O'Crumbs

25/08/2024

With more of an autumnal feel today than midsummer I embraced baking a new recipe from - a coconut & raspberry loaf cake.

Without studio lighting and a professional photographer my raspberry icing took on rather a hot pink hue than the deeper tones of his photograph in his book Fresh Start.

The overall concensus was too bananary by my son, ok by me though will tweak the recipe without bananas and a thumbs up by the husband

A plus is that this baked with out any eggs though a whole tin of coconut milk is added to the mix which results in a moist cake and some crunchiness from the desicated coconut

09/08/2024

A bit out of touch with baking but muddled this together this afternoon for aka Nick's birthday today.
Lemon sponge filled with raspberry jam and fresh double cream, topped with fresh double cream, fresh raspberries and sprinkles of freeze dried raspberrie and meringues around the edge

02/06/2021

A wonderful welcome afternoon cup of tea yesterday in the afternoon sun at the Cobbles and Clay cafe in Haworth. A very zesty moist lemon, lime and orange cake with icing with a refreshing pot of peppermint tea.

We walked some of the iconic scenes from on The Railway Children and stumbled across a path that was closed as they have started filming the Railway Children Return which is due out April 2022.

18/04/2021

What a year we have had....in this short video I am chatting about how lock down baking has been all about making things better and connecting with cake....
If you would like more cake you or are interested to know what bakes I can make for you, you can DM me via FB or my instagram page or via my website www.ocrumbsbakes.co.uk

Nicola x

04/04/2021

Happy Easter 🐰🐣

Credit : Rosie Made A Thing

02/04/2021

The second of my recent kitchen ramblings chatting all things Easter, hot cross buns and chocolate

Last weekend I had the pleasure and delight of spending a whole day on a writing retreat – a writing retreat with a difference, this was an at home writing retreat. I have supplied sweet trea…

28/03/2021

Yesterday I had the pleasure of spending a whole day going back to my roots and writing. I have been wanting to rekindle this desire since we went into lock down last year and was fortunate enough to join Gayle Johnson Writer who facilitated this safe place in a Writing Retreat at Home day. There was also a sweet treat from Butterflies Chocolates which was thoroughly enjoyed.

My pen scribbled for most of the day and I would like to share with you my first post which feels like a long time coming

I am writing this on the eve before the country comes out of the second phase of lockdown. So much has happened in the past 12 months. As I look back at my kitchen ramblings from last year and in p…

27/03/2021

The kitchen is closed today as I am immersing myself in a writing retreat hosted by the wonderful Gayle Johnson Writer

25/03/2021

As I mentioned on Sunday evening this week is about firsts for me.

In my introduction to the group members of Nutrition in York where I am a guest poster I chatted about the journey I have made in my business.

For those of you who don't know, my love of baking began when I was about eight years old. As with life, my exploration of baking has taken me down a path where I find myself today. However, my principles of baking remain the same, I believe cake is for all and that cake connects us and brings us together.

I adapt recipes as I see fit and have a vast collection that will probably never all get baked. I am learning to be methodical and bring my recipes together to offer a seasonal approach to baking, incorporating fruit and vegetables which will add a splash of colour.

As a vegetarian for a good number of years, I am conscious of my diet and therefore want to bring the same ethos into my baking. I am not a nutritionist but can offer cakes for most allergies, dietary or lifestyle choices.

My mantra of classic cakes for modern tastes is exactly that. I introduce a twist of something that can make all the difference.

I am not looking to change the status quo in my baking, this is me, this is my style and if this is the kinda baking you enjoy them I am your kinda baker

21/03/2021

Next week is all about firsts for me.

I have been invited to be a guest poster in the group Nutrition in York and am really looking forward to sharing some titbits in there with the members.

Secondly, next Saturday I have the opportunity to spend all day at a writing retreat hosted by Gayle Johnson Writer.

Before lock down I was kindly asked to supply treats to the retreats that were held in person at wonderful locations. Sadly these retreats have become 'at home ' retreats.

However the desire to create a nurturing space is as important to Gayle Johnson Writer and this retreat is perfect if you have a writing project that keeps getting put on the back burner and needs attention. Or if you want to focus on content for your business and get stuck into blogs and posts.Or maybe
you are even working on a book.

Sometimes having accountability is what is needed, time to reflect and fellow writers to check in with and I have heard there will even be chocolate 🍫

There are still a couple places and so if this sounds like what you are needing right now either for personal reflective writing or for your business DM Gayle. I for one, cannot wait

17/03/2021

Today is St Patrick's Day or The Feast of St Patrick and is always celebrated on 17th March and honours Ireland's patron saint. 🇮🇪

Who was he? Well there are 2 schools of thought.The first is that he drove all the snakes 🐍 out of Ireland though there were no snakes and the second is that the shamrock ☘️ was used by him as a metaphor to explain to the pagan Irish the idea of the Holy Trinity.

Why today? It is the day the Saint is said to have died in 461AD.

One of the long standing traditions is eating plenty of food and drinking. Though as the feast day falls during lent, revellers were traditionally given a reprieve that day 😊

I may not be serving pints of Guinness 🍺 to my husband but he can have a biscuit 🍪☘️

Happy St Patrick's Day

15/03/2021

This is me on the last Saturday of every month.

I have a monthly cake order and after the first couple of months my customer asked if I could re use her cake carry.

What a great idea and much more environmentally friendly.

So now, the cake carry is dropped off with me on a Friday and delivered on the Saturday with a cake inside.

This is such a simple idea but so much better than using throwaway packaging. Though my cake boxes are recyclable.

What ideas have your customers come up with that have changed the way you do something?