United Cakedom

Love Cake - A Baking Song by Rocky and Balls

Here's a little someting for the end of the weekend- A very fun song about loving cake! You can't help but smile!! You can download this song on their website!! They have a limited edition cd too!! They ship anywhere!! You can follow them on facebook or twitter!! I love there song about beards too!!

Here are the lyrics: (taken from youtube)

I'm gonna bake you a love cake
I'm gonna bake you a love cake
I'm gonna put it on a love plate
and serve it up to you

I'm gonna bake you a love cake
I'm gonna bake you a love cake
I'm gonna put it on a love plate
and serve it up to you

I'm gonna mix it in my love bowl
and add a little bit of my soul
I'm gonna put it in your cake hole
I'll serve it up to you

It'll be so moist
It'll taste so good
then you'll feel my love
deep inside of you

I'm gonna fold in a love egg
I'm gonna add a little nutmeg
I'm gonna guarantee you're well fed
now time for some kazoo

I'm gonna cut it with my love knife
I'm gonna cut it til it feels just right
I'm gonna feed it to you all night
there's just enough for two

It'll be so moist
It'll taste so good
then you'll feel my love
deep inside of you

I'm gonna bake you a love cake
I'm gonna bake you a love cake
I'm gonna put it on a love plate
now put it in your mouth!

Healthy Berry Crisp

(serves 4) Using American measurements.

1. Coat 4 ramekins with cooking spray. I used a large muffin tin which works just as well.

2. Mix together the following in a large bowl

a. 2 cups of fresh or frozen berries – I like to use fresh blackberries and blueberries, you can use any you like just NOT strawberries, they do not reduce in the same way as the smaller berries.

b. 2 ½ tsp granulated sugar

c. 2 tsp uncooked instant tapioca. – You may substitute cornstarch, although less healthy

3. Evenly divide the berry mixture among 4 ramekins
4. Mix together the following in a separate bowl for the topping

a. 3 Tbsp oats (do not use quick-cook)

b. 2 ½ Tbsp flour

c. 2 ½ Tbsp chopped walnuts

d. 2 Tbsp brown sugar (dark or light)

e. 4 tsp walnut oil (may substitute another type, but this really adds to the flavor)

f. 2 tsp maple syrup

g. ¼ tsp salt

h. ¼ tsp cinnamon

5.      Evenly divide topping over the berry mixture
6.      Bake at 350F for about 30 mins – crisps should be browned and bubbling
7.      Serve with a little vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or double cream (UK style).

Hope you enjoy!

“I’m getting married in 5 months (Oh My God 5 months!) so as you can imagine, I’ve been searching for a way to satisfy my sweet tooth and not pop the seams on my already paid off wedding gown. This recipe for individual berry crisps does exactly that."

~Sarah Ex-Pat Bride

The Ex-Pat Bride

All done!! Yum!!

Sarah and I met through our British partners! I am impatiently waiting for her to move to the UK so we can do all sorts of fun stuff together!! Like cooking!! Sarah's story, although all her own, isn't too far from mine! Follow her adventures as an Ex-Pat Bride on her blog! Sarah's blog no longer exists 1.2.2016.

Snickerdoodles!

These were amazing!!

They hardly lasted the morning!

I sent a baker's dozen with my husband to work this morning and everyone was wanting more!

Snickerdoodles are a favorite of mine. Always have been always will.

The Hummingbird Bakery Cake Days has a recipe too slightly different that I plan to try out sometime. Time for a little comparison! :0)

Do you have a favorite cookie or biscuit?

Snickerdoodles tend to be a little more cakey, but all we need to know is that it is delicious!

Snickerdoodles:

250g plain flour

½ tsp ground nutmeg

¾ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

125g butter, room temperature

100g plus 2 tbsp caster sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp cinnamon

Pre-heat oven 180*C or 350*F or gas mark 4
Combine flour, nutmeg, baking powder and salt.
In a separate bowl cream the butter with 100g sugar until light and pale in color
Beat in egg and vanilla
Stir in dry mixture
Mix the remaining sugar and cinnamon together and spread on plate
Roll the dough into walnut sized balls
Roll the dough balls in the sugar and cinnamon
Bake for 15 minutes

notes: taken from How to be a Domestic Goddess by Nigella Lawson

Fairy Cakes

taken from How to be a Domestic Goddess by Nigella Lawson

125g unsalted butter, softened

125g caster sugar

2 large eggs

125g self-raising flour

½ tsp vanilla extract

2-3 tbsp milk

500g royal icing

Preheat oven to 200*C/Gas Mark 6
Put all the ingredients except for the milk in a food processor
Blitz until smooth
Pulse while adding milk down the funnel (it makes a soft, dropping consistency)
Fill your cases and Bake for 15-20 minutes
Cut off rounded tops for a flat smooth surface
Ice. I bought some pre-made icing packs that came in white, pink, and yellow. But you can really ice these anyway you like.

cakes and candy

Mini-Baker had lots of fun decorating and eating the decorations.

These are my Harry Potter inspired fairy cakes. I was decorating them and thinking about how excited I was to see the last movie. So, I thought I'd make them all into Horcruxes. No need to be nervous no one was murdered in the making of these fairy cakes! Nor do you need to worry about my soul being split into 7 fairy cakes!
1. Nagini, Voldermort's snake
2. Tom Riddle's Diary. I used a licorice (good n' plenty's) as the Basilisk fang.
3. The Resurrection Stone/Ring
4. This is the Hufflepuff cup. I had this grand idea to make the top look like tea and was going to print off the Hufflepuff coat of arms and put it on the case, but didn't actually make it that far. So, yeah.....
5. Harry's lighting bolt scar
6. The Lost Diadem of Ravenclaw house. It was suppose to be a crown of sorts...
7. The Locket. I just drew it on as I didn't have any candy/sweets that I though would work well.

So, please don't judge these too harshly as it was done on the fly! I think if I had more time and more to work with I could have made them better!! I have a lot of Harry inspired treats I want to make some day! If you like reading and books check out my other blog Pages of the Mind!!

Mango Smoothie

2 Al-Awwal Mangoes

1/2 Muller Light Vanilla yogurt

1/2 apple juice box

handful of crushed ice

Skin and de-seed the mango. Cut along the seed and then slice the meat out or cube it and flip the skin and cut off the cubes. It's going to be blended so it really doesn't matter how you do it.

(I just know the first time I tried cutting up a mango I butchered it.)

Put everything in a blender.

Blend.

1 large drink or 2 small.

Very Very Good. :0)

My father-in-law brought me some mangoes and I had some yogurt left over and used one of Mini Baker's juice boxes and Wa-La Mango smoothie. It made me feel like I was on an island..... oh wait.... I am on an island. I mean a TROPICAL island. Not the rain drenched one I live on. :0)

Cupcake Wars!!

Cupcake Wars is so much fun to watch!! I watch it every morning, on Food Network UK, during breakfast. The best part is the second challenge when they have to make 3 cupcakes based 50% on flavour and 50% decorations. I love seeing the bakers be so creative under pressure! Check it out!