Pretty Pink... Birthday morning tea...

It's not every day you turn 1. Because we are still renovating and it was down to the wire if we would be finished we decided to just have morning tea for E's 1st Birthday. We couldn't have as big a party as we had for H but we had to acknowledge it in some way so morning tea it was...

I couldn't resist doing some decorating and putting together some party fare... and of course any chance to take photos...I'm there...

There's nothing like a bit of pink!!

All the decorations are from the Hot Dollar shop... so many goodies to be had there...

The cupcakes are packet mix... and also pre bought frosting. So simple, easy and time effective. 

Rather than make fairy bread we bought hundreds and thousand biscuits... I knew what wasn't eaten that day would be eaten later... they were a big hit...

The strawberries were a big hit and also help to balance all the party food...

Aren't the tulips gorgeous?... so pretty and happy...

Who doesn't love a party bag?!... even the big kids got one. I just can't help myself...

I had to share this one... it appears the Grandfathers got the memo... Navy and Tan was the order of the day. Great minds think alike... or is it fools never differ?!... hahaha.

Jx

Birthday Cupcakes...

I am not a natural or confident baker, but I'm trying. Considering it doesn't come naturally to me and I don't have a lot of time on my hands I'm always on the look out for easy and quick recipes. 

I'm not adverse to packet mix's at all (in fact I used packet for family last weekend - it's fool proof, quick and you know they work) but on E's actual birthday I wanted to make some cupcakes from scratch for us to celebrate that night as a family. I found this recipe for easy and classic cupcakes on Taste and found it worked well. Naturally I made them pink and decorated with hundreds and thousands...

The recipe is really simple and goes as follows...

Ingredients;

Cupcakes

2 cups self-raising flour (sifted)

3/4 cup of caster sugar

3/4 cup milk

125g butter, melted, cooled

2 eggs (beaten)

1 tsp natural vanilla essence

Icing

1 1/2 cups pure icing sugar

Food colouring of your choice

Water to mix - start with 1 tbsp and add slowly until desired consistency is reached.

What ever your heart desires to decorate your cakes.

Method;

Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius. 

Grease or line (with cupcake cases) a 12 x muffin pan

Combine flour and caster sugar in a bowl, stir to combine.

Add milk, butter, eggs and vanilla to the flour and sugar mixture and stir with a spoon to combine.

Spoon the mixture into the muffin tin and bake for 10 - 12 minutes (insert a skewer into the centre of a cupcake to check they're cooked - it will come out clean when they're cooked) The cupcakes will also bounce back slightly when pressed gently in the centre.

Leave the cupcakes in the tin for 5 minutes to cool then turn out onto a wire rack.

To make the icing, sift the icing sugar into a bowl and slowly add the water. Stiring to combine and continue to add water until the desired consistency is reached. 

Spoon the mixture onto the cupcakes and decorate with your chosen items.

Enjoy them!!

On a side note... look at the gorgeous sweetpeas. They were a gift to E from her Grandparents... her first bouquet of flowers. It was a happy coincidence they matched the cupcake icing perfectly. Better lucky than good some say!

Got a cupcake recipe you can share?...
Are you like me and feel like you've made more of an effort because you've made them from scratch?...
Are you like me and happy to use packet when time and confidence are an issue?...

Jx

All photos copyright of Jessica Flett