Animal Print Cupcakes.

All I can say is...
THESE ARE STUNNING!

They were made by deathbycupcake on flickr for her friend's 40th birthday.

I have to try and make some! When I do I will post my attempt on here. (Don't hold your breath for success!)

Cappucino Birthday Cake

This Cappuccino Cake is for my coffee-loving brother who recently turned 28.
The original cake was from BBC Good Food, but I couldn't help but add my own twist to it with some Malteasers and chocolate shavings for decoration.

Here is the cake we will be making...

Ingredients

• 250g pack butter , softened
• 250g light soft brown sugar plus 2-3 tbsp
• 300g self-raising flour
• 4 eggs , beaten
• 50g walnuts , toasted and finely chopped (a food processor is easiest), optional
• 200ml very strong coffee (made fresh or with instant), cooled

Decoration

• 500g tub mascarpone
• 2 tbsp light soft brown sugar
• cocoa powder or drinking chocolate to decorate

How to bake Cappuccino Cake

1. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4.
2. Butter 2 x 20cm sandwich tins and line the bottoms with greaseproof paper.
3. Beat butter and sugar together with electric beaters until pale and creamy.
4. Add the flour and eggs in one go and keep beating until evenly mixed. Fold in the walnuts (if using) and half of the coffee (or all the coffee if you want a plain mascarpone icing)
5. Spoon the mix into the prepared tins and bake for 25-30 mins or until golden and well risen.
6. Leave the cakes in their tins for 5 mins before turning onto a wire rack. Leave to cool completely.
7. While the cakes cool, make the frosting. Tip the mascarpone into a large bowl and beat in the sugar . Use about half of the frosting to sandwich the sponges together then, using a palette or cutlery knife, spread the rest of the frosting over the top of the cake.
8. Decorate with by shaving chocolate on the top with a grater. (Add Malteasers if they sell them where you are in the world for extra decoration).

If you're making this cake to eat at home, it will keep covered in the fridge for 2-3 days.

Parklife Cafe

I found this gem by chance whilst on work experience at the Worthing Herald last week. Since then I have not stopped talking about it!

I was walking down Montague street and saw a vintage bicycle tied to a lampost next to a sign about the Parklife Cafe. How could I not pop in after such a curious way of advertising.

Serving amazing cupcakes and milkshake/smoothies this cafe reminds me of a mixture of ShakeAway and Angel Food Bakery in Brighton (more about the latter later).

They also sell delicious paninis, sandwiches and another favourite of mine, bagels. I recommend the ham and cream cheese toasted bagel.

But back to the cakes!
They are stunning! See for yourself...


I love Halloween so I adored the giant orange cake! Unfortunately I couldn't buy it due to lack of funds and the fact that I would eat it in a day quite easily... so I settled for a delicious orange butter icing cupcake decorated with chocolate eye balls. The icing was fabulously rich and I had a green version the next day.

If you have no other reason to go to Worthing (and let's be honest, there probably isn't except for the new H&M), go for the Parklife Cafe! Then join the Facebook page afterwards.

Find it at: Bath Place, Worthing.
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NEXT TIME: Fullertons in Brighton