As a very busy working mum who also loves baking and cake decorating it is always useful to know about local cake decorating suppliers. I find myself relying a lot more on online ordering, especially when I’m short of time.
I was over the moon when Hayley from The Cake Decorating Store contacted me after reading SmartCookieSam and asked if I was interested in reviewing some of their products. I love the chance to try out new products so I jumped at the chance.
The Cake Decorating Store is an online store based in Leeds (so very local to me, too!) and sells everything to do with cake decorating that you can think of, including bakeware and cake boxes.
If you would like to find out more about The Cake Decorating Store, then why not pop over to their website?
A couple of weeks ago I was excited when a box arrived on my doorstep. I love getting surprises through the post and this one was no exception! A 7″ diameter loose bottomed sandwich cake tin, a cake tester and a cake leveller. I was pleased to get another 7″ cake tin, I already have three for when I bake a triple layer cake but it is useful to have an extra tin. If I’m baking for charity and need to bake two sandwich cakes at once, now I can do it!
I had not used a cake leveller before although I had seen one in Lakeland. If I need to level cakes I’ve usually used a ruler and a knife. I can’t wait to try it out the next time I need to bake a cake with a level top.
The cake tester was also extremely useful. I have a couple of metal skewers I use when testing my cakes but they’re always hiding themselves in my drawer. I can never find them when I need them in a hurry so this cake tester with its big top won’t be lost in a hurry!
All three products were of an exceptionally high quality. The cake tin and leveller are by Tala which is a reputable brand that has been associated with baking and other household equipment for over a hundred years now. I remember my late Nana who loved baking giving me a Tala icing set and a book showing me how to use the nozzles. So anything by Tala to me speaks of heritage and high quality. The tester was by Chef Aid, a brand I don’t know too much about but I have seen a few of their products in supermarkets, etc.
I’m a bit behind with my blogging at the moment. You’ll be thinking, well 4th July was a couple of weeks ago! True, but this is the first time I’ve been able to sit down and get typing. I was going to join in the Clandestine Cake Club’s VCake event for that weekend but I completely forgot to download the pics. Story of my life but anyway at least I got to bake a fantastic cake using my new goodies.
For 4th July I wanted to bake something with an American taste and theme. I adapted a recipe I had from the Primrose Bakery Cupcake book and instead of baking cupcakes put the mixture into two 7″ sandwich tins instead. Miraculously there was some peanut butter left in the cupboard. Usually when I buy it my family snaffle it before I can say the word “peanuts”!
The frosting was a milk chocolate one. I used two bars of Green and Blacks Milk chocolate and nearly fainted to see them still in my baking cupboard. My family are losing their touch! I also used some of another of my favourite products at the moment, the fabulous Sugar and Crumbs chocolate milkshake icing sugar in place of ordinary icing sugar.
Here is how it turned out!
Many thanks again to Hayley from The Cake Decorating Store for sending me the tin, cake tester and leveller to try out. I didn’t need the leveller for this cake but I will try it out very soon and let you know how I get on with it.
Happy Baking!
Love Sam xx
