Cook Book of the Moment #1

Okay, so ever since Series 3 of the Great British Bake Off started a few weeks ago I have been experiencing major urges to get baking again. A few days ago I visited the Hummingbird Bakery in South Kensington and I swear I could have scoffed the entire lot, however, I resisted and ended up settling for one of their gorgeous red velvet cupcakes.

Anyway, I went to the first of what I think is probably going to be quite a few 21st birthday parties last night and my friend Vikki bought along the most amazing brownies I have ever tasted (seriously I couldn't stop eating them). So today I finally gave in to these serious urges and did some baking for the first time in ages.

Which brings me onto my Cook Book of the Moment: The Hummingbird Bakery Cake Days. 

Recipes to make every day special: RRP £20

This AMAZING book basically takes the reader through the year in terms of baking - there are recipes for Valentines day to Halloween, Summer Afternoon Tea to Rainy Day Treats, Easter to Christmas. Its full of beautiful pictures in the most stunning detail and wonderful recipes that take you step by step to perfect results.

And its not just their famous cupcakes that grace this books pages. They have wonderful recipes for tarts, pies, cakes and even whoopie pies. This is an incredibly fashionable take on baking.

It also has step by step guides on the essentials of baking AND how to ice and decorate your cupcakes and bakes to the professional and beautiful standards that they have in the shop, something that I have been trying to learn how to do for years.

I can't get enough!

I made these cupcakes today for my Mum's birthday (yes, said birthday was in July but she takes cakes into school at the start of term...long story). They are from the recipe for Earl Grey cupcakes BUT this book usefully gives you ideas for possible variations. I decided to use Lady Grey teabags instead because its my mums favourite tea.
I had enough mixture left over from the 12 cupcakes to make 6 mini cupcakes for the family to enjoy so I can tell you with confidence that they taste amazing - even if I do say so myself!

I highly recommend that you invest a few pennies in this fantastic book. When I first bought it I read it through, cover to cover, just because I couldn't put it down! The images are beautiful, the recipes detailed and the results perfect time after time after time.