Vintage Cupcake Decorating Classes

Hello!

Just a little note to tell you all that we are running vintage cupcake decorating classes with afternoon tea. We have selected group dates for these workshops which you can book online for, however if you have a hen party or wish to book for a private group then please do get in touch as we have plenty of dates for you.

Come and join us for vintage tunes, bunting, afternoon tea and lots of cupcake decorating fun!

Vintage and Cake x

Vintage Cupcake Decorating Workshops

I am now running vintage cupcake decorating classes with afternoon tea. You will learn how to create nine beautiful vintage style cupcakes, including;

♥ How to pipe with buttercream using lots of different techniques and nozzles, including a fabulous buttercream rose
♥ How to use embossers and other tools to create a vintage look
♥ How to create that pearlised vintage sparkle
♥ Make very delicate roses and other flowers
♥ How to make other vintage inspired sugar designs
♥ Make and use sugar pearls
♥ How to pipe with royal icing
♥ Have a vintage afternoon tea!

The workshops are £40.00 per person and include a full afternoon tea with lots of tasty treats.





I am very excited to be able to run these courses as vintage is my speciality and something I love doing and do lots of. The courses are held in The Thomas cook Memorial Hall in Melbourne, Derbyshire which is a great hall with a lovely vintage feel.

If you would like to book then please call 07814 600596 or email vintageandcake@me.com, I would love to hear from you.

Cupcake Decorating Baby Shower

Yesterday I spend the afternoon with 6 lovely ladies teaching them how to make little sugar ducks, roses and booties! They came along to one of my cupcake decorating workshops with afternoon tea. They created some really beautiful cupcakes, I was very impressed with their creativity. I had a really lovely afternoon, they were a pleasure to teach.



I also welcomed my first assistant to Vintage and Cake, the delightful Emma, Emma will be helping me at the workshops over the summer, assisting people with icing techniques, sugar craft and answering whatever baking questions you can throw at her!



This is a great idea for a baby shower, the mum to be was literally showered with gifts and made to feel really special by her lovely friends and mum. She is actually due next week so was under strict orders NOT to give birth before or during the workshop (I had brought hot towels just in case!)

A lovely afternoon, thanks ladies, I hope you will continue to make lots of fabulous cupcakes!

High Tea and Afternoon Tea... what's the difference?

I have been meaning to write this blog for quite some time now and well, here it is!

I wanted to outline the distinct differences between afternoon tea and high tea so with the help of Helen Simpson who wrote the wonderful book 'The Ritz London Book Of Afternoon Tea' given to me by my boyfriends lovey grandma this Christmas I shall tell you!

Afternoon Tea

Traditionally this meal was served at 4 o'clock due to Anna, the Duchess of Bedford growing so very tired of the 'sinking feeling' in her poor tummy at around this time. In 1840 she simply decided enough was enough; she was famished so she plucked up the courage to ask for a tray of tea, bread and butter and cake to be brought to her room. Goodness me she was cheeky! Once this habit had been formed she just could not break it and soon it spread amongst her lady friends who started donning long, frilly gowns for the occasion. Tea services kept up to with side plates, bread and butter plates, cake stands and every other accompaniment you could think of. The china was always delicate and the chat kept light with a side of gossip.

Afternoon tea to this day is a graceful event and brings people together to really chat about life and love over a comforting cuppa and a slice of cake.



High Tea

Unlike the Afternoon tea, High Tea is certainly not a dainty affair. It is usually served at 6 o'clock and divides day from night. It is a very hearty meal, so much so that dinner isn't always a necessity.

What you will find at High Tea...

Heavy brown Firestone teapots with ridiculously strong tea, as they say 'to trot a mouse on' (who says that?) large white, crisp tablecloths, smoked hams, egg and bacon pies, wedges of cheese, potted shrimps, kippers, bread and butter with pots of jam and full bodied fruit cakes.

What you will NOT find at High Tea...

Delicate fingers hooked through pretty bone china, social chit chat or little cakes and scones.

So there you have it the differences are pretty distinct and traditionally they were and still are a very different type of meal in both food, tea and conversation!

Cupcake decorating workshops and afternoon tea

Cupcake workshops are fabulous, that is why I have decided to run them, as I have lots of great tips, sprinkles and glitter that I would like to share!



Come and join us for a lovely afternoon tea where you will be served pots of tea until your hearts content, finger sandwiches and slices of my specialty... the Victoria sponge all on my beautiful vintage china. You are also more than welcome to bring along your own bubbly as I will provide the vintage coupes or flutes. Your afternoon tea will be followed by a cupcake decorating workshop, there will be lots of beautiful chocolate and vanilla cupcakes to ice and decorate yourself however you fancy; pick up some handy tips and impress your friends.



Perfect for hen parties, children’s birthday’s and corporate events.

Vintage Twee

As you know anything to do with vintage and I am there! so I was delighted to be contacted by Joanne Linder, owner of the gorgeous 'Vintage Twee' I would like to share her creativity with you, over to Joanne...

...Vintage Twee is home to an enchantingly English range of hand crafted, vintage-inspired table décor for the loveliest tea party, wedding or shower. My aim is to add a touch of English authenticity to your special occasion with my range of unique favours, table centre pieces and dining accessories.





My work is inspired by my British heritage, love for tea and classic romance and imagery from a bygone era. Whether you are having a vintage themed tea party or special event, or are just looking for something that little bit different, Vintage Twee will ensure you host a beautiful and elegant experience for all your guests.



Every item produced by Vintage Twee has been individually hand crafted to the highest standard and is not mass produced. I use vintage materials where possible to create my items such as lace, pearls, jewels, music sheets and imagery – even old love letters from the 1940s – which I source from a variety of unusual places!





I would love people to contact me if they are interested in any of the items that I make – I encourage custom orders, regardless of size, and enjoy working with people on an individual basis to ensure they match desired colour schemes and style.

A very blue afternoon tea party

I had a mini photo shoot yesterday that I thought I would share with you. This blue is very popular at the moment, especially for Mother's Day presents. This china is 'willow' and so pretty. I thought a splash of red would work quite well against the blues. Just to say thank you to my lovely boyfriend who does all of my photography and is totally self taught, bless him! it makes a huge difference having someone to take good quality photographs.



I suggest to anyone who is reading this to stop working immediately, grab a cuppa, sit down and plan when you will have an afternoon tea for friends and family this Spring/Summer, go on do it! If you need any help you can ask me!



Your comments would be welcome

x

Tea at the Ritz

I have always wanted to go to The Ritz for afternoon tea and now I think I will be going this year! Its my boyfriends Grandma and Grandad's 70th and 80th birthday this year and to really treat them we have decided to take them to have afternoon tea at the Ritz. A bit pricey but they are worth it, you don't turn 80 and 70 every day do you! Plus it will be research for me too, well no not really I just want to go and eat cake and drink tea!
I will report back when I have been.

A menu for a very nice afternoon tea with suggestions for appropriate teas

Traditional Afternoon Tea
A selection of freshly prepared finger sandwiches (crusts off, preferably cucumber or fish paste)
Warm scones with clotted cream and preserves
A variety of home made cakes (coffee and Victoria sponge are delightful)
Your choice from a range of teas

Here are some of the more common teas but of course there are so many to choose from out there.

Darjeeling
An aromatic and astringent tea from India, with a hint of almonds and wildflowers.


Earl Grey
A blend of black teas scented with oil of bergamot named after Charles, 2nd Earl Grey, who was Prime Minister from 1830 to 1834.


Lapsang Souchong
A Chinese tea fired over smoking pine needles, which produces a striking smoky odour and flavour.

A delicious coffee and walnut cake recipe to go with your tea:

Coffee and walnut cake

250g butter
250g soft light brown sugar
4 eggs
300 self raising four
200ml strong coffee
50g walnuts chopped

Buttercream

225g unsalted butter
3 teaspoons strong coffee (dissolve the coffee in just enough water to make a paste)

Aunt Sally's Afternoon Tea Dance

The tea dance is all set to go, I am working with The Moorside Grange Hotel. to bring this event to you, I think it is needed!

It will be held on the 9th May from 2pm until 5pm, there will be lots of live music, tea, cake and old time dancing, with a special treat for you too!

Come and join us!

The hotel is situated on the edge of the Peak District National Park, minutes from Lyme Park, where the BBC’s ‘Pride and Prejudice’ series was filmed.

Tickets are £19.95 and this includes the following;

As much tea and cake as you like, all served on exquisite vintage china - All china provided by Vintage and Cake. Cakes and scones will be provided by the hotel.

A Dance show put on by the amazing Blackpool Latin champions Mel and Tia

A dance workshop from a dance professional, so you can learn some moves yourself

Music by a live band all afternoon

Dancing! Including Jive, Waltz, Quickstep, Cha Cha Cha, Tango and Rumba. (no dad dancing aloud!)

The hotel are also doing an amazing deal for rooms, £25.00 per person based on two people sharing, breakfast is included in that price.

So come along perhaps on the Saturday and make a weekend of it, you could also visit the absolutely stunning Lyme Park and take a walk through the breathtaking scenery.

If you would like to book your tickets to this wonderful afternoon please email Rebecca a;

salesmgr@moorsidegrangehotel.com

or call 01663 764151

She will be on hand to help you out with tickets, information and hotel rooms.

I really hope to see you there for some good old fashioned dancing!

Valentine's cupcakes and afternoon tea

Another little blog to share with you. The most romantic day of the year (well its supposed to be)is fast approaching and I would like to share with you examples of some Valentine's themed cupcakes. They look so lovely with the vintage china and as I always harp on about its such a lovely way to spend your afternoon with someone you think the world of! I think Valentine's should be for those you love in general, so friends, family and your boyfriend, girlfriend, husband or wife!

All you need is love! x

The tea dance is on!

My meeting with The Moorside Grange Hotel went really well today, we met with the lovely Rebecca Massey the events manager and chatted about tea, cakes and dancing! I took along some lovely vintage china to show her and we got a date in the diary for the event. It is to be Sunday 9th May 2010 from 2pm - 5pm, the band will play from 3pm and there will be a dance workshop including The Jive, Quickstep, Waltz, Tango, Cha Cha Cha and many more!!! It will be fabulous. I will be providing china for each table, teacups and saucers and 3 tier cake stands all laden with scones, finger sandwiches plus there will be some classic cakes such as Victoria sponge and coffee and walnut all provided by Vintage and Cake aka ME! Tickets will work out to be £20.00 each and the hotel is working on a weekend deal, so an over night stay, dinner, breakfast and the tea dance with a few more bits and bobs included, details TBC. The hotel is beautiful, the views are to die for, the sweeping countryside is breathtaking on the drive up and the room that the tea dance will be held in is very in keeping with this wonderful tradition. I am just a little bit excited can you tell? I will keep you posted about this event as everyone is welcome!

Tea dances

I have a meeting tomorrow morning with a hotel to talk about putting on a tea dance, I am so excited about it; tea, cake and old time dancing is my idea of heaven. I have just come back from my dance lesson with my partner Ben, we are going to a ball on the 14th December so need to get ready to actually dance 'properly' on the dance floor. We did Waltz, Cha Cha Cha and the Mayfair Quick Step tonight, the latter is so so fast and it felt like an absolute joke whilst we were doing it, we can do it though and we have a few more lessons before the 14th Dec so we should be ok, I hope! Anyway back to the Tea dance... the hotel is interested in putting these tea dances on quarterly, so I have the crockery, the cakes, the band and the dance teacher to provide the workshop; we are pretty much ready to go, this meeting tomorrow will confirm the dates and the cost of the tickets, so I will keep you posted, as all those who are interested in this kind of thing will love this!