"Happy Birthday.. To You.."

I made this Marilyn Monroe cake for a 21st a couple of weekends ago. I think I made her a bit too 'booby' and I'm not happy with her face...

Recipe of the Week - Chocolate Oreo Ice Cream

I felt like ice-cream the other night, but we didn't have any because Raph wouldn't let me buy it when we went grocery shopping. So.. I made some.

Here's how you can too.
You Will Need..

First, melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl in the microwave. Start with 20 second intervals so the chocolate doesn't burn.

Once melted, let the chocolate cool completely. While it's cooling, place the condensed milk and cream in a bowl and whip until soft peaks form.

Once soft peaks form, beat in the cooled chocolate.

Stir in oreo cookies.

Place mixture into a container/cake tin - I used a loaf pan. Cover with glad wrap and put in the freezer overnight.

Once ice cream is frozen, scoop out and enjoy. It might be a bit hard at first, but just put your spoon in hot water before scooping.

Dracula

Ignore my bad photos. I was in a hurry, so didn't put the cakes on any backgrounds. To top it off, as I was putting this one in the car, the lid decided to fall off and break Dracula's arms. Luckily I fixed them. Phewf.

Recipe of the Week - Green Tea & Strawberry Cupcakes

One of my favourite blogs, The Sweetest Kitchen, has come up with a new challenge. It's called 'The Mystery Box Cupcake Challenge.'

The first ever challenge has an ingredient I have never used before - TEA.

As well as getting the chance to say they won the first ever challenge, the winner of the July Mystery Box will get some amazing prizes!

• A $5 gift card from Bake It Pretty
• Tahitian Vanilla Fleur De Sel and Organic Indonesian Vanilla Beans from Beanilla
• The new Tsuki Tea Pot & 2 tins of Tea from Rishi Tea
• A Soapy Pop from Soapy Love.
• A $25 prize pack from Sweet Cuppin Cakes

Here is my entry for the first Mystery Box Challenge. It gave me the chance to use my teapot that I got for my birthday. If you want to enter there is still a bit of time, you have until the 20th of each month. After that, go here to vote for you favourite! If you miss this month, a new ingredient will be announced on the 1st August.
Printable Here
You Will Need...

For the Cupcake

45 Grams Butter

1/2 Cup Self Raising Flour

1/4 Cup Caster Sugar

1 Egg

1/2 Cup Green Tea

For the Filling

150 Grams Strawberries

1/4 Cup Caster Sugar

1/2 Cup Green Tea

Firstly make a pot of green tea. If you don't have a teapot, you could just make a cup of green tea using a teabag.

Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius and place cupcake liners in a cupcake tray.

Place strawberries, caster sugar and green tea in a saucepan.

Bring to the boil.

Use your potato masher to mash the strawberries into a pulp, and allow to simmer for 5 minutes.

Place in a clean bowl and cover with glad wrap so the glad wrap is touching the mixture. Place in the fridge to cool.

Place all ingredients for the cupcake in a bowl and beat together.

Scoop out 1/4 cups full of mixture and put in the cupcake liners.

Place in the oven for 15 minutes until cooked.

Allow cupcakes to cool completely, then cut a hole in the top.

Spoon a heaped teaspoon of the strawberry mixture into the hole. Top with a teaspoon of thickened cream.

Purple Bra Day

These were made for a company morning tea for Purple Bra Day.

Recipe of the Week - Pineapple Coconut Cupcakes

There are new rules to Cupcake Hero now. The winner from the previous month gets to host. So last month (Blueberry), was hosted by Dorothy at Kitchen Koala. This month, the winner of the Blueberry challenge, Sharlene at Small Town Oven is hosting. Her ingredient choice... COCONUT! I had NO idea what to make. Especially because last time I made two recipes because I couldn't decide. This time, I decided to make Pineapple Coconut Cupcakes. Printable Here.

You Will Need...

For the Cupcake

1 Cup Self Raising Flour

1/2 Cup Caster Sugar

90 Grams Butter

1/3 Cup Pineapple Juice (I used the juice from the tin)

3/4 Cup Dessicated Coconut

2 Eggs

For the Topping

100 grams Pineapple (I used pineapple from a tin)

1/2 Cup Caster Sugar
3/4 Cup Pineapple Juice
12 Teaspoons Thickened Cream (a teaspoon for each cupcake)

First, preheat oven to 180 degrees and line a cupcake tray with cupcake liners.
Place butter and sugar in a bowl and beat until light and fluffy.
Add eggs.
Beat in coconut, flour and pineapple juice. (You might need to add a little more pineapple juice if it looks a bit thick.)
Spoon mixture evenly among cupcake liners and place in oven for 15-20 minutes. Until they bounce back when touched.

Let cupcakes cool completely on a cake rack.
While cupcakes are cooling, place the pineapple, juice and sugar in a saucepan.
Stir continuously until sugar is dissolved and then bring to the boil.

Turn temperature down and let simmer for 5 minutes.

Let mixture cool slightly, and then spoon teaspoon fulls into a hole created in the centre of the cupcake.

Top with thickened cream.

Keep in the fridge in a sealed container.
Don't forget to VOTE for your favourite cupcake at Small Town Oven. Voting closes 22nd July.