Once bitten forever smitten - Tea and Cake

I know that we can't move for coffee bars in every high street but what I long for mid afternoon is a nice cup of Earl Gey Tea - Actually I love a cup to start the day too, but that's beside the point as I really want to tell you what teas go best with cake.

Underneath this wedgewood blue and white rose teapot is a firm and fruity cherry genoa cake. Its a light fruit cake made with orange juice, glace cherries and sultanas and covered in marzipan it keeps very well. A thick slice of this cake goes perfectly with the aforementioned Earl Grey tea or maybe a glass of champagne to celebrate something special. I made this cake for Mothers Day but it would be a fantastic cutting cake for a tower of Rose topped Cupcakes especially if you are having a tea party or vintage theme for your wedding.

For those rich flavours like caramel, chocolate and even coffee walnut cake try Darjeeling as it has a strong clean flavour and quite a lot of tanin which works with the rich creaminess of buttercream. So it would be ideal to serve with this box of 18th Birthday Cupcakes

A cup of slightly floral Lapsang Souchong would be perfect with a raspberry macaroon, in fact any macaroon that lets the almond flavour through so probably not too good with chocolate or coffee or caramel.
All the above featured cakes can be found on the BirthdayDelicakes website or just email janet@weddingdelicakes.co.uk to place an order now. Leave a comment to tell me what your favouite combination of Tea & Cake.
Best wishes, Janet

Once bitten forever smitten - New Birthday Delicakes website

I actually wanted to call my website Delicakes but it was taken by someone with a similar name so I launched lastyear as www.weddingdelicakes.co.uk -so far so good- but as all my cakes are featured its been confusing for wedding couples and those looking for Barbie or Dalek cakes.

So now you can take a wander round www.birthdaydelicakes.co.uk if you are after a fabulous Birthday Cake like this Shoe on a Cushion. There are ideas for children, mainly for men and a whole section devoted to what women want. From football shirts to flowers you will find the perfectly decorated cake. Adult only cakes don't have pictures but you can guess what these are like.

You can feast your eyes on Christening cakes, classic cakes, cars, guitars, cupcakes and much much more. From allergen free cakes to triple chocolate truffle cake this new site has all your favouites plus brilliant pictures to inspire your choice. Oh and there is a special offer - £10 of any Birthday cake ordered before Easter via the new site email address.
Best Wishes,
Janet
mail@birthdaydelicakes.co.uk

Once bitten forever smitten - Marvellous Marzipan

If you think you dont like it maybe you should try a quality homemade version? Marzipan is made using equal parts of caster to icing sugar then equal sugar to ground almonds and its brought to a paste with pasteurised egg white, so its the same as those yummy macaroons you can get from Delicakes.

In this sponge wedding cake marzipan was used to seal the sponge, add flavour and make a smooth finish so the fondant finish was perfect. Also the combination of raspberries and almonds is so mouthwatering that I always use a raspberry jam filling if marzipan is being used.

These flat topped cupcakes are filled with raspberry jam and 'iced' with coloured marzipan. The marzipan keeps the sponge soft and fresh and its got its own real flavour so its often ordered by customers who don't have a sweet tooth but who love cake. For total over the top luxury order a wedding cupcake tower with a swirl of buttercream on top of the marzipan - eat your heart out Heston - this is a deconstructed cake!
You can order your cupcakes custom topped with a choice of: Marzipan, Fondant, Buttercream, Creamcheese or Italian meringue.
Email janet@weddingdelicakes.co.uk or text 07714286911 for any cake questions or orders,
best wishes, Janet

Once bitten forever smitten - Cake or Cupcakes?

If I carried out a survey on what is the most popular type of cake for a Wedding I think a proper cake would win by a factor of 2 to 1 Why? because there is something wonderful about cutting into that special cake that has been made just for you - and noone else has the right to cut it, or have any till you say so.

I dont know who made this amazing cake but I would be happy to copy it if anyone fancies this as a wedding cake - or if you made it let me know so I can credit you. How can a cupcake compete with this?

However, not everyone wants to have a cake cutting moment, or they want guests to feel relaxed and graze from a buffet and in these circumstances the cupcake reigns supreme. The flexibility of cupcakes is often the reason why they are chosen - catering for guests with special diets or allergies, or those who don't like icing (Delicakes offers all cake flavours topped with marzipan only so they are ideal if you haven't got a sweet tooth). Mind you guests may come back for more than one cake if you have cupcakes so be prepared to round up the amount you order; having cupcakes is an alternative but not a cheaper option.

If you want advice on wedding cakes, how much cake to order or what will best suit the style of your wedding celebrations just email me or comment below

Best Wishes, Janet

Phone: 01732843518

text: 07714 286911

Once bitten forever smitten - Chocolate!

Chocolate cake - more than just a flavour its a total experience - well it is if you have Delicakes dense truffle chocolate cake. And its the layers of flavour in the flourless triple choc birthday cake that keep you coming back for more.

Decorated with strawberries or figs (if you want to pretend this is healthy) or sugar flowers and a message of your choice its a birthday cake and a pudding all in one.

If you want to go totally over the top have chocolate cigarellos in plain, milk or white chocolate or have roses and white chocolate curls as seen on this white chocolate wedding cheesecake.

Once bitten forever smitten - Baking for One?

Baking is good for the soul but if you follow most recipes they are for huge quantities that are far too much unless you are entertaining. It seems to me that the main problem is the egg! and its not easy using a divided quantity of egg - so I'm going to share with you my classic baking recipe's using ONE EGG.

Today its Classic Victoria Sponge

• ONE EGG
• 55g unsalted buttter
• 55g caster sugar
• 55g self raising flour
• Pre heat oven to 160/130 fan oven. Line 13-16cm cake tin with baking paper. Put all ingredients in bowl and beat with electric beater for 2 mins - you will have a creamy smooth mixture. Scrape every last bit into prepared tin - level top with back of spoon and bake in centre of oven for 25 minutes **Cooks Tip use a timer and do not leave the kitchen as it may smell cooked before the timer goes off so you should check. If a sponge cake smells cooked and looks cooked - it is cooked!

Cut cake in half so you have two semi circles and sandwich together with jam and frosting of your choice. this makes 3 impressive portions of cake - one for now- one for tea- and one tomorrow!

Variations on the theme
1) Take out 4 teaspoons of flour and replace with 4 teaspoons of Cocoa powder to make the chocolate cake illustrated. (You can buy cans of buttercream frosting that will keep for ages in the fridge so you can use some to sandwich this cake and save the rest for next time you bake)
2) Divide the mixture between 4 muffin cases and bake for 18-20 mins. When cool spread the top with Jam and buttercream as above for individual Victoria Cupcakes
3) Make it into a pudding by placing 3 tablespoons of marmalade or golden syrup into pyrex pudding bowl. Put sponge mixture on top - Microwave for 2 minutes - leave for one minute & serve hot with custard or cream ( this will be too much for one person's pudding but you can keep half in fridge)
I haven't suggested you freeze the leftovers - but of course you can. Baking is indulgent and feel good, so bake in small quantities and enjoy your cake soft and moist and fresh.
For special events Birthdays Anniversaries Wedding Cakes call Janet on 01732 843518 or email

janet@weddingdelicakes.co.uk

  Best Wishes, Janet

Once bitten forever smitten - Accessorise!

Being so in tune with London Fashion Week it seemed the perfect moment to talk about cake accessories. We all know that a change of shoes and jewellry changes an outfit seamlessly from day to night but did you realise that you can accessorise your wedding cake too.

 Vintage Brooch - Something Old Something Blue

Spanish Style - Hint of Flamenco

All I did with the two cakes above was change the ribbon and add 6 rosebuds - voila! A completely different effect. This 3 tier round sponge cake was made for a photoshoot at The Hadlow Manor Hotel but to suit the Garden Room it was to be displayed in I reaccessorised it with hand crafted fondant roses.

 

Pretty & Pure - Ring a Ring 0 Roses

And finally if you are having a black tie wedding party or even for a lavish engagement why not add some bling (these were acrylic diamonds but edible sugar ones are available too)

Diamonds are Forever

The takeaway cake service is available for all 2011 wedding dates - just ring me 01732 843518 or email

janet@weddingdelicakes.co.uk

best wishes, Janet