The Bakeress

Sooo, I know when you heard I made a Courgette Cake, the above was your response. It would have been mine too if I had not attempted it! Seriously, this cake is to DIE for, but don’t die because you have still yet to try the cake! Seriously though, how weird does that sound? Courgettes are those Minnie cucumber look alike vegetables that go in pastas and HotPots (I didn’t even know what a HotPot was until it became my cousin Fazila's speciality) and other savoury dishes…

Once my friend told me to try making a courgette curry. She said it’s the easiest and tastiest curry. I took her word for it, because I thought one can’t lie so blatantly about food can they? So the very next day I went out and purchased the biggest Courgette I could lay my hands on, and cooked the curry like she asked me to. Dare I say, it was the first and last time a Courgette Curry shall be cooked in my household. I decided courgettes should be left to the Italians, Indians should stick to Okras and Karelas (Karelas are actually one of my favourite vegetables, cooked with tamarind and Jaggury Gor, yum yum in my tum! My cousin Sabina’s mother in-law makes it the best!)

Zucchini, otherwise known as Courgette, is one of the lowest calorie vegetables on this planet. So I thought, if I created a cake out of it, the cake would be virtually fat free!? So I produced a pretty simple yet affective recipe, crossed my fingers and hoped to hell it would work. Funny enough, someone up there was undeniably on my side, because boyyy did it work….

When out of the oven, the cake smelt divine, seriously lip smackingly good! I created a Greek Yoghurt Butter Cream frosting, which is amazingly smooth and creamy by the way. When I did eventually cut myself a slice of my cake, I locked myself in a room and devoured the sensations of it. The specs of green amongst the dark brown sponge looked emeraldly fairytale like, and the crunchy texture of the whole walnuts…mmm Blew my mind away, I need a slice NOW NOW NOW! It’s unbelievable that the cakes made out of Zucchini! (Yes I know, I still can’t get over it!)

I must confess, it’s become one of my favourite cakes in a very short space of time. Be daring and try? An 8 inch Zucchini Cake for £25.00. I can assure you, it will be one of the most successful investments you make for your taste buds!xxx

Miniature new born human beings, otherwise known as BABY'S! Don’t we all just adore them? I newly found out two of my family members are expecting new humans, and are both due to have summer babies! I myself am a summer baby and trust me, there is just something sunny about us people... How exiting!! Baby shower and baby announcement cakes & cookies are the kind of orders I immensely look forward to baking…after all, I’m having a helping hand in the auspicious celebration of a new life in this bizarre world of ours!! None the less, when these incy wincy pruney wrinkled bodied creatures reach their destination on Planet Earth, they never fail to make us forget about day to day difficulties, and for that one special moment make us smile without a care in the world.

Seriously, are you telling me this picture isn't make you smile? It isn't making you say "aww that's just chooo chweet!!! or "I want one of them!" (The latter being 'I want one of those chocolate cakes, not the baby)

I love babies I do! They make my heart swell with pride. Not to say they don’t make me feel broody, after all, more womanly emotions are embedded in me than I know of. Even as a child, I loved holding babies. I would be fascinated by the little squidgy bit at the crown of their heads (posterior fontanelle) and I’d enjoy pushing it in and out…wondering why my own head does not feel so spongy. Later on in life I realised how dangerous this pushing in and out baby head thing was. I do now question why some of my younger cousins turned out strange…should I blame myself and my obsession with pressing their posterior fontanelle for this? Life is too short for sorrow, so lets leave that thought out...

Now, I'm all for receiving a box of Ambala sweets at the announcement of a baby. I used to love Ambala’s Habshi Halwa in the 1990’s, chewy, glossy & packed with roasted cashew nuts. Warmed for a few seconds and BAM, Bobby darlings your uncle! These days I’m a little spectacle, they don’t seem to be as generous with their cashews you see, and a good Habshi Halwa needs to have cashews right?

Ambala Habshi...just look at the gloss on it!! Stretch it in half and you can see the little syrupy strands come apart..yum! Just a few more cashews is all I ask for and it would be back to being perfecto!! :D

Another of my all time favourites from Ambala’s is their Laddoos! Amazing deep yellow/orange balls of sunshine. The way they crumble as soon as you bite into them, and thereafter tiny syrup explosions in your mouth occur. Now when these Ambala laddoos are fresh ,I am not shameful to admit, I can not resist no matter how stuffed I am (and I am usually quite stuffed with the amount I feel the need to eat)…and devilishly they are particularly Moorish. When I was younger, I secretly had an ambition, that I’d apply for a job at Ambala, I wanted to be that woman wearing a white coat, working in the kitchen of Ambala rolling warm ladoo mixture in my hands, forming them into ladoo shapes. I wanted to be the ‘LADOO WOMAN’. I’d day dream in junior school lessons, that in my time of employment at Ambala they would hold a staff award ceremony and I’d have to benevolently accept ‘Ladoo Roller of the Year Award’. I admit at times, I like having a laugh but I shall have you know, I’m dead serious here. I never do give up my aspirations, so my CV is still in progress…

Ambala Laddoo! A bite of this and a dull life is sure to turn into a sunny one! So perfectly round, hand molded...I need one now!!!

Right up there at the top of my Ambala list though, would be their creamy Ras Malai. I cant help but smile when I use the word Ras Malai, reminds me of ‘Goodness gracious me’ and when those two Ghetto Asian guys, Sanjeev Bhasker & Kulvinder Ghir spot a ‘well fit chick’ and feel the need to say “Rasssa Malaiiii!!!” I am worried about my mental state of health as I sit here giggling uncontrollably at the thogt of that scene… Ambala’s Ras Malai is truly the greatest! Spongy white cakyness soaked in thick, creamy milk, not to forget they have a nutty centre. Ahhhhh I sit here craving!!!! The saffron, the cardamom….If India had a heaven of it’s own, I promise you they would have a pool of Ras Malai in the centre of it. It’s truly a dessert invented for the Gods! (Metaphorically speaking so please do not go all religious on me)…

There is only one thing I complain about with Ambala Ras Malai, it states easy peel on the pack, but in reality its the most difficult and messy peel you can have on a food product. For as long as I can remember, they have had the same packaging. Its virtually impossible to peel the seal, so you have to stab it with a knife and then cut all the way around the seal, whilst the Creamy milky 'rass' pores out of the packaging and drips all over the kitchen worktop. There has never been a time where I have opened a Rass Malai box and not been told off by my mother for making such a mess. It's not my fault honest, Mr Ambala seriously needs to rethink!! Why must it 'Easy peel' be printed on the pack, thats just evil and deceptive? :(

Ahhh Glorious, look at those Bad Boys!! Waiting to be succulently eaten spoonful by spoonful. The chopped pistachio nuts perfectly placed on each one. Why must I torture myself this way??? I sure must be glutton for punishment!

Anyhow, back to the original topic, As I was saying, I’m all for boxes of Ambala sweets being given out at the birth of a baby…but unfortunately not all appreciate the glory of Indian sweets and desserts. I have now also found that being a little different takes you a long way, and gives your baby a bright start to their future ;)

So I thought I’d share with you some of my baby delights. My cakes will forever hold the cute factor, but can you imagine my cakes with prams, bottles, baby feet, booty’s & bum-hearts?? Seriously is it even possible for cakes to get any cuter?? I can assure you it is possible!

The Yummy Arrival of Hussain & Tasnim's Baby Boy

(2010)

Baby Announcement cakes are increasing in popularity, it's a lovely occasion to celebrate the birth of a newborn baby! These gorgeous 4 inch cakes are a perfect size to give out, and whats best is even after the cake has been eaten, you have a huge cookie to munch on! (That is if you didnt start on the cookie before the cake!) These delights worked specially well with my Madagascan Vanilla bean sponge with homemade raspberry jam and Vanilla bean frosting. Sealed with Roasted Almond Marzipan & White Sugar paste icing...These cuties had no choice but to stay moist for a very long time!

My 4 inch bundle of joys, all wrapped up and ready to be sent to their new homes! Mamma's gonna miss you!!

Finished with a hand crafted heart shaped cookie, tied delicately with a baby blue ribbon and encrusted with blue pearls. Finished with Hand made baby booties to give it that extra adorable factor!

My Baby Boo Boo Boy Cupcakes!
(2010)

My Pretty Sugar Muffin Baby Girl Cupcakes!
(2010)

My Baby Boy Cookie Pops!!!

(2010)

Baby Girl Assorted Cookie Box!

(2010)

This clear box with 50 cookies is a perfect gift to take when going to see the baby for the first time. Yes, although the baby cant chew on them, its the mother who deserves something sweet to cheer her up after that dreadful labour!

Baby pink & Brown are one of my favorite colour combinations. It reminds me of one of my idol Pastry Chefs, Peggy Porschen...her whole Cake parlour is Pink and Brown...it's like stepping into paradise in Victoria!

Jamila & Javid's arrival of perfect little Zainab!
(2010)

One of my dearest friends, Jamila was heavily pregnant this time last year. She gave birth to a perfectly beautiful little Angel who they named Zainab. These assortment of cookies were a perfect way to announce their daughters individuality! The little white doily's set off the glass jars perfectly, giving it that old fashioned sweet jar look! Finished with the classic Bakeress's signature ribbon, just so everyone knew where they came from ;)

My heart Vanilla shortbread cookies!

My Gingerbread Naked Baby's!!

Shamim & Hussains Baby Boy Arrival!
(2011)

Mr & Mrs Udat were expecting their second child. Shamim wanted to share out a novelty at the birth of her baby and went for 6 stylish baby boy cupcakes. These gorgeous treats had a Madagascan Vanilla bean moist sponge, with Homemade Strawberry jam in the centre and piped with a fluffy intense Vanilla Bean Frosting. They were then finished with hand made baby boy decorations, including The Bakeress's signature Bum-heart!

A few days after the couple got blessed with their son, I received a text from Shamim;

"Salams Fatima! I know I'm really delayed but you know how it is...Keeping busy busy...! I wanted to say a huge thank you...U done a great job and mashallah everyone loved them! Hope to place another order for something else soon. Take care Hun xx" -Shamim Udat.

A sense of satisfaction is truly felt with positive feedback as such :)