Fashion Fights Breast Cancer

The amazing stylist Emily Bathgate has organised an exciting event to help raise funds for the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

Fashion Fights Breast Cancer will raise money by showcasing 15 talented Perth designers and silent auctions on the 15th October 2010, at Skatt in Mt Hawthorn. Tickets are only $35 from moshtix. Get in quick before they sell out!

Did I mention.. Catie's Cakes & Cookies will be providing the cupcakes on the night!!

Happy 50th Kevin!

These were made for my friend's dad's 50th. He enjoys cooking and Tanqueray.

Recipe of the Week - Apple Crumble Cupcakes

I thought of many different things that I could enter into this month's Mystery Box Challenge. When I was little, my friends and I would buy a bag each of pick and mix chocolates and share them at the park... I remember always waiting for the sound of Mr Whippy coming so I could order an icecream that had been dipped in chocolate and had a flake... Ice Cream Sundaes... The time my brother made home made lemonade...

Then I remembered a time when we had a bbq at our house. The bbq was made from an old 44 gallon drum and I thought it was cool!! Dad would always play music that I hated at the time and there was always potato salad with parsely in it. Now I love both "old music" and parsely in my potato salad!

This particular time, I had been watching tv - Two Fat Ladies to be precise. I think it was late 1998/early 1999.. So I would have been 10 or 11. 

They made something called an Apple Pandowdy...

Now, before I go any further, I think I should tell you how much I LOVE LOVE LOVE any dessert that has apples in it. Apple Pie, Apple Crumble and now after watching them make it, this Apple Pandowdy thing.

I decided that I was going to make it! So I ran to the pantry to see if we had all the ingredients, and after realising that we didn't.. I improvised.

I cut up the apples, mixed them together with some sugar then put them in a baking dish. Then I combined some oats with some more sugar and some butter, sprinkled the oats over the top and put it in the oven. I had made my first apple crumble!!
It may not sound too exciting considering it was just apples and oats, but to me it was amazing!! Served with some ice-cream, it was the best!!

Everyone at the bbq ate it, and that's all I cared about..

So I decided that I would recreate my 10 year-old-self's version of apple crumble, and the Two Fat Ladies Apple Pandowdy into a cupcake!!

The winner of September’s Mystery Box Cupcake Challenge will receive prizes from:
Bake It Pretty; a $5 electronic gift card
Bakerella; an autographed copy of her new book Cake Pops
Beanilla; 2 each of 4 special vanilla beans
Hello Hanna; a pack of Sweet Stands cupcake stands
Miss Kitty Creations; a handmade cupcake charm of your choice
Sweet Cuppin Cakes; a prize pack worth $25
Tundra Books; a selection 3 very sweet children’s books
Thank you to all our prize sponsors!

If you want to enter, make sure you check out The Sweetest Kitchen next month for the new mystery box ingredient!

Printable here
You Will Need...
For the Cupcake

160 Grams of Plain Flour

2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
110 Grams Caster Sugar
110 Grams Butter - Melted
125 mls Milk

For the Filling
1 Apple
1 Tablespoon Golden Syrup
2 Teaspoons Mixed Spice

For the Topping
1/2 Cup Oats
1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Tablespoon Butter

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius.

Place the flour, baking powder and sugar in a bowl.
Melt the butter and pour into the flour, along with the 1/2 cup of milk.

Mix ingredients together until smooth.

Pour 1/4 cups of mixture into the cupcake liners and place in the oven at 180 degrees celsius.

While cupcakes are in the oven, make your filling and crumble topping.
Peel and cut the apple. Place in a bowl with the golden syrup and mixed spice.

Mix together, so that all the apple pieces are covered in the mixed spice and golden syrup. Let sit.

Place the oats, brown sugar and butter in a bowl

Mix together.

After approximately 20 minutes, look at the cupcakes. If you touch them and they leave a slight indent, take them out. We'll be putting them back in the oven again to continue cooking. Leave them in if they're still not cooked. If they don't leave an indent, that's ok too.

Scoop out the centres.

Spoon in the apple mixture.

Put a tablespoon full of the oat mixture ontop of the apple and place back in the oven for a further 10 minutes.
Take out when the crumble ontop is crunchy.

I highly recommend eating this cupcake warmed in the microwave for 40 seconds, with a big scoop of ice cream.

Sea Creature

I made this cake for my boyfriend for his birthday.. It's a sea monster/octopus crushing a boat..

Princess Doll Cake

It was my niece's 5th birthday a couple of weeks ago, and she asked for a princess cake.

It had to be pink...

and it had to have roses...

Thor's Hammer

I love that Blake is wearing a t-shirt with Thor on it in these photos!

Rufus 1st Birthday

It was Rufey's birthday today, so along with this giant bone, I also made him a meat cake. There was mince, carrot, celery & oats, with a mash potato and sweet potato icing. He loved it. I can't believe I've had him for almost a year...

If you want to celebrate your dog's birthday and make him/her a birthday cake, here's how..

You will need..
500 grams mince
2 carrots, grated
3 celery sticks, thinly sliced
1 tomato, diced
1 cup oats
1 egg
2 potatoes, boiled and mashed
1 small sweet potato, boiled and mashed

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.
Place the mixture into a cake tin, and bake in the oven at 200 for approximately 30 minutes. (I assume this is like how you would make a meat loaf?)
Once meat is completely cooked, remove from oven and let cool.
Spread mashed potato and mashed sweet potato on top like you would icing. You could even put it in a piping bag and pipe on small rosettes, if you want to make it more decorative!

Let your pooch enjoy!