Yummy and definitely homemade but no glue in sight

  Gluten free white chocolate and rose cup cakes

Now this isn’t exactly crafts but they are definitely homemade and really delicious. I however can’t take the credit for the recipe I adapted it from the magazine - ‘Cupcake Heaven – Volume 1’ from Anthem Publishing.  It is a great magazine lots of really interesting recipes and also some great ‘how to’ sections for those of us who are new to baking. For example – frosting by hand/piping, sugar frosting fruit, flowers and herbs, decorating with marzipan/fondant icing.  Unfortunately I have not seen any more volumes in the shops since and looking online I think there may only have been one so far, I will definitely be buying it again if I see it.

Makes 12 Cupcakes

  

For the Sponge

115g (4oz) butter, softened, or soft margarine,

115g (4oz)caster sugar,

1 tsp rose water,

2 free range eggs, lightly beaten,

115g (40z) self-raising flour – I replaced this with self-raising Gluten free flour available from any supermarket,

55g (2oz) white chocolate, grated

sugar-frosted rose petals, to decorate

For the Frosting

115g (4oz) white chocolate, broken into pieces,

2 tbsp milk,

175g (6oz) full-fat cream cheese,

25g (1oz) icing sugar

Method

1.     Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas mark 4. Put 12 paper cases in a bun tray.  Place the butter, caster sugar and rose water in a large bowl and beat together until light and fluffy.  Gradually beat in the eggs. Sift in the flour and using a metal spoon, fold in gently. Fold in the grated chocolate.

2.    Spoon the mixture into the paper cases.  Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until risen, golden and firm to the touch.  Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool.

3.    To make the frosting, place the chocolate and milk in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water and leave until melted. Remove from the heat and stir until smooth.  Leave to cool for 30 minutes. Put the cream cheese in a separate bowl sift in the icing sugar, and beat together until smooth and creamy.  Fold in the melted chocolate.  Chill in the fridge for around 1 hour.

4.    Swirl the frosting over the top of the cupcakes.  Decorate with sugar-frosted rose petals.

I would start making the frosting first and then whilst the chocolate is cooling make the cupcakes.

I didn’t make the sugar-frosted rose petals this time as I didn’t have the heart to cut the only rose that was flowering in my garden, but they do make them look extra special if you make the effort.

Well hope you enjoy them as much as we did!

Some days make you smile by surprise

Well I thought yesterday was going to be a horrible day. I missed talking to my best friend in the morning and the rest if it was to be filled with trips to the dentist, the hospital for blood test and picking up prescriptions.  How wrong could I have been?

This was one of the views that greeted me on the walk through the park to the hospital, others may well be appearing on my cards in the near future.  I find nature so inspiring it has a way of really pulling you out of yourself.

The squirrels really made me laugh, now I know lots of people think they are vermin, but as a mouse I must stand up for my bushy tailed brethren, they always bring a smile to my face!

 As I walked back through the park I decided to pop into the little cafe for a lovely cup of tea and a gorgeous slice of cake (my treat for the dentist saying my teeth and gums are in good shape). 

I then had a very successful trip to the local Hobbycraft - they still have a sale on!

Then to top the day off I was able to meet up with a good friend for some food and a natter.

So overall a very lovely day just goes to show you shouldn’t judge the day on how it starts.

tea and cake save the day

Well hello from wobblymouse, this is how my afternoon started yesterday, full of paper, card, photos, glue and good intentions.  I had a number of cards I wanted to get made, friend and family birthdays, blank and wedding cards were all on my list. But after having a creative mental block I didn’t get as much done as I’d hoped. 

However, with some help from the cat, plenty of cups of tea and a rose and white chocolate gluten free cup cake which had survived since I made them on Monday, I eventually got 2 birthday and 3 blank cards made. 

Here we go

Well hello there friends from wobblymouse.

Here I am starting out on my crafting and blogging journey, I hope you will join me on it.

I recently started baking and crafting as something to do to stop me going mad during a period of ill health that stopped me undertaking my usual activities.

After reading half of the library's fiction I moved onto the nonfiction and in doing so I refound the joy I had as a child in making something for myself and to share with others. 

I get such a feeling of satisfaction when my cupcakes come out looking and tasting gorgeous although I will never be a Nigella Lawson domestic goddess. I have developed a skill with gluten free cakes including most recently a christmas cake that went down well with gluten and non gluten eaters alike.

I soon realised however that I was eating far too much cake for someone who wasn't moving about very much and started looking for none edible activities. I have become a magpie, gathering items I think will look nice together or bring a specific person to mind. 

Therefore after making our christmas cards and some presents this year I decided to continue making items and wobblymouse was born to continue the journey.