Merry Christmas and now I need a lie down!

I recently took on the massive task (willingly) of making a mini Christmas cake for all Steve's work colleagues as a way to say thank you for a challenging year. It took longer than expected over a few very hot days and I was up late a couple of nights - but - it was worth it. Very satisfying to achieve and I hope the cakes will be enjoyed!

Here's the recipe for a full size cake. Can make the same mixture and divide into muffin cases or mini loaf tins. Muffins will cook for about 20 mins and mini loaf tins about 25 mins at 170 degrees.

Christmas cake

Best made up to 1 week in advance and will keep in an airtight container for up to two weeks

It is ideal to soak the dried fruit and cherries in brandy overnight (at least) in an airtight container. I soak mine for about a month and it makes a difference!

750g dried mixed fruit

150g mixed peel

150g glace cherries

150ml brandy - for soaking

250g softened butter

1 1/4 cups brown sugar

5 eggs

2 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

2 cups plain flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

150g slivered almonds

Preheat the oven to 150 degrees celcius. Line the base and sides of a 22cm square cake tin with 3 layers of baking paper. As the cake cooks for a long time you need the 3 layers to ensure the cake doesn't get too brown around the sides and bottom.

Beat the brown sugar and butter until creamy. Add the eggs one at a time and beat in between. Add honey and lemon zest and beat in.

Carefully add 1 cup flour, all the spices and 1/2 of the soaked fruit mix. Mix well. Add the other cup of flour and the reminder of the fruit mix. Add the almonds and mix well.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the surface. Bake for 90 mins then cover the cake with a layer of baking paper to prevent the surface from over browning. Cook for a further 60 minutes and check with a skewer to ensure it's all cooked through.

Allow cake to cool completely before pricking cake with skewer all over the top and brushing an extra 3 teaspoons of brandy on the cake. Wrap cake in cling wrap and leave for 48 hrs before serving. Can ice with Royal icing or dust with icing sugar prior to serving.

The kitchen bench got quite a work out during the process (spot the empty wine glass). Overall I went through 3 kilos of dried fruit, 1kg of butter, 1/2 bottle of Chatelle brandy, 18 eggs, 1kg flour and 1kg of royal icing.

Oh, and not forgetting 10 metres of cellophane, 18 metres of ribbon, 48 Christmas baubles and 48 gift tags!

The end result!

Getting back to nature

How sweet are the birds that tweet! And not that kind of tweeting (honestly, what's going to be the next big thing? So over Twitter!) Anyway......

Spent a couple of hours at Spotlight during the week and finally found some patterns that are cute and very versatile. I love the birds on this dress, really changes it from a little denim dress to something special. The fabric came from Peppermint Stitches at Toowong - all the best stuff comes from there, and they'll happily take your $$ too as it's not cheap!

The buttons are faux closing and there's press studs underneath for easy changing. The contrast lining sets it off nicely.

Will be making the same dress in a 70's inspired loud paisley next for Mia.

Summer is in the air

When I look at this top it just makes me want to go to the beach and smell the salt air. Maybe it's the rope (rather than ribbon) but it has a distinctly nautical feel about it. Literally took about 1 hr all up to make and I love that it looks girly but isn't pink!

On the down side, as my little cherub is such a grub, I'm guessing it won't stay light coloured very long.....

Let's hear it for the boys!!!!

This is the long awaited first outfit for the gorgeous little boys in my life (and yours). These are intended to be worn as pyjamas but can also be worn out and about.

I love the fabric which was bought from Peppermint Stitches at Toowong (great shop). It was also the fabric I used to make the bloody giraffe but this outfit only took about 1 hr compared with 6hrs for the giraffe!

This one is heading to Melbourne for Ben's first birthday - Happy Birthday Ben!

It's hot enough for ice-cream!

I've got this applique thing down pat! Look out, no fabric is safe. I'm loving this ice-cream cone creation - so sweet and pretty. Thankfully I've got heaps of the two fabrics and beads used to create it so I can make plenty more. Might experiment with a chocolate ice-cream next.

Apple pancakes with spiced lemon butter

I made these pancakes for breakfast with friends recently and they got polished off pretty quickly! So light and fluffy and best eaten warm and with maple syrup.

Apple pancakes
1 cup self raising flour, sifted
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon baking powder (helps to make lighter and fluffier)
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon cinnamon sugar
1 green apple, peeled
A few teaspoons of butter for cooking

Sift the flour, baking powder and cinnamon sugar then make a well and add the buttermilk and beaten egg. Whisk until there are no lumps and the mixture is smooth.

Peel the skin from the apple and discard. Now peel the flesh in short and small strokes so you have lots of tiny slivers of apple. Set aside.

Heat a non stick pan until it sizzles when butter is dropped in. Add large tablespoons of batter until you get the right size. Now quickly add a few slices of apple on to the raw batter. When lots of bubbles appear, flip the pancake and the apple will cook and warm through.

Spiced lemon butter
100g spreadable butter or softened hard butter
Zest of one lemon
1 teaspoon of lemon juice
2 tablespoons icing sugar
2 teaspoons of all spice

Stir until all combined. This can be used to spread on pancakes, or even in the pan when cooking.

Babushka dolls are back! And so am I...

Well, what a bugger it is when your sewing machine breaks! Admittedly, it has been getting quite a work out considering it's not even on minimum wage. But after a service and repair it's back up and running.

Oh, how I love this fabric. I found this at a little stall at the Stitches and Craft Expo earlier this year. The problem is, I don't remember the name of the seller or how I'm going to find more of it! So you could say, for the time being, this is a limited edition run.

A lucky little 1 year old (and gorgeous god daughter) is getting the green one as part of her present and Mia is snapping up the red one, soon to be worn with her new denim shorts from Cotton On Kids (how good is that shop!). I've got about 5 other cut outs so will be using them wisely.