Victoria sponge Cake

Hi all.
just a short one today and a bit late actually, it was a long weekend. It was Martin's 30th birthday and the only thing I baked was a Victoria sponge cake. It was going to be chocolate but after a conversation with Martin the night before I made it I realised that he doesn't like chocolate cake. I subtly tried to ask him what cake he does like but I make so much that I don't think he even thought I'd be making him one. He said plain  so it was fine. So I bought a new hemisphere cake tin and made a plain sponge. I only bought one tin so had to bake the first half and then the second.  
Now I apologise for the content of the cake I know some of you hate Arsenal.

      We surprised Martin's with a caribean meal, record player, comedy club and of course the cake. It was a great night. Sitting in the front row of the comedy club meant we got picked on but we absolutely love it.
Well that's all for this week but next week is jam packed with cupcakes, strawberry parcels and Easter treats. See you next week.

Pizza, Chocolate lollies and Tarte au citron

Hi to all,
I am a bit late this week due to not feeling great. I've caught my son's virus. Poor Frankie had it last week and was coughing with a high temperature. I gave him some paracetamol on Saturday and left the bottle on the side where George got hold of it. He managed to drink some without us knowing so we were rushing to the hospital at 6.30pm. George and I waited there while Daddy took Frankie home and put him to bed. Daddy then came back to the hospital and  Nanny stayed to look after Frankie. We had to wait four hours until they could do a blood test for poor George and see how much he swallowed. The nurse said the cap was really easy to get off and asked George if he could do it again but he was a bit shy. He was really good and very hyper until it came to the blood test which he hated. I had to hold and cuddle him while they did it. He just kept shouting for Frankie bless him. After about five hours of running around the ward George finally crashed on the floor. I moved him the bed but he only got fifteen minutes before almost falling out of bed which woke him up. We began walking around the ward again when the doctor told us his results were back and they were fine. We could go home! So at one in the morning we rang Daddy and asked him to come and get us. (I had sent him home after the blood test to get some sleep.)
After such a long night both the kids ended up falling asleep on Grandma's sofa the next day. They were both shattered bless them!
Anyway that was the story of our weekend but now to the baking part! So during the week we made the pizzas. Normally I would do the same as my mum and make shortcrust pastry and just top it with tomato puree and what ever else was in the fridge/cupboards. However this time I followed and recipe from Tiff's Great British Bake Off cookbook. I don't know what I'll do when she gets back. I'll have to buy myself a copy because I use that book all the time. Anyway I started to make the recipe but didn't realise it was for four pizzas! I left a quarter on the mix in the fridge to have the next day and made three pizzas for me and the boys. They were simply ham and cheese but were lovely. I didn't realise they were going to puff up quite so much but I don't think I had rolled them out enough. On the second day though I tried to roll it out more and make it bigger. It was much nicer because it seemed like there was less dough.
Next we made Chocolate lollies which was just galaxy chocolate melted and piped into circles. As always when I'm melting chocolate I can never seem to melt all of it properly and when I put it into a piping bag the unmelted pieces get stuck in the nozzle. Still I manged to make about 14 lollies which was great practise for easter. I have a lot of Nephews and a Neice as well as my own children to buy for so I thought I'd make lollies with their names on that way it's something special and a bit cheaper.
Lastly on Sunday morning and still half asleep I manged to make my tarte au citron which is my mum's favourite dish that I make. It is another one from the Great British Bake Off cookbook and it taste amazing. It is creamy but with a lot of flavour. It was not my best attempt as the bottom creaked and the zest wasn't fine enough but it still tasted nice.

My pizza

Chocolate Lollies

Frankie and George asleep on Grandma's  sofa

Frankie's pizza

I would also like to mention my sister's yummy bake, during the week she (and Freya) made brownies with cherries and brought them over on Sunday. They were scummy! I had forgotten they contained so when I bit into one I was pleasantly surprised. Lovely.
Well it's taken me nearly all week to write this but that's enough for now. I'll write aagin next week        
    

Natalie Bakes... Strawberry,white chocolate and cream cake and a chocolate cribbage board cake

Hi all,
I have plenty to write about this week what with it being mother's day and my wonderful hubby Andy's birthday. I'll begin with mother's day as that was the reason for most of my baking this week. I made my own mum a strawberry, white chocolate and cream sponge. I decorated it with strawberries and spelled out mum on the top. The sponge had white chocolate melted into it but it was still nice and light. I do not think I could use this type of sponge for an iced and decorated cake because it would crumble but for a simple cake it was perfect.
The second cake I made was for my mother-in-law. I made a chocolate cake and decorated it to look like a cribbage board. It was the first time I had used a paintbrush to decorate a cake. I bought craft brushes from a cake shop and this was the perfect opportunity to try them out. It was difficult at first because using a ruler to get straight lines made the lines too thick. I had to draw the lines free hand so they were a bit wonky but it was my first attempt so I was happy and more importantly so was my mother-in-law.
The other thing I made this week was a PB Bear costume. It was world book day on Thursday and Frankie had to dress up for nursery. At first he choose Dumbledore so we looked at costumes however as soon as he realised that he would have to wear a beard he quickly changed his mind to PB Bear. In order to make the costume I took the kids to the charity shop where we bought a giant teddy bear. I cut him open and took out the stuffing leaving a shell for Frankie to put his face into. The teddy wasn't quite big enough to cover his head so had to be cut in half and then an extra piece of fluffy material from the stomach sowed in between the ears and under his chin. I also cut off the arms and legs of the teddy which made gloves and slippers for Frankie's hands and feet. Then he simply put on his stripy pj's. All of his teachers loved it and Frankie was very proud of it, he would tell Mrs Attrell (his teacher) all about the costume from buying the bear to cutting it, sewing it etc. She got the whole account and couldn't believe that it only cost us £2.95 for the whole thing.
Lastly it is my husbands birthday today, the kids and I bought him prison break series three and mum got him series four. I had a cake course to do today so Andy looked after the boys while I went a did that. I learnt a few extra things but would really like to do a more advanced course.
Well I'll leave you with the photos as it's getting late and I'll write again next week.

Strawberry, white chocolate and cream cake 

Chocolate cribbage board cake

Frankie dressed as PB Bear

      

Natalie Bakes... Cupcakes and strawberry parcels

Hi all,
This week has been a busy one though sadly not for baking. We took the boys swimming on Sunday morning so there was not enough time for a big bake however we did take over some cupcakes decorated with help from Frankie and George. This week we have already made strawberry parcels which are Frankie's favourite. He asks me every week if we can make them or ginger bread men. So I've added a picture of both the cupcakes and the parcels.
We had a great dinner on Saturday, it was a new recipe, Cajun pork with green beans. The chops were rubbed in chilli powder, sage, cumin, paprika and pepper then fried on a high heat. The were delicious and surprising filling. Tonight I am trying something new again we are having beef stroganoff. I have only ever tried my Dad's so it will be interesting to see if I like my own version. I don't think I have made a meal yet that it nicer than my Dad's. Cakes and sweet treats I can make but dinner has never been my strong point. When it comes to dinners I did not get off to the best start. The first example of this was the Chilli cook off that my family did. We all made a chilli and took it over to my Uncles, he laid them out on the table so we could all taste them and rate them. Mine obviously came last! I was devestated! And have since always bought jars.
The second example was the first and last curry I ever made my Hubby. I have been measuring out the ingredients for my Dad's curry since I knew the difference between a teaspoon and a tablespoon. I loved making them with my Dad and figured how hard could the actual cooking be. I made Chicken Chat for us when we were house sitting for my parents. I served it to Andy, finished the washing up and sat down to eat mine but saw Andy's face. He was disgusted but clearly trying to hide it lol. He asked me how much salt I had put in. I said a tablespoon and tried mine. Too much salt. I checked the cookbook and realised that I had put a tablespoon instead of a teaspoon! It was then thrown in the bin and we had omelettes (I've always been good at making those). I also use jars for currys now too. One day I will attempt them both again as it seems slightly ridicluous that I use jars for dinner but won't even contemplate using shop bought puff pastry.

Strawberry Parcels 

Cupcakes

Well until next week!