So you’ve been to your nearest Hot Dollar or Cheap shop and you’ve picked up some containers and you are wondering what to do with them.

You also have all these spare bits of fondant left over that you don’t know what to do with, or just end up going hard! And how on earth do people store their flower wire it so long and fiddly….

Well here are some ideas for you to make of what you will! Once you’ve finished a cake decorating job and surveyed the left over bits of fondant etc take some time to sit down and make some blossoms or pearls or do you have some moulds, make a few items from them, try some quick ribbon roses, there is no hard or fast rules, just use up that fondant with some of your tools, you can even make some rose cones or leaves, whatever your heart desires. Then take your newly bought containers and fill them up! Next time you get a last minute order that you can’t say no too, use those blossoms and you will be done in half the time!

And what about storing wires, I found these containers at Hot Dollar and thought they would make FANTASTIC wire storers, I cut the wire to size and filled them up, labelling them so I wouldn’t forget which one was what size. I can’t take credit for the idea I saw a lady at one of my Guild meetings with something similar and thought it was brilliant! Lately I’ve seen some cake decorating shops with flat pieces of material that have pockets in them for wire storage. They roll up like those old roll up jewellery rolls that some of our slightly older members might remember!

Remember one of my favourite sayings you are only limited by your imagination!

Do you have some really cool storage container/system? Let us know what you do to keep yourself organised and to use up those left over things!

Royal National Agricultural Show Queensland aka EKKA

6-15 August 2009

Schedule: http://www.ekka.com.au/home/inner.asp?pageID=234&mainID=184
(The Cake Decorating Schedule is the Fine Arts one)

Entries Close: Friday 12th June, 4pm

Exhibit Delivery Dates: Friday 31st July

This recipe comes from cake friend Christine, who was one of our Couture Cupcake Wrapper winners, courtesy of Cupcake Savvy! The photos illustrating the recipe are courtesy of Christine, they also show her gorgeous wrappers she won!

Out-of-this-World Banana, Carrot and Pineapple Cupcakes.

An excellent, delicious and (slightly) healthy cupcake recipe.
Sourced from “Bakin’ without Eggs” by Rosemarie Emro.

Est Prep Time:

Est Cooking Time: Approx 20 mins

Oven Temp: 180C

Serves: Makes approx 30

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups plain flour
1 x 100g pack vanilla instant pudding
2 ripe mashed bananas
1 3/4 cups sugar
3 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup soda water
1 cup grated carrot
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 x 225g can crushed pineapple with juice
1/2 cup walnuts, pecans or almonds, chopped

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Line cup cake tin with paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon until smooth and completely blended.
3. Spoon into the paper liners and bake for approx. 20 minutes or until done. Cool completely and then frost with cream cheese icing.

Additional Info/Comments:

Try it with yummy, Cream Cheese Icing

Ingredients:

1 x 250g pack cream cheese
2 cups icing sugar
2 tblspn milk
2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:
Using a electric mixer beat cream cheese until creamy. Slowly mix in icing sugar, then milk and vanilla and beat until smooth.

Christine says to everyone, “I hope you love it as much as my son does!!“

Have you tried this recipe? Let us know how it worked out for you!

Photos courtesy of Christine, she also adds the only thing not in the recipe is the caramel ball on top for decoration, which she bought from Big W (called Carmel Kisses by Aussie Sweets).  They look like a great easy topper to me and suit the whole cupcake and wrapper perfectly!

Have you heard of The Cupcake Courier?

The Cupcake Courier website describes itself:

The Cupcake Courier is an ingenious device that allows you to carry and store up to 36 cupcakes or muffins. Transporting cupcakes has never been easier or more stylish! The Cupcake Courier has three stackable cupcake trays with twelve cups per tray. The trays will securely hold your cupcakes in place so they will be less liked to get smooshed in transit. Each tray is stackable and removable. Simply lift the trays from The Cupcake Courier and store cakes and baked goods of all sizes. The Cupcake Courier is dishwasher safe and completely air tight.

The couriers come in gorgeous pastel colours, Saffron, Petal Pink, Lemongrass, Crystal Clear White (which is the one I have! ) or Blue Sky.

Specs: 11″ height; 15.8″ width; 11″ depth, Trays: 10″ x 13.7″.

Normally priced at AUD$59.95, The Cupcake Courier are currently having a Mother’s Day Sale and Courier’s cost AUD$49.95 until the 1st May, 2009 and both those prices are GST Inclusive.

So go on do something for yourself and spend some of that K Rudd bonus, there will still be plenty left to pop on the mortgage or pay a bill.

But it doesn’t stop there! After a successful start with The Courier they have branched out into some other fun, exciting and exclusive products.

Ever wanted to take a cupcake to work or school for morning or afternoon tea, only to find it squished by the time you open the bag? Try a Cup-a-Cake!

The fabulous Cup-a-Cake container will hold a frosted cupcake or muffin in place with special protrusions positioned in such a way that the cupcake or muffin will not move within the container if jiggled or turned upside down.

They come in packs of 2 for AUD$14.99 or 4 AUD$24.99, in a variety of fun colours including Pink Sparkles, Lime, Orange, Watermelon, Purple, Blue, White and Red. GST & Postage is inclusive on the prices of the Cup-a-Cake.

One of the newer exciting items The Cupcake Courier have added to their site are the Jessie Steel Designer Aprons, previously I’ve only ever seen these available in the USA!

They are gorgeous, retro, fun designed full and half aprons, for adults and kids. Some even include matching tea towels, oven mitts and pot holders!

They’ve also branched out into some books including some very interesting ones I haven’t seen before (which is always a bonus!)

There’s even more so be sure to check out the site.

Don’t want a carrier but want some cupcakes instead! Check out their blog site The Cupcake Company.

Have you managed to read this far! Now for the fun part! The Cupcake Courier have offered a very special Cupcake Courier pack giveaway. Want to win some very cool stuff? This is what you need to do.

• Take a cupcake (any cupcake, simply a baked one, or a decorated one or even a bought one, doesn’t matter!)
• Take it somewhere funny, creative, interesting (go on think OUTSIDE the box)
• Pose it
• Take a picture of it
• Add a caption if the photo doesn’t speak for itself
• Send it to me at cakesandmoreforum AT hotmail.com
• If you are a registered user please include your username. If not that’s OK, you only need to be registered to comment you don’t need to be registered to enter.
• Wait until the contest ends on 1st May, 2009.
• Wait until the 2nd/3rd of May for the big winner announcement.
• PLEASE NOTE: Due to the cupcake courier being available overseas, particularly the USA and the cost of International postage not being viable for a prize of this side, you must be IN AUSTRALIA to participate in this particular competition.

Pictures kindly courtesy of The Cupcake Courier.

I saw these demonstrated at one of the first Guild Meetings I ever went to. Great for a kids party, cupcake toppers, or just for fun if you don’t feel like getting the modelling fondant out.

This would also be something fun and easy to do with the kids, and really not too messy! They can eat any mess!