Birthdays

Another catch-up post, I thought today i'd show you a couple of birthday cakes orders that i've had recently, so here goes!

Number One: This is a chocolate cake that I made for a 50th birthday; and the rose and calyx design was inspired by a wedding cake I saw ages ago (on one of my fairly sad sit-and-google-image-wedding-cakes sessions, which are probably far too frequent!) I have a serious love for the combination of pale pinks and greens, especially since one of my oldest friends (more like my adopted big sister) used them as the colour scheme for her wonderful wedding last year; and I quite liked how they turned out in rose form on this cake!

And the second; a 70th birthday cake for one of my best friends' Granddad. The decoration was inspired by the design of a vintage cinema that he is involved with the running of, and I have it on good authority that he loved it! The cake itself was a light fruit cake packed with citrus, to make it a little more summery than a traditional fruit cake (not that the boozy element was forfeited!)

excuse the still-wet paint on the "70"

 so there we go, happy wednesday!

Hayley x

Cupcakage!

I do love a good cupcake! Here's a few of mine, some made for orders, and some just for the fun of it!

These were vanilla cupcakes with vanilla buttercream, all prettied up for a christening. I went for tiny fondant baby booties in blue and white to fit the occasion, as well as fondant lettering (and the little sprinkle of glitter that somehow ends up on all my cakes!)

And next, my little addition to the flurry of patriotic jubilee baking that we experienced a few weeks ago; vanilla sponges with a whole fresh strawberry in the middle and vanilla cream cheese frosting, and a special glitter hat-tip to her majesty with red, white and powder blue glitter.

Some more birthday cupcakes, this time a lemon sponge with lemon zest buttercream; sunny yellow fondant lettering, lemon curd swirls and, you guessed it, some gold sparkly goodness!

And finally a photo of my biggest order to date, 100 christmassy vanilla cupcakes- and operation so great the decorating had to move to my dining room table! all topped with a magic sparkly sprinkle; some with handmade fondant candy canes- that was one busy day in my kitchen!

So there's a wee sample of my cupcake production! I'm hungry... 

Welcome to the Parker Cupcakery blog!

Hello There!

Welcome to the Parker Cupcakery blog, allow me to introduce myself: I am Hayley Parker and I have loved baking since I was tiny. I was 7 when I proclaimed to my parents that I would one day be a chef, and now that dream has only slightly altered- in that I am now an aspiring baker and food writer. I read many fantastic blogs, and have decided to create my own to share the fruits of my baking labour, some recipes, and "reviews" of any interesting foodie things I happen across here in London. As for the "Parker Cupcakery"- I have recently started making cakes for people under the name, and I hope that this will grow over the next few months into a little sideline. For now, I'll write some less wordy and more interesting posts, and show you all some of my cakes!

Hayley :-)