Chocolate chip and Banana loaf!

Over ripe bananas... Urrrg! Horrible, and just generally disgusting things with no use at all! Wrong! If you, like me, are fussy about bananas and only like them when they are just perfectly ripe then you will know just how depressing it is when you look in the fruit bowl (hoping for a tasty banana) to see some sad old, over ripe bananas, but today I made use of these squishy leftovers by making a banana loaf cake! My fist experience of bananas in a cake was when I was little and a friends mum made some banana muffins,  I loved these! But had never really had anything with bananas in since. So today I decided to make a chocolate chip, and walnut banana loaf! A really tasty way to get rid of the old bananas! Follow the link at the bottom of the page for the recipe xxx

      

much love Alex-Rose xxx

Cloudy Skies

Well, I know this is a BAKING blog, but I just couldn't resist the temptation to share my lovely new painted nails with you all. The weather at the moment has been rather dull, cold and drizzly  the only exception from the greyness was Saturday morning when we were greeted by SNOW! Yes, I really mean it! Snow, in OCTOBER! It's not even been Halloween and we've already had snow! I really am feeling christmassy already! So I think it's fair to say that autumn/winter has officially set in, so as a final goodbye to what has been a rather cloudy summer I painted my nails as cloudy blue skies! Really anyone can do them because, well, lets just say I'm not exactly the best at painting nails... but these looked great! All you need is blue, clear and white nail varnish and some cotton pads, first paint two coats of blue and then leave then to dry, next paint some white onto a cotton pad and then (quickly so that the paint doesn't dry) sponge onto your nails! Some of the fluff from the cotton pads may transfer onto your nail, that's fine just pick it off, wait a little while for the white to dry and then paint over with your top coat, all done! Enjoy! 

Much love Alex-Rose xxxx

New look!

Well, as you can see the blog's had a bit of a make over, hope you like it! xxxx

Chocolate and Rasberry cake

I made this cake a while ago for my mums birthday and have been meaning to put the recipe on but have just not had chance! This cake is definitely not one for any bakers who aren't total chocoholics because it's VERY chocolatey and might be just a little much for some... But I personally love it! It looks really nice as well because the icing goes really glossy and smooth! Click the link below for the recipe!


Much love Alex-Rose xxxx

Muffins!

Finally it's almost the weekend! So to celebrate today I made some double chocolate and hazelnut muffins, really easy and just as tasty,they're really quick and use mostly ingredients that you just have to hand, so you can make them any time!








Much Love Alex-Rose

Lemon Drizzle Loaf

Seems like ages since my last post, but just haven't had chance! So last night I finally had time to whip up a cake, mmmmmmm... Anyway back to the point,  I was baking this cake for my book club/cake club (10% book's, 90% eating cake!) so I decided to make a classic lemon drizzle loaf, it was really simple! It took about an hour in total, but because the majority of the time is taken up by the cooking you can get on and do other things whilst its baking. So here's the recipe:

More Cakes!

Last week it was tray bakes this week its cupcakes! If like me, your missing summer and the warmth already, then colourful cupcakes are just what you need to brighten these cold autumn days! They're really simple but taste great, anyway, it's Friday so give them a go! Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:

• 175g Self raising flour
• 125g Butter (softened)
• 175g Caster sugar
• 2 Medium eggs
• 1 Generous teaspoon of (good) vanilla essence
• Cupcake cases
• 12 Hole muffin tray

Method:

Start by beating the butter until smooth, then beat in the sugar. In a big mug whisk the eggs and vanilla essence until combined. Add (slowly) to the butter and sugar (add it in gradually so that it doesn't curdle, if it does, just carry on and when you add the flour it should be fine) then finally sieve in the flour and fold gently until fully combined before spooning (about one and a half tablespoons each) into your cases and placing in the oven for 18mins. Finite! xx

Next you need to decorate them, you can use whatever colour, or whatever sprinkles you like for them I chose yellow and colourful spots because they're bold and jazzy!

Ingredients:

• 75g Butter (softened)
• 240g Icing sugar
• 1 Tablespoon of milk (semi-skimmed)
• 2 Teaspoons of good vanilla essence
• Food colouring
• Sprinkles of your choice!

Method:

First beat the butter, next sieve on half the sugar then beat until smooth, add the vanilla essence then the other half of the icing sugar and beat. If it needs it add the milk but it quite often doesn't! Pipe or swirl over your cooled cupcakes and then decorate with sprinkles! Enjoy! Much love Alex-Rose xxxx

Chocolate Bourbon Cupcake Recipe

So here it is the recipe for my chocolate cupcakes! This recipe makes 12 good size cupcakes but I'm sure you could make more if you didn't fill the cases as high as I do!

Ingredients:

• 175g Self-raising flour
• 125g Softened butter (the recipe for regular cupcakes that I use says to use unsalted but it doesn't really matter)
• 175g Caster sugar
• 2 Medium eggs
• Up to 3 tablespoons of semi-skimmed milk (for the consistency)
• 6 Tablespoons of coco powder
• 4 Bashed up bourbon biscuits

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 180c/350f/gas mark 4, and set aside a twelve hole muffin tray lined with cases.

Start by beating the butter until it is smooth then beat in the sugar. In a large mug whisk the eggs and then add VERY (to avoid curdling) gradually add to the butter and sugar. Next sieve in the flour and the coco powder, fold gently until fully combined, add the milk until the mixture is to a dropping consistency. Spoon into the cases and then push in the pieces of biscuit, about three each. Put them on the middle shelf of the oven for 18 minutes. Check them and test by inserting a skewer and seeing if it is clean when removed. leave to cool.

Now for the icing!

Ingredients:

• 75g Softened butter
• 240g Icing sugar
• 1 Tablespoon of semi-skimmed milk
• 3 Tablespoons of coco powder
• 3 Bashed bourbon biscuits

Method:

Beat the butter, then put half the icing sugar and the coco powder in the sieve and add slowly to the butter, beat gently, add the other half of the icing sugar. If your kitchen is very warm, or if you intend to pipe it then you probably won't need the milk, but if not add the milk and beat again. Swirl onto your cooled cupcakes and decorate with bourbons.

Hope you enjoy these delicious little chocolate monsters! Much love Alex-Rose xxx

Chocolate Bourbon Cupcakes

Sorry its been such a long time since my last post, but I've just been so BUSY! So last night I whipped up some mouthwateringly yummy chocolate bourbon cupcakes! I came up with the idea after eating a cake that had an Oreo inside of it so I decided to make my own version, and as I am most definitely a self confessed chocoholic my cupcakes had to be on chocolate overload! I'll post the recipe tomorrow as I don't have very long, but here's some pictures... Much love xxx