Swan Princess Birthday Party

It's party time again around here and Bubble celebrated with a swan princess party with a pretty mint, gold, white and black theme.

It was a low key event with just a few friends so I decided to have it indoors and turned my creative craft space into the dessert table which worked well and ended up being a great decision as the weather threatened rain as the party was starting.

Party Decorations

OK I know you all want to know it, where did I get that amazing green feather garland 'cause it's pretty gorgeous, and let me tell you even more so in real life. I picked it up at Lark to decorate Bubble's bedroom with and when it arrived it just begged to be used for my party table seeings as it matched the plates I bought perfectly.

Yup, I saw these plates online a little while back and I had to make them mine. They might be some of the most awesome paper plates I have ever seen. No I am not being paid to say this I just like to share this stuff so y'all can have pretty parties too. I bought them from Lark, they are made by Bash Party Goods.

The honeycomb balls were from discount dollar stores they were a couple of dollars each for the large ones and the smaller ones were in packs of 3 for the same price.

I made the swan pinata which involved the (humane) sacrifice of a unicorn pinata, I will do a post with a few progress pictures shortly.

I also made my own glitter dipped balloons by spraying adhesive glue spray to gold balloons and then sprinkling glitter onto them.

A few hours before the party I popped out for coffee with a friend and afterwards found those multi sized gold glitter dots at a discount store down at the local shop which were perfect placed randomly on the wall either side of the garland. The whole pack of dots cost $2.50 and if I don't keep them the kids will use them for craft so it's pretty much win win.

The geometric mint vase holder/ tealight holders were from the reject shop, and the cake stand and candy jars I have had for years.

Party Food with links to my recipes on this blog

We had an elegant mint green colour butter cream cake which was actually a chocolate layer cake filled with cookies and cream (CLICK HERE FOR CAKE RECIPE).

 It was decorated with edible gold edged macarons (including a couple of empty macaron shells on the side of the cake) and some stars of buttercream piped randomly with a #195 tip. I stacked filled and decorated the whole cake in under an hour which was a lovely change for me.

Macarons in a matching mint shade (CLICK HERE FOR MY MACARON RECIPE) for the party table and as I made them myself I was able to make a variety of sizes to decorate the cake with.

Simple swan cookies in mint and white decorated with a little edible gold leaf which once again were quick to make (CLICK HERE FOR MY COOKIE RECIPE and how to add gold leaf to cookies).

We had chocolate covered Oreo's in ombre shades from black through to green with a little edible gold leaf. There was matching candy sixlets and bon bons.

Funny side story the whole reason I went for a swan party was to make choux swans after I got the Retro Baking (The Australian Women's Weekly) and I didn't end up making them or the really cool cake pop idea I had.

Yup this is my creative space room all dressed up to party.

CLICK HERE for details and more pics from when I renovated it

Finally I picked up some bunches flowers from the grocery store for under $30 for the lot and split them up between glass jam jars and one larger vase to fill up the spaces on the table and yay now I have fresh flowers for the rest of the week.



Linda Vandermeer is a blogger, baker, maker and author of the Children's cookbook Sweets on a Stick: More Than 150 Kid-Friendly Recipes for Cakes, Candies, Cookies, and Pies on the Go! Published in the USA in 2011 the book is still available at Amazon and many online bookstores.

Affiliate links may earn me money and contribute to supporting this blog.

Original ideas, photography and recipes Linda Vandermeer please do not reuse without permission.

Healthier chocolate donuts

Healthier donuts, yes for real and Mr Sweet has given them a taste test stamp of approval.

But I can not tell a lie. Before we get carried away here these donuts are not actual health food. They are just a healthier option than the dozens I have been buying from all the fabulous donut shops that have been popping up around the place.

Yup donuts are definitely the new cupcake around here anyway and the trend is the more loaded with sugar, candy and lollies the better. In fact pop a donut onto a cream loaded milkshake, add cookies and chocolate and pretty much you have an Instagram viral photo that everyone will swoon over.

I'm not complaining I love an over the top sweet as much as the next person, but I still like to fit into my skinny jeans, so in truth on a daily basis I am more likely to indulge in something like these healthier option donuts.

Made with wholemeal (wholewheat) flour, yogurt, olive oil, baked not fried, I have then topped them with dark chocolate because I read somewhere it's full of antioxidants ;)

In fact I sometimes send these donuts without the chocolate glaze to school and donut :) feel guilty about it at all.

To make these you will need a donut baking tin. I picked mine up from Big W (Australia for about $14) and I have used it for a few different donut related baking treats so I felt it was a worthwhile purchase.

I've found you can bake most cupcake or muffin mixes in the tin, just be sure to only fill it 1/3 to 1/2 full. I like to use a disposable piping bag to fill my tins, way less mess and if you don't have any handy you can use a plastic ziplock bag with the corner cut out.

Also in un-donut related news, I have had a few people sharing their pictures when they make my recipes or decorated cookies lately and I just love it, always feel free to pop through a post or tag me HERE on instagram.

Healthier Chocolate Donuts makes 10 donuts, recipe can be doubled

If you don't have a donut pan you can make 6 regular sized muffins. If you like you can glaze the donuts with a simple ganache (recipe below) and add chocolate crisp pearls or sprinkles.

1 cup wholemeal (whole wheat) flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)

1/4 cup olive oil

1/3 cup 2% fat greek yogurt (I used Chobani)

2 Tbsp 2% fat milk (US 2 Tbsp + 2tsp)

1 large egg

1/4 cup sugar

Olive oil spray

Preheat oven to 160 C fan forced (325 F)

Place all ingredients in a large bowl and mix with a spoon until well combined.

Spray donut baking tin with olive oil spray

Place mixture in a large disposable piping bag, cut off the tip and pipe the donut mixture into the prepared donut baking tin. Only fill each cavity 1/2 fill as the mixture will rise.

Bake in preheated oven for 10 -12 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. 

Remove donuts from pan, serve warm if you like or cool on a wire rack and dip in chocolate glaze (recipe below). 

Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Chocolate Ganache Glaze for dipping approx 10 donuts
60 grams (2oz) dark chocolate
30 grams (1 oz) cream

Place chocolate and cream into a microwave safe bowl and heat at high for 50 seconds. Remove, let sit for 60 seconds and then whisk until smooth.

Hold each donut by the edges and dip the tops into the chocolate glaze, add sprinkles if desired. Chocolate glaze will take a few hours to set, but that's ok you can eat it before it sets.

Linda Vandermeer is a blogger, baker, maker and author of the Children's cookbook Sweets on a Stick: More Than 150 Kid-Friendly Recipes for Cakes, Candies, Cookies, and Pies on the Go! Published in the USA in 2011 the book is still available at Amazon and many online bookstores.

Affiliate links may earn me money and contribute to supporting this blog.

Original ideas, photography and recipes Linda Vandermeer please do not reuse without permission.

Sweet Strawberry Layer cake

I have such a treat for you this week. I am finally sharing my sweet strawberry layer cake recipe here and yes I don't know why it has taken me so long although perhaps you will forgive me when I tell you I have been tweaking it over the years to come up with the delicious version in the top photo.

Picture by Alyce and Colette Photographers

The secret my dear friends is...........strawberry jelly (jello) crystals which gives the cake both the flavour and the colour in one go.

I have been using it for years as it's such a favourite with the kids.

In fact when I made it for Sweet's recent birthday after not using it for a year or so and The Destroyer was licking the bowl* he said it tasted like berry pancakes and told me that if the finished cake tasted the same it would be the most amazing cake I ever made.

*(I know he shouldn't do that with raw egg but seriously I am only human and he was begging.)

(for this version replace the yogurt with strawberry puree)

The 3rd picture above is of an older version of the cake back when I used to add puree strawberry in place of yogurt, which is still good and I'm telling you just in case you would like to try it out yourself.

The finished cake cuts very well and is quite moist so you can make it a few days ahead and decorate as needed. The only downside is that it has quite a brown hard crust which I think is better removed for decorating if you want the cake to look nice once sliced. But I pretty much do that for all my cakes anyway.

I like to fill this cake with a light vanilla Italian Meringue Buttercream which I guess kinda makes it a strawberry and cream layer cake and totally delicious and I have included a recipe at the bottom of the post.When filling I find it best to chill the cake in the fridge for a few minutes between each layer.

I hope you try my strawberry ckae and that it becomes a family favourite for you like it has for me.

Sweet Strawberry Layer Cake (divide the batter into 3 x 6" pans to make a 4" high filled cake)
The jelly (jello) used in this recipe is the dry sugar crystals in the packet. If cake flour is not available use 310g (11 oz) plain (all purpose) flour and add 40g (1 3/8 oz)of cornflour (corn starch) instead.
Note I like to use weight instead of cup measurements as standard cup sizes are not the same in USA and Australia.

350g (12 3/8oz) cake flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
200g (7oz) sugar
1 packet strawberry jelly crystals (jello) 85g (3oz approx)
225g (8 oz) unsalted butter at room temperature
4 large eggs at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
240ml (8 1/2oz) full fat milk
135g (4 3/4oz) no fat greek yogurt (I use Chobani)

Preheat oven to 170 C  (340 F) fan forced. Line the base and sides of 3 x 15cm (6") tins or 2 x 20cm 8" tins.

Sift the flour and baking powder and set aside until needed.

In the bowl of a large mixer at high speed cream together the butter, sugar and jelly (jello) crystals until light and fluffy.

Reduce speed to low and add the vanilla and then eggs one at a time mixing until combined and scraping down the sides as required.

Add 1/3rd of the flour mixture, mix at low speed until just combined scraping down sides as required. Add 1/2 the milk and mix until combined and then another 1/3rd of the flour mixture once again mixing and scraping down the sides.

Add the remaining milk and all of the yogurt and mix until combined and then the final third of flour making sure the sides and bottom of bowl have been scraped down and no lumps of flour are remaining.

Divide the mixture evenly between the prepared tins.

Bake until the cake is cooked all the way through and a skewer inserted comes out dry approximately 45 minutes.

Italian Meringue Butter cream This batch will make enough to fill and cover the cake and extra to decorate with buttercream flowers as in the example.

Make sure your bowl and mixer are clean to whip egg whites. I use a stand mixer with a pouring shield to make this butter cream, the sugar syrup is very hot, make sure you take appropriate safety precautions when pouring the hot sugar syrup mixture. Not suitable for young children to make.

300g white sugar (12oz)
75g (2 3/4oz) water
5 egg whites
450g (1 pound - 4 sticks) unsalted butter cut into smallish cubes
1 tsp vanilla extract

Place sugar and water into saucepan over high heat and bring to boil. Conintue to  heat until the sugar syrup mixture reaches 115 C (240F). Brush down the the sides of saucepan with a wet pastry brush as required to stop sugar crystals from forming.

Place the egg whites in the bowl of your mixer (make sure the bowl is quite large). When the sugar syrup reaches 110C (210F) start to whip the egg whites at high speed.

Once the sugar syrup reaches 115C (240 F) carefully pour the syrup into the whipped egg whites whilst the mixer is still beating on high.

Continue to beat until the egg and sugar mixture cooled to room temperature (or the bowl feels cool to touch) and then start to add a few cubes of butter at a time. Add the vanilla.

The mixture will probably become quite liquid, but continue to beat until it thickens and all the butter is evenly distributed. May take around 10 minutes.

Linda Vandermeer is a blogger, baker, maker and author of the Children's cookbook Sweets on a Stick: More Than 150 Kid-Friendly Recipes for Cakes, Candies, Cookies, and Pies on the Go! Published in the USA in 2011 the book is still available at Amazon and many online bookstores.

Affiliate links may earn me money and contribute to supporting this blog.

Original ideas, photography and recipes Linda Vandermeer please do not reuse without permission.