Cool stuff

Most people reading this site will have a passing interest in baked goods and baking. You will therefore know the joy of seeing lovely baking stuff for sale. I’m sure you will agree, that it is all the more wonderful when you come across original, interesting baking products in the most unexpected of environments.

Take yesterday for example; there I was, wandering around the British Museum generally exuding an air of studiousness and intelligence (hmmmm) when I spotted these:


Egyptian themed biscuit cutters! Instantly I knew these cutters satisfied a need that, until that moment, I didn’t know I had. How have I lived so long without being able to make mummy or Ankh or Egyptian cat-shaped biscuits?

A further highlight was found at a really cool shop called Artbox. Along with a couple of Hello Kitty cake themed items, I had to purchase this cushion especially as I am a fan of Japanese English – note the ingredients in the top right listed as “butter or margaries”:

Special mention and thanks must go to the CCBF (Caked Crusader’s Boyfriend) who didn’t object to entering the packed shop where he was the only male present and then manfully carried a rather dinky shopping basket that I rapidly filled with pink, girly merchandise!

Iron Cupcake London - first challenge announced!

The first challenge can now be announced….drum roll please….

The theme: Chocolate – interpret this in any way you wish: it could be dark, milk or white chocolate, chocolate icing, chocolate sponge, chocolate chips…let your imagination run wild!

Entry requirements – 12 cupcakes made to the same recipe. This is to ensure there are enough cupcakes for the judges and spectators to taste! If you wish to enter more than one variety of cupcake please do – the more the merrier!

The time: 6.30pm – 9pm

The date: Monday 1 June 2009…this gives you all lots of time to rustle up your divine creations over the weekend!

The place: The Barrow Boy and Banker, which is located on the South side of London Bridge, practically opposite London Bridge Station. Please click HERE for a map.

The prize: A chocolate themed goody bag including a chocolate fountain, recipe cards, DVD and lots more. Plus, of course, the coveted winner’s rosette and certificate…dazzle your friends with proof of your baking prowess!

Admission fee: £5 - this applies whether you’re entering a cupcake or simply coming along to sample the delights on offer, and covers tea and coffee. Any other refreshments can be purchased at the bar. Please note that if you are entering more than one type of cupcake, you will still only be charged £5.

In order to gauge numbers for tea and coffee, I would really appreciate you letting me know in advance if you intend to come along, and whether you intend to enter the competition.

Please email me: administrator [at] ironcupcake [dot] co [dot] uk or leave a comment to this post

Details of this challenge can also be found on the official Iron Cupcake: London website

Iron Cupcake: London

OK, so this is a bit of shameless self promotion but what the heck!

I am in the process of setting up the Iron Cupcake: London competition. For those of you not au fait with the Iron Cupcake competition here is a potted summary:

• Iron Cupcake is a competition that started in the USA. Each month, a theme or key ingredient is announced and entrants have to bake a cupcake that meets the theme or uses the key ingredient. You can be as weird and wonderful as you like, as long as you meet the brief.
  
• Iron Cupcake: London is the first Iron Cupcake challenge outside of the USA.
  On competition day all entrants bring their cupcakes along and the judges taste them and vote for the best. The winner receives prizes and glory but all entrants get to try each other's cupcakes.
  
• This is a great opportunity to meet other cupcake addicts (oh yes, fear not - there are many of us!), make friends and eat lots of cupcakes!
  
• All entries will be photographed and published on this site - so not only is it a great social event, you will also be able to promote your cakes and blogs to a wider audience via this site!

So...anyone in the London or South East area who is up to the Iron Cupcake challenge please visit my Iron Cupcake website (it's work in progress at the moment) and get ready.......

Raspberry cheesecake

The end of April through early May is birthday central in my family. The CCB (Caked Crusader’s Brother) is a cheesecake fiend and dropped subtle hints that he would like a cheesecake for his birthday cake. These subtle hints comprised of several emails saying, “make me a cheesecake”. Subtlety isn’t a gift my family is blessed with.


The addition of raspberries to this cheesecake did make it rather a girly colour but I feel that was balanced against the Darth Vader cake topper. Both Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker’s light sabres lit up when you pressed a button on their backs. Surely they are the most man-friendly cake toppers ever?



I have made this cheesecake before but with peaches. The recipe can be found here.

I pureed 400g of raspberries and, after sieving out the seeds, found this gave me enough puree not only for the body of the cheesecake but also to top the cheesecake. I made the topping by simply heating the puree and then whisking in two further gelatine leaves, that had been soaked in cold water until soft and then squeezed dry.

The cake was a success and the CCB went home with lots of little wrapped packages of individual slices to freeze and enjoy at a later date or, as he termed it: the gift that keeps on giving!