I've been shopping...

This month I have been a bit too busy spending money!

I have started to collect bits and bobs towards Christmas presents and kitted Daisy out for the autumn and winter months.

Simple things make me happy and baking is one if them. I used to bake a lot for enjoyment, but rarely find the time now. This blog is supposed to motivate me!!

I decided to motivate myself by buying some cute baking supplies from the Shire Bakery...

The baking cups are so cute! These keep their shape in the oven and their print...too many times I have bought pretty cake cases and the print has disappeared once baked. 

The baking liners were so cheap...£1 for 20. One of the bits of baking I hate is lining baking tins. These liners make it easy.

I've only just discovered this website and I'm glad I did! It's very reasonably priced with some lovely goodies for sale. I will definitely go back for more! The delivery was fast and wonderful customer service too (I'm not being sponsored!)

The website is 

www.theshirebakery.com

Well worth a look if you love baking.

Thanks for reading,

Mandy x

Strawberry Tower

I made this pudding yesterday and it was lovely...

Strawberry Tower

1). Roll out a 500g pack of puff pastry.

2). Cut out circles (I cut smaller ones to make individual desserts but you could go for three large circles) and put on greased baking tins.

3). Brush pastry with beaten egg and sprinkle with a little demerera sugar. Bake  for 15 mins @ 200oC.

4). Meanwhile, chop 500g of strawberries and add 2tbsp caster sugar and 1tsp vanilla.

5). Whisk 600ml of double cream with 2tbsp icing sugar.

6). Allow the pastry to cool then layer up...spread one circle with cream then strawberries, add another circle and repeat until you're happy with the result!

This recipe was based on a cut out from the Style at Home magazine. I have adapted it to suit my family and think it's delicious. 

Mandy x

Hi Donna!

Thank you for following me and welcome to my second blog.

Mandy xxx

Cath Kidston treats...

Hi

Cath Kidston has got a sale on!

I decided that I deserve a treat and my favourite bag was in the sale :)

I ended up getting these...

The cross the body bag is perfect when you need your hands free to push a pram. I also have rediculously small shoulders and have always struggled to keep a strap on there. This bag is really roomy so I can fit Daisy things in there too when I need to. It is reversible and has a red polka for print on the other side.

(This is the changing bag I bought Daisy some time ago, it's perfect!)

This bag was also in the sale and I got Daisy some hair slides because these ones don't fall out of her hair...

Does anyone else love Cath Kidston? 

Mandy x

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Nutty Devil's Food Cake...

Hello and welcome to my blog!

I made this gorgeous cake last week and thought I'd share the recipe with you...

Nutty Devil's Food Cake

175ml milk

50g cocoa

250g soft brown sugar

100g marg

2 beaten eggs

175g self raising flour

Pinch of salt

Pinch of baking powder

50g of mixed chopped nuts

Icing

Real butter

Cocoa 

Icing sugar

Little milk

Decoration

Flake

Chocolate buttons

1). Preheat oven to 180oC/ 350oF/gas mark 4.

2). Grease and line an 18x28 cm deep cake tin.

3). Slowly bring to the boil the milk, cocoa and 175g of the sugar. Boil for 2 mins, stirring all the time and leave to cool.

4). Cream the marg with the remaining sugar and gradually add the eggs.

5). Sift in the flour, salt and baking powder alternately with the cocoa mixture.

6). Stir in the nuts and pour into the tin.

7). Bake for 25-30 mins and cool on a wire rack.

8). Make the icing...I do this without weighing out the ingredients, I just melt a heaped tablespoon of butter with a tablespoon of cocoa. I add some icing sugar (off the heat) and a little milk. I keep going until it is the right spreading consistency and the right colour. Beat until smooth with a wooden spoon and spread over the cooled cake.

9). Decorate... How ever you wish, but I sprinkled over a flake and decorated with chocolate buttons.

Cut into squares and enjoy!

Mandy xx