't really have a plan! So they ended up just with jungle animals on! This is what happens when you have no clear agenda!

Next week is a whole new challenge if it goes as planned (which knowing my luck it won't!) it should be fab and I can't wait to show you!

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Soggy Cake Hole!

This week has involved a lot of planning, (cakes and kitchen!) I think the new kitchen is more or less decided now just the little details to sort then it can be ordered, this involved a trip out to Ikea always a trial, but on the plus side to this Windsor Cake Craft just happens to be on the same estate, so I couldn't pass up the opportunity to have a look around! (and spend a few pennies!!)  It would be rude not to!

I made some cupcakes to give to friends to say thanks for the bed they've given us for G, and some to cheer up a family member who's been under the weather.

Then there was this weeks smash cake, what a disaster, I came to decorate it last night after tea at the in laws only to find when I cut into it, it was uncooked inside the outer cake was perfect but a soggy hole in the middle, this has been a complete mystery to me as it had been in long enough and the skewer came out clean???  I could have wept, I blame my oven and can't wait for my new one to come! Anyway this meant emergency baking and a speedy cool down so the cake could be decorated! Second time lucky! On the upside I managed to salvage the cooked bits of cake to make some cake pop mix which has gone in the freezer until needed on tues to make some charity pops. (One less bit of baking there then!)  Finally got the cake decorated, and as usual I can pick holes in it, I wanted a more even distribution of colour which didn't happen, but I do like the colours, its for twins hence the pink and blue and the brief was to not be too boyish or too girly, I hope they like it, have to wait until tomorrow for feedback!  You'll have to excuse the rubbish photo, I need to set up an area to take nice pictures of cakes!!  What do you think????

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Easter cupcakes and an ombré cake!

Busy week this week, starting off by making what felt like a million fondant daisies in preparation for the mixed easter cupcakes I made for family and friends instead of giving Easter eggs.

The mixed easter cupcakes included a chocolate one with hidden creme egg centre, a plain chocolate cupcake with buttercream grass and mini eggs on, a vanilla one with lemon curd centre with a yellow buttercream with daisies then the last one was a vanilla cupcake with jam filling and a Easter themed topper

Then came the opportunity to try my new wilton easy layer pan set 

I'd decided to make my father in law an ombré cake for his 70th I searched Pinterest for ideas and changed my mind more than once on the effect I wanted to achieve.  In the end I opted for a smooth finish with a slight swirl effect.  

Everyone seemed to like it, I'm quite pleased with it there are (as always!) flaws to be ironed out but for a first attempt not bad!

the top of the cake

Then the moment of truth if the surprise filling had worked, well everyone was surprised if a little wary of eating blue cake! Lol! 

look at those lovely layers

the beauty of this cake as it was for family - getting to taste it!!!

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