Mini-Cakes. Oh the yummyness...

One day in digs, Fiona gave me a cupcake her girls had baked and said that I had to taste them, that they were divine. I was wondering exactly how good a cupcake could really be, but then I tasted and knew! So last night I used the recipe for the best cupcakes in the world and made mini-cakes with it. My mom has a strangely large collection of baking equipment for someone who doesn't do an awful lot of it past New York Cheesecakes. Maybe she foresaw the craic Siob and I would get up to.
So anyway, I took out these teeny round tins and one shaped like a teddy bear that I remember featuring on my brother's 2nd birthday cake (which Mom did make) and made cakes! Oh so many mini-cakes! I initially planned to put buttercream on them and decorate them elaborately, but because Siob made cupcakes during the week, there was no icing sugar left in the house...So instead I filled the centres of them with jam, them poured chocolate over them and then some had sprinkles or nuts. You can't see them jam in them, so Conor got a nice surprise when he bit into one. Others we then decorated in the style of Victorian sponges.
They. Taste. Beautiful.

5 Minute Chocolate Cake attempt

One day last week, Griffin found a recipe on the internet-with accompanying photos of success- claiming to give you chocolate cake in a mug after 3 minutes in the microwave. I decided I had to try this because I was curious if 1) it would even work and 2) I could have chocolate cake pretty much on demand if it did.
So last night Siob and I rolled up our sleeves and gave it a go. We did all the recipe told us to and popped the mixture in the microwave.
Result: epic fail.
You have to let it sit for a few minutes until the cake is finished setting, but even after 5 minutes, it was still cooking. I popped it out and we tasted the top of it which, as my dad pointed out, tasted like rubber. It was far too tough for cake and then in the centre it had hardened like a rock.
So I think I'll be making chocolate cake the ol' fashioned way from now on... That girl and her charming piggy mug sooooo lied...
(I don't know why the photos are saving backwards in sequence...)

Choc Chip coooookies

Oh it's been a while...plus I'm meant to be doing dissertation work which obviously means I'm procrastinating. Today saw me do noooo work, but instead bake chocolate chip and nut cookies. I made some for my fabulously wonderful digs lady Fiona for her birthday and put them in a bell jar I had with a little birthday tag. Little idea there for when I, one day, have my tea room.
Some more were for the family then as they complained that I was once again not baking for them, and more for a little movie night happening tomorrow:)
Cookies for all! Cos cookies are amazing. Especially warmed up and eaten with tea and chats. Mmm.

Chocolate Supreme Birthday Cupcakes for Sarah!

It was super Sarah Kirk's birthday there at the weekend and so on Monday I brought in chocolate cupcakes for her. I know I said I'd do something Lady Gaga-esque, but due to a serious lack of writing icing in Cavan to enable me in my bows and lightning bolt decorating, I phoned Lady Gaga and she said her fave cupcakes are chocolate with loadsa icing, so I tried my best, so I guess that makes them somewhat linked to her Majesty Gaga.
I made incredibly chocolatey cupcakes for Sarah- chocolate cakes, a healthy dollop of chocolate butter cream, a dab of sprinkles and then melted chocolate sprinkled over the top for good measure.
Mouthfuls of sweet, glorious chocolate.
They went down very well in the canteen with copious amounts of tea and giggles. I made a birthday card then featuring Gaga herself, so there's that bit of Gaga incorporation... Love! <3