We're moving!

Thank you to everyone who has supported our Blogger space over the past year, however we are no longer operating our blog from this domain.

You can find our new blog at www.moonlightandwhimsy.com.au


Can't wait to see you there!

Ezz @ M&W

Livin da Cupcake Loca

If you'd told me several years ago that I could put bacon into a cupcake, I would have laughed at you. Just like I would have laughed if you'd told me about little cakes on the end of lollipop sticks. Okay...that one's a little more credible. But bacon...in a cupcake? Images of savoury muffins would have crept into my limited imagination, like they are undoubtedly yours.

French Toast and Bacon in a cupcake? That's just crazy talk.

Nevertheless, I hauled Stephen into the kitchen at midnight on Friday to help me make the pièce de résistance for our submission into the Lily Chic Events/Luminoso Blu Mother's Day Table competition. Don't get me wrong - Stephen is a vital part of our business. He lifts heavy things. He climbs unstable ladders and hangs lanterns in strange places. He handles logistics and orders and my mountain of accumulated receipts. Nowhere in his contract (ha!) does it say that he has to help me make baked goods at some ungodly hour. But here we were - attempting the stuff that legends are made of. We had enough mixture for...a 13th cupcake. Not being able to wait, we broke open the mysterious little cake - steam still rising from its inner core (okay, now I'm getting carried away). We took a bite and our eyes widened. It was French Toast. It was Bacon. It was BOTH.

Fast forward several hours (and 4 hours sleep) later - cupcakes cooled and frosted, shoot complete, photos transferring to the hard drive...and we got to eat them as intended. The maple frosting was...in a word...divine. I've adapted the recipe from the original source, given that I could not find maple extract ANYWHERE. If you can - I salute you. But an extra dollop of maple syrup did it for me (and I was a little more liberal with the cinnamon too - but that's just personal preference).

So without further ado - I give you the perfect recipe for mum this Mother's Day:

French Toast & Bacon Cupcakes w/Maple Buttercream.
Adapted from The Busty Baker's adaptation of 125 Best Cupcake Recipes by Julie Hasson
Makes 12-14

Cupcakes

• 1 1/2 cups plain flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 Tblspn ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and then cooled
• 2 eggs
• 1(ish) tablespoon pure maple syrup
• 1/2 cup milk
• 6-8 slices bacon (or more if you like your cupcakes bacon-y)

1. Preheat oven to 180C and line baking pan with paper liners.

2. Cook bacon in batches browned, but still flexible. Soak up any extra oil on paper towels and set aside to cool. Once bacon is cooled enough to handle, cut a couple slices of bacon into inch-long pieces. This will be the decoration on top of the cupcake, so make as many as you think you'll need. Set aside. Chop or tear the remaining bacon into tiny pieces. Set aside.

3. In a small bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.

4. In a large bowl, whisk together butter, sugar and eggs until smooth. Whisk in maple syrup. Alternately whisk in flour mixture and milk, making three additions of flour mix and two of milk, beating until smooth. Fold in small bacon pieces. Mix until evenly distributed throughout batter.

5. Scoop batter into prepared pan and bake 20-25 minutes until golden brown and tops spring back when lightly touched. Let cool in pan on a rack for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely.


Maple Buttercream
Adapted from The Busty Baker's adaptation of 125 Best Cupcake Recipes by Julie Hasson
Makes enough to frost 2 dozen cupcakes

2 cups icing mixture
3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
Pinch of salt

1. In a bowl with an electric mixer, beat butter until light and fluffy. Add maple syrup and salt, and beat until well combined. Add icing mixture, half cup at a time, and beat until smooth and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

2. Frost or pipe onto cooled cupcakes. Top with inch-long bacon pieces.


Original Post: http://sites.google.com/site/thebustybakersrecipes/home/french-toast-and-bacon-cupcakes

Sooooo yummy!!

My Favourite Things - Sweet Style

Today we chat to Leanne Ambrogio from Sweet Style (otherwise known as Mrs A in the Cove) about her favourite things! We love Leanne's work at M&W - and we know you will too! Make sure you check out her blog at the end of this post!

"My name is Leanne and my business name is Sweet Style.  My business is still a very new one and something I am loving having found a passion for styling and putting together dessert and candy tables for parties, christenings and weddings.  My blog is called Sweet Style by Mrs A In the Cove and it is about many things - my life, my styling, my photography journey, my family, the party tables I create for myself and for others...

Today I have put together a collage of all of my favorite things - the wonderful items used to style a great dessert and candy table - my favourites include cake stands, honeycomb balls, personalised spoons, cookie pops, sugar sticks, glass jars, little bottles with straws and beautiful labels."

All images by Sweet Style.

Check out Leanne's work here:


www.sweetstyle.com.au
www.mrsainthecove.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mrs-A-In-The-Cove/143138412393688

Light Up Your Life - Finalists!

We have some beautiful ideas and designs for our lightboxes, thanks to our gorgeous fans and customers. We were absolutely astounded by the lengths that some of you went to to decorate! Even those who photoshopped or sketched their ideas completely  blew us away!

How to Vote:

1. Simply go to our Facebook (facebook.com/moonlightandwhimsy) and find the poll with the corresponding entrant's name - and vote!

2. Share our Facebook page with your friends, family and fans and get them to vote also! 

3. The winner will the entrant with the most votes by 8pm (EST), Wednesday 13th April, 2011!!

My Favourite Things - Willow Tree Creative Services

Tonight we chat to Lea from Willow Tree Creative Services about where she finds her inspiration! Enjoy. xo

"My name  is Lea, creative director and founder of Willow Tree Creative Services,  a boutique wedding, event management and photographic styling business in Brisbane. I am so honoured to have been asked to guest blog on Moonlight and Whimsy's "My Favourite Things". I have so many favourite things but if I had to narrow it down to a small list of favourite things right now I would have to say, inspirational photography, music, lollies, lotus pods in wedding bouquets, mismatched glass jars for decorating, mismatched vintage china as place settings and DIY vintage inspired wedding decorations."

"I find my inspiration in everything, everywhere and everyone! I spend many hours finding inspirational images from other photographers and wedding blogs but mostly it comes from my surroundings, perhaps being out on a summers day with my family, or friends. I draw a lot of inspiration from those around me and my environment. I love working with photographers and clients to create a story and to make a statement. The inspiration board is a visual look at my favourite things."


Credit list for inspiration board clockwise (from top left)

• Lizzy C Photography
• Krystal Mann Photography
• Chelle Paperie
• PS I Love You
• Blair Britt Events
• The Knot (they haven't credited the photographer)
• Once Wed

Twilight Markets

Come down and see us at the 

Twilight Markets @ Evergreen Lifestyle Centre

12 Discovery Drive, North Lakes.

TONIGHT!

Check out our gorgeous range of paper lanterns, LED lights, feather butterflies, cupcake wrappers and grab a bargain while you're there! Come for dinner, and check out the other beautiful displays of handmade goodies too.

SEE YOU THERE!

Spotlight on...Harah Designs

We're taking a break from our "Favourite Things" this week to bring you a spotlight on one of our favourite designers: Harah Designs.

Maria Smirlis and her family have been product developers and manufacturers in the fashion industry for 5 generations in Europe and for the past 50 years in Australia. Maria says she is totally inspired by fabrics, people, lifestyle and most of all comfort and originality . She dares to be different and feeds off her own creativity.

"I love to create pieces that are timeless and unique with a handcrafted edge." she says.

Where does the name Harah come from? According to Maria, it means happiness and new beginnings. All Harah dresses and accessories are made from fabrics and components collected from the 40s to the 90s, and are designed in unique vintage styles from these eras.

They also specialise in unique and eclectic custom-designs.

Harah Designs are having a giveaway at the moment to go in the draw to win a gorgeous nude blossom dress fit size 6-12.

All you have to do is:

1. Suggest their Facebook page to a friend
2. Subscribe to http://www.harahdesigns.com
3. Leave a comment telling them where you would wear this dress.

 Check them out today!

Website: www.harahdesigns.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/HARAH-DESIGNS