The end ...

Hey people!  I know I haven't posted for ages and ages so thought it was about time I brought you up to date with the latest happenings.  After a lot of soul searching, gin drinking and restless nights, I have decided to close The Bakehouse.  It is no more! 

A MASSIVE thank you to everyone who has supported me during its' life, from friends and family helping out when the chaos hit (and feeding me crisps and beer to keep me sane!) to my lovely customers.  I couldnt have done it without you all!

I love the blogging so you never know, it may remain, though in a slightly different format.  Watch this space!

So thank you one and all. It has been fun but the time has come to move on ......

Fife's bountiful larder

I've been thinking that, as I live in an area over flowing with amazing produce, I should really make the most of it and use it regularly.  I'm all for seasonal produce too - I mean, who eats turnip-like strawberries in January when you can wait until June for the treasure that is the Fife strawberry - juicy, sweet, bright red and to die for: perfection indeed! So, I'm going to begin a series of blog posts highlighting some of, as I perceive it, the wonderful products from the Fife larder.  I'm going to look at the suppliers, how I've used their products and also, sometimes, some of the local ingredients I've been able to forage for or grow myself.  It'll be an ongoing series with posts littered in between my cakes and other activities.  I'm a non meat eater so be warned, veggie recipes and baking only will feature.  I make no apologies, veggie is the way I'm going with special diets thrown in for good measure - be that gluten free, vegan or whatever!

What prompted this then, I hear you ask?!  Simple, a trip to Cupar Farmer's Market on Saturday alongside a weekend spent in my garden and at my allotment, preparing my veggie patches whilst dreaming of the delights I'm going to grow this year.  

Cupar Farmer's market is a joy to visit.  http://www.fifefarmersmarket.co.uk/ Stalls over flowing with amazing bounty - from the fruity vinegars of the Little Herb Farm in Pittenweem http://thelittleherbfarm.co.uk/blog/to the jar-ed delights of Trotters Independent  Condiments  http://www.trottersindependent.co.uk/Condiments/Trotters_Independent_Condiments.html and a million and one things beside.  I was inspired.  (And the distinctive smell of Smokies filing the air with their billowing smoke reminds me of home as a bonus!)

A visit to Ardross farm shop http://www.ardrossfarm.co.uk/ simply sealed the deal.  Again, I came home with a basket laden with goodies - Anster cheese, St Andrews Brewing Co beer and Ardross honey to name but a few.  Tea involved purple sprouting broccoli doused in garlicy rapeseed oil, yep bought at the Farmer's Market, and Jersey Royal spuds - not technically grown in Fife but bought from the local Farm shop and a treat non the less!

Things to be enjoyed after a hard day in the garden, digging, weeding and despising raspberry canes which get everywhere if left unchecked.  My seeds are in trays whilst I patiently wait for the magic to begin and I can plant my beetroot, broad beans, salad leaves, cabbages and on and on in the garden.  In the meantime, blog posts will appear as I sample and experiment so watch this space!

Red Vespa cake

It really has been a good, creative couple of weeks cake wise! I love the challenges that go along with designing a cake for someone - and then re-creating it in sugarpaste.  Here's the 21st cake from a couple of weeks ago, complete with red Vespa.  It was a lovely traditional vanilla sponge with buttercream and jam filling.  Can't beat the simple!  

21st Birthday cake

Vespa detail

It was a Mini adventure!

Had a lot of fun in the last week or so making novelty cakes.  Here's another - my Mini cake made for a 17 year old's birthday!  It was a chocolate cake with peanut butter filling and a chocolate ganache layer under the sugarpaste.  Yum!

The Mini adventure

back detail

Bonnet detail

Black & White wedding cake

It has been a busy week with cakes - great news and lots of challenges that I love!  Here are pictures of the wedding cake to start with.  It was made up of mini cakes in black and white with a large cake on the top.  Lemon drizzle, toffee and vanilla sponge where the flavours used.  Turned out pretty well I think!  More cakes to come so watch this space!

the cake

Top tier detail

Oaty, fruit goodness

I think I'm developing an obsession for flapjacks.  I love the oaty, sticky, comforting, almost predictability of them.... and the fact that I feel like I'm eating something healthy even though I know, in my heart of hearts I'm not!

The latest foray into the flapjack produced a nut, seed and fruit laden delight.  Perfect for breakfast, mid morning snack, midnight nibble  .... actually, any time of day!  I'm having to show restraint and hold myself back from the tin!   The latest version to grace my cake tin was crammed full of sesame seeds, pumpkins seeds, almonds, pecans, coconut, dried cranberries and sultanas: what isn't to love?!  It was a brunch style granola bar, if you will!  The possibilities are endless.  I'm thinking I need to experiment - a vegan version, a gluten free version, a chocolatey version, a plain and simple version for the purists out there.  And, for those virtuous moments when I need to eat only salad (doesn't happen often!), a healthy version with less butter, sugar and syrup.  Hmm ....  Anyway, need I go on!  Are you getting the picture and understanding my obsession?!!

The flapjack in all it's sticky, oaty, goodness laden glory!

Saying all this, I am picky with my flapjacks.  They must be deep, dense and moist.  Not overly huge and overpowering, yet not tiny and bite-sized.  What use is that to man or beast?! Not overly sticky and not too dry.  Nothing worse than ploughing your way through a bar of sawdust.  A good ratio of nuts/seeds/fruit to oat is vital - nothing too overpowering.  It is all about balance.  Not too well fired and crispy, just lightly toasted with a crunchy edge and soft middle.  And, home-made only please!  In an emergency, a Fabulous Baker Boys or a Stoats Porridge Bar option will just about suffice but really, only in an absolute emergency, thank you very much!

I'm dreaming of an apple and cinnamon version, or, apricot and ginger, or, a simple honey and sesame one, or a maple and pecan, or, a toffee and chocolate chunk, or a white chocolate and raspberry one  .... yum, yum, yum! At the core, a lovely oaty mix resplendent with jumbo flakes which still have just a little bit of bite left.   What could be finer?!  If you haven't dabbled in the flapjack world for a while, may I suggest you do.  Like cornflakes, have you forgotten how good they are?!

On that note, I think it could be time for tea and perhaps just a wee nibble of a flapjack, a fruity, nutty, seedy one ... well, a cuppa is too dry without one!

Mother's Day

Mother's Day is just around the corner .... Sunday, 18th March to be exact.

No inspiration hitting you for a suitable gift? 

What about Cupcakes??!

pretty Mother's Day-style cupcakes

Mother's Day cupcakes come in boxes of either 6 or 12,    will be a mix of lemon and vanilla flavours and will be decorated in pretty pastel colours with various flowers, hearts and all things nice as decoration. Special diets can be catered for too.

£7.50 for 6 or £13.50 for 12. 

You can either collect from me at home or I can deliver for a small charge dependent on location. 

Call me (0791 695 8010) or email me thebakehouse2@hotmail.co.uk to place an order.

(delivery in Angus and Fife only please.  Minimum order 6 cupcakes.)

Follow the yellow brick road ...

... and my latest cake creation will appear!  That'll be my Wizard of Oz cake, made by special request for a 30th birthday party.  I had a lot of fun creating this, I have to admit.  It was a great excuse to spend much time online looking at Wizard of Oz websites for inspiration and then returning to my childhood as I modelled figures from sugarpaste - beats playdough!.  Was very pleased with how this cake turned out - and the birthday girl seemed happy, which is the name of the game. Next project is a vinyl single for a 50th birthday!  Photos will follow of that too.  In the meantime, here are the Wizard of Oz cake pics - Let me know what you think!

My Wizard of Oz cake

Detail of Dorothy, Toto and the rainbow

Shame the cake squished the Wicked Witch of the West!

Rainbow coloured cake!

Your testimonials please!

I've spent the last couple of days on Business Gateway courses - on finance and selling skills.  Check out their website if anyone is interested in learning more about the Gateway.  They are a treasure trove of useful business information, covering every angle you can possibly think of.  Though persevere, there is so much information on the site, it is easy to get sidetracked and sometimes frustrated with it:   http://www.business.scotland.gov.uk/bdotg/action/home?site=202 

My brain is over loaded, my to do list has reached new lengths but I'm inspired to have a good year and make The Bakehouse bigger and better (with outstanding, organised financial paperwork to boot. Hmm...!).  More courses to come in the next few weeks on marketing, social media and other such fun things they don't tell you about when you set up a business!

Anyway, I'm wondering if anyone can help.  Customers, past and present, do you have any words of wisdom about my cakes, the business, the service you have received and such like that you'd like to share?  I'm looking for testimonials I can use on the blog, on Facebook and on any marketing material I produce, from a cake portfolio to flyers.  I'm assuming if you send me any comments, that you will be OK with this.  If you would like to help, you can post comments on here, on my Bakehouse Facebook page or you can email me thebakehouse2@hotmail.co.uk

Thank you very much for being supportive and helping a new business owner stay sane in moments of chaos and keep her faith!

The not so humble pasty

I've been experimenting with one of my latest cook book purchases, River Cottage Veg Everyday by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.  It is a real change for him as no meat features at all.  A good thing for me!  I haven't purchased a cook book of late where I'm inspired to cook something from virtually every page.  Although, the book may be simple at times, and indeed perfect if you are a new veggie, it has inspired me to make use of ingredients I forget how much I love.  And, I want to cook rather than bake.  Unusual!

The first recipe I ventured into the kitchen to try was his swede and potato pasties.  Let's face it, who doesn't love a pasty!!  And, as a bonus, I had both veggies in the kitchen that needed a good dish so was a perfect recipe!  It was also a first for me as I made the rough puff pastry he offered as the crispy, flaky packaging for the simple yet tasty filling.  The Great British Bake Off (oh, how I miss that programme!) had planted the seed for trying to make my own rough puff - and can I say, it was simpler than I thought and so worth the effort.  So yummy I'm going to make it more often.

Anyway, a subtle almost Cornish pasty-type filling -without the meat - was the central focus of the pasty.  Cubed potato, swede (or turnip if you hail from Scotland!), onion and carrot - and that was it with just a wee bit o' seasoning to enhance the flavour.  Doesn't have to be complicated to make a fantastic supper.   Served with a green salad, it was lovely.  Going to make it a regular occurance on the dinner table - and, those who know me well will not be surprised by this, but I'm going to fiddle with it!  I'm thinking a wee bit of curry powder would be grand or maybe a change of veg to include leek, sweet potato and maybe a mushroom or too would be tasty.

Here are the pics to get the taste buds working (hopefully!):

the filling!  Lovely swede, potato, onion and carrot.  It's all about the veggies!

all egg washed and read to bake

lovely!

I survived December....

It was an insane end to the first year of trading for The Bakehouse.  A busy, chaotic December!  It was all about cupcakes, Christmas fairs and festive cheer.  Feels like a lifetime ago now!

Dairsie Does Different @ Christmas was the event to start the festive period.  As marketed, it was full of Christmassy cheer, unique present ideas and new stall holders.  As always, the locals amongst others turned out in force to support us and we all had a really great day.  Couldn't do it without you guys! The range of items for sale exceeded expectations.  We had paintings and prints, knitted bunnies and photographs, aliens and bunting, jewellery to die for and origami amongst other things.  The cakes went well as did the jams, marmalade, shortbread, mince pies ...... the list goes on!  Roll on the next one in Spring of this year!  Watch this space!

My wee corner.... right at the beginning of the day!

Next was the Musa Cupcake Masterclass.  Musa is the Museum of the University of St Andrews - http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/musa/ -  a fab wee museum which looks at the history, development and culture of the university with lots of lovely things to look at and a very friendly staff who are always happy to chat!  I did a Masterclass demonstrating how to decorate cupcakes and make them all festive.  I love meeting new people at events like this - and always love working with the Musa gang.  Any excuse to talk cake and share tips!  

 Cupcake perfection at Musa!

Keen students, one and all!

In between all of this galavanting, was the day to day co-ordinating of orders.  Cakes, mince pies, brownies, cupcakes, shortbread ... the list goes on... don't make themselves you know!  And, to make my year complete, all of my Christmas Cakes found homes.  Hope they were suitably enjoyed!

Christmas Cupcakes - candy cane & vanilla simplicity Christmas trees

Christmas Cake

Final event of the month was The Big Pink Christmas Fair in Arbroath.  It was organised as a charity fundraiser for SAMH (Scottish Association for Mental Health) and was a lot of fun!  Yet more fantastically talented people showcasing their amazing wares.  I have a new felted Christmas tree decoration in the shape of a wee bird and a lovely cupcake fridge magnet to show for my attendance!  Oh, and I met lots of great people, supported a worthy charity and can't wait to do another event!

My willing helper for the day!  Couldn't have done it without her! 

So, now it is calmer and all about catching up on paperwork and admin not to mention starting planning for a new year of Bakehouse activity!  A wee bit of experimenting is being thrown in for good measure too.  Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry are all helping with that!  (Or their books are!).  Watch this space for the results!!  Bubble and squeak courtesy of Hugh tonight for tea.  Yum!

Finally, all I have to do is say a MASSIVE thank you to everyone who has supported this insanely mad venture of mine this year.  From customers to friends and family and everyone inbetween ..... thank you, thank you, thank you.  I wouldn't be here without you!  

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.