Fathers Day Afternoon Tea

For my birthday my sister got me an afternoon tea  delivery, which was amazing - especially because we were living through Covid-19 lockdown so our usual cuppies out and about had been halted.  When it came to Fathers Day a few weeks later though we thought we could manage it between ourselves for our Dad, our husbands and our father-in laws. 

Between us we made...

Meringues (of course!)

Scones

Various fillings in rolls and wraps

Banana nutella mini loaves, rolo rocky road and chocolate truffles 

Mini quiches and (bought) sausage rolls 

Mini lemon cheesecakes 

Mini victoria sponges 

 We delivered our selection out to the father in laws and had a socially distanced picnic with the husbands and our own Dad.  It was really lovely.  The amount of food was amazing and all very tasty even if we do say so ourselves 🤣 

We did have a little practice run a few weeks before with just me and my sister and the kids and it went very well.  There is no wonder I am suffering from a lockdown gut but I have enjoyed the process 🐖🐷🐽

What is not to love about an afternoon tea?  Loads of food with tons of flavour and you get to keep eating until it is finished.  Need another excuse for an afternoon tea soon! 

Muddy Puddles Party

 Just realised I have never posted about Eliza's third birthday theme - she is going to be 8 this year!!

No idea how I missed this.  I loved this party!

Eliza loved Peppa Pig so we had a Muddy Puddles party for her third birthday.

         Such a pretty party theme raindrop backdrop, watering can full of marshmallow flowers, a tiny cupboard of tiny cakes , mini trifles....I could eat all this right now.

          White paper pompoms hanging above the table for clouds

 Every party needs a meringue - these are my go to baking choice for every occasion

                      My sister made some cookies

                                                                    Marshmallows

                                                                         Smarties

                        Marshmallow flowers

- do not make these ahead of time they have to be done that morning - the ones I made overnight shrivelled up and died :(

Mini cupcakes in a min cupboard - so cute!

Individual trifles made in the Ikea spice jars - I made these for our Easter picnic too

Chocolate gingerbread bites with nutella (see recipe at bottom of this post for similar)

July birthday so lots of lovely juicy strawberries in season

 The cake!

 All of the little characters Eliza loved to watch

 So fun to make these miniature versions out of fondant

All sitting on their own muddy puddle

It has been a long time since I made a little figure but these were actually quite easy to do and Eliza knew who they were supposed to be so job done :)

 We did have some savoury food too but that doesn't look as good as the dessert table!

 Umbrella babybell (I love babybell art check out Eliza's 2nd birthday party ladybirds here)

Mini quiches - these are great for any occasion so tasty and easy to serve hot or cold 

Little blue party bags - everyone had a little felt cloud attached - every party needs a felt decoration 

see Princess and the wizard

Woodland

Under the sea

Mr Men and Little Miss

for other felt party bag decorations I have made 

Lovely little Snow White - how time flies.  How can she be 7 already??

Noone was allowed to eat the little characters she kept them in her room for a long time - yuck! Haha

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More sweet stuff

Another week has gone by without any real food to report on but more cakes and brownies :)

This time I made nutella swirl cupcakes.  I was ill and wanted cake but couldn't be bothered making icing - I hate that puff of icing sugar in my face everytime I make icing.  We make it all the time for cake orders so there is not much chance of me making it unless I am forced to these days.  Why is it soooo messy??

So I went with nutella swirl cupcakes so there was no need for icing - they are perfect without :)

I found the recipe from this pin but everything was measured in cups so I did what I could with that :) Recipe I used is below.  These cakes are made with a mixture of butter and oil - look how white the mix is!!

The nutella is added once the cakes are in their cases.  Melt the nutella slightly in the microwave to make it easier and swirl into the cakes - I don't think I put enough in I always want more nutella!  I didn't measure I just guessed as usual :)  

Here is one that came out with a nice swirl.  I ate them while still warm so they tasted amazing.  Cold ones later that night were also good the nutella stays soft in the middle and it is heavenly when you come across a big dollop :)


Another night I decided to make mini brownies.  My sister mentioned it and I couldn't get them out of my head so I had to make them.  Tiny little brownie bites.

These are the same recipe as I used on Christmas Craft night from this pin but this time I made them in the Pampered Chef mini-muffin tin. I didn't use cases this time because the mini muffin is non stick and works really well but these were not as good as the usual size ones - I will have to work on them :) Maybe baking them in a tiny case would help.

I love how small they are and a giant button fits perfectly on them

All of my posts have been about food recently!  I am still working very hard on my quiet book for my big boy since he wanted a book like his sister.  It will be finished very very soon.  I have worked on it almost every night of January and lots more before that!  They really are a labour of love.  I hadn't looked at pins for ages on quiet books but looked the other night and there are tons more ideas!!  I have my own ideas for Finlay's book but other people are so talented their sewing is amazing.  I wish I had more skill.  I have hand sewn all of this book because I can't face the sewing machine ever again!  One day I will look at it and see if it can be saved.  Until then I will keep on with my needle and thread....



Recipe for nutella swirl cupcakes (for non American cup users :) )
57g butter
56g rape seed oil
201g sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
224g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup nutella - which I guessed :)

Beat butter oil and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix flour, baking powder and salt together before adding half to butter. Mix slowly. Add milk and beat. Add rest of flour mixture and beat.   Divide between cases. Melt nutella in microwave in bursts until soft. Swirl nutella into cupcakes before baking at 180 ℃ for around 15 minutes.  Eat one or two (!?) while still warm you will love it!