Gingerbread abbatoir, December 2013
I asked the lab group what they wanted for a gingerbread house this year. I think they may have been a little scarred by recent sample collection, because the request was for an abbatoir.
Happy Birthday from the sheep!
Two of my colleagues had a birthday the same week. So I baked a cake. As they both have worked with sheep (among other things) and we are in Wales, sheep was the theme. And I had a request for sponge with cream and berries and marzipan, so that's what I made.
Gingerbread creation of December 2012
As I now work in a research group focusing on microbiology, what could be more appropriate for this year's gingerbread house? A little nerdy, I know, and rather primitive. But most microbiology lab kit these days is gray boxes with a few flashy lights, not very exciting to decorate. I did manage to include the flashy lights, though. By adding one of my bicycle lights hidden under the lab bench.
Gary's 60th birthday cake
Gary was a lab technician in the lab where I work. He has now retired, but not before celebrating his 60th birthday. The design of the cake was a little random, but for those who know Gary random is pretty appropriate.
Fundraising for Crohns & Collitis UK, March 2012
I very stupidly signed up to do the Liverpool half marathon in aid of Crohns & Collitis UK. The intention was to do something to help while mom spent far too long in hospital. Fundraising did go better than expected, not necessarily because of the cake. In total, I raised over £100 per mile run. And I did manage to run the whole thing!
Gingerbread Farm, December 2011
Every year, for Christmas, I make a big batch of gingerbread cookies and a gingerbread house. As I now live in Wales, I thought I'd make a sheep farm (notice the marzipan sheep in the pen and the white marzipan sheep dog).
Halloween sugar cookies, October 2011
Halloween is a great time for baking creativeness! This time I gave sugarcookies a go. Very tasty. and decorated with icing spider-webs and m&m spiders. Great fun to make.
Jamie's Large Ruminant Collider, September 2011
A Science publication is well worth celebrating!
My colleague, Pippa, managed to get a paper accepted for publication in Science. Well worth celebrating, with a Berries and Cream cake. Covered in marzipan as Pippa is a big fan of marzipan. Cake is ok, but I'm most proud of the sugarpaste post-it note!
Tower cake for Ben & Sarah, August 2011
Ben & Sarah asked several of their friends and family to bring a cake for a wedding cake table. I thought I'd bring a traditional Norwegian celebration cake, seen at most big occasions including weddings. The cake is made from ground nuts and icing sugar, essentially baked marzipan (only I used walnuts and brazil nuts as Ben doesn't like almonds). Flowers are made of marzipan.
Richard's Birthday cake
I was having a go at improving my chocolate cake recipe, and Richard's birthday was a good excuse. This is a very dense and rich chocolatey cake with a sweet coconut filling and covered in dark chocolate ganache. Then I thought I'd decorate with piping melted white chocolate. Turned out to be very hard to do in a controlled way!
Wedding cake for John & Bridge, June 2011
Bridge and John asked for a white and yellow cake with daisies to match their white and yellow daisy theme. I threw in a few butterflies and some glitter as well. Bottom tier is fruitcake, middle tier is chocolate coconut, and top tier is berries and cream with marzipan.
Birthday cake for mom
I figured I needed lots of practice making sugarpaste flowers and decorating cakes before making an actual wedding cake. So I brought sugarpaste with me on a trip to visit my grandma in California. Mom's birthday was around that time, so provided an excellent excuse to make a cake.
Glitter cake for Glitter Party!
I needed to practice making a tiered cake, and parties are always a good excuse for making cakes. John and Bridge invited everyone over for a themed fancy dress party: Glitter and sparkle! So the cake is covered in edible glitter, and so was the house for weeks after...
Practice tower cake
I wanted to make sure I know how to make a good tower cake, and practice making decorations, before brining a cake for Ben & Sarah's wedding. No special occasion, but tasted great!