Hallows Eve Baking!

If you know anything about me, you will know that I jump all over any opportunity to bake cupcakes. Tonight is hallows eve and I have been in my kitchen for two days straight. I decided to take my cupcakes to work, because I haven't shared with my fine coworkers yet. For this spooky occasion, I've made Caramel Apple with homemade caramel sauce, Pumpkin Spice and Strawberry (sauce also homemade) filled Chocolate 'dirt' cupcakes, complete with a marzipan worm. I also made sugar decorations which were NOT easy to prepare, hence why they look ridiculous. Oh well, it was a learning experience!

I had some fun experimenting with different piping tips!

Canadian treats!

Here are a couple treats I made over my thanksgiving visit to Canada. I was determined to make a pumpkin cheesecake, but as our local health food shop never got any plain tofutti cream cheese in, I had to improvise. Instead I created a pumpkin caramel swirl pie with toasted pecans and a graham crust. It was a bit soft for a pie, but definitely the best tasting pumpkin pie I've ever had!!!

My mum celebrated her birthday while I was over, so I created a cupcake in her honor. It's called "The Grand Banana," a chocolate cupcake with a boozy banana flambé center, chocolate ganache, a Grand Marnier buttercream frosting topped with another chunk of banana flambé!

My goodness, it was decadent.

SEITAN'S SECOND CHANCE

Once long ago, I purchased this sketchy looking jar of globby faux meat called seitan. It was revolting. I wish I could recall exactly how it was prepared (i'm guessing a stir fry or similar). I never looked back on my decision to ban the stuff from my diet.

A few weeks ago I acquired a cookbook from my cousin brimming with seitan dishes. My curiosity was renewed. Then a recipe idea attached itself in my head and I was compelled to create it. Nothing fancy or innovative, just seitan stew. I scavenged for an alternative package of seitan (thinking perhaps I had a bad batch) but everywhere stocked the same bloody jar I had used before. I threw caution to the wind and bought it. Suffice to say, it was marvelous. Nicely paired with these vegan cheese scones/biscuits I've made a few times!

CUPCAKE EXPERIMENTO!

Another cupcake combo became lodged in my head... blackberries and chocolate. They turned out gorgeously, especially with the cream cheese blackberry icing, oh my!

BREAD... AGAIN + MYSTERY MUFFINS

I have certainly not given up on the bread front! Our housemate's lovely (and talented) boyfriend moved in with us for a few months and brought an arsenal of baking tools with him. One such delightful item was a bread book. I borrowed it (along with his scale) and produced these nearly perfected loaves.

Around the same time, I threw together an old favourite, muffins! (I believe it was banana chocolate chip... but I still enjoy referring to them as mystery muffins). I remember them being supremo delicio.

DEGREE SHOW DELICIOUSNESS!

I don't recall posting my epic degree show cupcake baking bonanza on here! I went all out, because my design work is, well, adequate, I thought why not WOW potential employers with my baked goods. I don't think any industry members were there, nor took notice, but at least my fellow students were pleased.

Chocolate Black Cherry Kirsch

Boston Cream

Mojito

Red Velvet

Vanilla Rooibos with toffee icing.

I know the icing looks look a dollop of, well something unpleasant, but it was the best icing i've ever made.

This is just another shot of the chocolate packing cakes I made with pistachios, chocolate chips and black cherries.

PACKING CAKES!

To accompany such an arduous task as packing up your belongings, I prepared a variety of cupcakes with pistachios and black cherries + chocolate chips! I recently made some peppermint chocolate ones to take to a job interview. Sadly I didn't photograph them, but man were they TASTY!