Tiers of the Cake


A tasty slice of inspiration...

Hello foodies,

A huge warm welcome to Red Velvet Baking, the blog! I have been baking since I can remember and I have always wanted to share my experiences and tasty flair beyond the walls of my own home. In summer 2011 I launched this little blog. I blog as a celebration of my achievements and dedication to my culinary passion, alongside an overflow of my enthusiasm, with a few added delicious recipe ideas. Pictures and tips galore, sure enough to sink your teeth right into and to get your mouth watering. Delicious beautiful baking can put a smile on anyones face.

Summer 2013 saw me train for a month at Leiths, gaining a distinction in practical cookery and last summer I ran a culinary arts course in the USA, specialising in baking.

I am now back in the UK, writing for my blog from sunny Yorkshire. 2015 is going to be a big year for Red Velvet Baking, so keep posted!

Keep calm, enjoy and most importantly BAKE!


Jessica

xox

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Website - Undergoing a magical makeover!

Find the missing sprinkle...

Tuesday 29 January 2013

New Life Nutrition...Your New Life Plan

Evening Foodies!!!

Tonight I'm doing a post about a fellow business, in the nutrition industry. As it is the start of a fresh, new year, why not get involved and inspired by New Life Nutrition's, Your New Life Plan - promoting a fresh, full and raw diet.

Your New Life Plan launched this weekend and is currently based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire. It is an online nutrition plan, giving you recipes and exercise guidelines, to not just diet or quick fix, but to give you a new lease of life and promote a healthy lifestyle. With fantastic results ranging from lowering cholesterol, weight loss and in some cases improving depression, this is an amazing life changing 4 week course, for all ages and walks of life.

In the next few weeks I will be trialling their starter weeks, to give you my step by step journey, however I can tell you with my hand on my heart, that it is well worth signing up to the newsletter for starters, as you get a free hydration guide and lots of helpful tips and supportive encouragement.

Clare and Kim Shepherd, who have started this business are truly inspirational people and I am lucky to be working with such talent. Clare has a background in nutrition and Kim has been brought up around the benefits of a raw diet, now studying physic at University. Combined with a fantastic team of I.T and sport associates, their website is highly interactive, easy to access and their resources are wonderfully insightful.

Lets not forget that I am ridiculously in love with cake and naughty treats...but Your New Life Plan does offer bridging weeks, to ween you off for the month course and replacements for the sweet toothed among us!

Some of the local people may have seen their recent article in the Sheffield Star and Kim's New Year post about business launch. Have a look at their beautiful website and don't forget to sign up to their Newsletter!

Whether it be for a summer holiday, wedding dress or just to improve your overall health, let Your New Life Plan help you achieve your dreams...www.yournewlifeplan.co.uk


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Keep calm and get healthy,

Love, as always


RVB


xox




Sunday 27 January 2013

Business Better Than Usual...

Afternoon Foodies :)

I have had a fabulously busy week and I am so excited to be starting my second semester of 2nd year tomorrow! I'm hoping all you foodies have faired ok during the UK snow blanket, it has been rather slippy! The girls and I went into the back garden and built a snow man! If you have any snow pics send them in and share your fun...sadly our snowman's head fell off during the night :( and now he is barely a twig, amongst the grass in the garden.





This week I started my internship with Faye, from Keep Your Fork, Sheffield. What an amazing and truly inspiring individual and I am so lucky to have the chance to work with her. My eyes have been opened to the world of PR and journalism, from not just a business perspective, but from a female business perspective, with the rise of women in business. On Tuesday, I was lucky enough to attend the Natwest Inspiring Women talk, at Sheffield Hallam University, where the female speakers spoke about their work -life balance and struggles in a very male dominated sector. It brought tears to my eyes when one Olympic Table Tennis Champion discussed her struggles against haters, becoming a teacher and an athlete, having two children at home! These people are truly remarkable and I am so honoured to hear their story. Keep an eye out for these events and get yourself along! It is so inspiring...I felt like I needed to get up there and then and start doing something ambitious and life changing! Watch this space, yeah?

In addition, on Thursday I went to a Business for Breakfast meeting, however it was a ladies lunch! We had some fabulous food and I got to meet a selection of local business women, striving to push their business beyond personal contacts, to people in need of their help and services. I had to do a 60 second business pitch, which was ridiculously daunting, but I got a wonderful round of applause and a client wanting a pearl wedding anniversary cake!! Orders and support, what more could a girl want!

To show my respect I also attended a charity auction, last night. It was amazing and I met some beautiful people and lots of money was raised. The charity, Golddigger, is run by two truly inspirational young women, raising money for female trafficking in Sheffield, from girls as young as twelve years! A heartbreaking cause, but it was fantastic to see how many showed up and supported the auction. Get involved yourself at Golddigger Trust <3

Today is National Chocolate Cake Day - so whats on your chocolate cake menu? Vote at the poll above and let us know what you created!!! Yesterday was National Potato Day and I celebrated with little Jersey Potatoes...very yummy! My diet suggests highly against Chocolate Cake, but I must admit...theres always need for cake <3





Keep calm and Bruce Bogtrotter that cake,

Love & Chocolate filled wishes,

RVB

xox









Monday 21 January 2013

2013 - A Cake Filled Start...


Morning Foodies :)

Hope you are all warm and tucked up under the covers - this snow really is limiting my activity! But, I am going to venture out today, snow boots at the ready!

It is really crazy to think we are over half way through January - like when did that happen! Time really does fly! Thinking back over the last 21 days, so much as happened. I don't even know how I fit things in, but they do say if you want something doing, ask a busy person - busy people always fit extra things in!

So...January so far has offered excitement, stress, worry, passion and most of all, hope and inspiration. In cake terms I kicked off my Cake calendar with a Vintage Fair, at Sheffield Revolucion de Cuba (amazing cocktails!), raising awareness and money for Amy's Retreat, my charity of choice. I did a selection of tea time cakes, including chocolate fudge cake, lemon drizzle and rhubarb and custard cupcakes! It went down a storm and I am hoping to continue my partnership as the year progresses!











Also, as it is January, it means exam period :(. I have had two exams this month, one being tomorrow! I have spent a little time revising (not one to revise for weeks) and I am feeling reasonably confident. My course mate, Liam, and I spent some time revising with cocktails and mexican food, which I must say is now my favourite way to revise. Rather relaxing and extremely productive, strangely enough.



In terms of further plans this January...I met Clare Shepherd from Your New Life Plan, which has recently launched in Sheffield, as a refreshing new approach to changing your life round, with health as the focus. We met at a beautiful little italian cafe on Abbeydale Road, Sheffield, called Bragazzis - well worth a visit for the beautiful coffee and delicious deli! Recently, I have been doing a little writing work for Clare and I am attending her nutrition course this Feb - watch this space foodies!!


Tuesday night I am going to an inspiring people talk, set up by Natwest bank to celebrate the success and independence of people in the local region. I will report back and let you know what is said and if you fancy coming down, it is free and on tomorrow at 6:15pm at Sheffield Hallam University - the details are online.


January has been so exciting so far, how has your January been? Get in touch you beautiful people!!!



Keep calm and make snow cakes ;)

Love & warmth this winter, 


RVB 

xox

Sunday 20 January 2013

BBC AMAZINGLY Good Food...



Hello foodies <3

Thought I'd delve back into 2012 one last time to tell you about my BBC antics! It was amazing! Two whole weeks in the Capital, living the London dream with one of the best foodie fanatic teams in the UK.

After being a persistent and annoying little foodie fan, they finally emailed me back and offered me a two week internship, in their Hammersmith/Kensington base, London and as you can imagine - I did not refuse. I got two weeks off University and packed my bags. A long time coming and well worth the wait.

Luckily for me, I am a huge fan of big cities and London is like a dream to me. I love the rush, fast paced lifestyle, get up and go, musicals (I'm a huge fan!) and of course - the food! BBC Good Food brought most of my fave bits (I only sang on my own!) to life and the experience really does leave me a little speechless!

I got the opportunity to contact PR teams, answer customer enquiries, search the online and paper recipe/magazine archives. They were so welcoming! It was very relaxed, almost informal but you could tell everyone got their heads down and got stuck in with the foodie fun. I was allowed in the kitchens, helped test drive a few things to go in up and coming editions and was even given a few proper editorial tasks!!!

I was given the opportunity to look round the BBC Good Food show, which was spectacular and I got to meet a few of my face chefs and bakers! Inspiring to see all the talent out their and all the opportunities, just waiting to be ceased!




I've known a while now that food journalism is where I ultimately want to end up, alongside my beautiful baking business, of course! Experiences like this are ridiculously sought after and by having the confidence to put yourself out their, opportunities will find you eventually!

Since November, I have had meetings with a wonderful woman from the Sheffield Telegraph, making connections about having some work published about me and my business. Very exciting stuff! Also, as of last week I have some even more exciting news! Delicious magazine, after three years of persistent emailing, have contacted me about doing an internship with them. They've been incredibly friendly and have basically offered whatever I want! I have never been so excited! This year really is my year it seems.

Have you had any experiences like this or made any New Years resolutions, thinking this is your year?
Don't hesitate to get in touch! I'd love to hear all about it! To celebrate one success, is to inspire a million.

Keep calm and keep inspired...





Cheeky picture of me and my auntie in Hertfordshire this last November <3 Family visits in the South!

Love & best wishes this 2013,

RVB

xox

Thursday 10 January 2013

2012 RVB...






2012 has been a big year for RVB, seeing the launch of my official business and starting to progress forward. The year of getting the ball rolling and sizing up the opportunities available to me and my passion. My biggest tip from this experience, would be to never let your ambitions die. No matter your age or circumstance, it is possible.

Last year I experienced my first market stall in Bakewell, trained in hygiene, insured a business and started taking more official orders. Towards the latter end of the year I produced some well received halloween themed cakes (below), made links with a local children's charity in Sheffield and started the official design of my website (which is soon to be released!!).



2013 has big things in store for Red Velvet Baking, so watch this space!!

Below are a pictures of my favourite pieces from  Christmas 2012. At Christmas I enjoyed indulging in a little me time, which is time in the kitchen for all of you that don't know me! I made a beautiful set chocolate custard tart, with sweet vanilla pastry and a gorgeous milk chocolate roulade, with caramel and white chocolate cream. I can assure you, both were devoured!







Feel free to get in touch with any questions or requests...my repertoire is gradually building and you are my inspiration!

Keep calm and get back in the kitchen!


Love RV xo

Wednesday 9 January 2013

Happy New Year...


Welcome back...

I hope that the food coma has settled and that salad is back in your life for a fresh New Year. I can assure you that my year has not necessarily been as healthy, but it sure is delicious.

I have been on a little hiatus lately and this is my apology for my absence from blogging over the last few months, but things just get so busy - I feel like I have cake coming out of my ears! Crazy times! My New Years Resolution is to feed you guys full of my antics in the kitchen and the progress my business is making. I am so grateful for all your support and it's time I give a bit more back to you! More pictures, more gossip and more tips!

Over the next few weeks I will recap the end of RVB's 2012, including my experience at BBC Good Food, a meeting with a beautiful lady from Sheffield's Telegraph and much, much more!

Firstly, I'd love to share with you my first tiered cake, for a friend of mines 21st Birthday. The start of many more pictures, I am sure! This triple chocolate cake was quickly devoured, made specifically to order and much appreciated by all who ate it! Try to keep your mouth closed...don't dribble on your keyboard!






Keep calm and bring on 2013 <3

Love, as always RV xo