Check Out Astonish Grease Lifter Cleaning Tablets!

Now the time has come for us all to get inspired by the Great British Bake Off I can guarantee we will all be going under in a tide of dirty saucepans and baking tins, I mean it's pretty unavoidable isn't it? Perhaps you're super good at tin lining but fancy giving your pots and pans a good once over before getting down to baking some delicious food stuffs for the family (I know I am waiting to feel a bit better so I can get on and bake a lovely Madeira cake!) 

My pans need some TLC before they go anywhere near some cake batter and what I really wanted to try my free Astonish Cleaning Tablets on for this review was my grill pan! Granted, not used for baking but as you'll see below my pan is a test for any cleaning product that claims to remove grease, leaving me with shiny looking cooking equipment. 

As you can see we are one of those families that use the grill for sausages or bacon and don't wash it immediately, instead  using it again again until eventually we have no choice but to face the grease. I wasn't so bothered this time. I followed the instructions and added boiled water to my sink and added one tablet (I was prepared to add an extra as instructed to do so if the grease was particularly stubborn!) I added my pans into the water once the tablet was dissolved and 30 minutes later (on the instructions they say 20 minutes but I've always been one for leaving a little more time for these things)  I returned and was very, very pleased with the results!

I also left a small frying pan and a glass bowl in a freshly made sink-full of water but as is common for me I forgot about them and they ended up sitting there for hours. I was incredibly happy to see my glass bowl I've used for years as a rice pudding dish was really, really clear! I've scrubbed that glass within an inch of its life and never managed to lift the burnt on milk from those pesky edges. Of course it's been used for pies and what not too so I can officially say Astonish is my new favourite kitchen must have for my cooking equipment. It removes layers of grease, is so simple to use, is very cheap at only £3.99 per box which contains 10 tablets and as you can see above, removes stubborn over cooked marks too! It's also cruelty free which is a massive bonus. Try it yourself! Available in supermarkets!

Watch this video for how to use your Astonish Grease Lifter tablets!

Banana Loaf~ Gluten and Milk Free ~ A-Z Challenge

Today I bring you B is for Banana Loaf with Golden Syrup and Chopped Peanuts. I love making banana cakes so shoving my mixture into a loaf tin and adding some last minute toppings of choice is a great way for me to spend an hour or so! This recipe is gluten, wheat and milk free but of course you can easily use ingredients of your choice and experiment with your toppings. Icing sugar, caramel sauce (yeah I can't make it either- disaster!) other nuts you prefer or chocolate would taste great (naturally) here goes...

*Banana Loaf with Syrup & Peanuts.

100g butter

100g sugar (I used brown sugar as that's what I had in but can use any really)

3 eggs

200g Gluten free flour (I use Doves Farm)

2 Bananas Mashed

1/2tsp bicarbonate soda

1tsp vanilla essence

Pinch of salt

Topping

Golden Syrup to drizzle

Handful of salted peanuts finely chopped to sprinkle

How To Bake The Mrs Cupcake Way:

Take all your ingredients and put them into a bowl. Mix really well, use a whisk before adding your banana if you like. Make sure your loaf tin is lined with grease proof paper and pour your mix into the tin.

Bake on 180• for 20-25 minutes (or when your knife comes out clean when inserted into the cake)

Carefully remove your cake whilst warm and now you can drizzle on your syrup or caramel or chocolate or whatever you've chosen as your desired topping.

Add those chopped peanuts and enjoy!

I have a rather slap dash approach to baking so if this isn't for you, may I recommend a Google search, Pinterest or maybe one of my other recipes that are more sensibly written?

Now then, whose for cake?

* If you scroll to the bottom of my blog, you'll find a handy fact sheet with all sorts of information including weights for those who don't use Grams!*

Cupcake Mumma

What A Week!

My my what a week! I'm sure most parents are feeling pretty happy that it's finally Friday (this week has gone so slow for me) I am ready for the weekend! Tomorrow we are having a lovely little party for my sister (whose blog you can check out here) she's off to university next week so I thought we needed to have a little 'send off' for her. I've gone with a 'rainbow' theme. Not so many rainbows included but more like bright colours.

Anyway, for a little re-cap, Midge has just finished her first full week of school and she has loved it. We've had a certificate for settling in so well, made a new best friend who is very quickly becoming like another limb and already been placed 'on the cloud' for leaving class without telling the teacher and then fibbing. I may have to do another post entirely on this subject!

The days have felt pretty long but Midge is already settling in well and her teachers seem pleased with her. She's still pretty stroppy as the evening goes on but hopefully as time goes by her body will get used to these longer days of fun and learning and eventually my little angel (I wish) will return.

Little Man had his first pair of wellies this week (big, blue pirate ones no less) which he just loves to stomp around in. I'll be sure to post those photos up soon. I have managed to get out and do a bit of what I call 'scavenger hunting' this week in my local charity shops and have two items I want to share with you. First is this not so nice necklace (if you like it fair enough but it's not my thing)

Why buy it then? I hear you ask. Well, I'll show  you why I bought it:

Isn't it lovely? I'm going to pop her on some silver chain to wear around my neck. I have wanted an item of jewelry like this for a long time and when I saw this just hanging there added to this chunky necklace I had to have it.

There are also lots of lovely beads I can use to make bracelets and anklets, not mention this beautiful cross which is also on it. 

The second item I wanted to show you is this beautiful teacup I found surrounded by all sorts of ugly mugs (real mugs- not people) I had to have it! My plan is to fill it with wax and make a tea cup candle for my Gran as a Christmas gift. I'm also going to make her some earrings and soap. What do you think?

It's even got a cute tassel!

As for now though I have to get back to baking. So far I've made 3 cakes to sandwich together with thick icing and jam, I let the husband decorate (it is now resembling some sort of creature from Monsters Inc.) but it's creative and after my marzipan disaster I think it looks better to be out on the table!

I've also got a bunch of balloons to blow up and hang from the ceiling (talking of ceilings, my cupcake bunting has been made so that's also going up tonight!)

Hopefully I'll get a chance to blog tomorrow.

CupcakeMumma

Gluten Free Pancakes!

If you're sick of Pancake Day posts, Facebook updates and Tweets then look away now because I am about to give you the delicious insight into the baking that Little Miss and I did tonight. Little Man has been poorly since last night picking up and going more downhill since lunchtime but that didn't stop me Oh no. Little Miss on her stool (making way too much mess), Little Man on my hip while I toss pancakes Super Mum? Nah, more like normal Mum!

We have all our ingredients ready to go!

'Mum, I do this egg you do that one'

My little chef!

Adding Mummy's' flour so she doesn't have to miss out on this yummy day

Having a good mix

Mummy's time to shine!

2 each *big smiles*

She does approve :)

   So there you have it, a nice evening spent cooking and eating pancakes much like many up and down the country. I think that tops a good first day back at school off nicely, don't you?

Cupcake Mumma

Free From Star Biscuits!

For our tea party the other day the Little Miss and I wanted to make something extra special, so we donned our aprons, rolled up our sleeves and got out our ingredients ready to make some yummy gluten and dairy free vanilla flavour star biscuits (complete with pink icing!)

You will need:

~ 100g Vitilite butter, softened

~ 250g Doves gluten free plain flour

~ 110g Caster Sugar or light brown sugar 

~ 1 Egg

~ 1 tsp Vanilla flavouring

Topping

~360g Icing Sugar

~ 60mls Water

~ Pink Food Colouring