Baking bonanza day!

This week is a week of big occasions. On Wednesday it is my sister's birthday and Friday is my last day at the newspaper.

I am finally moving over to the world of magazines! Same company but after two years at newspapers I am moving to their magazine and I cannot wait. I am sorry to leave the team at the paper but really looking forward to the new challenge and the next step of my career.

Today I was home alone with not much on so I decided to bake! 

I wanted to make cupcakes for the people at work so did it today. I made chocolate cupcakes from the Hummingbird Bakery book and then made a simple vanilla icing. I just hope the guys at work like them.

As I was baking my sister asked if I would make her a banana loaf. I didn't have any chocolate chips so decided to risk it and make the loaf without the chocolate. I was a bit worried as the mixture didn't look like a lot but in the oven it expanded quite a bit.

My sister tried it and loved it! So all good.

Below are the cakes and then in a bit I am making chilli from scratch! Get me....turning into a domestic goddess....slowly.

Melt my heart cupcakes

Me and my boyfriend decided not to do Valentine's Day this year, just seeing it as a commercial waste of money when everyday should feel like Valentine's when you are in love with someone.

Anyway, I did decide to make some cupcakes for him as I have been off work all week and haven't done any baking.

I made chocolate cupcakes from the Hummingbird Bakery cupcake book, but with an added twist. I decided to put on top halfway through baking some chocolate hearts in a hope they would melt a little and add some gooey-ness to the cakes. I got the idea while watching Lorraine earlier in the week, the chef made chocolate souffle and put a Lindt chocolate ball in the middle.

They melted a bit but I haven't tried one yet to see if it is still gooey or has got hard when it has cooled. I'm hoping a bit gooey.

I decided to do vanilla icing rather than chocolate and then put pink edible glitter on the cakes with the hearts so people know which is which.

I seem to have conquered the icing, but my cupcakes are never pretty looking but do taste amazing.

Just have to hope the boyfriend likes them.