Wednesday 10 March 2010

Eat Me and a Giveaway

I've recently been given a copy of the newly-released book Eat Me! by Xanthe Milton, aka Cookie Girl, who started her baking career selling delicious wares door to door in Notting Hill, dressed in Alice in Wonderland-style attire. I turn down most PR-related requests (a blogger has to retain her independence), but I was intrigued by the beautifully-styled photographs.

This book features so many delicious cupcakes and cake recipes. I have never been much of a baker, but I was salivating over the recipes in the book, which are incredibly inventive and arranged seasonally (my favourites are an ice cream cone/muffin, lemon meringue and Banoffee pie muffins and an ingenious autumn bonfire made with Matchmakers for sticks.) I've even ordered some glittery edible glitter and icing flowers from the supplier she recommends in the book, just in time for my new incarnation as a baker extraordinaire.


Cupcake heaven


Lemon finger cookies

Passion fruit sandwiches (oh, my..)


Homemade macaroons - what a crowd pleaser these would be! I'm intrigued to make these and see how the cost compares to the extortionate shop-bought option.

I have one copy of Eat Me! to give away. To enter, please answer the following question - what is your favourite thing to bake (or not)? If your blogger profile is not enabled, please enter your email address in the comment. The competition will close tomorrow (Thursday at 12pm GMT.)

PS: Cupcake icing tips from the author.

PPS: Sammy and Glenn from Pacha Design are also running a small giveaway of one of their lovely leaf lanterns over at their revamped blog.

UPDATE: The winner is Carrie of Carrie Can (a great blog if you have a chance to take a look.)

128 comments:

ellan said...

hmmm....so tough to choose just one! probably granola/granola bars are my top baking pick, with cupcakes/muffins coming in at a close second....

what a lovely post - maybe i'll bake some cupcakes this week!

cerebral e said...

I love making pavlova, which a a meringue-type cake that is slathered with cream and fresh berries. It is Australian or Kiwi, depending on where you originate!

Addie said...

My favourite thing to bake... i think the all-time best ever choc chip cookies! Amazing the first time i made them and so easy to tweak in terms of softness and crunchiness. Got it from the frankie recipe book! love all the recipes inside.

Thanks for the lovely giveaway.

Dimitra said...

My favourite thing to bake is an upside-down apple pie, full of cinnamon, walnuts and raisins. It's my mom's recipe, so the lovely aromas remind me of home!

Love your blog :)

Kate said...

My absolute favourite thing I have baked recently was vegan stollen - it was amazing!

Kate_gandee at hotmail.com

Clare B said...

I love to bake Queen Pudding (an old favourite of my Nana's) or Lemon Meringue Pie. That passionfruit sandwich looks so, so good. Yum!

Libbs said...

Oooh those pictures are gorgeous!!
I've got a cupcake order coming up and those are inspiring!

My favourite thing to bake is marshmallows. Something about playing with hot sugar, or getting to lick the bowl!!

Katiecakes said...

My very favorite thing to bake are peanut butter and jelly bars! They always go down a storm!

Katie xox

Jenny said...

for me, dark chocolate and orange cookies. really easy and delicious!

anna and the ring said...

Macarons because I really cannot get them right!

I will keep on trying!

Although my favourite win were my pie pops!

Tigerlilly Quinn said...

my favorite thing to bake is vegan choc cake ( ok I know it might not sound so great! ) I'm not a vegan but it really tastes sooo good! lovely post and i love your blog! xoxo www.tigerlillyquinn.blogspot.com

Britt said...

My favorite thing to back is definately pies!! any type is great, but especially pumpkin...

Tonia said...

My favourite thing to bake is my celebration cake, which is basically just chocolate, almonds and the eggs/butter/sugar mix. No flour. Leave to rest overnight after baking. Go mad with the edible gold dust. Bite into rich squidgy heaven. For birthdays only.
I've made myself hungry.

Lynne said...

Uglygirl - pavlova is huge in Northern Ireland - I think it is the national dish! And Tonia, you're making me hungry too...I'm wondering if I should organise a recipe swap...!

Becky said...

Chocolate brownies, dense, fudgey, and everyone is a fan!

grace said...

for me it would be simple butter biscuits - easy but very delicious!

Natalia said...

Chocolate chip cookies|
especially in winter|
with a cup of hot chocolate|

92natalia92@live.com

Kelly said...

Snicker-doodles! Such a fun treat to make and a tad bit more exciting than a sugar cookie.

To eat though...cupcakes! I'm so addicted I've had to give them up for Lent :)

leonie.wise said...

my absolute favourite thing to bake is bread. i love the meditative process of kneading, the smell of the yeast working it's magic, watching the loaves rise in the oven and eating it with generous lashings of butter when it's still warm.

those cupcakes look amazing. i've never made any but i sure would try if i win the book :)

Ash said...

My favorite thing to bake is bread! It can be time consuming, but fresh baked bread is about the most delicious thing :)

demureprincess7(at)gmail.com

Carrie said...

I depends, if I'm lazy than I make this Nigella Lawson marzipan cake that involves just throwing a lot of ingredients in the kitchen blender. And if I want to spoil myself I make cheese cake or anything that includes chocolate...

Elena Rosenberg Wearable Fiber Art said...

What a great giveaway, thank you!
My favorite things to bake would have to be cookies because the preparation and cooking time are usually short & quick, and there are so many new variations and ingredients to try.

Emily said...

A wonderful-looking cookbook! My favorite thing to make is my great-grandmother's chocolate cake with vanilla frosting. We call it "Nanny's Chocolate Cake," and it is divine!

Liisa said...

My absolute favourite is Finnish pulla - even Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall has finally realised how good it is http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/mar/06/cardamom-recipes-hugh-fearnley-whittingstall
Hugh got one thing wrong though - there is nothing Xmassy about pulla and I could have it every day!

Heather said...

Hmm... I love making pies and cookies - all kinds, but have been wanting to do more cupcakes. How can you not love cupcakes after all!? I would adore this book!!

Rose said...

my favourite thing to make are rose cupcakes- but i would like to try macaroons! e-mail is arosebeyondthethames@hotmail.co.uk

Anna @ IHOD said...

ooo such a fun giveaway!

I am so intrigued by this book too!
My fave thing to bake:
Sugar Cookies! You can make letters, every shape under the sun, and decorate with endless possibilities!

Unknown said...

I too have been inspired by Alice in Wonderland which I saw last saturday, and wanted to share with you my 'tarts for the Queen of hearts'. :-)
I made them with a Swedish blueberry jam and some with a home made strawberry jam.
Hope you like!
http://growlingbelly.com/2010/03/tarts-fit-for-the-queen-of-hearts/

Sonja said...

My favourite thing to bake is a french apple pie!
Many thanks for your lovely posts! :)

sammy and glenn: pachadesign said...

hi lynne,

thanks for the mention about our little giveaway (don't forget to stop by and enter yourself if you get time).

we hardly ever bake cakes, so I guess we would have to say bread - freshly bakes bread is perfect.

Anonymous said...

Hmmm, I love to bake easy peasy crumbles with muesli toppings. Not too unhealthy, cheap as chips and super hearty. :)
ali_philo@hotmail.com

Stephanie said...

Brownies!

Dreadfully unoriginal, but their deliciousness easily makes up for that. I've just switched from a Nigella Lawson recipe to Katherine Hepburn's brownies after much experimentation, and currently have a really amazing batch with dried sour cherries and pecans.

Marija said...

You had me at that happy cupcake picture! And then I saw the macaroons. Yum! I love making macaroons (though they never look quite as pretty!). I also love a good crepe - my family makes a Croatian version called "palacinke". More of a pasty, I guess but bc you can fill them with sweets like nutella, I just love them! Marija

Ina said...

My most successful baking adventures always involve bread of some kind. Lately I've begun making sourdough, and it's wonderful not having to buy bread from the store anymore!

The cupcake book looks gorgeous, and I'd love to try some of the recipes!

inavassbotn (at) hotmail.com

Allison said...

I love to bake cupcakes!

If only mine would turn out this pretty!

Emily said...

I love to bake pumpkin bread. I try to only make it during the autumn season but sometimes I just get a craving and need to make it. So easy and so delicious.

Sarah said...

brownies. hands down.

Rosy Lady said...

I love baking, anything fattening really but, I particularly enjoy muffins and cupcakes. I have a muffin recipe from my waitressing days as a student in a little coffee shop where I had to be very nice to the chef for a long time and beg on a daily basis before she gave in and gave me the 'secret' recipe. It has been a family recipe ever since! I have recently ordered an American Pie recipe book from the States, looking forward to try those out as well.

Peta said...

Tough call but muffins have to pip everything else to the post. So very easy and so many (delicious) varieties!

Little Miss B said...

I always have the ingredients in for Banana bread just in case I need it.

Chaucee said...

I'm not sure what it's called but I really like to make this extra big sugar cookie with fruit on the top. It's delicious!

Stephanie said...

banana bread. because it's fail-safe, delicious, and (at least to me,) a little loaf of sunshine on dreary, rainy days!

stephanie.i.kuo [at] gmail.com

quiet days said...

My favourite thing to bake has to be fruit pie. They're not at all difficult, and you can change the fruit depending on the seasons and come up with some lovely combinations. I think my favourites must be peach and apricot or apple and blackberry. Delicious!

Thank you for a lovely giveaway.

littledinosaurs[at]gmail[dot]com

AmandaJean said...

I love baking Christmas cookies! Every year my cousins and I do a cookie exchange for Christmas and I love searching for new recipes as well as perfecting some of my favorites.

Jessie said...

Ooh yum! My favourite thing to bake is fruit tea cake (preferably Yorkshire tea) - really moist & juicy and not too unhealthy ;) But my daughter likes cup cakes, so we make those a lot too - she loves licking off the vanilla frosting and experimenting with glittery sprinkles and every colour of the rainbow.
jessmcculloch@yahoo.com

Alison said...

My two favourite things to bake are Nigella's brownies, often with some raspberries thrown in, and Nigel Slater's pistachio and rosewater cake, decorated with crystallised rose petals. My mouth is watering at the thought of those macaroons!

Chelsea said...

I love making desserts with multiple textures -- those lemon cookies for instance are exactly what I've been wanting to bake. Unfortunately, the book isn't even out in the states until the end of May...

billy said...

Biscotti - simple, but impressive. Yum

whitney reeder said...

i would have to say sugar cookies. i think i mostly just like working with cookie cutters!

Jo Bryan said...

I love making banana cakes, lemon drizzle. Big homely cakes and slabs of choclate cakes too. For delicate days I love cupcakes just newly making them and enjoying the prettiness and taste. Thanks

Charlotte said...

Oh no, you can't ask that question.

I love baking - I could bake every day, most days I do - this week I have made coffee and walnut cake, bread, pasta (so fiddly to cute), m&m cookies and oreo truffles. I am writing a book with recipes in and have to find reasons to practice!

Charlotte xx
http://housewife-chic.blogspot.com

The domestic novice said...

A Victoria sponge - scrumptious every time!

Anonymous said...

I absolutely LOVE to make brownies! They are so easy and the batter is just too yummy. Actually think I'm gonna make some now :)

Karen Beth said...

Pecan pie... although I don't do it very often.

msred5@yahoo.com

B. Wilson @ Windy {City} Wilsons said...

Cupcakes are fun, and muffins. I like baking small items.

Is this open to US residents? I read it but it didn't mention...

--Brandy

Ladytink_534 said...

I love to bake cupcakes! Well... any kind of cake really but cupcakes are the best.

Cintia Listenbee said...

Banana nut bread because my son likes to eat it!

Unknown said...

What a fun giveaway!! I love baking cupcakes..they are so much fun to decorate!

Elaine said...

Cheesecake! :)

elainehearn@live.com
clothedmuch.blogspot.com

Heidi said...

My favorite thing to bake is some delicious country-style apple crisp! Yum!

writeme at heidimail dot com

Elspeth H. said...

Chocolate cookies with white chocolate chips! They're a great inversion of the old standard and a refreshing change of pace.

Suburban prep said...

Pumpkin Bread or Zucchini Bread because I love the reactions from the people that eat it.

msgb245 at gmail dot com

Claire Hurd Design said...

My favourite thing to bake is chocolate brownies. I have a fantastic recipe from an old copy of the Usbourne First Cook Book which I had as a child! My friends love it when I bake them.

Claire x (studio@clairehurd.co.uk)

Shannon said...

Mmm I sure love baking. Today we made oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. My favorite thing to bake though is chocolate fudge crinkle cookies. They are rolled in powdered sugar and look so pretty and taste even better!

waterchic83@yahoo.com

Annika said...

I just love to bake blueberry cupcakes, yum... :)

Agnes said...

I really hope I win this, that book looks so nice to have!

And I love baking pie, especially apple pie! (I just love eating stuff with apple in it)

Email: SweetFantasyStar[at]hotmail[dot]com

JenRem said...

My favorite thing to bake has to be cake. Funfetti cake in particular. I actually made some earlier this week and after leaving you this comment I'm going to go have myself a piece. It's so yummy I cannot resist.

lilDdownunder said...

I love to make chocolate chip pumpkin muffins with cream cheese frosting because it is a combo that most people kind of go "hmmmmm" at at first, but is absolutely delicious! I'm hoping to start selling cupcakes when I go back to Australia as they have pretty ordinary baked goods.

dlogston at gmail dot com

Megan: said...

My absolute favorite is classic chocolate chip cookies! Thanks so much for this giveaway!!

Emily said...

cookies or brownies!
em
emmy1981@aol.com

LV said...

Brownies. Oh how I love brownies!

lindsayvandy at gmail dot com

marianne jay said...

I love baking muffins and bread and cupcakes. I actually want to start my own cafe' called Mary's Muffins and More!!!!!!!!

lovinglife1957@aol.com

Mona said...

I love to bake chocolate cake.
monamhassan at hotmail dot com

Anonymous said...

I love to bake German Chocolate Cake... mainly because I love to devour it! :)

maryrich4 at yahoo dot com

ME said...

My favorite thing to bake is white chocolate macadamia nut cookies. They are simple, delicious and don't even last a day in our house! When the oven timer goes off my husband and my son are lined up to grab one. No one sits down, we just eat them standing up in the kitchen. Sometimes we save a few to have at breakfast!

Julia said...

I make a lot of brownies, I'm a big fan of things that only require one bowl! Also oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, mmm.

sugareaterATgmailDOTcom

Shooting Stars Mag said...

Rice krispie treats. the homemade kind are THE BEST.

This book sounds great.

-Lauren
lauren51990 AT aol DOT com

nfmgirl said...

hmmmm....I like Pumpkin Bread, but I also like plain ole brownies!

Vittoria said...

My favorite thing to bake is a chocolate banana bread! Might sound weird but it's super moist and a touch sweet...the secret is yogurt!

thanks!

DolphinV27@aol.com

Courtney :) said...

My favorite thing to bake is homeade strawberry cheesecake!

cmw_2289 at yahoo dot com

Jodi Faye said...

I love to bake oatmeal cookies, makes the house smell delish!
joditrinklein@gmail.com

Allison said...

i love baking cakes, especially with cream cheese frosting. this weekend i'm making a carrot cake. can't wait!

Anonymous said...

I love to bake a two layer white cake with buttercream frosting.
june_spirit2628 at hotmail dot com

Shay said...

I love baking muffins with fresh blueberries or strawberries or mango and everyone here loves eating them.

The WOW Series said...

I like to bake peanut butter cookies with dark chocolate hershey's kisses on top!

Anonymous said...

For quick and easy baking, I love making brownies. When I have more time and want to get creative, I love making fancy layered and shaped cakes.
e.estt[at]yahoo[dot]com

Amanda said...

Snickerdoodles!!! Thank you!
muskratholler@gmail.com

Dazzle said...

Definitely Gingerbread followed by apple turnovers! And any kind of scone or cupcake to go with tea is awesome too. But a rich decadent gingerbread I can eat any meal of the day ;)

Sandy said...

I love the first picture with all of those beautiful iced and decorated cupcakes, delicious! My most recent favorite thing to bake is macarons... I've only made them once and failed miserably in the look and texture department, but they still tasted delicious! So I will say that those are my favorite thing to bake and I will be be baking them a lot more until I get them perfect!

Thanks for a chance at this giveaway!

sandyalamode(at)gmail(dot)com

Anna said...

Oh, I think I could eat this whole post.

Favorite thing to bake? Anything that makes someone else smile.

katidyd said...

I'm happy to bake anything. Love to bake!! My recent favorite (since my husband decided he needed to start watching what he ate) has been apricot bars. Oats, brown sugar and butter and apricot preserves. Terribly delicious and a great dessert when heated up and served with ice cream!
katidyd at hotmail dot com

Teresa said...

Recently my favorite things to bake are cupcakes. I made so many lately and I'm still ready to bake more.

Celestia said...

I love to bake peanut butter cookies- I don't know why, but they are my favorite cookie to make!

celestia dot price at gmail dot com

Kim L. said...

my favorite thing to bake is pumpkin cheesecake pecan muffins! They are delicious! xoxoxox

Ann On and On... said...

I love making banana bread. I am also really getting into soups. Last week I made carrot/curry soup and potato corn chowder. YUM!

Great giveaway! amerskine@hotmail.com

Anonymous said...

My favorite thing to make is chocolate chip cheesecake. My boyfriend bought me springform pans for my birthday last year and I've been making cheesecake ever since!

Kristin_Brown1 [AT] baylor [dot] edu

Jayne said...

I love to bake cinnamon buns. They never fail me even if the dough is too soft.


Love,
jayne.lee[at]yahoo.com.au

Oh, My Darling said...

I love to bake so many different things! My all-time favorite, because it takes some time and effort and involves all of my favorite treats is a homemade version of the Tagalong girl scout cookie. Mmm, peanut butter and chocolate!

(If my blogger account doesn't work, my email can be found at my blog http://o-my-darling.blogspot.com)

A Fanciful Life said...

Muffins are my favorite as they are easy to share!
Sharon :-)

Silvia C said...

I can see how you can get so inspired to start baking. The pics are so tempting, I'm already dreaming of pink frosting. Great post!

Brianna said...

My fave thing to bake is a chocolate cake from scratch using the recipe on the back of the cocoa can. And no frosting!

briannabouligny at gmail.com

Shaima812 said...

what is your favorite thing to bake (or not)?

Hummm well, i don't like to cook rice actually i am a big disaster with it .
on other hand i love to bake pizza its just my favorite thing to do

thanks

sh.11175@yahoo.com

Jordanna said...

mmm... cupcakes! I love to bake zucchini bread :). This is a fun giveaway!

stash mama said...

I looove looove baking oatmeal raison coookies!!! mmm mmm now I am hungry lol thanks!!!
corpesa14@yahoo.com

Alyssa said...

i absolutely LOVE baking strawberry rhubarb pie! its just fun.. and mostly delicious!

this book looks AMAZING! i would love to have it!

Anonymous said...

I love to bake just about everyday but one of my favorites is dark chocolate cake. I make it at least once a month!

ieva jansone said...

lovely photos! i'd like the muffins (foto nr1) :)
my favourite thing to bake - french claffoutis, it's based on something like a pancake dough, and goes totally easy...

Laura / K niin kuin koti said...

Mmm, the book looks lovely!

It's got to be blueberry pie without the top shell: http://kniinkuinkoti.blogspot.com/2009/08/mustikkametsassa.html

Hausfrau said...

I really enjoy baking scones!

Anonymous said...

Baking... well most of the baking is done by the OH and he makes brownies but I used to make the most perfect little scones. (Leftover from when I made them in a tearoom as teenager!)

Need to learn to make good cupcakes though!! ;)

Barbara Palermo said...

I love making apple pie, full of cinnamon!!!
Barbara
ricettebarbare at gmail dot com

Anonymous said...

Cookies of all kinds - I love to experiment. We are a gluten free household, and my son loves to make what we call "ABC" cookies - gluten free sugar cookies that we cut out in alphabet shapes and decorate with royal icing in all colors.

ang
ang_vaughan at yahoo dot com

prills@aol.com said...

My grandma's sour cherry pie recipe! We've got some montmorency cherry trees on order this Spring, hoping to grow our own.

missavene said...

I'm not a super experienced baker, but one thing that my hubby and children always like are chocolate chip cookies, I make them with milk chocolate chips! yum!

missavene at gmail dot com

cindy said...

i love baking cake...particularly red velvet :)

cindyascott{at}yahoo.com

Lisa-Marie said...

I love baking cakes. Those macaroons look devine!

The pictures look so springtimey as well, it is lovely!

Anonymous said...

Cupcakes! Mmmmmm

suddenlyspoo at gmail dot com

Holly (2 Kids and Tired) said...

Ok, that is a gorgeous book. I simply love to cook and bake. I have a french bread recipe that is awesome. And homemade brownies. And, I could go on and on!

Love your blog. I will be back.

je2kids(at)yahoo(dot)com

katie said...

My new favorite thing to bake is the dulce de leche cookies from Annie's Eat's blog. Wow are those things good!!

Anonymous said...

anything and everything.

Super B said...

I love baking pies, especially lemon meringue. They're also my favorite to eat. :)

Kel said...

I love to bake chocolate chip cookies above all else

Winona H. said...

Love it all :)

Beathag said...

Apple pie!!!!
The whole flat smells like it!
Lovlely

Unknown said...

Lemon merengue pie! It is my boyfriends favorite, so it makes me happy to see him devour it even if it is a bit of a pain to make!

annie said...

with no second thinking i would choose
homemade macarons and cupcakes!


http://anmarkdesign.blogspot.com/

Min said...

yes please.

Brown Button Trading said...

those passionfruit sandwiches - YUM!