Cupcakes for Eid!

It was Eid this week - one of the biggest celebrations in the Islamic calendar. And as it is for Christmas, the preparation was manic! A whole load of gift shopping, making freeze-ahead finger foods, bake-ahead cookies and edible gifts (sorry no posts about those guys, they were often done late into the night with tired, droopy eyes!). And best thing of all.....I had a cupcake order!!! Yay!!

The order was for 24 cupcakes with 3 different flavours, I could make whatever I like but one of the flavours was to be chocolate as I was told the recipient liked her share of chocolate. Good. She can be my friend. We certainly have a good starting point for a friendship! ;-)

The chocolate cake was a very rich, moist chocolatey one and the buttercream was a chocolate fudge frosting, both together made it a chocoholic's dream!

Do you like the fondant blossoms? I think the contrast of the pink goes well with the dark brown swirl.

Once they were packed, I felt a sense of relief. I was happy with them and most of all, I wanted the recipient to be happy with them!

The second type of cupcakes I chose was carrot cupcakes with a orange-cinnamon cream-cheese buttercream. The carrot cupcakes were made using my favourite recipe (can be found on an earlier post), frosted in a rose swirl and dusted with ground cinnamon and a handmade fondant carrot.

The final of the three types of cupcakes are an all-time winner - Victoria Sponge cupcakes. A delicious vanilla sponge, filled with strawberry jam with a simple swirl whipped cream frosting and topped with an embossed red heart and gold glitter.

Just the way Queen Victoria would've liked it, only if cupcakes were 'in' then! (Great news about Prince William and Katy, don't you think?? )

It's just so amazing to think that this just started off as a hobby-turned-obsession. Not once thinking that I would be getting orders and all the proper stuff! But I am so glad! I love how the decorations come together and all looks good and nobody is none the wiser about the tornado mess in my kitchen or pulling-out-hair moments when the oven switched itself off in the middle of baking, or the girls tugging on my apron wanting me to watch peppa pig with them..... But I wouldn't have it any other way...

Oh, who am I kidding?!! I'd love a BIG self-cleaning kitchen and maybe the girls to be a few years older doing the actual baking while I sit down and have a cuppa. I might need to wait quite a while for that though! [sigh!]

See you soon everyone and hope everyone is enjoying the festive season whether it's Eid, Thanksgiving, Christmas or any others :)

I leave you all with the really gorgeous chocolate fudge frosting recipe xx

Ingredients (source:-all recipes.com)
115 g butter
84 g unsweetened chocolate
455 g confectioners' sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
180 ml milk

Directions

1.Melt chocolate and butter in the microwave, or in the top of a double boiler. In a large bowl, combine confectioners' sugar, vanilla and 1/2 cup of the milk. Blend in the melted chocolate mixture. Add remaining milk, a little at a time, until desired consistency is achieved.

2.Let stand until spreadable (frosting will thicken as it cools).