Lime green cupcakes for a 1st birthday party

Here are some cute little lime green vanilla cupcakes for a first birthday party I am going to today. They are pretty wonky - decorated with an incredible hangover, but it's the thought that counts this time.
Happy 1st Birthday Isaac! xxx

Chocolate Fudge Bars

This is one of the easiest recipes I know! Chocolate Fudge Bars from the Woman's Weekly Biscuits cookbook. It literally takes 30mins from start to finish (well, maybe a bit more time to let the slice part cool, and a few hours/overnight in the fridge for the icing to set). This recipe is also very easy because it contains ingredients which are generally in your cupboard. And this little slice reminds me of my childhood - because this recipe is so easy, my Mum always used to make it for me to take to school morning tea days. If you would like the recipe, please email me on livinginlavenderbay@gmail.com

Making this slice reminded me of another slice I used to make all the time in London - Mars Bar Slice! Might make it soon for my Sydney workmates.

Pink cupcakes for Australia's Biggest Morning Tea

Tomorrow is Australia's Biggest Morning Tea to raise awareness and funds for cancer support. My work place is very supportive of social and community causes and I am lucky enough to be a member of the Community Committee.

I have baked 36 pink/purple vanilla cupcakes to contribute to the morning tea at work. I use the Hummingbird Bakery recipe which is the fluffiest recipe I know (and so simple).

I've started using a piping bag to put the icing on the cupcakes - but I really did lose the battle with the bag tonight. There is pink icing from one end of my kitchen to the other! This is the second bag I've tried, and with the current Tupperware catalogue sitting on my desk at work, I am very tempted to buy the Tupperware piping bag and try it out.

I've also started using my Grandmother's old mix master instead of my trusty handheld mixer. Making cupcakes is so much simpler! I can now multi-task while I mix. I am tempted to buy a KitchenAid, but maybe not right now.

Also now a fan of Smarties on cupcakes - they worked really well for my last bunch and feedback from my work friends was that Smarties made the cupcakes really good!

Cammeray (lower North Shore)

On Sunday night I finished my weekend mini-tour of Sydney with a casual dinner in Cammeray with my Godmother and her family for Mother's Day.

Cammeray is a great little suburb - some parts of it face onto Middle Harbour (so have stunning views), it is just off the main highway across the bridge, has excellent bus connections to the city and a sweet short 'High Street'. Cammeray is low-key, casual lower North Shore suburb, with a little bit of cool glam. It reminds me of a little bit of suburbia just off the highway. It is way more laid back than somewhere like Kirribilli, but it does have a bit of a similar vibe. Not necessarily 'buzzing' but a nice place to visit casually when you want to relax.

There are a number of cafes and restaurants, a couple of gift shops, some beauticians, grocer, deli, 'hot bake' and newsagent, along with the Stockland centre with a Harris Farm, bookshop and a number of casual dining restaurants. We went to Wild Sage (which I've been to before) - generous, delicious meal, and singing waiters. Recommended - better than your average suburban cool restaurant.

Thanks K, J & L for a lovely evening!

Dawn - Lavender Bay (Sydney)

Collaroy Beach

Another stunning sunny day in Sydney, so at 2pm I decided it might be nice to go for a long walk in the sand and to feel the surf spray on my face!

I googled 'longest beach in Sydney' - Collaroy was my destination. Collaroy beach is one of Sydney's northern beaches. It is approximately 45min drive from Lavender Bay (taking into account busy Sunday afternoon traffic and a stop for the Split Bridge to open/close).

Collaroy’s surf beach joins Narrabeen Beach making one continuous 3.4km surf beach. It also has a beach-side surf pool which looked great. Beaches are closed now from a lifesaving perspective, but you can still walk along them/swim at your own risk. Collaroy reminded me of a classic Australian South Coast beach rather than a city beach. It was rather rough today, and although the water was so warm I don't think I would have braved the waves alone (I didn't take my swimmers so I could only paddle up to my knees anyway).

I am a real beach girl - I absolutely love the beach and the feel of sand and sun and surf spray- and I've been keen to find some proper beaches here in Sydney. Collaroy is a real proper beach. I'll be back! My only complaints related to having to pay so much for parking and the traffic coming back along Spit Rd and Military Rd - but then that is the same complaint I have about all Sydney beaches (if you've got tips for dealing with parking at beaches, please email them through!). And I might wait until the lifesavers are back before I get in properly.

If the weather is nice next weekend, I'll go to Freshwater (where my little godsister Lucy is a volunteer lifesaver!).

My Mum - Mother's Day 2010