ITS OKAY! I'M STILL HERE!!

Just had another of those manic days where you don't get a chance to draw breath!

And yet - when I look at what I've achieved, it doesn't appear to be that much!

Mind you, I'll think twice befire making flaming fondant fancies again. What a faff THEY are. (Actually, it won't be that long, because I've only iced ten ready for tomorrow - and I've got anothet twenty or so sponge squares just waiting to be enrobed.

The thing is, getting the fondant icing to drape smoothly down the sides without leaving a trail of unsightly crumbs. The solution to this? First a thing layer of buttercream along the sides and the top, with an extra spoonful to make the dome. Then the thinnest layer of fondant paste wrapped round the sides and over the top, all smoothed together to leave a perfect base for the fondant icing, which then drips all over the shop until it finally comes to rest leaving perfect little cakes! They really do look good, especially as Charles added the finishing touch when he put them into paper cases, holding each one in place until it had set into the icing.
A very fiddly and extremely messy process, but hopefully worth it.
The birthday cake is also done, filled with white chocolate buttercream and pile high with a selection of chocolates.

Cupcakes are filled and topped and just waiting for fresh fruit to be added at the last minute.

The house has been blitzed from top to bottom, fridges are stocked to capacity, so now we just need Helen and Bill to arrive. One thing's for certin - we're not going to starve!!