Love is in the air; Valentines is on the Horizon...

Evening foodies,

Feeling a little bit rosier now, potentially had a winter sickness bug, which isn't so great! I have spent this week catching up and doing a little baking this weekend to cheer me up. My house mates have been loving it...

Isn't this just the cutest?

With valentines on the horizon, I have been baking with a little bit of a theme, although Easter got a little bit involved with the brownies! Don't blame me - they're tasty! Check out my pictures below!

I mean who can say no to a Creme egg brownie?

A little early you say? Well, I plan to make more of corse!

Rich and fudgey...

Don't forget to answer the poll. Valentines is rather controversial and everyones opinion is valid!

Mini chocolate brownie love bites...

In love? Or maybe just in love with brownies...

More to come this week...

Keep calm and bake up some love <3

Love Jess xox

Rosey Red Piped Cupcakes

Evening foodies,

I may have mentioned in my last post that as well as doing orders I am determined to bake one thing a week off my personal bucket list of favourites and believe me the list is long! Last week I finished some cute, little, rose piped cupcakes, for my boyfriend's mum's birthday. Sadly, this weekend I have been super poorly, but I am on with a few super sweet Valentines treats, so do watch this space!

Vanilla & Almond cupcakes...

What is your opinion on Valentines day then foodies? Do we celebrate it or is it another waste of money? I mean, personally, I think it is a great excuse for more cake?! Not that I really need an excuse, to be fair.  Answer on the poll above, I am intrigued to see what you guys think!

If you are game for some Valentines cakey loving, what are you going to be baking up for your sweetheart? Share your ideas! I will be blogging about mine super soon...

 Almond...

Vanilla...

  Simple rose piped and topped...

  Little box display...

Rose petal piping...

 

Ps check out these cute little earrings :) Faye from Keep Your Fork, where I also work as a marketing assistant, got me them with a dual meaning - I am sure you can guess!

Keep calm & practice pretty piping.


Love,

Jess xo

Hired: Culinary Arts Specialist!

Afternoon Foodies,

So I have some majorly exciting news! I have been hired to go to the USA,  with CAMP LEADERS this coming summer, to teach culinary arts! I am unbelievably excited, as you can imagine. I get to share, inspire and enthuse the upcoming generation on my absolute favourite topic: FOOD.

Me celebrating on the train home with some sweet and salty Propercorn - well worth a try!

The camp I am going to be working with is Equinunk and Blue Ridge and I will be based at The Ridge (check out the cool interactive map!). The facilities look fabulous and you know how much I LOVE a good kitchen!

If you've been thinking about summer camp - just do it! Call Camp Leaders or get online NOW and get ready for the summer of a lifetime! I honestly cannot wait :)

HOWEVER, this does mean I will be on a short baking hiatus! :( Not for long foodies! I have thought out some exciting plans for summer, including scheduled posts and a few little quirky extras, which will all become clear when I relaunch my website. You really cannot get rid of me that easily...

With major national food days coming up and some exciting orders, oh and including my 21st birthday, you are sure to see a lot more of me over the next few months, so stay tuned. I may even do a post on smores!

Any GUEST BLOGGERS are welcome to make some suggestions and even get on board?! I would love to do some collaborations before summer so email suggestions TODAY! jessicaaleisha@hotmail.co.uk.

Keep calm and spread the love,

Jessica

xo

Goodbye 2013...

Afternoon Foodies,

So Christmas has sadly passed, but clearly making way for an amazing year ahead! I celebrate Christmas with plenty of food this year (check out the pictures below) with plenty of cake orders, a dinner party and some dessert table loving! Hope you had a good one!

 Our family sure know how to do pudding...

 Fruit Pavlova

 Horlix Malt and White Chocolate Cheesecake

 Chocolate and Salted Caramel Torte

 Double Chocolate Fudge Brownies

 Rocky Road

Table Full!

I also did one final cupcake order for my old English teacher :)

Chocolate, Vanilla, Coconut & Lemon/Lime

On Christmas day, Christmas pudding takes the main stage, but I do have to say - I prefer my alternative!

Chocolate Roulade with White Chocolate Cream & Fresh Raspberries

Over the festive period it was my mum's birthday and a close family friend was also celebrating her mums 75th! Simple but effective, highly feminine cakes!

 Two tiers: Vanilla base and Lemon Syrup Top

 Aqua iced Vanilla sponge cake.

Also, to celebrate festivities I got my chef whites out and rustled up a little something special! This below is a montage including hibiscus champagne, caramelised red onion thyme targets with goats cheese, roast crown of lamb with a herbed mustard crust, dauphinoise potatoes and finishing with dark chocolate brownie with vanilla ice cream and ganache side. Great feedback is all I can say!

2013 was an amazing year and I hope you ALL had a fantastic year, finishing with some superb food! Heres to the year ahead, what are your plans? Keep posted to learn all about the future at Red Velvet Baking HQ.

Keep calm and carry on eating...

Jessica, 

xo

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Well hello there foodie, excited for Christmas?

Christmas is my favourite time of year. I am sure my waistline thinks differently, however what is better than drinking spiced, mulled wine, the smell of gingerbread wafting through the house and plenty of chocolate to give you a sugar headache, whilst watching films under the duvet. Sadly, being a baker, I am usually creating the treats, so I spend less time snuggling and more working up a kitchen sweat, but I still love it! Orders have been pouring in for the festivities, have you got your desserts and sugary show pieces planned?

These beauties went out last week for local journalists. My 'boss' commissioned me to showcase my scrumptious cakes and I am very pleased to say they made a great impression and did not last long!

The ones below here were made as samples, trialling some Christmas ideas. As a perfectionist the only way is up and there is always room for improvement. My clients are happy,  I am clearly just too tough to please - but I am not the one paying ey!

To get into the Christmas spirit, me and my boyfriend, Georgey, got Christmas jumpers. I normally do not follow the trend, but felt this year I just had to get involved. He wears a snowman jumper from Burton and I have a slightly more sophisticated option, from Dorothy Perkins, with Reindeer antlers in a silhouette. 

We are rather cheesy, I know!

Leaving the retail world behind and being part self employed, I was slightly disappointed, knowing I had no Christmas party plans. Fortunately for me, I received a spontaneous call, offering a meal at Kenwood Hall, expenses paid as others had dropped out. As you can see the blueberry cheesecake below, I certainly enjoyed the evening. With a looming order the next day, I did dabble in a naughty glass of red, white and rose! BUT...I did pull it back, as you saw the cakes further up ;)

I was able to take my friend Mish and took funny pictures with the cracker prizes, as you can see me making a fool of myself below. The following day I had another Christmas meal, at the Women in Steel festive event, with Barnsley and Rotherham Chamber of Commerce. It was such a lovely, inspiring event, celebrating women in business and women succeeding especially in manufacturing and engineering, which is mainly dominated by the males. A very uplifting celebration for the season of family, love and harmony.

Remember, whatever happens, you will never look as silly as me here!

More to come on the Christmas period, as you can imagine my diary is full. I have a fab family meal and I have two big events that I am cooking for, so watch this space.


Keep calm and get festive!

Love Jess xox

Netwalking continues apace, bigger and better with CAKE!

Morning lovelies,

This November, Netwalking, run by my Marketing employer (blog post yet to come) won a national What's On 4 Me award, which was amazing. Netwalking marries a love for the outdoors, with the need to utilise time networking, to create business. A short 5 mile walk, with some of the best people in the local community, building business relations and breathing the beautiful fresh air - what more could you want!

We were lucky enough to celebrate the 2nd birthday in October and then continue celebrating into November, with the prize win. For the second birthday I provided a cute, rose piped Victoria sponge, in autumnal brights. I got such great feedback and it was lovely to share my passion, with all the amazing businesses that join us on Netwalking.

 I am lucky enough to be surrounded by such a fabulous group of people, who support me and my work. This cake got me a further order for early December - which was the same cake for an 18th. Simple, but so spectacular.

If you live in Sheffield or South Yorkshire, or just fancy popping by, Netwalking occurs every third friday of the month. We meet at 9am for 3 mile walk around the beautiful Endcliffe Park, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, and the next one is in less than a week on the 20th December. We will be walking come rain or snow, continuing in the festive spirit - so bring your Santa Hats! For more information email jess@keepyourfork.co.uk.

2nd Birthday celebrations...

Keep calm and take your first step towards success...


Jess xox

The What's On 4 Me award win...

Christening Cakes for One Gorgeous Girl...

Evening foodies, 

Planning on sharing a few of my recent orders with you, so you can see why I am so busy! A couple of weeks back I completed a beautiful Christening order, for a gorgeous baby girl. The order involved cupcakes, mini cupcakes and a centre piece cake, using pinks and lilacs and lots of girly extras.

After some fantastic feedback, I am more than happy to be able to share the pictures! Every order offers a new mini challenge and that is what makes this job so exciting and ever changing. Such a luxury.

I bought a few new cutters and I have been really spoiling myself on new books and cake toys - shopaholic. All the cupcakes were rose piped on this order, almond, chocolate and vanilla in flavour. What more could you want? Need a cake or want to learn? Yorkshire based, I am offering my cake services for parties, orders and tuition.

Keep calm, feel the fear and do it anyway.

Love Jess xox