Christmas Cake Bargain!

The Christmas Cake - it is a bargain at £20!

I have a few lonely Christmas cakes left that are desperately looking for a new home.  Anyone interested?  They are a traditional, dark, rich fruit cake covered with scrummy marzipan and fondant icing.  Very classy so they are!  A bargain at £20.  Yep, you read that right, £20!!!!  Can be delivered (for a small charge dependent on location) in Fife or Angus or you can come to me and collect it.   Like I say, a bargain at £20.  Email or call me if you are interested.

Christmas cake detail

Cakecraft School again....

Had an amazing week last week at Paul Bradford's Sugarcraft School.  See his website for details - http://www.designer-cakes.com/  He is an inspiration with massive talent and bucket loads of patience! I spent the week in sugar coated, cakey heaven learning the ins and outs of cake decorating, sugar modelling and sugar flowers not to mention how to run a successful cake decorating business.  Lots of top tips have been absorbed and I'm planning next year's activities in-between the Christmas chaos.  All very exciting and inspiring!   Rather than wax lyrical, I thought I'd show you some cake pics.  Still can't quite believe I made these but have every intention of maintaining the standards and carrying on with the creativity.  Think I may have found my calling (can you hear my Dad sigh with relief!).

My chocolate wrap cake - a chocolate Bailey's sponge
 wrapped in chocolate and decorated to make it look all festive.
I even made the green glittery chocolate roses!  

We were a clever bunch!!  My classmates cakes .
Spot mine - hint, it's front left!

From this ......

..... To this!! Rooooaaaarrrrr!!

Lion cake detail

Loved the sugar modelling, although think I need to work on my scale.  Hmm!

My Jimmy Choo shoe

Front angle of the Jimmy Choo.

Sugar flowers are really not my thing!  My naked Stargazer Lily....

..... Amazing what a bit of colour can do!!

Dairsie Does Different @ Christmas

It's on its way!  Not long to go until Dairsie Does Different @ Christmas arrives.  Saturday 3rd December. Hope it's in everyone's diaries 'cause we'd love to see you there!

Madness may have descended when Lindsay and myself decided to re-visit Dairsie Does Different, this time at Christmas time!  Nah, not really!  We had such a great day back in April, that it seemed right to keep going with it.  We were so delighted at how well the whole event was received, by both customers and stall holders, that we are already excited about Dairsie Does Different @ Christmas. Saturday 3rd December is the day in question - did I mention that already?!

We are following pretty much the same format as the April fair - you'll find details and pics from that on the blog if you look back - but we do have changes in the stall holders this time.  I can confirm that Lindsay Mathers Equestrian Art, Blair McCafferty, creator of weird & wonderful creatures, the wonderful world of WHimSicAL LusH, Eleanor Mather's fantastic papercrafting, the Middleton Miscellany, Adrian Murray's beautiful jewellery and creations and Joanne Clifford of Reflexology fame will all be re-appearing.  And, of course, so will The Bakehouse!  How could I forget that!! No storytelling sadly as Sheila @ Hamespun Tales has other commitments but we do have Doodlestuff's splendid Doodlepins, Kerfuffle's inspiring contemporary jewellery and trinkets, June with her fairies and things and the fabulous photography of Scott Hay - all confirmed and itching to go!  Watch this space ... there may be more!

It's going to be an amazing day!  I can feel it.  Think sparkle, festive cheer and Christmas inspiration.  What more can you ask for in the run up to Christmas?!

Oh, and this time round, we have a Facebook page so you can keep up to date with happenings, check out the stall holders and let us know what you think about it all:  Check it out - and, make sure you "Like" us!
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dairsie-Does-Different-at-Christmas/164901936937302?ref=tn_tinyman

Just to tempt you!

Eleanor Mathers - papercrafting genius!

Lindsay Mathers Equestrian artist extraordinaire.  This is one of her
50  Days of Christmas series -
 see her blog for details:  its' worth it -http://mathersart.blogspot.com

Blair McCafferty's captivating creature creations

A kerfuffle materpiece - see http://www.fitakerfuffle.co.uk for more creations

Yep, it is a Doddlepin of Splendidness.  See Jill's website for more - http://www.doodlestuff.co.uk

Boris is happy about DDD@Christmas so Suzanne at WHimSicAL LusH tells me!
See her website for more wonderful things -  http://www.whimsicallush.co.uk/

the world is alive, with the smell of cupcakes....

Cupcakes are without a shadow of a doubt the trendy thing, aren't they?  I love doing them and am starting to get a bit more creative with the designs, flavours and themes I use.  Previous attempts, especially with flavours, are littered throughout my blog, but that is no excuse to stop trying:  and, of course, to keep my readers up to date with what I've been playing around with recently.  My lovely customers are helping with their requests for things that are a little different. I'm all for a challenge!  In the last week, I've been challenged to a giant cupcake with additional "normal" ones adorned with shoes and bags - an 18th birthday cake so it had to be girly, sparkly and fun!  - and a Hallowe'en themed set.   Fun, fun, fun!!
So, the giant cupcake, for you food-a-holics out there, was a chocolate-vanilla marble cake with a chocolate buttercream puddle in the middle and vanilla buttercream frosting.  It complimented the small cupcakes which were a mix of chocolate fudge and vanilla.  The same flavours as my Hallowe'en ones I should add.  I did experiment with a Hallowe'en one for my own purposes.  It looked like the pic but was Lemon & Slime - yummy!  Think lemon sponge with a very green puddle of lemon curd slime in the middle and a lemon curd buttercream frosting on the top.  Bit partial to that, I will admit.
Looking forward to my Christmas challenges next.  I'm thinking Christmas trees, Christmas puds, lots of holly, stars and sparkle and maybe snowmen and gingerbread men too.  Well, 'tis the season to be jolly! Dairsie Does Different @ Christmas will have some so watch this space for details.

Shoe and bag heaven

shoe detail - think Jimmy Choo! 

Bag detail - think Hermes.....(or is that just me lusting after a Birkin, again!)

Giant Cupcake with small ones all around...

Boo!!! Bet you jumped!  

Did I say, by the way, that you just have to call me or drop me an email if you'd like to place an order?  I'm working on the best way to post the cupcakes so in the meantime Fife/Angus wide deliveries are offered (for a small charge to cover my petrol).  Or you can arrange to collect from me, of course.

A princess for a princess

I love it when I'm asked to make a very specific cake, with specific instructions.  The 4 year old birthday girl in question asked for a princess cake, pink and sparkly.  That I can do!  The reaction when I delivered it made up it all worthwhile, not to mention reinforcing that I'd hit the mark with my brief.  Birthday princess simply dropped her jaw and went wwwwwoooooooooowwwwwwww!  Think that's a positive response!  :-D  See what you think!

Wedding cake

Last wedding cake of the season is done!  Bride and groom were happy which makes me very happy!  

7 tiers of cakey loveliness

cupcake detail - vanilla cupcakes with vanilla buttercream and love heart sweets decoration
and grasshopper cupcakes with after 8s.  

chocolate cupcake heaven!  chocolate fudge and chocolate peanutbutter
loveliness with milk, dark and white chocolate hearts.

More pics from the Cupcake Masterclass @ MUSA

No talking needed, just pictures!  These have come from the MUSA team who took more pictures than I did.  I was too preoccupied with butter-cream and sprinkles to even remember I had my camera with me.  Must try harder next time!! :)  Hope you like the photos and that they inspire you to get creative in the kitchen - oh, and keep an eye out for the next Masterclass to be held at MUSA around Christmas-time.  Details will appear here!

Hard at work! 

Decisions, decisions....

Look what we did!

So the butter-cream goes in here then?!!

A finished product!

We love cupcakes!

They taste pretty good too!

Pretty!

Love the two tone effect!

Cupcake masterclass @ MUSA

I had a great day last week at MUSA, the University of St Andrews' Museum running a Cupcake Masterclass for Freshers.  Check out MUSA's website for details about the collections, events and suchlike- www.st-andrews.ac.uk/musa/.  You can also follow them on Twitter and Facebook. 

Anyway, talk about taking me out of the comfort of my kitchen and throwing me into a butter-creamy space outwith my safety zone!  I had a great day, all concerns aside.  After baking 50 undecorated vanilla cupcakes,  I sorted butter-cream, sprinkles, glitter, piping bags, nozzles and all manner of icing paraphernalia, packed them up and off I went to teach Freshers the wonders of icing and decorating cupcakes.   I took along some sample cakes to show what could be done with a bit of time and patience.  They seemed to be a hit with the MUSA gang so must have done something right there!

After 2 hours, which passed in a flash, my 50 cupcakes had gone,  the table was dotted with wayward splashes of butter-cream and sprinkles and glitter had been distributed liberally over the carpet.  Sign of a successful event in my opinion!  All of the MUSA team were pleased with how the masterclass went and I'm told people were queuing up to come along to the class!   So, the inspiration has been sprinkled and another class is in the planning for Christmas.  Watch this space for details!

Here are the pictures to show you what went on.... (keep an eye on the blog - more pictures from the Musa team to come!)

My creations.... including the MUSA logo at the front.  Really like the simplicity of the compass idea for a logo... and it looked great in icing!

concentration.....

think I should just check that the butter-cream is ok....

hmmm....what to create...?

a work of art!

and another one!

bread making begins again....

Stilton & Walnut rolls - what's not to love?!!

Haven't really done much bread making of late so thought I should rectify that.  Normally, I'm a follower of the River Cottage Bread book but this month's Good Food magazine tempted me to try a Paul Hollywood recipe.  I love watching him on the Great British Bake-Off and am now convinced that he is the god of all things bread related!  His recipe for Roquefort and Walnut rolls was my inspiration.  I used Stilton rather than Roquefort as he suggests - like a good British cheese so I do (the bluer the better!) - and the substitution didn't disappoint.  Paul says you can use any cheese you have hiding in the fridge so am thinking a cheddary kind of thing may be next or, to be honest, the Stilton and walnut was so wonderful, I'm not sure I want to deviate. They were heaven in a mouthful.  Tangy cheese, subtle walnuttyness and a soft delicate bread dough.  They looked fabulous too - with the swirly effect of the roll just oozing blue cheese, what wasn't to love?!! Perfection.  They went so well with a bowl of sweet potato chowder.  Highly recommended if anyone feels creative!  Let me know if you'd like the recipe!

wedding cake

Think this may well be one of my favourite cakes so far.  It is simple and beautiful.  Perfect for a non-traditional and simple (in a good way) wedding!  It's a rich chocolate cake covered with white chocolate ganache with a wreath of edible violas on the top.  The violas were supplied by Green's Herbs in Devon who are wonderful!  Can't recommend them enough - the service is great and the flowers are of such a high quality.  Check out their website (which they are in the process of updating I should say!)- http://www.greensherbs.com/index.html  The final detail to the cake was added by the bride - she edged the cake board with vintage lace.  Pics to follow when I get them!  Hope you like the cake!

Viola detail.  Aren't they pretty?!

By the way, watch this space for Clandestine Cake Club details.  Coming soon!!

The Clandestine Cake Club

It's coming soon ...... 

A Clandestine Cake Club 

is on its' way to Dairsie. 

Plans are afoot!   Watch this space!

Disco Diva Birthday Cake

Disco Diva birthday cake for the original Diva - Mariah, eat your heart out! 

My cake decorating skills are improving (I think!), and with guinea pigs in the form of family ready to eat cake, it helps!  My sister's birthday proved to be the perfect excuse to be creative.  Knowing that she isn't a baker (well she is in name but not in temperament - she'd rather be in an operating theatre mopping up pus and marveling at the things a surgeon can do with a black & decker - strange girl!), but knowing that she does appreciate a good cake, she was the perfect excuse to try the Disco Diva cake I've been mulling over.   A rich chocolate sponge with Baileys generously drizzled in the middle and a white chocolate ganache frosting what wasn't to love?!  It seemed to get the thumbs up so I'm happy!


And, whilst I'm remembering, plans are afoot for Dairsie Does Different @ Christmas.  We had such a ball doing the fair in April, we're set for another go.  Dates mooted are the last weekend in November/1st weekend in December but more will be revealed when plans start to firm up.  Thought I should warn you to keep an eye out for more info!

Summer madness

 I know, I've been very bad at keeping the blog up to date over the summer.  Sorry, sorry, sorry!  It has been a busy few weeks what with weddings, birthdays and a big wedding buffet to organise for friends.  Not to mention the random cake orders here and there to satisfy the sweet tooth of the local population!  Until I'm inspired with a new blog post, thought you may like to see a few pics of what I've been doing!

Pecan Caramel Shortbread - a customer request and it is, if I do say so, to die for!! Divine!!  And now a permanent addition to the Bakehouse repertoire! 

Chocolate mud pie cupcakes for a kid's party - complete with worms

A vanilla sponge birthday cake.
And, I just write what I'm asked to write on the cake - it is not a spelling mistake!

A girly birthday cake - a raspberry and lemon sponge with lemon buttercream.
All summery and scrummy!

Wedding cupcakes decorated with real edible flowers (violas) and vintage lace.
Very pretty and just a little bit different!

Wedding cupcake detail

detail of Katie's birthday cupcakes

Katie's 10th Birthday cake.  Chocolate, vanilla and carrot cupcakes galore!

Just a little birthday treat - a country garden of cupcakes.

raspberry cheesecake brownies straight out of the oven. what's not to love!

A 40th birthday cake for a special lady - a chocolate baileys cake with suitably subtle decoration
 (and no big numbers in sight!)

Another "big" birthday cake.  The "30" sparkler was meant to go after the "Paul is" slogan but you can't win 'em all!! You get the idea though!  Oh, and it's gluten free.