Whoopie pies mark 2

Welcome to the whoopie pies part deux! Much more success this time. I used the same recipe, but I mixed it for a little longer and it became a bit looser, and I didn't refridgerate it (unlike the recipe's instructions) - it was a lot easier to handle unlike last time when it was almost solid.

I used a piping bag to squeeze the mixture on to the baking trays, rather than just spooning it out. This allowed a lot more control over the shape - even though it looked like 30 small dog poos...

I'm a lot happier with the final result. Much more control, much more uniform shapes, and they didn't fall all over the place.

For the 'whoopie' filling, I ignored the recipe's amounts and just made buttercream by eye as I normally would, and then added marshmallow fluff at the end. Again I didn't refridgerate it, there didn't seem any benefit from doing this. Much better - not sloppy or gloopy, just enough, and they didn't collapse like last time. And, crucially, they taste brilliant!!

Baking makes me happy, and cheers me up. I was feeling very down in the dumps yesteday, but this batch of whoopie pies really upped my spirits.

Lots of cakes

I made lots of cakes at the weekend. A chocolate sponge with chocolate buttercream featuring marshmallow fluff, a Victoria sponge with buttercream and raspberry jam, and chocolate brownies. Sadly, they were for various friends' celebrations (two graduations and a birthday); I managed a couple of squares of brownies (delicious) and a slice of choc sponge (brilliant).

I was really pleased with the sponges - nice and light, fluffy, and moist. Yum. The brownies, my new favourite thing to bake at the moment, were amazing - so gooey and brilliant in the middle, while good and crunchy on the top. I had some happy recipients of cakes that day.

All boxed up

I have a new sewing box! It's a brilliant old-fashioned consertina-type that opens out with three sections either side... I love it. My mother used to have one when I was little, but I don't know what she did with it - I think perhaps it got disposed of during the house move. It's now full of bobbins, threads, and scraps of fabric. I'm organised at last.

Going nannas

Today I made a chocolate and banana loaf. It's yummy. A few chunks of chocolate make a boring 'ol banana loaf go down a lot better. My loaf tin is a bit small for the recipe, but I just shoved it all in anyway and hoped for the best.

Now, it's a bit of a quandry, because I really like banana bread with a bit of butter on top. But with the chocolate, it doesn't work like that... and it's a bit of a shame. Not that I won't eat it all readily.

Another one

The next quilt is on the way... Another baby quilt, jolly colours, we don't know if it's a boy or a girl yet so it's just very colourful. The cutting out is all done, and I've laid the pattern out, so now it's just the sewing to do. Planning to sew in blocks this time, rather than strips like last time, so hopefully it'll be a bit less wonky.

I've been commissioned to do another baby quilt (white and yellow colour scheme, quite limited but I like a challenge!) and a big quilt ready for Christmas, that'll have a few colours in plus lipsticks, cupcakes, and handbags designs. Then I'm going to make two of my pregnant friends one each as well. So a busy time ahead - I might have to start a spreadsheet to figure it all out!