Easter mini carrot layer cake with cream cheese icing

March 20 2016
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Mini carrot layer cake l a splash of vanillaCarrot cake always reminds me of the uni refect, 2nd year.  The vegetarian café I’d often go to served the best carrot cake with lashings of cream cheese icing and good coffee.  I’d kid myself that carrot cake was good for me, what with all the carrots and walnuts and things.

However.  After stacking on 10kg, I realised all that carrot cake (and chips, beer etc) wasn’t really doing my waistline any good so I had to cut back and start doing real exercise instead of just clubbing all night and playing pool all day ak I remember my student nursing uniforms feeling tight and becoming very gloomy over it, especially after an elderly female patient kindly told me I was a sturdy girl.

I think it’s unfair to blame the carrot cake though and I’ll always have fond memories of it, so here’s my version in a mini form for more, ahem, portion control.  It has that lovely soft, spicy texture and flavour you expect from a carrot cake and I didn’t skimp on the cream cheese icing.

It’s appropriate for Easter too if that’s your thing (carrots = bunnies = Easter).

Mini carrot layer cake l a splash of vanilla

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Whisk & Pin product review (Cranberry & Orange Organic Pancake Mix)

February 28 2016
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Whisk & Pin organic orange cranberry pancake mix l a splash of vanilla

When I hashtagged Whisk & Pin in on the above photo on Instagram, they asked if I’d like to do a review and I said of course!

I’ve been a regular customer of Blue Mountains gourmet food company Whisk & Pin for quite a few years now – they boast both a store and an online company and are a very reliable and friendly crew.  They sell products such as baking mixes, a variety of dried fruits, cookies, gluten-free goods, tea, jam, gift hampers and chocolate, including rocky road.  Among other items, I can vouch for the rocky road a thousand times (t’s so good it’s evil) and I’ve also purchased a gluten free hamper as a gift for a family member, and they loved it.

So I a whipped up a serious stack recently, which you can see above, using their cranberry & orange organic pancake mix and they were beautifully fluffy with a distinct orange flavour and pieces of cranberries throughout.  I used buttermilk to make mine and piled them with heaps of summer fruit and maple syrup, it made for a super decadent breakfast.

 

I was asked to do this review by Whisk & Pin via one of my images spotted on Instagram. All opinions are mine.

Valentines Day chocolate mousse pie with chocolate hearts

February 13 2016
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Inspired by this lovely idea the other day, I thought I’d whip up some home-made chocolate hearts to serve with an old recipe for chocolate mousse pie.  You can stick whatever you like onto the hearts and they’re super easy, yet make chocolate desserts and cakes looks so cute.

And although I don’t feel so creative lately with recipes and such, I couldn’t let Valentines go by without making something.  Particularly something so rich, decadent and full of cream.

I hope everyone has a great day with someone cuddly to spend it with

Valentines Day chocolate mousse with heart toppers l a splash of vanilla

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Happy Friday

February 5 2016
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Because of the power board being upgraded at our place along with a heatwave, for the past few days we were on a staycation at Southbank not too far from us!  We stayed in a lovely hotel with a beautiful view, nice food and lots of fun places nearby.

The first building is a new tower being built in Brisbane and the 3rd pic down is my old alma mater and where my other half works now.

Have a lovely weekend all.1 William St bokeh l a splash of vanilla

Continental breakfast l a splash of vanilla

QUT l a splash of vanilla

1 William St l a splash of vanilla

Burger Urge l a splash of vanilla

Brisbane skyline l a splash of vanilla

Night city skyline l a splash of vanilla

Doughnut time l a splash of vanilla