Iron Cupcake Northampton #2 Around the World

Small and perfectly formed... Iron Cupcake 2 - 'Around the World' was a cosy affair (i think most people were still suffering the effects of 38 flavours of cake tested a mere 4 weeks ago). 

There were some beautiful sugarcraft creations from Mo and Freya and some delicious world-inspired flavour combinations. 

This months Iron Cupcake Queen is Sharmaine who transported us all to exotic climes with her 

'Taste of The Caribbean' Coconut Cupcakes with lime, coconut and passion-fruit creme and Pineapple Hibiscus decor! A real flavour sensation...

Sharmaine won a Burlesque Goody Bag including a lesson with Miss Luli Blue

plus some beautiful jewellery from Rosanna at Fluffstuffs and our trophy!

'A Taste of the Caribbean'

First Prize Winner in Iron Cupcake Northampton #2

Around the World...

Second Prize went to Laura and her truly scrumptious 'English Strawberries & Cream' Cupcakes. Laura told me she dehydrated the strawberries for 10 hours in the oven to get them that intense. 

These were both in the sponge and on top of these elegant little cakes, it was well worth it, a real strawberry hit that everyone loved.

 'English Strawberries & Cream'

Second Prize Winner in Iron Cupcake Northampton #2

Around the World...

Laura with her prizes... 

a voucher for the gorgeous new 'Lost at Sea' boutique in The Fishmarket 

and a Bellydance & Burlesque session with Luli Blue!

Third Prize went to Caro for her highly unusual and thoroughly delicious 'Thai Pandan Cakes'

these little beauties were coloured a delicate green with an infusion of Pandan leaf (a herb used in Thai cookery as i'm sure we all know!). Caro then filled them with Pandan Custard and topped with a delicate Orange Chiffon Cream. Please excuse the terrible photo...

 'Thai Pandan Cakes'

Second Prize Winner in Iron Cupcake Northampton #2

Special mention must go to Freya and Mo who made epic works of thematic art!

Here are our top three 'Alice in Wonderland' themed mini-works-of-art 

from the First Iron Cupcake Northampton!

'Curiouser Cupcakes'

Sara's exquisitely decorated Rasberry Sponges were topped with White Chocolate Frosting. 

Everyone agreed these were the best on the night! 

Sara won one of my retro Alexander Henry print aprons, a bottle of pink fizz and the Iron Cupcake Trophy!

'Gingerbread Tea-Cup Cakes'

Marcella's second-prize award winning creations were quite extraordinary. 

Gingerbread teacups were filled with very berry sponge cake and topped with vanilla frosting and fresh strawberries. It seemed a shame to eat them, but we coped! 

Marcella went home with an original 'Raygun' work of art by Lauren Hubbard from the Skulls & Robots gallery shop in the Fishmarket and a vintage tea for two here in the Nook Cafe!

'Vanilla Mad Hatters'

Jo's super-tasty vanilla creations took the third prize of a bumper goody bag 

of t-shirts, scarves and jewellery from our friends at the Graceface boutique.

More to follow!...

Iron Cupcake Northampton - The First

Well it's 5am and i am still so over-excited by last nights Iron Cupcake that I cannot sleep (or maybe it's my sugar rush just kicking in...) I am now ironically debating the pros and cons of eating one of Caro's leftover 'Got The Munchies' Caterpillar cakes...

The overall standard of entry was far higher than we could have hoped for, there were some delicious flavour combinations including appropriate 'Alice Themed' ingredients like Earl Grey Tea and Rose Petals (thankfully no rabbit though!) alongside the old favourites of Vanilla, Lemon and Chocolate. Plus some marvellous sugar-work including blue caterpillars, cheshire cats, teacups complete with mini sugar spoons and cookies and the most intricate miniature jam-tarts.We had 36 different flavours to sample and mark and I think it's safe to say we all had a lovely evening (though some of us may need a few cupcake free days to recover).

The photos of everyone's miniature works of art including our three very worthy winners (Sara's top-prize winning 'Curiouser' Rasberry & Chocolate creations, Marcella's beautiful 'Gingerbread 'Tea-cup Cakes' and Jo's delicious 'Vanilla Mad Hatters') will be up very soon.

The next challenge is 'Around the World' so plenty of flavour opportunities to get your heads around there. We will also be introducing a special prize for eaters and bakers alike... best thematic hat of the evening! As suggested by our table of exotic and beautiful ladies who put the rest of us to shame in the debonair stakes.

Prizes included a beautiful raygun drawing by artist Lauren Hubbard at 'Skulls & Robots' art boutique and a goody bag of lovely things from 'Graceface' designer-wear both in the Fishmarket - plus a bottle of pink fizzy, a vintage tea for two at the Nook Cafe and a 'Mexican Sugar Skulls' print  retro-apron from me!

I'd just like to say a final huge thank-you to all the volunteers and helpers who made the event happen... our lovely  top-hatted hostesses Claire, Alex and Sarah on the door, Kaw and Alex with the tea and coffee, Ros with her camera, Pete with the tunes, Joe with the setup and last but by no means least Caro who did everything from printing the bags to wiping the tables to setting up the cakes and was a brilliant mine of information and support from the start!

Tx

Six More Sleeps Till Iron Cupcake #1!

Not long now then! We've had loads of interest for our first Iron Cupcake - I cannot wait to see what everyone has come up with on our Alice theme! Now I just need to print off all the voting slips and choose my frock... and see if I can get someone to help me move the Queen of Hearts throne from my bedroom to the cafe! (i really do have one of those...)

Beetroot Cakes for This Saturday's Bike Bazaar

I'm going to try out a new recipe this weekend from the beautiful 'Red Velvet & Chocolate Heartache' - 'Red Velvets' made with grated beetroot in heart-shaped cases. Are Northampton ready for cake with beetroot in? not if you ask my husband but i'll give it a go... and if they work I shall be peddling them at the Bicycle Basket Bazaar which is doing a special one off event at The Bantam Cock pub. Heh peddling... its the way i tell em.

Get In Touch

I've just added links to the wegottickets page (for those non-bakers who would like to join in) and to the Facebook event page where bakers can leave a message to register. Apologies to anyone who had been looking for them already!

Cupcake O'Clock

I am very excited about this event! Lovely Sally in the Fishmarket office found the London event and after speaking to Sam, who runs it, I tracked down Sandy - the Milwaukee Cupcake Queen and the giant brain behind Iron Cupcake! Now we are officially part of the Iron Cupcake family and raring to go with our first cupcake bake-off in March.

Until we have our first event to blog about there won't be much to see here... but prospective bakers and eaters can have a peek at Sandy & Sam's blogs to see how this all works!

Our little Nook cafe is shut for Jan & Feb as its just too cold to be in the Fishmarket mid-winter but we'll be open again on Thursday 4 March with a whole bunch of other events (Purple Monkey Comedy Club, Winston Echo, Music, High Teas aaallll sorts!) if you have any suggestions of stuff you would like to see then feel free to suggest away, I am here to keep you happy - and full of tea and cake.

I'll have the tickets online soon... bakers get in free (with the requisite 12 cupcakes!) but please register in advance so i can get an idea of how big this might be...

thats all for now Tx