Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

No matter how old you are you always deserve a birthday cake. For my Dad’s birthday last year I baked him a vanilla celebration cakewith butter cream, and last year I baked Jon a coffee and chocolate cake! Aren’t the men in my life lucky!

This year I thought I’d go super cheesy baking Jon a “Stevenage Boro” Cake...like I say...you’re never too old! To stick to the team’s red and white colour scheme, I thought what better than a red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting. YUMMY!

I’m sure you’re all very well aware of what red velvet is, the name kind of gives it away. But I have to admit, despite all the pictures of red velvet cakes, cupcakes, cakepops and more that appear of every cooking blog across the globe, I still didn’t know what to expect when it came to texture or taste. I had never previously cooked with buttermilk so I had no idea how this would affect the cake.

The way I would describe a red velvet cake is super moist, and most definitely velvety. It has a light crumb, yet still seems to be extremely rich and dense all at the same time! The cream cheese frosting also really compliments the cake; I think it would be far too sweet with my normal vanilla buttercream, and it’s nice for a change! Even without my normal super-sweet icing, the cake was still a little too sweet for some of our friends and family – I however, loved it.

Cardamom Cake with Rose and White Chocolate Buttercream

Last week I introduced you to Lee Rosy's a wonderful tea shop in the back streets of Nottingham City Centre. It's one of our best kept secrets!

I also wrote about a cardamom cake that I had while I was there. I wasn't brave enough to go and ask for the recipe but I was pretty confidant I could put my own spin on the cake and come up with something delicious to treat my family to on a visit home.

The cake went down so well that my Mum has commissioned another cardamom cake for Easter, but the decoration is yet to be confirmed!

Last year I went for an Easter bunny, perhaps this year the cake won't be so kitsch!

Anyway...back to my cardamom cake!

Food Trend #3 - Whoopie Pies!

What is a Whoopie Pie: The best way to describe a whoopie pie is a cross between a soft biscuit, a cake, sandwiched together like a macaroon! They have a sweet filling in the middle and are often 2inches across. The perfect size to have alongside a cup of tea!

History: My favourite story about how Whoopie Pie’s came about comes from www.recipes4us.co.uk which suggests Amish women in Pennsylvania used to bake these sweet treats for their husbands and children who would shout Whoopie when they found one in their lunchbox at lunchtime.  Traditionally the cake part is flavoured with cocoa powder and made with brown sugar resulting in a dark brown finish, whilst the filling is very light and fluffy, often made with marshmallow fluff or marshmallow crème and flavoured with vanilla.

According to Matthias Kiehm the food director of Harrods, his store were responsible for bringing the whoopie pie over the the UK. Chris Seaby who is in charge of cakes at M&S originally launched the products in metropolitan areas but has now rolled them out across the country so everyone can buy whoopie pies! You can even find them in coffee shops such as Costa Coffee. No ones quite sure why it took so long for the whoopie pie to find its way to England, and no one knows just how long they are here to stay! (see: “Thebun fight”)

Essential tools: There are no specific tools needed to make whoopie pies, but a flat baking sheet and an icing bag will make your life a little easier!

Method: Using the basic recipe below you can make 10 large whoopie pies or 12-14 small whoopie pies. This ingredient list is very similar to that of a cake, but the added flour gives it a more dense texture.

Food Trends #1: Cake pops

The more I immerse myself in the underground world of food blogging, the more I am coming across a series of food trends; cake pops, macaroons, and whoopie pies to name but a few. I am going to do a series of posts, one on each, outlining what they are, where the trend sprang from, any special kit you'll need to make them, a basic recipe, and any extra tips and tricks! I'll also post pictures of my attempts at making them!

What is a Cake pop: A cake pop is essentially a lollypop made out of cake and butter cream. Their texture is that of a truffle, they taste sweet, and make perfect gifts. They can be decorated for a variety of occasions, from making faces of people, or animals, Christmas cake pops, baby shower cake pops, and many more. Wedding cake pops are becoming particularly popular!

Mocha Cake

It's been a while since I last posted on here, but it's been very hectic with my boyfriend finally finishing his final exams and him coming to stay!

At the end of last month it was his 21st, but due to exams we couldn't celebrate on the day! However I promised I would bake him a cake nonetheless, and he requested coffee cake!

This is my recipe for a super-indulgent coffee and chocolate celebration cake! There are 4 main elements, the cake itself, a chocolate ganache which fills the cakes, a coffee frosting and then the chocolate top.

This is the finished product!

As you can imagine it hasn't lasted very long! There is one lonely piece left! I wonder who will be the lucky one to get it?

Lemon Cake

Sorry for the delayed nature of this post! I just found my draft and realised I had never posted it :)


This is my Easter Cake! I tried ot make it super kitsch with icing bunnies and flowers and easter eggs round the side.


But, most of all I tried to make it super yummy and moist!

Inside is my lemon cake.

Birthday Cake

There's nothing better on your birthday than having all the friends and family round for a piece of cake and a drink, and that's exactly what we did for Dad's birthday yesterday!

As per usual, I was in charge of the cake (what happened to my healthy eating!?), and it went a little something like this!

Fairy Cakes!

Today is my Dad's birthday! It's a tradition in his office that the birthday boy (or girl) brings in cake for everyone to share so I offered to have a big baking session yesterday in order to make him some cakes!

When it comes to making fairy cakes I use the tried and tested Mrs Beeton's Small Rich Cakes (Fairy Cakes) recipe below: