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New Look and M&M Cookies

It's no secret that my blogging days have been waning. I haven't been baking as much as I used too with life and other activities taking up my time. It was a debate, after the last couple of years, if I was going to continue blogging.

It is a lot of work to keep a blog up and running - all the writing, editing of text and photos, and of course self promotion. It's all about balancing it all and I think it's about time to get back to blogging, with a new look and a new outlook on life!

I thought I'd start with something fun and easy - M&M cookies! I was doing my weekly food shop and they had the bags of M&M's hanging in in the middle of the isle and I was like I want those. More specifically I want those in cookies. So, I made it happen. About a month later, but I still made it happen!

M&M Cookies

150g soft unsalted butter
125g soft light brown sugar
100g caster sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg, fridge cold
1 egg yolk, fridge cold
300g flour
½ tsp bicarb of soda
100g milk/dark chocolate chunks
165g M&M's plain or peanut!

Heat the oven to 170*C/gas mark 3 and line your baking sheet. Melt butter and let cool a little bit, put both sugars in a bowl and then beat in melted butter. Then beat in vanilla, the cold egg and cold egg yolk until light and creamy. Slowly mix in the flour and bicarb until just blended (I mixed it in a couple of batches) fold in chocolate chunks and M&M's. Use a medium ice cream scoop or a 1/4 measuring cup to divide the cookie dough into a dozen cookie dough balls. Keep cookie dough in the fridge between baking. Bake for 15-17 minutes. Leave to cool on the tray for a few minutes.
*adapted from Nigella's recipe in Kitchen

I can't tell you how much of the cookie dough was consumed before being put on the baking tray or I might have to kill you - as the saying goes. Although I can hint that it was more then a little. Cookie dough is so good.... I know you're not suppose to eat it with raw eggs and flour and stuff....but it's so good!!

Cookies fresh out of the oven are irroestiable! This cookie recipe is my go to cookie recipe. I have used it over and over again and I just add whatever I want to it! M&M's today white chocolate and macadamia nuts tomorrow and Revel's the next day!

Hey! So, what do you think of the new look? A big thank you to Anna at Designer Blogs for giving my blog an awesome makeover!

Let Today Be the Start of Something New

Hello! How are you?

I didn’t know how else to start this post. It’s been a while since I blogged and I have several things to share with you all my lovely readers. That is if any of you still exist?

United Cakedom’s blogversary was last week. It falls on a day that is in a series of days that have some importance.

June 9th - the day I moved to the UK (2005)
June 10th - the day I moved into my very own flat (2016)
June 11th - the day I started United Cakedom (2011)
June 12th - the day my friend Lauren was born (we will leave the year out)

This time of month just seems to be a turning point where things happen to me and things get muddled and I miss important things like my blogversary. I mean how could I forget my blog! It’s the one place where I can express myself and feel like life isn’t just about the daily grind.

When I went to Food Bloggers Connect last September at one of the courses/lessons given by the amazing Urshavi Roe she asked us why do we blog? There are many reasons why I love blogging, but the first answer I wrote down was because it was a place for me to have a voice.

Now I haven’t been baking as much as I used too or should I say I am experimenting less. I tend to stick to my favorite recipes and make them over and over again. Since I haven’t been baking I’ve been catching up on a lot of books I have been meaning to read. Reading a book is a lot easier to fit in and around all the normal day stuff then baking is.

I have noticed that the new trend in blogs isn’t to have a niche, but to be a little bit of everything. I think eventually blogs evolve like that because blogs are personal and no one is just one thing. We’ve all seen High School Musical - we don’t all fit into one mold.

I started blogging as a mommy blogger and then a book blogger before settling into being a baking blogger or more broad of a term a food blogger! I won’t be changing my blog name, but I will be adding more and more lifestyle things into my blog. With events and book reviews and days out with my girls.

I hope you stick around to see it.

Part of the reason I've been a bit absent is that I've moved into a new flat! It's all been a bit crazy! I also just hooked up the internet! Look at me being all independent!! In the next few weeks I have a recent event I went to to share with you as well as a few new books I want to show you! Along with my summer reading list, maybe a movie, a giveaway, and my new baking adventures with the little freestanding thing I now call my oven.

Until then!!

photos: Top - Arthur Newbury Park, Reading, England. Second - Plenty of counter space in my new flat for my pretty mixer. I've been told that KitchenAid now do a matching pink kettle and toaster. Maybe if I am really good this year Santa will be nice to me? Third - Bought at Dunelm Mills a few years back and it now sits on my kitchen counter! Fourth - My bookcase that houses all my cookbooks. I had asked fellow bloggers and foodies how they keep their cookbook collection from going mad! A few said they just let it go mad and collect and keep all cookbooks they come across. Another few said they have a set number that is set and will switch books out every so many months or so. Others just told me to keep the ones I love and can't live without! So about half of these are ones I can't live without and the other half are ones I am waiting to see if I can't live without them. Time will tell. Last photo - my new cooker! I was weary at first, it's the one white good that came with the flat, but it's actually proven to be okay. It heats up relatively fast and so far as cooked everything I put in it. Now hopefully in the up coming weeks I will see how it does with cakes, cookies, and brownies!

Free Tips

If I were to share tips and experiences of blogging with you I wouldn’t know where to start.

It’s today’s topic.

I have been blogging for nearly 3 years, but have only really started taking it seriously just over a year ago.

There is so much to learn and when I think I have something figured out it changes.

That’s sort of just life though isn’t it? Nothing stays the same it’s always moving.

I think about how much my blog has changed since I first started it. I had an idea, but I wasn’t really sure where I wanted to go with it.

It’s still changing as I write this. I am hoping to make a big change soon. More on that when I know more about that!

Here are my few tips for those who are thinking of starting a blog:

You have to want to do it. You will only get out of it what you put in.
Be prepared to change with new technology and to learn it.
Social media is your friend. Try them all, but stick with the few that really help you. Unless of course you have a team of people behind your blog that can help keep on top of all social media.

notes: This post was written for day 15 of the Blog Every Day in May blogging challenge with Rosalilium. #BEDM I was going to make a cake and post it today, but the sun distracted me and Grimm (I’m so behind on season 2) I googled "free images" and this was the first image so I used it for this post.

Two Things I Can't Blog Without

I have been blogging on my Sony Vaio laptop for the last 3 years, but our love affair started 9 years ago.

He's the way I stayed in touch with family and friends when I moved over to England and is what has allowed me to have a blog as long as I have.

He’s a bit slow, but still kicking. He does everything I need him to do.

However, I have wanted to make the jump to Wordpress for a while and I don’t know that he can take the programs I would need to run it smoothly and efficiently.

I am afraid to try because I don’t want to lose him. My laptop that is.

Yes, I have given my inanimate object a gender and sometimes I even give him feelings. Like when little people are rough with him I tell them to be gentle as to not hurt his feelings.

I respect the tools I use to blog if I didn't then I wouldn't be able to blog.

It's a little bit funny I hadn't noticed I had a lot of Sony products. Perhaps they are just good at advertising. Or perhaps the Sony products I use tend to last. They don't cause me problems therefore eliminating the need or want for me to replace them.

Last month when my phone contract was ending and I was able to upgrade my phone. Every phone I have had since I moved here, was a Sony except the last phone.

Which was a Blackberry, which I despised.

I despised it because the camera was amazing for out door photos, but the minute it was indoors it was horrible. I rely on my phone to take good photos of stuff I might want to blog later!

I like what I know. So, I went back to what I know and went with a Sony Xperia.

It has an amazing camera and so far, after a month, I have no complaints! I probably don’t use it to it’s full potential as a smart phone, but I’m still learning!

I use my laptop to blog and to update social media sites. I use my phone for photos and updating social media sites. They are the two things I can't blog without!

Do you use a laptop, desktop, or tablet? What phone do you have? Has your phone made your laptop or desktop obsolete?

notes: this post was written as part of #BEDM day 7; the topic was Gadgets! Sony has not sponsored this post in anyway and I have known people who love Blackberries all opinions in this post are my own based on my experiences. For further information please see my contact/policy page above.

The Sweeter Side of Life: What My Blog is All About

Writing about my blog is like writing about myself.

I never know what to say?

I bake and I share what I bake! I also try to tie in what’s going on in my life into what I’m baking.

They usually coincide somehow. Sometimes it’s as simple as a birthday cake being made for a birthday or biscuits for a coffee morning or a dessert inspired by a novel I just read.

I also just have a natural want to make stuff, to create. Lately I am afraid I have hit a bit of a rut. I still enjoy baking, but it hasn't been high on my priority list as of late. With out it my blog sort of goes on stand-by.

Which is why I thought I would take part of Blog Every Day in May. I came across Rhiannon’s post ‘What is Your Blog About?’ on her site The SparklingPanda and thought I should take part as away to get blogging again with or with out baking.

So, I will tie in baking when I can and I will be posting recipes like usual, as well as the blog topics suggested by Elizabeth on her site Rosalilium. (She is the one hosting this blogging challenge.)

It’s not too late to join in with BlogEveryday in May, if you are interested! You don't have to follow the suggested topics if you don't want too! It's just about blogging every day in May!

Do you have a favorite Blogger?

Asking me to choose my favorite blogger is like asking me to choose a favorite between my daughters or between my sisters! I don’t have a favorite I love them the same just for different reasons! That goes for my children, sisters, and bloggers!

As you may have guessed I have been asked to write about my favorite blogger for a competition hosted by Curry’s.

The problem is I have a lot of "favorite" blogs, they all offer something different and I have really struggled to narrow it down to one. However the one has been decided and it is Cakeyboi written by Stuart Vettese.

Stuart offers not only inventive and tasty treats but clever cartoons featuring Cakeyboi, whom he has named his blog after.

I don’t remember how I came across Cakeyboi, I just remember loving Stuart’s Cakeyboi cartoons. So, simple but entertaining. Here are a couple of my favorites!

His cartoons may have what drew me to his blog to start with, but I continue to be a reader because of his sweet treats. I love how he takes simple traditional makes and/or bakes and gives the flavors an interesting twist!

To learn more about Stuart and Cakeyboi visit his site, I know you won’t be disappointed!

To learn more about this competition visit the Curry’s site.

As I mentioned Cakeyboi is one of many blogs I read and here are some other blogs I love and read regularly!

raspberri cupcakes - Steph is from Sydney and creates some of the most beautiful food I have ever seen!
Sprinklebakes - Heather from America has taught me to think outside of the box!
Brave Tart - Stella from America has been great for any technical baking problems I encounter!
The Caked Crusader - Her identity is unknown, but with witty writing and classic desserts I am always drawn to her site!
The Londoner - Rosie is from London, she writes a lifestyle blog that covers everything from food to fashion. I read with good-hearted envy of all her adventures and I wish I could have her wardrobe!

notes: This post was written for the Curry's competition: Tell us about your favorite blogger with a chance to win a desktop PC (link above). All pictures are from Cakeyboi with permission from Stuart Vettese and all opinions are my own for further information visit my contact/policy page!

Dear Blog, (2)

Happy 2nd Birthday!!

I am sorry I only really write to you once a year on your birthday, but I'm usually pretty busy baking, posting my baking, taking care of kids and a husband, hanging out on social media sites (twitter, pinterest, facebook) promoting you etc... It really doesn't leave me a lot of time to have a heart to heart with you.

As it's your birthday and all I think it's about time we had that heart to heart. Really more of a reminiscing of the past year... here are a bakers dozen of our time together.

1. Remember that time when I made coffee extract and I questioned if I had made it right? I made it with just coffee. Then I went to Starbucks for a freakin' lot of espresso to make it again and there was like no difference??

2. OMG do you remember the Apple Pie Cheesecake Bars I made for the 4th of July? They were so amazing ... I am drooling just thinking about them.

3. Do you remember I baked a whole weeks worth of Harry Potter inspired treats? Yeah? It's a lot of work sorting out a themed weeks worth of bakes! But oh so rewarding.

4. It seems like yesterday I hosted my first giveaway of a book I absolutely adore!

5. Remember the Mickey Mouse cookies I made for Baby Baker's 3rd birthday? They were so cute and she loved them! She is more of a fan of Dora the Explorer at the moment. Wonder what she'll like in a half a years time? Do you also remember the sugar cookies I decorated to look like pizzas for the bigger Mini Baker?

6. Remember when I didn't win the Hummingbird Bakery Cupcake Competition? My Peach Melba Cupcakes were pretty amazing. Hey their loss, right?! However I was a runner up in the Lola's Cupcake Competition and received a voucher for 10GBP to spend at their shops. I still haven't made it to London since then...note to self: plan trip to London!

7. I did spend the day in London with my good friend Bijal, remember that? I dragged her to bakeries I had yet to visit. It's a hard job being my friend sometimes. I make you eat cake with me. :0) Here is a link to Part 1 & Part 2 of that day!

8. Remember when I was all nervous about attending my first (and only) Clandestine Cake Club? I thought they made you guess the location and that if you couldn't figure out a series of riddles you were just shit-out-of-luck and had to eat a cake to yourself. It's not like that. They tell you a day before the "secret" location. Was a little disappointed to find out I didn't have to figure it out by clues and riddles. Ah well, I was really happy with my Cherry Cola Bundt Cake and the group of people I met that night. Hoping to attend again in July!

9. The majority of the cupcake recipes on here are for the Cupcake Book Club hosted by Kelly from An American Cupcake in London. Remember the everything is not as it seems Red Velvet Cupcakes and Toffee Bakewell Tart Cupcakes? They were for 2 different books, but both were good.

10. Except these cupcakes ... Do you remember the Slo-Mo Cupcakes I made to celebrate World Book Night? I gave out a Judge Dredd graphic novel. I make a lot more cupcakes then I thought?

11. These Raspberry & White Chocolate Celebration Brownies have been a big hit! Not sure how or why but they are my most viewed for this year. Remember my friends requested them for our dinner night? All who tried them loved them!

12. Hey, do you remember when I bought that mini doughnut silicone pan from Lakeland's? Who knew it would get so much use? I have made a lot of fun mini doughnuts and plan to make a lot more!

13. It only happened a month ago, but I will never forget my baking day at Cake Boy!

So, there it is 13 memories of our year together. I'm looking forward to having another heart to heart this time next year. Same time, same place yea?

I'm planning a few themed weeks, first one hopefully coming at the end of the month, other then that who knows where 2013/2014 will take us!

I almost forgot to mention you're update look, remember we did that? I hope you're happier now that you look all nice and stuff.

Love always, Lisa

Rainbow Birthday Cookie Jar!!

It was my friend Louise's birthday yesterday! We don't normally exchange gifts, but as we meet earlier in the week for dinner (sushi!!) I couldn't show up empty handed! So, of course it's my first thought to bake something.

However she is doing so well on her weight loss journey that I didn't want to sabotage it with a big batch of something that would need to be eaten within a few days. In comes the jar idea! I did look around and found the cowboy cookies in a jar on Bakerella's blog so I went with that. I changed the name to Rainbow Birthday Cookies!!

Here's what I did and/or changed to work for people in the UK (sorry I still used cups!!)

layer your jar in this order
1 1/3 cup all purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup & leveled
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup cooking oats
3/4 cup m&ms I used Smarties
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 – 1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped

I put a cupcake wrapper to cover the lid and I made my label with an iPad app that I printed off and layered on colored paper.

I hand wrote the instructions which are:

add: 114g butter, soft (1/2 cup or 1 stick); 1 slightly beaten egg; 1 teaspoon vanilla
to make: Pre-heat oven to 180C/350F Pour jar contents into a large bowl, stir to combine. Then beat in butter, egg, and vanilla. Roll into 1 inch balls (walnut size) and place 2 in apart on a baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes.

I've told her that it's probably best to use within 6 months although I did see some say that her's were good up to a year? Not sure I would push it that long. Baking powder/soda would probably lose their potency.

This was fun and easy to make! A perfect gift!!
Omit the nuts, of course, if the receiver is allergic.

Update: she couldn't wait!
And was kind enough to send me some pictures!!
:0)

2013

"Learn from the past, look to the future, but live in the present." Petra Nemcova

from Kung Fu Panda "Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present."

A very wise quote and one I don’t always listen too. I spend a lot of time planning and worrying about the future. Sometimes I over think things that have already happened and that I can’t change. I do these things instead of “living” in the present.

But before I start this whole living in the present thing… let’s look to the future for a moment:

1. I’m going to have my first giveaway this month!! I’m giving away one of my favorite baking books!!! Details will be coming soon!

My sisters and I have created our own The Biggest Loser competition. Whoever loses the most in the next 12 weeks gets $50! So, I hope to share some “healthier” dessert recipes while I win my $50! ;0)
I took part in a few linky blog posts recently and it was a lot of fun! My plans for the New Year are to find more linky posts to participate in! If you know of any please leave a comment!! (I need to get my butt in gear and partake in United Bakes of America with Cupcake Crazy Gem!)
There are tons of new books out this spring. It’s going to be tough deciding which ones to get!!

Hummingbird Bakery Home Sweet Home by Tarek Malouf out February 14^th
Patisserie at Home by Will Torrent out in April
The Clandestine Cake Club Cookbook by Lynn Hill out February
Bake it Like You Mean It by Gesine Bullock-Prado out in March
The Loveliest Chocolate Shop in Paris by Jenny Colgan (novel) out in March!
The Hairy Bikers’ Great Curries also out in February!!

I am going home!! For a visit we’re arranging it for May/June time! USA here we come!!

and last but not least … the one thing I am looking forward to the most…

I have booked myself on Eric Lanlard’s Baking Mad Spring course on my 30^th birthday! Oh yeah! Visit his website for more info!!

Baking Mad Spring Course Synopsis:

Students will have the opportunity to

expand their repertoire and improve

their pastry making skills - with three

delicious treats – a Middle Eastern

inspired Light Fruit Cake, a Matcha and

Yuzu Tart and a Valhrona ‘pure caraibe’

Chocolate Mousse on a crunchy

praline base.

A seasonal lunch with be served with

wine and a delicious pudding.

Students will take home everything they

have baked, along with the recipes, a

Cake Boy apron, a Baking Mad goody

bag, plus a shopping discount voucher

for the Shop at Cake Boy.

Okay now I can start living in the present!! I just have to get over this cold I've had for the past few days. I hope everyone had an amazing 2012! And I wish everyone lots of love and happiness for 2013!!

note: images are not my own and come from: turtle quote; logo, Paul & Babe, and Eric

Forever Nigella #21 - Christmas Rocky Road!!

I do love Nigella and have seen the Forever Nigella banner before, but never really looked into it. When Laura, from the blog Laura Loves Cakes, said she was hosting this months Forever Nigella I knew I was going to tag along! That and I always reach for my Nigella books this time of year. Her recipes are indulgent and comforting exactly what you need in the winter!

I choose Christmas Rocky Road off of Nigella’s website and it says it can also be found in Nigella Christmas. I made a few changes to suit what was already in my cupboard - I used 200g for both dark and milk chocolate where the original recipe it’s split 250 dark/150 milk. Also my glace cherries were not red, just plain. I do realize that by using plain glace cherries it kind of misses the point. You would choose red ones because red is one of the colors associated with Christmas and they would stand out once the bars were all cut up! I also choose to opt out of edible glitter, even though I have some. It’s not my favorite thing, edible glitter. I don’t really have a reason - I just don’t like it.

I wrapped mine up in a festive holiday bag and gave it to our dentist office. :0) Might be a weird gift to people who make a living out of keeping teeth clean, but my eldest has a couple cavities (I know, I know!) and they have taken great care of her there. I just wanted them to know they are appreciated! That doesn't mean I didn't try the end pieces when cutting it up! It was gorgeous! I love the amaretti biscuits in there! Think I might need to make another batch sooner rather then later! And I'm not sure I will share!! Enjoy!!

Christmas Rocky Road:

200g dark chocolate

200g milk chocolate

175g butter, soft

4 tbsp golden syrup

200g amaretti biscuits, smashed

200g brazil nuts, shelled and bashed

150g glace cherries, red

125g mini marshmallows, save the leftovers for hot chocolate

1 tbsp icing sugar

sprinkling of edible glitter, optional

Break up both the dark and milk chocolate, then with the butter and golden syrup, melt in a heavy-based pan over a gentle heat. Once melted take off the heat.
Add smashed amaretti biscuits, bashed brazil nuts, glace cherries (I used regular ones as that’s what was in my cupboard), and mini marshmallows to the melted chocolate and carefully coat.
Pour the mixture into any tray or tin you have - It all depends on how fat or thin you want them. I used my 9x9 silicone pan and Nigella uses a 236mm x 296mm foil tin. On another note if you don’t use silicone or a foil tray line your tin with clingfilm or foil for easy release - Smooth as best you can.
Refrigerate until firm, about 1 ½ to 2 hours.
Remove the block of Rocky Road from the tin and sprinkle with the icing sugar and edible glitter if using.
Cut into any size squares you want! Visit the link below to Nigella’s site for how to make about 24 even squares and for make-ahead tips! :0)

I used a little more then 1 tbsp icing sugar....hahaha!

Thank you to Laura @lauralovescakes for hosting find her site here!

Thank you to Maison Cupcake founder of Forever Nigella blog hop!

Nigella’s official site

Nigella Christmas: Amazon UK, other sources

Maltesers Chocolate Mini Donut!! [baked]

I adapted this recipe as best I could for a UK audience. It is still listed in cups, but really sets of measuring cups are easy to come by. I did change products where needed, ex: plain flour = all purpose flour, icing sugar = powdered sugar and so on.

Only last week I shared my first thoughts on this book and said how I wasn't sure what to make first! Well, these came first not because of choice but because I had everything already in my cupboard! It was an easy way to decide!

They were easy to make, but they do take time. My mini doughnut pan holds twenty. So, to fill them up, wait the 7-9 minutes, cool down enough to take out of the pan and repeat, then ice each donut by dipping. I don’t mean to put you off because if you have a rhythm you won’t notice the time! It would take more or less the same amount of time if using an electric donut maker. It usually holds 5-6 donuts, but only takes 3-4 minutes.

They were good and we all ate them up right away! Enjoy!

Maltesers Malted Chocolate Mini Donut

1 cup plain flour
¼ cup chocolate malted-milk powder (I just used Horlicks)
2 tbsp cocoa powder, sifted
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1 large egg
½ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup whole milk
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp sour cream
½ tsp vanilla extract (I used vanilla bean paste)

Pre-heat oven to 350F/180C and grease donut pan. Sift together flour, malted-milk, cocoa, and baking powder, and salt. Whisk together the egg and sugar. Then add in the milk, oil, sour cream, and vanilla until combined. Gently stir in the flour mixture, stirring so there are no lumps. Fill each donut indentation ¾ full. Bake for 7-9 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Transfer to rack and let cool. Place paper towels or parchment paper underneath for easy clean up.

for icing:

4 tbsp butter
2 tbsp whole milk
1 tbsp golden syrup
55g bittersweet chocolate, chopped or buttons/chips
1 cup icing sugar, sifted

Melt the butter in a saucepan then add milk, golden syrup, and chocolate stir slowly until completely melted. Take off the heat and whisk in sifted (it’ll be lumpy if you don’t sift it) icing sugar. Immediately dip the top of each donut into the icing and transfer back to the wire rack.

to finish:

1 or 2 bag of Maltesers, crushed or cut in half

Sprinkle on top of iced donuts. Let set for 10 minutes before eating (if you can wait that long). Donuts can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days, but are best when eaten fresh!

This recipe, adapted for UK bakers, is from Mini Donuts: 100 Bite-Sized Donut Recipes to Sweeten Your “Hole” Day by Jessica Segarra Creator of The Novice Chef Blog (Maltesers are Whoppers; Whoppers are Maltesers)

My "review"; The Novice Chef; Amazon UK, Amazon US, I bought my mini doughnut pan from Lakeland's. You can easily use an electric donut maker just follow the manufacture’s instructions.

Figgy Pudding Cupcakes!!

Tis the season to be reading and baking! I love books and baking! Unfortunately I haven’t been able to keep up with Kelly (American Cupcake in London) and her Cupcake Book Blog as much as I would have liked, but since I loved Meet Me at The Cupcake Café I knew I would be reading this title. Might as well bake from it and join in! Right?

I’m always a bit weary with sequels and series, but I was definitely excited to find out what happened next with Issy and her café!

Issy is our main character in the first book she follows her dreams and opens The Cupcake Café. In the second book we see her face a tough decision- a decision I myself once had to make.

I really enjoyed Christmas at the Cupcake Café and would recommend it to fellow readers and/or bakers! I only re-read books I really enjoyed or related too. I think with these (2) books it was a bit of both. Even though I have no desire to own a café, I do enjoy sharing the love I put into my baking with friends and family.I get a feeling that Jenny Colgan hasn't finished with these characters and if she decides to write another one I will be first in line to get a copy.

Figgy Pudding Cupcakes

100g unsalted butter

100g treacle

50g sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

½ tsp cardamom

½ tsp ground cloves

250g all-purpose flour

25g unsweetened cocoa powder

½ tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

100ml milk

1 tsp brandy

1 tsp vanilla

Pre-heat oven to 170C/gas mark 3 and butter cupcake tin

Combine dry ingredients, sift, and set aside

Cream butter, treacle, and sugar until fluffy

Add eggs one at a time and beat until combined. Add vanilla and brandy.

Bake for 20-22 minutes. Ice if you want with brandy butter icing.

Or do what I did and just mix brandy with icing sugar for a nice kick!

from Christmas at the Cupcake Café by Jenny Colgan

made for Cupcake Book Club hosted by American Cupcake in London

I have always wondered what “figgy pudding” was in We Wish You a Merry Christmas:

Now! bring us some figgy pudding (x3)
and bring some out here. (or, and bring it us here)

For we all like figgy pudding (x3)
so bring some out here.

And we won't go until we've got some (x3)
so bring some out here.

After trying these cupcakes I would change the lyrics to “figgy pudding cupcakes”! Realizing that figgy pudding is basically a traditional Christmas Pudding, after a Google search, I wish I had decorated them a little different. Ah well! They were super yummy and the spices shout out warmth and comfort! I can’t wait to see what other inspired bakes come from other readers!

Clotted Cream Fudge! What I made the first time I joined in with the Cupcake Book Club!

Mini Donuts: 100 Bite-Sized Donut Recipes to Sweeten Your "Hole" Day by Jessica Segarra {bookreview}

I love donuts! I love them fried or bake, sugar or chocolate coated, sprinkled or glazed, I love them pretty much anyway. So, when I was lazily looking around Amazon the other day (the only place I can really get these fun American sweet cookbooks) and this title popped up I bought it without a second thought. I even bought it over any one of the titles on my long wish list. Sometimes you just gotta have it!!

I don’t have a donut maker, but I have a donut pan. The recipes give instructions for both. Some of the recipes do need to be fried, but that shouldn't be a problem either if you have a stove! After making Vanilla Bean Baby Doughnuts with my pan I have been meaning to make more, now that I have this book I have no excuse. Nor am I short of ideas!

Normally I would list all the recipes that are a must try and to be honest I don’t even know where I am going to start with these!! The chapters are: The Classics; Chocolate; Fruity; Donuts of the Stars; Bakery Specials; Candy-Aisle Donuts; Drinks to Donuts; For the Kid in You. This is an American cookbook so first its in cups, ounces, and sticks (of butter) and second there are a few ingredients that aren't easy to find locally. Even though they might not be sourced locally there are a lot of online American grocery stores to source from.