Chocolate Overload!

A work colleague recently asked if I would bake him a cake for his 40th Birthday as he was having a bit of a shin dig.  The brief?  A chocolate cake but with no milk.  My reply?  No problemo!

And here is the chocolate lovers dream...

Anyone for more chocolate?

Sticky Swirls

Cinnamon and Lemon Sticky Swirls...

...That's all!

Birthday's, Cake, BBQ's and Dresses

This weekend I was luckily enough to have my parents over from Lincoln and my Bridesmaids over from London and Dublin so we could go wedding dress shopping.  It's all very excinting and feels like I'm watching someone else try dresses on.  Perhaps because shopping for a dress for your big day is something you only plan to do once and don't do until you are actually planning your wedding it all feels quite surreal.

So after a long day putting dresses on and taking them off countless times we went back to my house and stood in the cold breeze of my garden and had a little BBQ.

We also wished my mum a happy Birthday for next week and had a great time eating the cake I made for her.

Making this cake was exciting for me as for her last Birthday I baked and decorated my very first cake.  It was the cake that got me hooked on baking and my 17th in a year.

Happy Birthday mum xx

Oh My Apple & Blackberry Pie

For my husband to be...

A New York Engagement

... Did I mention that while in New York my man, after over 7 years, popped the question?

That's right!  After a lovely meal and a Broadway Show, he too me to the top of the Empire State Building and asked me if I would marry him!

After being together for so long with not so much as a hint that he was ever going to ask, he finally asked if I would be his wife.

With amazing views of Manhattan at night as our company, of course I said yes.  He'd even chosen a ring...

and said that I could wear this but wanted me to choose one myself.  So eventually, back home I did...

Meanwhile, back in Manhattan, after I'd got over the shock, we celebrated with a drink...

I still feel like the luckiest girl in the world and even now as we plan our happily ever after, I feel like it's all a lovely dream!

New York, New York... So good they named it twice

In all my cake baking madness I've failed to blog about one of the most important holidays of my life in August last year.

For my 30th Birthday my wonderful man whisked me away on a suprise holiday.  I had no idea where I was going until I got to the airport and I discovered we were going to a place I never thought I would make it to see and a place I've wanted to visit for such a long time...

New York!

He'd thoughtfully booked us into a hotel in Manhatten's financial district and we filled our days to the brim.

We ate pretzels and hotdogs...

Visited the Museum of Natural History...

Drank countless Cosmopolitan cocktails...

Stopped by Grand Central Station...

Visited Ground Zero...

Walked the Brookyln Bridge...

Stayed a while in Times Square in the day...

And at night...

Said hello to the Statue of Liberty...

Had a tour of Radio City Music Hall...

Sampled the Guggenheim museum...

Cycled around Central Park...

Were lucky enough to catch a Yankies game...

And a whole lot more exciting stuff.

It's official...

 I'm in love with New York!

90th Birthday Cakes

Kelly, one of my closest friends, turned 30 a few weeks ago and was having a joint party with her dad who will be 60 later in the year.

Kelly loves pink, pink and more pink and her dad loves nothing more than to spend his free time camping, so with this in mind I promised to make them both cakes to celebrate their 90th Birthday!

Sunday Blueberry Bake

Nothing says Sunday baking like the delicious smell of Blueberry Muffins floating around the house.

Here are my little beauties,

Happy Mother's Day!

So it was Mother's Day on Sunday so when I went to visit, as a naughty little treat, I took my mum some freshly baked Triple Coffee Whoopie Pies and some cute Vanilla Cupcakes with a super sweet rapsberry centre.

I knew she wouldn't be able to resist!

Friends turning 30

My gorgeous friend Jen turned 30 yesterday so to help her celebrate I made her some Jar Cakes and a cute vanilla sponge birthday cake.  Jen loves all things vintage so I tried to capture a little of that style in her cake.

Happy Birthday Jen! x