Sock Monkey Cake pops

Reprinted with written permission from the manufacturers of My little Cupcake pop. The recipe below is moulded using the round cake pop mould I have tried the mould myself. It really does work. So I was thrilled when Jeanette - the creator of the cupcake pop mould granted her permission for me to share some of her recipes. Over the next few days, I will have more great recipes for you.

These Sock monkey cake pops were from Em's daughters 10th birthday party.

These vintage inspired paper straws add a fun festiveness to these pops.  (we have straws here)

I just love these!  They would also be great for Christmas Pops.

The hats are red Sixlet candies.

The first thing I did was to make my shapes using My Little Cupcake's Ball Shaped Cake Pop Mold.  Then I inserted the straws.

After they were all done I chilled the pops before I dipped in the next step.

I used large confetti dots for the ears.

Insert on each side of the head.

I put a small line of candy melts along the ears to give them a raised effect on the outside, so it would look more like a real ear.

Now dip entire head into your brown chocolate melts.  I didn't want to make the monkeys too dark so I added some white and yellow melts to the chocolate wafers to lighten up the color.

I used black powder food color to make the eyes, eyebrows, nose and mouth.  However, you can use candy melts as well.

Good luck and have fun!

Rainbow Skittles Vodka

As soon as I saw this "Tempting Tipple" bottle, I just knew I wanted to create my own tipple. I considered Limoncello (and that may be my next adventure) but I settled on infused vodka. I recall people have been infusing vodka with skittles since I was a teenager (and probably before that too, but I was too young to take any notice)

You all know Skittles right? they are the fruit flavoured candies, the purple one almost appears dark brown/black

I took 6x small packs of Skittles and 2x 1litre bottles of NZ Stil vodka. Not being a vodka connoisseur I set off to Liquorland just down the road in search of the spirit, there was a lot to choose from - some which might be considered a premium brand was quite expensive, and this brand was only 2 for $60 - I'll admit I fell in love with the NZ map on the bottle, but the gold medal award from the World Spirit competition in San Fransisco told me despite the price it was probably pretty darn good.

I separated the 5 flavours, and popped them each in their own flask - I'll admit any jar would do for the infusing stage, but I couldn't resist the look of my "science experiment" in the Kiwicake's test kitchen.

Normally it just takes 24 hours, but mine got to sit all weekend as on the day I intended to decant it, we were short staffed. This resulting mixture needs filtered (I used a coffee filter - an enormous pack of unbleached filters was only $2 at Bin Inn), if you still have white "bits" floating in it, just filter a second (third or fourth) time until your mixture is free of any foreign "bits" you may get a bit too much sludge, making the straining process slow, in which case, I just switched the mixture over to a fresh paper filter.

As rainbow parties are so popular at the moment, this would be perfect for the ADULTS only - I suggest keeping it out of the reach of children as the colour is very inviting.

If you're not sure what Skittle flavour vodka you might like, try popping just a few of each candy in to a shot glass with a shot of vodka, this quick method will allow you to see which single flavour you might wish to go ahead with.

The green skittle candy made a very sour vodka, the other 4 were quite sweet.

I think the tempting tipple bottle would be lovely for a gift with any creation in it, but I'm thinking home made vanilla extract - made by placing vanilla beans in vodka would also be gorgeous. A great idea for a Christmas gift made with love.

Gluten Free Feijoa cake

Last week you may recall, I posted this recipe for gluten free Mandarin cake. Over the weekend, I looked at our poor feijoa trees which are still groaning under the weight of all their fruit and decided to give the same recipe a go, substituting the feijoa for the mandarin in the recipe. it turned out just great, I used the skin and all. It tasted amazing!

Oz holiday inspired Hokey Pokey Cupcakes - from Kiwicakes test kitchen

I have just returned home from nearly 2 weeks in Australia visiting friends and family. As soon as we landed into Auckland it was immediately evident that our long, hot summer has come to an end. It must be truly autumn now since today I even bought my slippers to work with me!

On holiday I love to roam the supermarket for new and different products. I couldn't go past the Violet Crumble bars, which are similar to our iconic NZ Crunchie bars. The Australian counterpart is a little denser in texture and perhaps more anemic-looking inside its dark chocolate shell. Its still super yummy and guaranteed to get stuck in your teeth. I predicted that their drier consistency might hold up better in my recipie than a Crunchie bar might so I put them to the test.

I've always had a certain fondness for Violet Crumble since I was cast as the shiny purple-wrapped chocolate bar in a primary school play of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory! Hokey Pokey is certainly fashionable at the moment too - today while skipping across the road to buy my Crunchie bars I noticed new Hokey Pokey flavours of both ice cream sundaes and flavoured milk being advertised in two separate outlets.

These finished products are photographed on our 6-pack Le petite cupcake stands, available in a few different colours. The baking cups are bran new just arrived. Check them out here

Hokey Pokey Cupcakes

Whip together in your mixer for 1-2 minutes:

2 eggs

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup (250ml) cream (can use the lite variety here)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

pinch salt

1+1/2 cups sifted flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

Then with a spatula fold through 1/2 cup (50g) coarsely chopped chocolate-coated honeycomb of your choice.

Spoon into cupcake papers or baking cups until they are 3/4 full. You want this mixture to rise up out of the papers and have some height! Bake 20-25 mins at 180 degrees until golden and oozy.

Whip 1/2 cup (125ml) of cream (remember lite cream is not suitable for whipping so this treat is not for those watching their weight!) and incorporate another 1/2 cup (50g) chopped honeycomb. Spoon on top of cooled cupcakes and enjoy immediately.

The cupcakes come out of the oven looking rustic with yummy hokey pokey melting down the outsides of the baking cups. For me, it all adds to the appeal!

The other girls at work made a lot of Mmmm Mm noises while taste testing for me and thought that although both were moreish, the Violet Crumble produced a slightly more subtle tasting cake than the sweeter Crunchie. So go ahead and use any Hokey Pokey bar you can get your hands on - or if you want a challenge there's no reason you couldn't use a combination of shattered  homemade hokey pokey (roughly 40g) and your favourite chocolate (20g) in both the mixture and the cream.

Kiwicakes 7th birthday competition winner

I'm excited to be announcing the winner of the 7th birthday cake competition for Kiwicakes - Karyn Thomas from Nelson will be making and sending us this cake in aprx 2 weeks time. The theme was "Trixie goes on holiday". Karyn has given us a winning design with all of the supplies Trixie would take on holiday with her.

I can say with complete honesty, I would have loved every one of these cakes, they are all so great!. I had a very tough time picking a winner. Here are the other entries we received (in no particular order)

Kiwicakes will be in Rotorua June 22nd 2013 for cake day

I am thrilled to have been invited for the GEYERSLAND CAKE DECORATORS GUILD DEMONSTRATION DAY Saturday 22th June 2013. The last time we were invited I was double booked and unable to attend. Kiwicakes will be attending this special day with our sales table (I have been told B.J's Cake Decor from Hamilton and Bakel's will also be there). 

It's being held at Parksyde Community Centre, Tawera Place, Rotorua

The Demonstrators are

 Helen Corder Double Lisianthus & Christmas designs

 Beth Fuge Poppy & wired snowflake

Christine Willoughby Bride and Groom cat & Gum nuts, Poppy seeds and Cedar sprigs

Each demonstrator will be demonstrating two items. The day will commence with a cup of tea followed by a whakatau/welcome at 9.10am. First demonstration is at 9.30am. As it is the middle of winter, we are offering a roast lunch to our visitors. The cost for the day inclusive of morning, afternoon tea and lunch will be $40.

Obviously, as the meal is being catered, we will need to know numbers so

please confirm your attendance by 8th June. If you wish to pay by direct debit before hand please contact us for bank account details.

Contact either Glennys or Raewyn on:

Glennys.whyte@gmail.com Phone: (07) 3502391

raesadgrove@vodafone.co.nz Phone (07) 3575542

Happy Mother's Day Cake pops

Reprinted with written permission from the manufacturers of My little Cupcake pop. The recipe below is moulded using the cupcake shape cake pop mould I have tried the mould myself. It really does work. So I was thrilled when Jeanette - the creator of the cupcake pop mould granted her permission for me to share some of her recipes. Over the next few days, I will have more great recipes for you.

Treat Mom to Something Sweet...

 And Beautiful!

Be inspired to create something wonderful and homemade for Mom.... you know she'll love it!

 

 Just playing around with my vintage settings and thought it would be cool for a cover of a 

Mother's Day Card!

Chocolate chip cookie dough cake pops

Reprinted with written permission from the manufacturers of My little Cupcake pop. The recipe below is moulded using the cupcake shape cake pop mould I have tried the mould myself. It really does work. So I was thrilled when Jeanette - the creator of the cupcake pop mould granted her permission for me to share some of her recipes. Over the next few days, I will have more great recipes for you.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cake Pops!

My very first love (when it comes to sweets that is) is chocolate chip cookies with milk of course!  But then I got hooked on Cupcake Pops and my chocolate chip cookie making days went to the wayside:-(  Something I actually miss......

But then my daughter put a bug in my ear to make Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcake Pops! YUMMMMMMMM!

She was definitely on to something here!  I used my basic recipe but with a few adjustments so that there was no raw egg!!!

Great things about this recipe?

1.  They are no-bake

2.  They are easier to work with than Oreo Cookie and Cream Cheese!

3.  Who doesn't like chocolate chip cookies????

Taste tested kid approved!

RECIPE for Cake Pop Cookie Dough 

(mix these 3 ingredients first)

2/3 cup butter unsalted room temperature

1/2 cup brown sugar* 

*(edited to suggest 1/4 cup packed brown sugar instead, I thought it was a little too sweet before)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

(mix below ingredients)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup plain yogurt, french vanilla yogurt or egg replacer for qty of 1 egg*

(Add dry ingredients next)

1 3/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda (for flavor and preservative qualities)

1/2 tsp salt 

(Add choc chips last with optional nuts or Heath Bar Crunch)

1 cup semi sweet miniature chocolate chip 

Walnuts optional

Heath English Toffee Bits

Use flour sprinkled on mold to help remove dough when molding.

Mold dough before chilling.  Then chill before dipping.

*Since I first posted this - I have added a few edits.  I like 1/4 cup less sugar, and I prefer these with the egg replacer instead of the yogurt.  Tastes more like real cookie dough in my opinion.  I am also liking the addition of the Heath English Toffee Bits.

Butter, sugar, Vanilla, flour how can you go wrong?  Chocolate Chip cookies... heaven sent!  Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcake Pops... Divine!!

I used the small chocolate chips.

I'm getting hungry just looking at these pictures.

Now go pour yourself a glass of mild and enjoy!

Fairtrade Karma - Buy Fairtrade and good things will happen

Today I must have good Karma!. I received a rather mysterious black box addressed to me today and inside were all of these lovely goodies.

All of these wonderful products are promoting Fairtrade fortnight I can say with complete honesty, I always try to opt for Fairtrade when I can (thankfully my local New World has Fairtrade bananas - my son eats a ton each week)

I got so much yumminess 

Cadbury Dairy Milk Fairtrade chocolate bars

Whittaker's Fairtrade chocolate bars

As well as lovely mugs from Kokako, a Bodum coffee plunger and heaps of coffee, all fairtrade of course! - coffee from

Scarborough Fair

Kokako

Robert Harris

Celcius

Inca Fe

Whilst I can gobble a chocolate bar down faster than anyone - I'm thinking next week, I might embark upon some fairtrade chocolate cupcakes - surely if I pass them all around - more good Karma will be coming my way. 

Tell me - are oyu doing anything for Fairtrade fortnight?. What fairtrade products do you like to buy & support?

Get involved in Fairtrade fortnight

May 4-19th - Fair Trade Fortnight is NZ's biggest annual awareness raising campaign – it's also a nationwide celebration of all things fair trade & the difference that choosing fair makes for millions of developing country farmers.

This year the call to action is "Fairtrade Karma; Buy Fairtrade and Good Things Will Happen". The more Fairtrade certified products we buy in NZ, the greater the improvement to the standard of living for farmers & workers, & their families & communities in developing countries.

About Fairtrade

Buying Fairtrade Certified products makes a real difference for the Fairtrade farmers and workers in developing countries. Fairtrade means a better future for producers, workers, their families and communities in these countries.

In addition to providing a fair and stable price for their products, Fairtrade is helping farmers, workers and their communities build better roads, access health care and send their kids to school. Fairtrade also enables them to grow and develop their businesses ensuring they can improve life for their families and communities well into the future.