red velvet

so i have found my recipe and believe i will try it out for the first time tonight! :)

cant wait to see how it goes, and if it IS a success than you can believe i will not only be raving about it, but posting pictures of my creation.

wish me luck :) cant wait to see how it goes :)

the hunt is on

for the first of my next two cakes i have decided it would be good to do a rich chocolate cake with a cream cheese frosting, or a red velevet cake.... its for a man but i still want it to be pretty, have come along some fabulous photos online for red velvet cakes, but cant seem to find a recipe not based on cooking out of a box....

i may look to recreate the rede velvet done so expertly to the left, but i am also ocnfident that a chocolate cake would go down quite well... will keep everyone posted on my recipe search..... then it will be onto the next birthday cake.

The second one is meant ot be more portable and is for a lady. she is quite worldly and comes from a very nice family, so treating her to something extra special is even more of a challenge- which i look forward to....

so far i am thinking some red velvet cake balls like these gorgeous ones ( done by some other cake bloggers) are lovely.... just have to figure out a red velvet cake recipe and then have my first attempt at cake balls.... perhaps i could try for larger ones so they arent bite size and would feel more like a cupcake?

i have also seen them done in white chocolate and also in differnet shapes like hearts and squares. i wonder also how nice dark chocolate might be or whatother topics you may be able to mix in to create a different look? some blue colouring to create a red/ white and blue for 4th of july?

well its official

i have ordered my very own giant cup cake tin for 2 up and coming birthday cakes i have been commissioned to bake.

now i just need to decide which batter to use for the cakes and which frosting will make the best impression....

the search begins, one for a male and another for a female. :)

everyone has a favorite

and when it comes to bakeries in london the hummingbird bakery is mine.

it isnt overly big and the variety is not huge, bt what they do - a few cakes and many many cupcakes, they do very very well!

my last trip was on valentines. Hubby and father in law each got a chocy one, and Jenny ( father in laws wife) and i each tried the red velvet cupcake their specialty. ) YUM

cant wait for the next one .....

maybe tomorrow?

one can dream

oliver enjoying the cream tea too

afternoon tea

has been a passion of mine now for a good year, so over time you are bound to hear me rant about some of my fave venues.... one that i have been to outside of the city, and that i love to visit every chance i get is the dovecote. it is a farm/ cafe/ gift shop and they do great salads and soups, but also they do LOVELY cream teas and cakes....

whats even better is we can take our little man - oliver - a 3 year old toy yorkie and sit outside at pinci tables and enjoy the sun. Here was a visit last summer and even has a shot of a pesky bee who was eating my jam!

my faveorite place to have afternoon tea

is the dorchester in london. It was my very first afternoon tea venue, and i have to admit i have been back time and again to take in the lovely decor, the fantastic service and the delicious cakes, pastry and finger sandwiches.... oh yes and of course to taste some of their fantastic teas.

it is the kind of place where you have to book months in advance, BUT you get to look forward to it all the more and i have to admit they have never let me down its always been worth the wait.

my latest trip was with hubby...