New Layout and children's birthday cakes

Today I finally found the time to sit down and create a new layout for this blog. The old one felt tired and I found the colours dark and uninspiring so have gone for a much more girlish approach of light pinks, purples etc.

I haven't updated this in a good few weeks but that doesn't mean I haven't been busy baking! In fact thanks to some encouragement from friends I've actually started to make cakes for other people. A new page will be added to this blog soon detailing a price list should anyone else like to order anything in the future. Its all still in its planning stages but hopefully will come about soon.

The thing I have often found about people who sell the cakes they make, is that they are usually for a celebration of some sort, a child's birthday, a 30th or a wedding but I'd like to do cake-just because.... because its lunch time.... because its 2.30pm and I've been working my butt off all day in the office and damn well deserve cake..... because I'm cuddled up the sofa watching TV and fancy something nice to eat, (I find eating cake while watching the biggest loser can make you feel a tad guilty though... yet I still do it) and its on these occasions you don't want a massive cake covered in sugar paste and fondant icing that says happy birthday (although if that is what you fancy go on...indulge!) I think you want a slice of a nice lemon cake, a chocolate fudge cake, a carrot cake or a fruit cake, maybe even a decadent  little cupcake. 

I want to provide those as well as the lovely celebration cakes made to order, O.k I'm your girl if you want a birthday cake because your friend is turning 40 but I want to be the girl you come to because your mum is popping round for coffee on Saturday afternoon and a bit of cake would be nice with your cup of tea, or you have a load of mums popping round one morning so your toddlers can play together and a box of cupcakes would be a nice treat before you spend the next 3 hours scrubbing trod-in plasticine out of your carpet and trying desperately to remove the Biro scribbling on newly decorated hall walls.

Cake should be a universally enjoyed little goody, yes we all agree it can be calorific and is not the dieters best friend, but like most things if eaten in moderation and you keep an eye on portion sizes (in my case don't let my friend Heather slice the cake her portions are enough to feed a small family) it can still be enjoyed . I'm going to be experimenting soon with dairy free, gluten free, and diet friendly cakes too.

I don't understand why people go to Tesco (or any other over priced supermarket) and spend over £5 to take home a cake which is so dry you have to have a drink with it in order to swallow the bloody sponge, when for a few pounds more you can have a fresh soft moist home made cake which is far superior in taste and texture. I love buying peoples home made cakes, I love going to the sorts of cafes where the cakes are either baked on site or bought in daily from a small company who supply freshly baked home made cakes. When they've run out that's it-you can't have any more (should have got there earlier is my advise) they don't go out the back and unpack a crate that may have been sitting there for days!

This week I have made a birthday cake for my son who turned 8, a set of cupcakes for him to give his friends, a gruffelo birthday cake for a friends little girl and various macaroons, biscuits, cakes and sweets and I have loved every second of it. I bake these things because I love to do it (and yeah o.k I am that person who likes to have a little something to eat while watching EastEnders). 

Chocolate fudge cake

Thundercat cupcakes

Thundercat cake

Lemon cake mascarpone lemon icing