Happy Birthday Mr Butcher!

a loooooong time ago my local butcher held a cake competition for his birthday, so naturally, i gave it my best shot!

i actually came out with 2nd place and a £5 prize, which was really great because it was only the second time i've baked for people who aren't my family or friends, and normally i'm wierdly self concious about my baking, it's like - they judge my cake, they judge me! anyways, here are some lovely photos of the cake itself (sorry theyre so bad, they were taken very late at night!)

so, it was a triple layer devil's food cake, sandwiched with vanilla buttercream and covered in white fondant (sadly the fondant was bought, not home made, but we can't ask for everything!) the writing is just pink water icing piped using the smallest nozzle i could find.

around the edges i modelled fondant sausages, bacon and drumsticks, in keeping with the butcher theme!

i created a sweet little fondant butcher complete with apron and stuck him on top with a bit of raw spaghetti to hold him in place

hopefully this will be the first in a number of steps to increase my confidence in my baking!

au revoir,
sarahhhhhh xxxxx

August 2011 Favourites

i'm so sorry for being so absent lately! but, as i promised, is my monthly favourites from the baking blogging world :)

1. my favourite bake: (as i haven't posted any this month, i'll just choose one from my whole blog) Bonfire Cupcakes!

these bring with them hope of warm cosy evenings by the fireplace in my front room, with a cuppa watching a good film (x-men, superman, batman, spiderman, captain america - i looove superheros) and they taste awesome too!

2. my favourite sweet bake from another blog: Red Velvet Cheesecake! from 17 and Baking

i love 17 and baking, perhaps because i am also 17 and baking! (eventhough she is no longer 17 :P) and i also love red velvet and cheesecake. so putting them together equals the awesomest (yes, that is a word) dessert i have ever seen!

3. my favourite savoury cake from another blog: Jalapeno Popper Dip! from Brown Eyed Baker

i don't know whether this really counts as a bake - but to be honest, i don't care! i love love love spice, and this dip looks epic! i just need an occasion to make it, or i'll end up just making it for myself and greedily eating the whole thing in one go...

4. my favourite topping/decorating technique: Tesco's Fondant Icing!

normally i really detest ready made icing, it doesn't taste very good and you never really know what went into it. however this month i got into a bit of a sticky situation and had to rely on a couple packs of this stuff, and guess what? i don't regret it! it was lovely and soft, and didn't taste too bad!

5. my random favourite: iced lattes!

i don't know why i hadn't tried them sooner! i have become completely addicted to these - whether bought from costa coffee or made by myself at home, i've been drinking these till the cows come home!!

well, thats another month passed, hasn't time flyed??

sarahhhh xxx