A Kaleidoscope of Fancies - Fancy Little Cakes & My Mum's Cake Shop!
– A Kaleidoscope of Fancies –
Fancy Little Cakes & My Mum’s Cake Shop!
Guest Post
Today I am inviting my mum along to my blog, and she has baked for the occasion too, and I mean REALLY baked! In actual fact I think she baked enough cakes to fill a cake shop………and she knows these cakes tickles my fancy and are my favourites! I remember my mum baking these when I was growing up – I would get home from a long day at school, a bit like a day at the office (?!) and the kitchen table would be loaded with home-made bread, pies and these delightful Fancies. Fancies is a wonderful old-fashioned word for cakes that are cut into different shapes, decorated with assorted butter-cream and icing of different colours with a sundry selection of candies jellies, hundreds and thousands, silver balls and other suitable edible decorations. I believe Mr kipling has Fancies, French Fancies, as part of their “exceedingly good cakes” range, but nowhere as good as mum’s.
A Kaleidoscope of Fancies - Fancy Little Cakes & My Mum's Cake Shop! Guest Post
Mum’s Fancies are indeed a kaleidoscope, and so called because the colours and shapes reminded her of a toy kaleidoscope that she had when she was a little girl; she was fascinated by the patterns and colours that were created as the tube was turned…….no pattern was ever the same. These wee cakes are made with a standard Victoria sandwich cake mix, a 6-6-6-3 ratio (6 ounces of butter, sugar, flour and 3 eggs) and the cakes are decorated with butter cream, glacé icing and an assortment of Dr Oetker cake decorations that were very kindly sent to me to try. I was sent all sorts of goodies such as Polka Dots, Shimmer Hundreds & Thousands, Jelly Diamonds, Soft Shimmer Pearl Mix and some Sugar Butterflies. And before I could get my hands on them, my mum had whisked them off to the kitchen and was planning her fancies!
Kaleidoscope of Fancies
So, thanks mum for making these fabulous Fancies……which are all gone now, and I can I have the cake decorations back now…….please! These cakes would be fabulous for Mother’s Day as well as children’s parties, afternoon teas, cake stalls for fêtes and fairs or for the family tea-table. There is no recipe as such, make a large tray bake of Victoria sandwich cake mix (see above for the ingredients ratio) and then when it’s cool, just cut the cake into different shapes before decorating them with flavoured butter-cream and icing, and then you get to play with the cake sprinkles, jellies, glitter and other edible treats. The children can also get involved in this culinary project and I imagine the variety will be diverse and maybe a little unusual whilst having lots of fun in the kitchen……and why not!
Kaleidoscope of Fancies
Anyway, it’s time for me to leave now, for a cuppa and one of these cakes……..see you later with more recipes and musings from my kitchen, Karen.
PS: Mum says she baked this cake in a 11″ x 5″ cake tin, and then cut them into shapes when the cake was cool; she also said that she used the leftover bits of cake in a trifle – what a brilliant idea, so you can have your cakes AND trifle!
A Kaleidoscope of wee cakes........real Fancies!
With thanks to Dr Oetker for sending me these review samples to try.
TheKitchenmaid says
Oh, what a lovely spread – and what a lovely mum you have! I agree, these would be perfect for a little person’s birthday party (especially one where there are lots of hungry big people lurking around).
AND – sorry to hijack this comment – but if you want to get your hands on some bonafide NZ sourdough starter like the one I sent Dom, you can get it here: http://www.trademe.co.nz/home-living/food-beverage/other/auction-455464490.htm
Have a great day x
Karen says
OH thanks SO much for the link to the NZ Sourdough starter! THANKS! 🙂 And, thanks also for the lovely comments too……I am nipping over to see your blog now! Karen
A Trifle Rushed says
Karen, I hope your Mum has a large teapot and lots of cups, I’m sure I’m not the only one planning a trip to Yorkshire!
They look so lovely and do have a warm, comforting vibe. We’re just getting ready to leave for school, and my daughter had a quick look, ‘those look yummy, Mummy!’
I’b better take a leaf out of your Mother’s book and bake up a storm! Thanks to you and your wonderful Mother:-) Jude x
Karen says
Thanks Jude! I shall mention there might be visitors to my mum!! LOL! Maybe these are the kind of treats that you and C can make together one day? Have just been smiling at your fabulous Leprechaun Gingerbread House……such a great bake and fun decorating!
Lorna's Tearoom Delights says
That looks absolutely fantastic, what a treat! I remember coming home from school to find cooling racks full of pancakes, scones and buns my mum had been baking and this reminded me of those happy days, thank you.
Karen says
Ah, you have the same happy memories as me Lorna, how wonderful….thanks so much for your lovely comments.
Sylvie (A Pot of Tea) says
Such fun. How could that not cheer up anybody’s day!?
Karen says
They are exactly that Sylvie – pretty! And, TASTY too!
Kathryn says
Oh these look so pretty and colourful!
Karen says
Thanks Kathryn! 🙂
Solange says
oh how lucky you are, I wish my mum cook bake or cook for that matter:)I don’t remember her baking me a cake ever. Treasure these little treats.
Karen says
Aw what a shame Solange! I know French ladies usually buy their cakes from all the wonderful patisseries you have in France, so maybe that is why she never made a cake for you!
Celia Lindsell says
That is the best selection of homemade treats I have ever seen, it has quite brightened my day. Fantatic. As you can see here I am a complete fan of multicolour
Karen says
Thanks so much for your lovely comments! They are fabulous Fancies, as we call them, and VERY tasty too!
kellie@foodtoglow says
What a delightful explosion of colour! I think my daughter might want one of the photos as a screen saver; that’s the closest she can get to pretty cakes now that she has braces 🙁 So wonderful to have your Mum feature on your blog, doing what she obviously loves. Now we know where you get your creativity and sense of style. Lovely, Karen
Karen says
Thanks Kellie – must remind my mum to stop by and read all the lovely comments to include yours…..she will be delighted! These cakes would make a fabulous screensaver…..good idea! Mum is VERY creative and has great style, I hope I take after her!
Dominic says
oh my goodness my teeth hurt!… they look so pretty… and so sweet!… I used to have a friend who always went home for ‘tea’ after school and his mum would have baked goodies like this and I was SO jealous… we never had tea and had to wait for supper when dad got home at 7pm… so unfair!… tell your mum I love her though and she can come round and bake for me any day! (in fact she HAS to, seeing she lives so close!)
Karen says
Aw Dom, we need to bake you some of these fancies and deliver them to you – you put the kettle on and I’ll jump in the car!
laura@howtocookgoodfood says
Your mum obviously taught you well. You and her make a fantastic team of master bakers. I would have loved coming to yours for tea as a child! xx
Karen says
Thanks Laura – mum did teach me well! Thanks for your lovely comments. 🙂
Annie says
These cakes look like every child’s idea of what cakes should be!
Karen says
They are just so “children’s tea party” aren’t they Annie!
Cakeboule says
Wow what a selection of beautiful cakes! When can I come for tea?
Karen says
With all of those cakes that mum made, any-time you like! 🙂
Working London mummy says
Gorgeous colours and so inviting. Would love to stumble into such a cakeshop!
Karen says
They are pretty wee cakes aren’t they Nazima and they tasted good too!
Choclette says
Ahh, so this is what you were getting up to in the kitchen with your mother. What a lovely thing to do together. Such fun, these are Karen and lucky you to have such a wonderful spread to come home to after school.
Karen says
It’s always fun in the kitchen with my mum Choclette! 🙂
Ren Behan says
Ooh how delicious! Are there any sprinkles left?! What a lovely idea to use a big tin then cut the cake into different shapes, would be great for afternoon tea or for a kids party. Lucky you having a mummy who can bake like that!
Karen says
LOADS of wafer daisies, sprinkles and jellied decorations left Ren, perfect for fun in the Easter kitchen next! 🙂
Lorna's Tearoom Delights says
I kept thinking about your beautiful pictures and so I’ve made a rectangular plain sponge myself today and am now waiting for it to cool so that I can cut it up and decorate it. I’m very excited!
Karen says
I have just visited your tea room and seen your LOVELY fancy cakes, they are BEAUTIFUL! As are your “cuplates” too! 🙂 I love how you decorated them and isn’t the tray bake idea a good one? Karen 🙂
Jamie says
Oooh I have long wanted a Victoria sponge recipe – a good one! And I love what your mom did with the cake. Delicious and pretty! Don’t you love fancy cake decorations? And mmmm am loving the idea of a trifle! What a fun mom, lucky you!
Karen says
Thanks Jamie, the standard Victoria sponge cake is so versatile, as you can see by my mum’s cakes! 🙂
ashleigh says
Your mum has done well, these look lovely!
Jean says
How beautiful! What a lovely way to brighten up any dull day with a plateful of fancies – what fun!