Cupcake decorating and a gift from the Fairy Hobmother

I've been a bit lax at blogging lately, sorry, but as some of you may know I've been busy setting up a business to sell my own cupcakes. I've finally tired of buying bad cupcakes and have decided to give it a go myself. More details about it will follow soon..

As mentioned in a previous blog, my first stall is going to be at Going for a Song Vintage jumble at the Amersham Arms next Saturday, June 4th. I aim to have 5 or so flavours there so hope some of you can come along and taste them! There is an offer available for the event via my website so please check out the events section if you plan to come along. It's free entry and is in a pub, so you can enjoy a pint or a coffee/tea with your cake, and from the other vendors I've seen it will include some fabulous clothes and jewellery.

Anyhow, in anticipation of baking for others, including a wedding I've been asked to do, I thought I'd do a course at one of my favourite cupcake bakers, The Gourmet Cupcake Company. Originally I was just going to do the wedding and fondant masterclass course, however I thought I'd do the original course as well and I'm so glad I did. Eloise is a great teacher, the classes were really informal but very informative. We baked cakes, learning some insider secrets, and then got to decorating. Although this is perhaps more for a beginner, even as an experienced baker I learned some new techniques and I really recommend her courses for everyone. I can't wait for my wedding course next month - just looking at the lovely cupcakes Eloise has made for previous weddings has me all excited as to what I'm going to make!

As well as making exciting cupcakes, and business planning, I've also been lucky enough to be visited by the Appliances Online Fairy Hobmother. Appliances Online offer everything from cookers to my ultimate want for my kitchen, the pink Smeg fridge, and after I'd left a comment on Eat Like A Girl's blog post the Fairy Hobmother visited me with a prize. I didn't win an appliance (boo!) but I was chosen to carry on the gifting chain and was awarded some Amazon vouchers (yay!) - something I will always use.  Never mind shoes, I can never have too many cookbooks.

As I'm carrying on the chain, the Fairy Hobmother is offering a lucky commenter on this blog a prize so please leave a comment below to be in with a chance to win a lovely gift from him. Perhaps you could share with us your favourite item in your kitchen -  I'm going with my gorgeous pink Kitchenaid.

Leave a comment by Friday June 3rd to win. Good luck.

Are you the Cake Decorator of the Year?

I have two free tickets for the Ideal Home Show to give away in conjunction with their Ideal Cake Decorator of the Year competition. Tickets can be used on any weekday for the event but please make sure you can get to London for the event before entering – this giveaway is for the tickets only, you’ll have to make your own travel arrangements! The Ideal Home Show runs from the 11 – 27th March at Earl’s Court. I have always meant to go but never get round to it – maybe this year I shall make it!

The Ideal Home Cake Decorator of the Year is the Ideal Home Show’s way of celebrating the recent rise in the love of home baking and cake decorating. They are launching a nationwide search for the best of the UK’s aspiring cake decorators, with an appetite for the amazing art of sugarcraft. The competition aims to celebrate the most talked about event of the year – the Royal Wedding, and entrants will be tasked with creating a royal themed wedding cake, decorated for the royal couple’s happy day, to mark this special occasion.

Entrants to the competition are asked to bring down their Royal themed cake art, to the show on Wednesday 16th March to be displayed in the Ideal Food section of the show, to be in with the chance to win a wide range of prizes which include Champagne afternoon tea for two at the luxurious regency-style hotel, The Kensington, London. Other fantastic prizes include 12 month’s free subscription to Cake Craft and Decoration Magazine along with the winning cake featured in the magazine.

“We want cake decorating enthusiasts from across the UK to create the most fabulous and spectacular cake that is worthy of a Royal wedding and embodies all that is great and British.”

All the details can be found on the official website.

Alas although my cake decorating has improved dramatically over the years, I still don’t’ think I’m quite what they’re looking for – however I may pop along on the day and see the entries!

To be in with a chance of winning two tickets to the exhibition please leave a comment below with your contact details (blog, twitter or email) and the flavour of cake you’d celebrate the Royal Wedding with. Competition closes 28th February. If you mention this on Twitter, with my name @annecupcake and a link to this blog you have a second chance to enter! Giveaway is open only to those in the UK.

Good luck and please send me pics of your cakes if you take part!