Diamond Jubilee - 36 Days to go!

The Diamond Jubilee is happening June 5. So now's the time to get thinking about party ideas. This seems to be something every single shop in the UK is cashing in on. Red, white and blue, everything.

I love a party. I love the Royal Family. I love Jubilee bank holiday weekends.

60 years of one reigning sovereign is a good enough excuse to have an extra day off work and enjoy some cream cheese and cucumber sandwiches (crusts cut off) and lots of CAKE!

But what do you go for? One 'hu-age' Union Jack cake or a stand full of cupcakes? Maybe even both. Actually yes, both. With gallons of gin.

The BBC Good Food website has a recipe for a Union Jack Battenburg cake. It does say from the start that it's a bit complicated. Just a bit. It would help if there were more images of how to 'construct' it. The descriptions aren't exactly helpful enough.

The company run by The Middletons actually have a Union Jack cake kit available on their website. This looks really fun and it takes all the hassle of trying to get everything together for baking. The price may seem a lot for a cake kit but looking at the contents, we think this is really good value for money.


There's always the option of having someone else make the cake for you. One firm offering this service is 'Cakey-Licious' . Prices start from £20. Another company who have previously featured on 'Dreaming' when we first started out is 'Star Bakery'. They can provide full cakes or a selection of cupcakes. Their prices start from £2 per cupcake, £1.50 per cake pop and from £50 for special occasion cakes.

But how do you put those cupcakes on display in the middle of your street party/picnic/dinner party? You'll need a cupcake stand. Our favourite is from Urban Outfitters. There's a Union Jack and a crown. It's perfect. £10.00 (worth it for the crown)

And then after what do you do with all the left over cake which always tastes that tiny bit better the next day (especially after copious amounts of gin!). In a cake tin of course. In keeping with the Jubilee theme, John Lewis have one available for £6.50. It's by Emma Bridgewater and it's lovely crown print trim is adorable. any cake would do well to be housed in this.


All the above have got us even more excited for the Diamond Jubilee (mug post due anytime soon). Now to go hunt down a bunch of tea towels and napkins. God Save the Queen! Chin chin!

Autobots...transform!

I did it. I made the Optimus Prime cake. And it went down well. I must learn never to rush making sponge cake though. I made the first layer without any problems. I then realised it wasn't thick enough but that I was running out of time. I rushed through the recipe and didn't separate the eggs or alternate between the flour and adding of milk. The second layer thus took longer to cook and was much heavier.

I had a slight accident with the ready to roll icing. (Thank you to Gem for suggesting ASDAs own brand). It tore a little round the back but I 'plastered' back together. By the time we cut the cake up into pieces it wasn't noticeable so nevermind.

My first attempt at an occasion cake :

The birthday boy blowing out the candles

 The transfer didn't quite stick properly but you get the idea of what it was supposed to look like. I didn't have the time or energy to put any buttercream designs around the edge. The inside layers of buttercream could have been a little thicker and less lumpier.

All things to practice at.

I would have written this sooner, I'm currently writing it from my sick bed to try and take my mind off bug I'm battling. I had hoped I'd be much more healthier in 2012, but so far, that hasn't happened. There just aren't enough fruit and vegetables in the world.