The Cakeyboi Alphabet - M

M is for (Cake) Mix

It's only this year that I discovered how versatile boxed cake mix can be. For one thing, it can be made by just adding 1 can of any fizzy drink you like. Imagine a chocolate cake mix with cola added?!
And the mix can be made into loads of other sweet type treats, such as cookies (check my Strawberry Choc Chip Cookies), bars and puddings.
Google 'Other uses for Cake Mix' and you will be amazed.

No Bake Cinnamon Crunch Chocolate Pudding Pie

How cute are these individual sweet pies? They are a cinch to make and are a great way to use all those leftover dip jars! I usually have a few dip jars waiting to go into the recycle, but why not give them a wash (a very good wash, we don’t want jalapeno pepper flavour pies now) and put them to good use!

I made the bottom crust from some crushed Cinnamon cereal mixed with melted butter. Then I put a layer of marshmallow fluff, some choc chips, then some instant Chocolate pudding mix on top, followed by whipped cream and more choc chips and crushed cereal. No baking required!

Makes 3 jars (not 4 as in the pic above!)

Ingredients:

125 grams crushed Cinnamon cereal

30 grams butter, melted

3 large dessert spoons of Marshmallow Fluff

60 grams chocolate chips

1 packet Angel Delight (made as per instructions, less one third milk)

300 ml double cream

Method:

For the cereal crust, I blitzed the Cinnamon cereal in a food processor until it was nice and fine. I added the melted butter, mixed with a fork and placed this in the bottom of each jar and pressed it down firmly. I popped these into the fridge to set.

I then added a heaping dessertspoonful of Fluff to each jar, letting this settle over the crust, before sprinkling some choc chips on top. 

For the pudding layer, I used Angel Delight made with a third less milk than recommended to get a nice thick consistency. I spooned this into the jars and placed the jars into the fridge to chill, about 10 minutes. I then whipped the cream, before spooning into each jar and topping off with more crushed cereal and choc chips.

The buttery cinnamon crust goes well with the thick chocolate pudding and the choc chips add a nice crunch against the smooth whipped cream. Enjoy…how could you not?

Cartoon Time - Scone with the Wind

It's meant to be a scone, honest...

Guilt Free Cookie Dough Dip (No joke!)

Don’t be fooled by the date. This is genuine…First of all, cookie dough dip? Who doesn’t love to scoff on the leftovers in the bowl when cookies are being made? As I have said on a few occasions, I love cookie dough, cake batter, that sort of thing. A purpose made dip of this stuff (?) – heaven!

And when I saw a cookie dough dip which was a bit more on the healthier side, I knew I wanted to try making it. Especially as it had a very unusual ingredient…chickpeas! I have to be honest, I wasn’t convinced, but was desperate to give it a try. And I was pleasantly surprised, this does taste like cookie dough, maybe not 100%, but then if it is on the healthier side, I’m happy to chow it down.

The recipe calls for Nut Butter, and if all you can get hold of is Peanut Butter, this is fine, but it will be more PB Cookie Dough Dip. I got cashew butter, lighter in taste, from Holland and Barrett.

You might wonder what to eat Cookie Dough Dip with. I love to spread it on toast, you could try it on unsalted crackers, ice cream wafers or just take a big spoon and enjoy it as is!

Ingredients:

1 can chickpeas, drained (240grams)

Pinch of salt

1/8 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

65 grams nut butter (other than Peanut Butter)

120 grams light brown sugar

3 tablespoons porridge oats

60 grams chocolate chips

Method:

Drain the chickpeas very well, under a cold tap, getting rid of any canning fluid. Place the chickpeas and all of the other ingredients, except the choc chips, into a food processor and blitz until very very smooth. If it appears too thick and isn’t blending too well, add a few splashes of milk to loosen it up a bit. Not too much mind. Decant into a bowl and cookie dough dip is ready to devour. Enjoy!

Adapted from Chocolate Covered Katie

The Cakeyboi Alphabet - L and Blogger Awards

Last month I was extremely lucky to be awarded two blogger awards – The Liebester Award from Ryan at Baked with Kindness and The Versatile Blogger Award from Kat over at The Baking Explorer. I figured I must be doing something right to be presented with these!

The Liebster Award is for bloggers with less than 300 followers and the recipient nominates eleven fellow bloggers asking them eleven random questions. The rules state that a nominee must link back to the blogger from whom they received a nomination. The nominee will write eleven random facts about themselves and then answer the eleven questions that have been set for them. They will then nominate another eleven bloggers and post eleven questions to them.

The Versatile Blogger Award’s rules are sorta similar

1.Thank the person who gave you the award
2. Include a link to their blog
3. Select 15 blogs/bloggers that you've discovered recently or follow regularly
4. Nominate those 15 blogs/bloggers for The Versatile Blogger Award (include a link back to your post!)
5. Finally, tell the people you nominated (and your blog readers) 7 things about yourself

Well, to be honest I’ve been stressing about how I’m going to do both of these awards justice.  Thinking of 18 questions, 26 bloggers etc. was going to br a tall order. So I’m going to cheat (please forgive me) and award both awards to 13 fellow bloggers (splitting the difference), and answer the 11 questions posed by Ryan, state 11 random facts about myself and ask another 11 of the recipients. This will incorporate the Verstile Blogger award too. It will be entirely up to the recipient which award to pass on...

Answers to Ryan’s Questions

1.                  What is the worst baking accident you've ever had?

Usually burning cakes to cinders as I have forgotten they are in the oven!

2.                  What is your favourite cookbook?

Outsider Tart’s Baked in America

3.                  Scone (as in stone) or scone (as in gone)?

Scone (as in gone)

4.                  Do you have pets?

No pets, wish I could have a dog though, but not at home often enough sadly

5.                  Have you ever bought something and passed it off as homemade?

I don’t believe I ever have – I’d feel too guilty

6.                  Have you ever met someone famous? Who was it?

I’ve met Danny Wallace at a book signing

7.                  Cake, pastries, bread, or biscuits - which do you bake the most?

Probably biscuits (cookies, if they count)

8.                  Cake, pastries, bread, or biscuits - which gives you the most hassle?

Pastries! Pastry is my nemesis

9.                  Do you sing and/or dance in public?

I have sung karaoke in my youth, and danced – but not for a long time!

10.              Do you prefer to be too warm or too cold?

            I’d rather be too warm. Good question as my office has problems with cold tatties and hot scones!!

Random Facts about Myself:

I have hypermobility syndrome (can bend limbs quite freakishly!)

I lost 3 ½ stone between 2011 and 2012

I have a second cousin who wrote ‘Proud’ with Heather Small (you know, ‘What have you done today…’)

I once had heart surgery for a condition called Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome

I was auditioned for the Great British Bake Off 2013, but never heard back 

I once auditioned for the Million Pound Drop but didn’t hear back

My favourite musical is Wicked

I used to spirit level the pictures in my home to make sure they were straight (I got a life thankfully!)

The first single I ever bought was ‘Mull of Kintyre’ by Wings

My favourite Soap was Knots Landing

I am a quarter Italian

Questions for Recipients:

What was your first pet?

Tea or coffee?

If you could be any cartoon character who would it be any why?

Who is your favourite TV chef?

What colour eyes do you have?

Indian or Chinese cuisine?

Have you ever fallen asleep in the cinema? If so what was the movie?

Gym or sofa?

Is there a blog you aspire to be as successful as? If so, what is the site?

When was the last time you recorded on to a video cassette?

Paul Hollywood or Mary Berry?

Lastly my nominees are:

Lucy @ Food That Doesn’t Hurt

Stephanie @ Kitchen Frolic

Stephanie @ Munch I Munch

Louise @ Please Do Not Feed The Animals

Claire @ A Kiss of Cookies

Sam @ Pistachio and Rose

Adam @ What Would Ina Do?

Phil @ As Strong As Soup

Sally @ The Recipe Junkie…

Gem @ Cupcake Crazy Gem

Becca @ Becca Bakes

Debs @ Debs Dust Bunny

Daisy @ Lazy Daisy Jones

Thanks again to Ryan and Kat!

Hot Cross Scones

After my first attempt at making scones a few weeks back (CheddarberryScones) I was eager to try more. My combo of cheddar and strawberries went well, so what else could I come up with?

As it is Easter soon, I wanted to try and encapsulate this holiday in a scone. My mind got to thinking and I thought of putting a Hot Cross Bun and a scone together. If you aren't familiar with Hot Cross Buns, they are usually a soft sweet bun with fruit and spices in them. They are topped off with a pastry or iced cross.

I found a recipe and these scones had added allspice, mixed peel and sultanas. And I made the thick sugary crosses on top with natural orange flavoured icing sugar, to give them a bit of added citrus zing and crunch. I received the orange icing sugar from the kind people at Sugar and Crumbs, who did a lot if different flavoured icing sugars and cocoa powders. amongst other things. 

I wrote this recipe for a guest post at my friend Stephanie's site - check it out there...Munch I Munch

Disclaimer: I was sent the icing sugar free to review and was not compelled to write a favourable review. The views expressed are my own.

Easter Cartoon Time

He's dressed as a bunny, overheated and grumpy, so...