30 days / 30 things Day 26

After swapping today "something random" with yesterday "a kitchen gadget" but I covered that quite extensively in my post on kitchen gadgets before. So what to talk about today ??

Today I'm going to write about Occasional Cakes. This is a company run by a very good friend of mine from her kitchen ! She started up a few years ago just making the odd cake for friends and family. The first one we had from her was for son no1's 5th birthday party (she also did son no2's christening cake). This was seriously impressive, not only the attention to detail  with dyed desiccated coconut for the grass, but the cake was VERY tasty.

5th birthday cake

Since then she has branched out into cupcakes which is where she has really come into her own. She has a monthly cupcake sale and her range of flavours is out of this world. Ferrero Rocher or Malteser cupcakes anyone ? My personal favourites are the lemon ones and the coconut ones. Both totally delicious light sponge with a perfect whip of icing.

A selection of Occasional Cakes cupcakes !

She also does gluten free too, which I have tasted and for once you can barely taste the difference between that and normal cupcakes. Gluten free cakes often can taste like cotton wool. The ones below I think are the prettiest though, done for a hen night.

I know there are loads of people who make cakes and cupcakes about at the moment but I can safely stake my reputation (for what that's worth !!) on these cakes. I've never been let down by them and even son no2 and the tender age of 3 things that Gemma's cakes are the best !

These are son no1's favourites. Sponge baked in an ice cream cone with a whip of vanilla buttercream and a flake. He was quite disappointed when he realised they weren't actually ice cream though !!

New kitchen things

I have been very restrained of late with my kitchen purchases. Not least because I hope in the not too distant future to have a shiny new kitchen to play with !

Out shopping today though I saw this and, well had to have it really. It is rather lovely and I may have to make some more cupcakes this weekend just so I can use it.

Sparkly lemon cupcakes

Ok, so I know these have been done to death but I still quite like the tooth achingly sweetness of the cupcake. I am lucky that I have a lovely friend who has her own cupcake business so I rarely make them myself.

This afternoon (can you tell I'm on holiday this week ?!) I felt like baking and dug out my trusty Wilton 1M "Mr Whippy" icing nozzle. The base is a simple lemon sponge and piped with lemon buttercream. There is a theme here - I do love lemon cakes !!

SPARKLY LEMON CUPCAKES
makes 12 (or slightly more) average sized cakes

6oz soft butter
6oz golden caster sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
6oz self raising flour
juice 1 lemon

for the icing

8oz soft butter
1lb icing sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
juice approx 1/2 lemon to taste

Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, add the vanilla and mix
Add the eggs one at a time with a spoonful of flour each time
Add the lemon juice and then mix in the flour
Spoon into cases and bake at 180C for approx 20 minutes

For the icing beat the butter until very soft, sift in the icing sugar and beat hard
Add the vanilla and lemon juice and a tiny amount of yellow food colouring if wanted.

I used a large piping bag and a Wilton 1M tip.

For the swirls start at the outside and work inwards building height as you work in.
For the roses start in the centre and work outwards keeping the icing quite flat.
For the flowers use blobs of icing and work in concentric circles

Decorate as you wish. I used multi-coloured sugar stars, white chocolate stars and edible glitter.