Doesn't do dishes

According to the interwebs, 2010 was going to be the year whoopie pies knocked cupcakes off their over-iced cake-stand.  Not so sure that's really worked out that way - the cupcake still appears to reign supreme where I shop and eat.  Hey, maybe it's a slow burner.  But never an early adopter of anything, I figured November was a good time to give this trend a go.  Having only tried a horribly sugary version from M&S previously (they looked nice, and did give an awesome post-surf sugar-high, but I want more from my baked goods. Like flavour, for a start.) I wanted to see what a homemade version would taste like.

M wanted to take some cakes to work for his team, so I tried this recipe, havng found little but US measurements online.  A healthy respect for the unknown meant I followed it pretty slavishly for a change.  What a fool.  I should have used my common sense before trying to pipe a batter that was as stiff as a dough.  Now I need a new piping bag.

You can't tell, but the spoon is standing up....

To add insult to injury, they looked pretty awful piped but a wet finger tidied up each blob into something more resembling a  cookie, and 10 minutes of baking was just right.

Original state: I know what you're thinking....

Post tidy-up: altogether less poo-like

Puffed to perfection

Anyway, I skipped the chocolate glaze, but took inspiration from the suggested filling, and mixed some smooth peanut butter and chopped salted peanuts into some cream cheese icing (125g cream cheese, 300g icing sugar, 50g butter. Mix butter and icing sugar, then cream cheese, and whip for 5 mins with an electric beater).

Peanut icing hidden at the back, cream cheese icing to the fornt.

Overall verdict: very moreish, and neat little bites.  Not going to usurp cupcakes or brownies in my house though.  But I will still buy Claire Ptak's Whoopie pie book, if nothing else but to get some UK measurements for the little poppets.  And having watched her mini-promo (on the link), I see my batter was the right consistency, but I should have used an ice-cream scoop or spoon.  Will do next time.

But the runaway winner was the peanut butter cream cheese icing. It was gorgeous!  I'm so making that icing again.  Perfect for cupcakes ;)

My mum made rock cakes all the time when I was little (and now that I'm thinking of them, I should get the recipe and make some. They'd be just lovely with a cup of tea).  But to honour the passing of my friend Nik's 20s I made an altogether different kind of rock cake.

To celebrate her 30th year, she threw a Burlesque-themed wake, and I wanted to give her a fitting confection, and for that I needed black.  Lots of black.  And some glitter.  And maybe some other shiny bits.... armed with my new decorating supplies, I set about creating the darkest birthday cake I could...
Entombed in black chocolate ganache was a chocolate sponge (Nigella's Birthday Cake recipe, p28 of How To Eat) and a filling of Amaretto cream (250g mascarpone, 200g fromage frais, 2tbsp sifted icing sugar, 3tbsp Amaretto).  The piping was plain royal icing, although it wasn't as thick as it should be, so didn't sit as proudly as I'd have liked, and began to run a wee bit with the bigger letters. But I love the overall effect, especially the black glitter outline round the coffin and the silver studs - very rawk, very Nik.  And the ribbon cords were a practical solution to getting it out of its box, and are pleasingly in keeping with the theme.

And the birthday girl loved it!
Happy birthday Nik!