The Home of Fabulous Cakes

I almost missed the first episod of Fiona Cairn's new cake series "The Home of Fabulous Cakes".  Luckily I was reminded when checking Facebook posts.

The episode seemed a bit wooden at the beginning.  However, Fiona is renowned for her cakes - the one for Kate Middleton and Prince William was phenomenal - and moving over to presenting is a whole new kettle of fish! 

Fiona's baking delights ranged from shortbread biscuits, lemon and lavender fairy cakes, a heart shaped rose petal cake and the beautiful teapot cake.  By the end of the episode I wished I was at the tea party sampling the above. 

I enjoyed Danny's cupcake lesson.  It reminded me of baking sessions with my 8 year old son who also covers to baking tray in the cake mix.  The only thing Danny didn't do was lick out the bowl!  Danny clearly looked as if he didn't want to be there for his cupcake lesson but his laugh made that section of the programme for me.

The simple sugarcraft decoration lesson with three local ladies reminded me of when I first started sugarcraft.  It felt daunting at first, but with practice it becomes easier and often addictive!  The important aspect was the fact that Fiona showed anyone can learn basic cake decorating. 

White chocolate, cardamon and rose water cake looked utterly delicous and certainly something I would like to bake.  As the ingredients are listed and the process presented by Fiona in the episode, it is a visual baking book.

Alice's teapot cake was Fiona;'s interpretation taken from Alice in Wonderland and the pale blue of her dress.  This was created using a spherical cake tin.  Lemon syrup was used to keep the cake moist and add a delicous lemon flavour coupled with the complementary lemon butter cream had me salivating.  The overall finish of the teapot looked stunning and is a design many may utilise.

Throughout the programme I found I was peering at the pretty china in the background of the kitchen and loved the pastel pink and blue kitchen aid food processors.

There are not many British cake decorating programmes.  The most prominant on is the Great British Bak off.  I enjoy cake baking programmes, but cake decorating on television is a niche yet to be mainstream on British TV. 

I say hats off to her in a series aimed at bringing cake baking and decorating to the masses and will look forward to next week.

Lilyberry has to start somewhere

This blog is about my journey as a new cake design and decorating business.  It will follow the pit falls, the trials and tribulations, the progression and pleasures in running a cake business.

Like many other cake decorators, I have been making cakes since I was a child - I was taught by the best, my Mum!  Over recent years my passion has been rekindled and my sugarcraft skills have been developed at an intensive rate.  I have been making cakes for friends and family and am still receiving such requests!  Pictures of some of these cakes will be uploaded in due course.

I hope you join me in my journey and any I will be grateful for any tips/advice along the way.

As I am an avid reader of all things cake, book reviews will also be included.

I need to get back to my marketing strategy - how exciting for a Friday afternoon....may have to eat some cake to get me through the day!  xx