Cake Cull and Piping Dreams

I was wanting to do some baking today.  HK, as kindly as he could, bluntly pointed out how much cake we have in the house to eat and adding to it was not really necessary.  I had to agree with him, sulkily with my bottom lip out.  In order to bake soon, in the next few days (like I haven't got enough on) I froze the marmalade cake - it would never get eaten before it went stale.  The Cider Loaf Cake went to the chooks.  To me it had a burnt taste, not that the cake itself was burnt, rather an ingredient in it was burnt.  More than likely the cider itself.  I shall not boil the cider next time, unless a good reason why is pointed out to me!  The Bread Pudding had been at the mercy of the Bread Pudding Fairies and there was very little left of it.  What was left I cut into quarters and HK and I had a piece each.  HK then asked why he'd got such a small piece.  There is now no Bread Pudding left.  I think I nibbled on the last piece of the lime and coconut, at least I had every intention of doing so, if I have not done so already.  Which leaves a bit of Lemon Cake and about an equal amount of Apricot Tea Bread.  Phew.  Cake Cull successful, I shall be baking again over the weekend.  Perhaps.

 

What I have been inspired to do is to have a go piping butter icing.  I saw photos earlier on Facebook of cupcakes done by Xanthe Milton - Cookie Girl, then was encouraged by my friend Lauran to have a go.  So I will.  I have a quantity of ready made buttercream that I bought a week or so a go that was on offer in one of the supermarkets.  As long as it is piping consisitency, then the experience will get underway. 

 

I also want to try dual colour piping.  I had some free bags with Cake Decorating Magazine, I was very excited.  That was short lived.  The bags were of poor quality and one was ripped.  I am tempted to look at Lakeland again for theirs.  On the other hand, I was given a tip of - put each colour icing in seperate bags then put both bags inside the main piping bag and pipe away.  The two colours wouldn't mix together and only meet as such, at the point of coming out of the nozzle.

 

I also want to try some Lemon Cupcakes, using Lemoncello (a creamy, thick, lemony alcoholic drink) as the liquid base in the fondant topping.  I have some lemons - and limes, and bananas that need using up.