A new cupcake icing/filling

Last night I made another batch of cupcakes. I am averaging two a week at the moment. Last weekend I was trying out my new cake decorating tips. This week I've been trying out a new icing/frosting I'd read about that sounded interesting. I've trialled it a couple of times now, and just use cornflour instead of standard flour to ensure it's gluten free. This icing is not sugary-sweet and doesn't have the grittiness of buttercream. I didn't realise how gritty buttercream is till I made this icing and buttercream on the same day and tasted them side by side. This is a soft, fluffy icing that I doubt you could pipe or decorate with. It is custard-like, and therefore probably won't freeze either. Mr E and I ate the leftover icing on spoons it was so yummy...

FROSTING

Ingredients:
· 2 tablespoons flour
· 3/4 cup milk
· 180g butter
· 3/4 cup caster sugar [that's right, NOT icing or powdered sugar]
· 1 teaspoon vanilla
Preparation:
In a saucepan add a small amount of the milk to flour then stir to make a smooth paste. Add remaining milk. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens. Cool.
Cream butter using electric mixer. Gradually add sugar; beat well. Add cooled milk mixture. Beat until light and fluffy, this takes 5-10 minutes but it's worth it. Add vanilla.

THE CRAFT ROOM

One reason I've been unable/unmotivated to craft lately has been that, since the move, I haven't been able to get my room sorted. I've dreamed of my craft room for a loooong time, and eventually we'll probably build it in, but not until I get the design right! I tackled it again last week, and after a number of hours of sorting/tidying/moving furniture etc. I think I'm ready to sew. A good thing too, cause I have to make a character skirt, and a few other things asap.

My papercraft area is still needs a little work...

new sewing machine

This was my birthday gift from Mr E: a brand new Pfaff Quilt Expression 4.0

I've started playing with her, and had a lesson at the dealer. Ironically it was back at the dealer on the weekend [my actual birthday] having a new bobbin winding unit installed, as mine was faulty. The combination of sick children, birthday cakes to bake, and a tired me has meant I haven't actually SEWN anything with it yet. And of course I'm itching to.

What do I think of it? In a word, WOW. I've never owned a top end machine before and it can do a lot I didn't think was possible with a sewing machine. I can see this Pfaff and I are going to have a long, productive relationship. I feel I need to give this machine a name, but what? All suggestions greatly appreciated in the comments.

cake decorating

For my birthday I received a cake decorating set - by that I mean a set of icing tips, 18 of them. So this afternoon I decided to try my hand at making cupcakes of various beautiful swirls, roses, etc.

I have not posted a picture here because I need to practise. A lot. And I've run out of icing. My girls thought the attempt at roses were "Great, Mummy. Can I eat that one now?" So the best ones got eaten before there was time to photograph. But I didn't want to take any photos. They looked awful. And no, I'm not being modest. They were truly bad.

I hate it when I have to practise new skills. I get so frustrated. A personality flaw I know, that results in me rarely trying new things, or becoming paralysed by my perfectionism. Something this blog was supposed to cure me of. The fact I haven't posted much at all in 2010 shows I'm not sewing/baking/quilting etc. very much due to this personality flaw. Hmmm.

I promise that next time I'm brave enough to practise my icing I'll post a picture...

PINK CUPCAKES

Last week I thought it was a good idea to make a rainbow cake with Miss 2. She will turn 3 on Sunday and so we are taking cupcakes to playgroup for her to celebrate with her friends. Now that she knows cake can be colours other than plain or chocolate, she requested pink cupcakes with pink icing!!

What have I done?????