July 27th 2015 - Campfire cakes

July 27th 2015 - Campfire cakes

As my middle sons birthday is the day of badger day camp, I decided that I would try and make some campfire cakes similar to this pin but small fairy cake size.  I thought I had everything I needed to do a test run but found out I hadn't (luckily before I started) so me and lil man nipped to town.




We bought 2 packs of hard boiled sweets and sat and took out the red, orange and yellow ones:





 






We then used metal serving spoons to bash the sweets into small pieces/powder.  Here's my  son mid bashing!

Here are some of the bashed sweets both in their own bags and then the 3 colours mixed together.





We then sprinkled the mix onto a baking tray that had grease proof paper in it and stuck it in the oven for just over 5minutes so that the sweets all went back to being a soild mix, but a mix of 3 colours like flames.  This was the results both on and off the paper: 

















Next was to make the cakes - it was cheaper to buy a plain cake mix than a chocolate one, so I added a couple of spoons of drinking chocolate powder so it turns into a chocolate mix.

I then put them into the oven to bake and this was after I took them out to cool down.






 





The next thing was to decorate them, I knew what I wanted to do but wasn't 100% sure on how to do it.  This was what I was working with as well as the pieces of "flame" (coloured boiled sweets).







AND THIS is how they turned out.  I'm actually really pleased with them and they do look good, however, for the actual day camp I am going to use chocolate "matchmakers" as they will be easier to break and not as bulky to try and stand as sticks on a fire.

January 11th 2015 - Happy Birthday Hubby

JANUARY 11th 2015 - Happy Birthday Hubby

Today is my hubby's birthday.  The day started off well for him, our friends who we had spent the weekend staying with back in our home town of Peterborough cooked him (and me and kids) a full cooked english breakfast! (I just hope they don't expect this when they come and stay with us lol!)  From here we had to load the car of our things ready for the drive home.  Once the car was loaded and we had said goodbyes we headed to see my sister who lives about 8miles away.  This was great as we didn't get to see her over christmas due to ill health, so hubby didn't get birthday presents BUT christmas presents!!!  He actually got his birthday present on christmas day - my sister sent me some money to buy beers/cider for over christmas and 1 pack was hubbys birthday present.  Well after seeing my sister we nipped into my nans, not far from my sisters and stayed with her for an hour before we hit the road back home. Sadly hubby is the only driver and so he spent 5hrs of his birthday driving back home!

My inspiriation for today's pin is found here blue birthday cakes.  Due to being tired from a busy weekend of drinking and visiting and the long journey I will add a pic tomorrow of the small cakes I made for hubby.

January 3rd 2015 - Happy Birthday to me......

January 3rd 2015 - My Birthday

 EVEN google knows its my birthday today as it has cakes and candles on it!!!

I have opened my presents, and the cake is cooking, the drinks will flow later with hubby and a friend.

For todays pin I picked a purple ombre layer cake off pinterest, now I know mine wont be as good as the original purple ombre cake see link, but it is what gave me the idea.  See my pics later once its cooked, iced and then cut.

 

Here is the cake uncut, 3 different colour layers. I dont dare add more buttercream to cover the outside as there is loads between each layer!  cant wait for a slice after lunch.