Cherry coke and Orange cupcakes.

Hello my lovelies!!
How are you this evening?
Today I’m going to share with you two types of cupcakes I made over the summer. Both with chocolate sponge as their base.

I made the cherry coke cupcakes for a musical festival that was organised to support the Manchester cancer hospital “Christie” the festival was called “Going up the country”. The organisers have a night called “Cherry Coloured Pop” so I thought cherry coke cupcakes would fit into the cherry pop theme pretty well.

I’ve found that using diet/coke zero gives the sponge more a flavour of coke than the full fat version does. I think because coke is so sugary the taste gets lost in the mix.
I poured the coke into my usual chocolate cake mix until I could taste it…if the mix gets too liquid just add a little more flour until the mix returns to a texture your happy with. This also works well with a mud cake recipe adapt your recipe likewise.

For the topping I make my usual buttercream recipe and added coco powder. That thickens it slightly so you can then let it down with cherry coke. Pipe on your cupcakes and decorate with cherry coke fizzy sweets. (I got mine from Asda 3 packs of sweets for £1 they also have cherry jelly sweets on that offer if you want to use them instead).

I made the orange chocolate cupcakes for a friends birthday. I must admit I cheated here and used orange essence in the sponge.
For the topping I melted chocolate added it to my buttercream recipe with a bit of milk and some more essence. Then let to set in the fridge…I kept mixing it every so often as the chocolate in there will set hard you will need to pipe it before it does that.

To decorate I used marshmallows, chocolate drops, chocolate sprinkles, edible glitter and orange chocolate buttons, again you can get these from Asda. They also do strawberry chocolate if you fancy a vanilla and strawberry version.

That’s it folks…hope you want to go and bake cakes now, and if not the “Great British Bake Off” starts next Tuesday 20th August…that should get our baking juices flowing.

Have fun
Rose xxx

First time cakes

Hello folks,

Well it’s been a few months since I said hello. Hope your all happy and enjoyed the hot weather we had a few weeks ago.

I’ve had a few “first time” cake orders on, what I mean by that is the first time I’ve attempted to make a cake in that style.

I made a Juicy couture hand bag cake also a topsy turvy cake for one of our friends 30th birthdays.
I had so much fun making them probably too much ha ha. The 30th cake had a mix of a few different things our friend likes some where on his cake from “UP” the movie to a calypso theme, lets not forget his pet cat either.

I also attended a new food market outside the Lowry outlet centre in Salford. It was very windy and rained a lot on the second day. I did however meet a lot of nice people and traders.

I’m not too sure if you know but I am due to have a baby boy anytime really. He was due the 4th August so had already kept us waiting a few days.

Well nice talking to you again guys, I will try not to leave it too long next time.

Have fun Rose xxx

Pancake day….take two!!

Hello there,

So its snowing again and myeyes are still stinging from walking the dog in a blizzard and getting snow blown into them.

Tonight’s post is about pancakes yummy, I took these photos on pancake day and yes didn’t post them to you!! They are really easy to make and are nice for breakfast especaily at the weekend when its cold outside 😉

1, Put about 200g of flour in a bowl with 50g caster sugar and 1tsp of salt.

2, Whisk an egg and put into the bowl, I then add milk and whisk at the same time until I get a batter that just coats the back of spoon. Whisk like crazy to ensure you have no lumps.

3, Put a non stick pan onto the heat until it smokes, take the pan off the heat and wipe out with kitchen cloth.

4, Put the pan back on the heat with some oil and wait until the oil is smokey (wont take long) then pour in a little of the panckae mix.

5, You will notice the mix dry, bubble and come away from the edge of the pan, it is now safe to try and turn/flip it over.

6, When the pancake has been turned over  it only needs about 30 seconds to colour that is if the pan is hot enough.

7, Place onto your plate and serve how you like it!! This year I had mine with blackberry compot and chocolate Philadelphia.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have fun and enjoy

Rose xxx

Sugar Junction.

I’ve been so excitied to tell you about this place, it is a little cafe on Tib Street in the Northern quater of Manchester.

Myself and friends have tried to go in a few times but it has always been fully booked, a couple of week ago we got ourselves organised and booked a table for afternoon tea doubling as a baby shower.

From the outside it always looks so appealing (even with the condensation driping down the windows) nice and homely and warm. You enter on the top floor and are greeted by waitresses wearing 1950s clothes, hair dos and make up. Our table was downstairs with two armchairs and a sofa like you’d find at your grans house. Every table had individual tableclothes and napkins.

We decided to go for the full afternoon tea and picked a drink from a large selection of tea we eventually went for peach, elderflower and builders tea. The waitresses kept re-filling the pots with hot water throughout our time there. the afternoon consisted of a selection of sandiwiches (goats cheese, salmon, ham and chutney and egg mayo). Scones with home made jam served in cute little jars, Homemade bakwell tarts, macaroon and chocolate praline fancies. All the food and drink were served on floral china and everything screamed cuteness!!

One of my friends had bought us a little bird brochue to wear each, it was such pleasant environment that my friends ended up missing two trains!!

We would all go back again, third time lucky and well worth the wait.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy drooling folks

Rose xxxx

Real Royton Food Market (Feb & March)

Hello,

As there was no market in January we were all eagar to go in Febuary even though the weather was shocking and it was more of a challenge to stay dry rather than warm. My stall had Valentines theme with chocolate heart lollies, chocolate kisses and red velvet and heart shaped cake pops. All the usual favourites were back including the Rainbow cake that I mistakenly replaced with Christmas battenburg at the December market.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The March market was of course Spring Easter theme and the sun even made a little appearance when the clouds blew over. If you read yesterdays post the Easter gifts were on sale and available to order with a few mother day gifts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next market is on April the 7th and there will be a one off market in Shaw the following Sunday, hope to see you there.

Have fun folks

Rose xxxx

Easter Gifts.

Hello Folks,

Today I am going to share with you a selection from Sweet and Beautifuls Easter range

Easter cookies, choose from s flat shortbread cookies all wrapped up in box with tissue and a ribbon. Or choose a three tiered shortbread cookie with bespoke designs.

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Chick and bunny pop cakes dipped in orange and strawberry chocolate.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Choose from small, medium, large or mini chocolate eggs. mini eggs can be filled with wither strawberry/caramel filling or if you prefer I could make them solid chocolate

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Goodnight Folks,

Rose xxxx

 

 

Hello Folks,

Hope you managed to get through Monday with ease,  todays blog is about a place I’ve been meaning to tell you about sicne September!!

The Vintage cupcake Kitchen can be found @ 39 High street, Uppermill,Oldham.  Since it opened in 2011 I had been past a few times and had never managed to pop in. So one day last September I went one Sunday morning and found out there was a villege event on. All the shops on the high street were done up with 1950’s decor and bunting. There was also mucic playing like it was coming through a gramophone people were dressed up. People started to line the streets and I found out there was going to be a parade of Amearican army vehicles, tanks and such.

However nice all this was it didnt get me any closer to getting mits on one of the fabulous looking cupcakes!!! the Vintage cupcake kitchen were also joining in the festivities and had tradition lemonade, red white and blue cake pops for sale out at the front of the shop. They were clearly not open however I was on a mission and decided to go in and ask if I could buy a cupcake. The lady had wooden trays of cupcakes and from what I can remember the ranges of flavours included, mint areo, maltesser, strawberry, what looked like a cupcake shaped like an ice cream and of course the one I chose Rocky road!! It was placed into a cute little bag and decided to get out of the centre of Uppermill before the parade started. I found a nice little park to take photos of the cupcake before scoffing it…and yes it tasted as good as it looked.

I do mean to go back and hope to enjoy a slice of cake with either a cup coffee or a milkshake, anyone facy it?

I have taken the following paragraph from the about part on the Vintage cupcake kitchen’s facebook page, I think this describes the place perfectly and has saved me a job;)

“The Vintage Cupcake kitchen is our little piece of heaven where you can come and relax with freinds and family and enjoy the atmosphere in our pretty little tea room, sip a cup of tea from vintage china whilst enjoying one of our 12 flavours of homemade cupcakes, shortcake scones, chocolate chunk brownie and now also our new milkshake bar. We also have delicious Italian fresh ground coffee and Hot chocolate and lots of pretty gifts and treasures for you to buy. We also offer a personalised cupcake decorating service, and can gift wrap any of our cupcakes for a beautiful gift, just contact the shop for more info x x x”

Have fun folks

Rose xxxx.

Long lost friends.

Hello folks,

Fisrt of all Happy St Patricks day to you all!!

So its been nearly two months since I’ve wrote a post and I have set myself a challenge to post each day this week to make it up to you. I have been up to lots of mischief and taking photos of things to share with you all.

I started a grown up job in January NVQ assessing based in Oldham and have my own little car now.

I have taken Sweet and Beautiful to two Real food markets (Feb and March), another  wedding fayre in January. The most exciting news is that I won a Bronze medal at the international cake show in Manchester last weekend for my entry into the “Celebration cake, all ediable decoration class” Some of the cakes at the show were unbelievably good so I was extreamlly suprised and happy when awared with a medal. So you have even more reason to order your cakes from me 😉

Speak soon and have fun

Rose xxx

 

 

Happy new year!!

Hello!!
Happy new year!! I hope 2013 has treated you well so far.

Well it’s been a long time since I said hello, I made my Christmas orderers then tried to do nothing for a week or so 🙂

Sweet and beautiful will be exhibiting at our 2nd wedding fayre on January the 27th at bella vista, Milnrow, Rochdale.
We will also continue with our monthly markets the first one this year being on February the 3rd.

Last weekend I made a cake with a bowling theme for an 80th birthday. If any of you are familiar with the TV shows “Seinfeld” or curb your “enthusiasm” the grandad character I made out of icing looks a little bit like Larry David!! Completely unintentionally.

And here’s a photo of grandad with his cake. Looks like another happy customer.

Well take care and have fun
Rose xxx

Festive cheers!!

Hello folks!!

How are things going with you all? Well with the countdown to Christmas well on the way I’m sure you are all busy shopping and partying!!

I have managed to be organized this year only because I have a few gingerbread houses and other festive treats ordered.

I also made this cake last week hope you like it.

Have fun and take care,
Rose xxx