cakes – the joy of five

Baking, Birthdays, Cakes, Children, Christmas, Families, Family Life, Giveaways, Uncategorized

Poppet Creations Cake Topper Giveaway

October 18, 2017October 18, 2017by thejoyoffive91 Comments

Cake toppers have become a hugely popular over the past year or so and give a really special feel to the simplest of cakes.

One lady has got these down to a tee and whether you are planning a special birthday or the birth of a little one, celebrating your wedding or getting the festive feel for Christmas then Poppet Creations has everything you need.

The lovely Tania runs a fantastic small business whilst juggling life as a busy Mum creating stunning cake toppers from single sided glitter card that make a real statement on any cake.

You can simply choose your wording and colour from the drop down menu on the site and your very own personalised topper will be ready within only 24 hours..perfect for last minute people like me!

If it was something a little different you were after then Tania can also create bespoke designs to fit to your specific needs.

If these toppers have caught your eye as much as they have mine then I am offering one lucky reader a chance to win a cake topper of their own.

Simply let me know what the toppers are made from in the comments below and the winner will be picked by random and announced on the 15th November.

Good luck!

T’s&C’s – The competition closes on 15th November 2017. The prize is non-transferable and nocash alternativewill be offered.

Allergies, Allergy Free, Baking, Cakes, Chocolate, Diet, Families, Family Life, Food, Reviews, Reviews

The Polish Bakery:Review

August 15, 2017August 18, 2017by thejoyoffiveLeave a Comment

There was a big knock at the the other day which lead to a cheery man at clutching a bag of goodies from The Polish Bakery.

I have to admit I am not very knowledgeable when it comes to Polish cuisine so I wasn’t to sure what to expect in my parcel.

The Polish Bakery has been running since 2003 and produces handmade bread, buns, rolls, cake, doughnuts and even birthday cakes with authentic recipes and ingredients directly from Poland.

My parcel included a loaf of their premium white bread, rye bread with prunes and a delicious cheesecake.

Frankie who has multiple allergies was over the moon that he could eat the rye bread and claimed the whole loaf to himself!

It was a perfect combination of ingredients and the juiciness of the prunes added a really good soft texture to a drier style of bread.

The premium bread was beautifully soft and kept for much longer than most fresh breads.

I saved the best for last with the delectable cheesecake. There was in fact a bit of an argument over the last slice!

The cheesecake looked more like a tiramisu and was a delicious creamy cake with a delicate chocolate taste.

I didn’t imagine their products to be that different to the style in British bakeries but I was very pleasantly surprised and will certainly be going back for more!
*collaborated post

Allergies, Allergy Free, Baking, Cakes, Children, Dairy Free, Diet, Easter, Egg Free, Families, Family Life, Food

Allergy Friendly Easter Cupcakes

April 13, 2017by thejoyoffive2 Comments

Easter is always a tricky time for Frankie and his allergies but this year he is feeling it even more so.

For a few months he had been allowed dairy and it had opened up his eyes to the world of real chocolate.

We had all really hoped that this would be the first year he would be able to get a Easter egg the same as his siblings but sadly this isn’t the case.

Stomach problems, bad skin and mood swings had all come on in force again and the doctors decided it was probably down to the dairy so we had to say goodbye to it again.

It’s been a hugely tough couple of months as he was so enjoying everything that came will the inclusion of dairy so this Easter I’m going to have to go that extra mile to make it special for him.

These cupcakes that mimic a chick cracking from an egg have really put a smile on his face and could easily be converted to your usual ingredients.

Allergy Friendly Easter Cupcakes

100g gluten free self-raising flour
100g caster sugar
100g dairy free spread
Egg replacer for equivalent of 2 eggs
1tsp baking powder
Pack ready roll fondant icing
12 decorative chicks
12 cupcake cases

Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas 6/400F and lay out cases into cake tin.
Add all ingredients to a large bowl and mix with electric whisk until combined.
Place ingredients into cases as bake for 13/16 mins.
Once cook allow to cool on rack.
Whilst cooling roll out a small amount of icing to about a thickness of 2cm.
Cut out a circle slightly larger than the cakes and create a cross in the middle.
Lay on top of the cake and peel up edges of the cross to open a whole in the centre.
In this gap place one of the chicks to create the look of a hatching chick.

Cakes, Christmas, Families, Family Life, Food

Christmas Microwave Mug Cake

November 15, 2016November 15, 2016by thejoyoffive1 Comment

Christmas is a hugely busy time for all of us with shopping to do, family to visit and lots of other fun celebrations going on it can sometimes leave us with very little time to get things done.

I’m always trying to find ways to maximise my time, especially in the kitchen!

One of my saviours in the kitchen is the microwave and I think that microwaves in the UK are a much used kitchen appliance.

They don’t just have to be used just for boring tasks such as defrosting or reheating though.

One of my favourite things to make is a super simple mug cake, and I have come up with a lovely festive fruit one just in time for Christmas that tastes great and saves hours compared to a traditional baked cake.

Christmas Microwave Mug Cake

Makes two large mug cakes.

150g self raising flour
100g sugar
60ml oil
4tbsp golden syrup
4tbsp dried mixed fruit
3tbsp flaked almonds
1/2tsp all spice

Steep the fruit in boiling water for five minutes.
Once the fruit is nicely plumped mix together with the sugar, oil, syrup, and nuts.
Lastly mix in the flour and spice.
Lightly grease two large mugs and separate the ingredients between them.
Place in the microwave on high for two mins.
Allow to cool slightly and serve. They would taste great with some thick custard or double cream.

*collaborated post

Allergies, Allergy Free, Cakes, Children, Chocolate, Dairy Free, Egg Free, Families, Family Life, Food, Lollies

Allergy Friendly Halloween Ghosts

October 28, 2016by thejoyoffiveLeave a Comment

When you have a child with allergies times like Halloween can be a bit of a tricky time with treats around every corner.

I’m planning ahead this year and making sure number four has plenty of treats ready for the weekend ahead.

One of my easiest and most loved recipes for him are my Rice Krispie lolly pops.

I have used the basic ingredients from this and changed it around a little to create these cute ghosts.

Allergy Friendly Halloween Ghosts

150g Rice Krispies
3tbsps dairy free spread
320g dairy free white chocolate
Dairy free chocolate drops for face

Over a low heat melt the butter and marshmallows in a large pan.
Once melted add Rice Krispies until completly covered.
Take a small handful of mixture and mould into an elongated oval shape that is tapered at the end to create a tail.
Place onto greaceproof paper and cool in the fridge for about thirty minutes.
Meanwhile melt the white chocolate in a bowl over the top of a pan of boiling water.
Once the ghosts have hardened up cover the top half in the chocolate, add a few chocolate drops for eyes and a mouth and place back in the fridge to set the chocolate.
Once hardened they are ready to serve.

Allergies, Allergy Free, Baking, Cakes, Children, Dairy Free, Diet, Egg Free, Families, Family Life, Food, Healthy Eating, Nut Free, Recipes, Soya Free, Wheat Free

Super Yummy Banana Cake

October 5, 2015October 5, 2015by thejoyoffive7 Comments

Who doesn’t have those few browning bananas left in the fruit bowl that nobody really wants but it is always such a shame to throw away.

What better way to use them up than to make a super yummy banana cake that the whole family will enjoy.

I came across this recipe on Cerea’s Kitchen blog and jiggled it around a little so it was also perfect for my little allergy boy too.

Banana Cake

5 bananas
50ml maple syrup
130g rolled oats
150g wheat free flour
1 1/2 tsp baking flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
75g coconut sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
60ml melted coconut oil

Preheat the oven to 360F or 180C and lightly grease a square baking tin with coconut oil.
In a large bowl mash the bananas and add the coconut oil, sugar, vanilla extract, vinegar, cinnamon, salt and baking powder.
Next mix in the oats, flour and baking soda.
Finally add the mixture to the tin and cake for around 35-40mins.

Behavioural Problems, Blogging, Cakes, Children, Families, Family Life, Parents, Wicked Wednesday

Wicked Wednesday’s:Cake Review Disaster

August 26, 2015August 26, 2015by thejoyoffive15 Comments

If any of you follow my blog you will have probably noticed by now that the majority of parenting fails and kid disasters normally fall at the hands of number four.

He has excelled himself this week by getting hold of the cake I was reviewing for Baker Days and completely defaced it!! Luckily enough I had managed to get some pictures before the demon child attacked.

Baking, Cakes, Food, Reviews, Uncategorized

Baker Days Cake Review And Givaway

August 22, 2015August 23, 2015by thejoyoffiveLeave a Comment

With our anniversary only a week away I was so happy to be asked by the fabulous Baker Days to review their ingenious letter box cakes. There was a large range of designs to choose from and lots of yummy flavours. I opted for a personalised cake so that I could have one of our wedding pictures on the top.

When I first read that the cake would be sent in the post and simply popped thought the letterbox I must admit I was a little sceptical on what it would look like on arrival. I was amazed that when I opened the box and the pretty tin it was presented it there was a lovely, perfectly intact cake inside.

The image covered the entire cake and not just a topper like you normally get. It was perfect for a reminder of our special day.

We are a greedy family but this would easily give you four good sized portions. The cake itself was soft and moist and the icing was wonderfully sweet.

I will definitely be using Bakerdays in the future and would be very interested in trying out the personalised cupcakes as I find these a good option for children’s birthday parties as they save on the fuss of party bags.

If you would like to try one of these great letterbox cakes for yourself then click here to enter.

I was given this product by Bakerdays to review and all my opinions are an honest view of what I thought.

Baking, Cakes, Chocolate, Families, Family Life, Food, Recipes

Red Velvet Flower Shaped Cupcakes

July 13, 2015July 20, 2015by thejoyoffive6 Comments

It was my my daughter’s school fete this weekend and we unfortunately couldn’t attend as she had her performing arts school production; so it was a lovely surprise to find that I had won a raffle prize on the school run this morning.

Upon opening it was a lovely flower shaped silicone cupcake mould from The Pampered Chef.

Of course the children were champing at the bit to give it a go so we decided on some red velvet cupcakes with the frosting piped inside so we didn’t ruin the ornate shape of them.

If you fancy giving them a go with or without the mould here is the recipe:

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Cupcakes

185g Self Raising Flour
200g Caster Sugar
200g Butter
4 Eggs
4tsp Red Food Colouring
15g Coccoa Powder

Frosting

175g Unsalted Butter
125g Full Fat Soft Cheese
175g Icing Sugar

Preheat the oven to 180c
Cream together the butter and sugar
In a separate bowl beat the eggs and then gradually add to the butter and sugar mixture.
Sieve the flour and coccoa powder into the mixture along with the food colouring.
Mix well and then spread evenly between the cake moulds/cases.
Place into the preheated oven for around 15mins.
Place them onto a wire cooling rack whilst you prepare the frosting.
Cream the better until really soft and then gradually add the cream cheese and icing sugar.
Place into a piping bag and leave to stand until the cakes are completly cooled.
Once ready put the spout about a third of the way into the cake and squeeze until a little comes back out.
They will then be ready to serve.

Cakes, Chocolate, Families, Family Life, Fathers Day, Food, Handprints, Paint, Recipes

Chocolate Chip Muffins And Sweetie Jars For Daddy

June 20, 2015June 26, 2015by thejoyoffive9 Comments

The way to a mans heart, especially my husband’s is through his stomach. So what better Father’s Day present than lots of yummy food!

First up we made some scrummy white chocolate chip muffins. Here’s how:

140g Self Raising Flour
140g Melted Dark Chocolate
75g Cocoa Powder
3tsp Baking Powder
1 Egg
200ml Milk
150g Broken White Chocolate
1tsp Vanilla Extract
100ml Sunflower Oil

Preheat the oven to 200c/Gas Mark 6.

Mix together the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder.

In a separate bowl mix together the oil, milk, egg and melted chocolate.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix together the the white chocolate chunks. Do not over mix the mixture.

Place into 12 muffin cases and bake for 12 mins.

Once cooked, remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

Once they were cooled I placed them into an air proof tin all ready for tomorrow.

Next up was a very simple pressie. All I did was get a couple of glass jars with screw top lids. I filled them with hubby’s favourite sweets whist number three made some gift labels with handprints.

I threaded some ribbon through the gift tags and tied them round the top of the jars.