Catherine's Baby Shower

In the last two posts, Carly and Charlotte shared their recipes for the lovely cakes they made for my recent baby shower.  It was a great Sunday afternoon spent with friends and family at The Feathers, Taplow. A lot more cake was provided by guests and my sister also ordered a Welcome celebration baby cake from Kelly Rose Cakes - It was very yummy! Light sponge with a tasty vanilla buttercream filling and the icing was nicer than any shop bought ones! It all went down well.

With cake on the mind, there's a few birthday cake posts on their way.

Catherine x

Catherine's Baby Shower - Cranberry, Orange & Macadamia Nut Cupcakes

I love the flavour combination of cranberry and orange and by incorporating toasted nuts and white chocolate, these cupcakes make a decadent treat!

For the cupcakes:
225g unsalted butter
225g caster sugar
225g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence
50g white chocolate chips
50g dried cranberries
1 tbsp orange zest

For the icing:
200g white chocolate chips
5 tbsp milk
175g icing sugar, sieved
3 tbsp chopped toasted macadamia nuts

Preheat the oven to 175C/gas mark 4. Place 18 paper baking cases in muffin tins. Combine all the cupcake ingredients, except the chocolate chips and dried cranberries, in a large bowl and beat until smooth and pale, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the chocolate chips and cranberries.

Spoon the batter into the cases. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove tins from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Then remove the cupcakes and cool on a rack.

To make the icing, melt the chocolate and milk in a medium bowl over a pan of simmering water, stirring frequently, remove from the heat and beat in the icing sugar until smooth. Spread over the cupcakes and sprinkle with the nuts.

Charlotte x

Catherine's Baby Shower - Carrot Cake

I love baking cakes. I remember being in my grandmother's kitchen stood on a foot stool so I could reach the work top to sieve the flour, cream the butter and sugar and of course lick the spoon when Nanny Jones wasn't looking :)

I agree with Cat about Mary Berry's cake recipes. Simple with stunning results and her carrot cake recipe  is no exception. I did however add some vanilla essence, cinnamon and nutmeg to my cake as I love those flavours in carrot cake. I also found the frosting worked better with a large tub of cream cheese instead of mascarpone. The addition of bananas makes it so moist and tasty.

The finished cake looked pretty with some white chocolate carrots on for Cat's lovely vintage afternoon tea baby shower!

Carly x