First Blogiversary & Flower Pot Cupcakes

Yay! today is my one year blogiversery! Crazy! I can't believe I've been doing this for 12 whole months.

Its been a fantastic first year! I've had so much fun baking and sharing a whole bunch of goodies. To all the people who have read, followed or left comments I cant thank you enough, reading your lovely words of encouragement always brighten my day.

This last week has been one of the most exciting, I received my first real out of blog-world mention, a feature about my blog in the Food and Wine section in the Canberra times ( Thank you Rosslyn Beeby, I was smiling for days!) Not to mention getting to make some really cute cupcakes and cookies.

I have loved every part of this first year and can only hope for the same this next year. Thanks again for everyones support. I decided to start this year off just as I did the last, sharring with you the recipe for my mothers day goodies.

I hope you continue to enjoy reading my blog as much as I have enjoyed posting.

To make the fondant flower pots-

Start with 250 grams white fondant, divide into 6 portions.

-colour 2 portions terracotta orange

-colour 1 portion green

-colour 1 portion light pink

-colour 1 portion dark pink

-leave 1 portion white (to roll out for garden gates)

Roll the green fondant out to 3mm thick. Cut out the shapes for the leaves (four for each flower pot), I used a daisy flower cutter and cut off the petals. Use a knife to press in the lines on the leaves.

Brush the ends of four leaves with a tiny bit of water, gently press each onto the top of the pot, allowing half to hang over the edge.

Roll some of the pink fondants into small balls, about half the size of the top of the pots.

Brush the bottom of the ball with a tiny bit of water, secure onto the centre on the pot (on top of the leaves).

Roll out the both of the pink portions of fondant to 3mm thick. Using a small flower cutter cut out the flowers (6 for each pot). Press a small indent into the middle of each flower, press in yellow sprinkle centre.

Brush a little water onto the back of each flower, press one onto the top of the pink ball.

Continue pressing the remaining 5 flowers around the sides to create the little flower bush.

Admire your cute little flower pots!

For the cupcakes (adapted from Woman's weekly, Easy Cupcakes by Colour, Vanilla Cupcakes)

3 cups self-raising flour
270 grams softened butter
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups caster sugar
6 eggs
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons lemon zest

To make the cupcakes- (makes 32) preheat the oven to 180°c. Line muffin pans with cupcake papers.

Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl, add the butter, vanilla, sugar, eggs, zest, lemon juice and milk. Beat all the ingredients on low speed until just combined, increase the speed to medium and continue beating until mixture is light in colour and increased in volume.

Spoon the mixture into prepared cupcake pans, filling them about 3/4 full.

Bake the cupcakes for about 20 minutes, until golden and springy. Remove from oven and allow to sit for 5 minutes in the pans before standing the cakes on a wire rack to cool completely.

For the Lemon Buttercream

200 grams butter (softened)
4-5 cups icing sugar
2 tablespoons lemon zest

3 tablespoons lemon juice

3 tablespoons milk

Food colour gels

To make the icing- beat the butter in a medium bowl until it is as lightly coloured as possible before adding the icing sugar and lemon zest.

Gradually add the juice and milk until the buttercream reaches pipe-able consistency.

Divide the buttercream into 3 smaller bowls and dye desired colours. Using a large star tip pipe swirls of buttercream onto each of the cupcakes.

Top the cupcakes with flower pots, garden gates and royal icing polka dots.

Enjoy!

(Sorry for editing this again, I'm having some layout troubles)