WIN: Cupcake City’s bake and decorate kit (review and giveaway)

IT WAS hard to pick who was happiest when the delivery man arrived this week. Was it his joy in seeing me in my dressing gown, no hair or makeup and coke bottle-thick glasses (more on that another day… maybe)? Or me realising he was delivering this:

from the wonderful Glenys of Cupcake City? Yes, definitely me. The other real joy in receiving our miniamo Cupcake Bake and Decorate Set is The Bloke in The Shed isn’t much of a sweet tooth. Poor us, hey!

I opted to bake our cupcakes one day and ice them the next – I couldn’t bear the thought of Ella bouncing off the walls after eating a bowl of icing on top of cupcake mixture. The kit included 12 round cupcake moulds, heart-shaped stencils, easy squeeze icing tube, decorating nozzles and 16-recipe cupcake and biscuit book written specifically for your child. I’m indecisive at the best of times, so the choices (combined with our own baby cupcakes with sprinkles recipe) caused slight problems. Finally, we settled on a recipe which called for a swirl of strawberry jam just before popping them in the oven.  Too easy.

Then the real challenge began. Of course, art is subjective. Right? Well, that’s what I’m telling myself, anyway. We got out the full colour palette,

some candied decorations and Cupcake City also threw in some edible gold dust. You can find other fun cupcake decorations at Cupcake City too.

The end result was Ella with fingers and a mouth laced with blue.

She looked like she’d been playing in the toilet bowl. Unfortunately, my icing was far too runny, so when I was trying to achieve beautiful little flowers atop my cupcakes, I ended up achieving this:

My other challenge was an impatient preschooler who just wanted to grab the piping bottle and have her way with each cupcake. I think, with a little more time (and minus a preschooler), this kit has the ability to create some really beautiful cupcakes. Alas, mine are far from beautiful. Now please, don’t laugh.

Here’s the cupcake Ella decorated. Note, it wouldn’t stay on the bench long enough for me to photograph it.

So, they’re not perfect, but we can promise we had an absolute ball. The kit works a treat (it’s just me, really), the piping set is really easy to use and the cookbook is actually a great bonus to this kit. Tomorrow we’re tackling some of the decorated biscuits.

While the silicone moulds make cupcake making easier than ever (and help save the environment), the decorating side of the kit is probably suited to children with a little more patience than my three-year-old. Although, to be honest, she had fun despite her unusual looking creations.

So, if you’re thinking of visiting us, beware: you may get a little cupcake with your icing! I’d suggest it would be safer to visit Cupcake City’s Facebook page and website instead – she comes across the most incredible cupcake finds.

To go in the draw to win a miniamo Cupcake Bake and Decorate Set (RRP: $30) from Cupcake City (choose between “Pastel’’ or “Bright’’), leave a comment telling us what you love to cook in the kitchen with (or without) your kids.  The giveaway closes Sunday, June 26 at 7pm and a winner will be drawn randomly and announced on this blog and via Facebook and Twitter. Australian residents only. Limit of three entries.

Then here’s how you can up your chances in the draw. Each task is worth one extra entry, but must be included as a separate comment (or it won’t count).

1. Click the Facebook button below and share this giveaway with your Facebook friends. Then leave a separate comment saying something along the lines of “I’ve shared this on Facebook’’.
2. Click the Twitter button below and share this giveaway with your Twitter followers (Twitter handle is @ThreeLil). Then leave a separate comment saying something along the lines of “I’ve shared this on Twitter’’.

**DISCLAIMER: I received a miniamo Cupcake Bake and Decorate Set for review. All opinions expressed are purely my own.

Hosted by Three Lil Princesses and Tina Gray {dot} Me

And, using my new “And the winner is…” plugin, the winner of the Bake and Decorate Kit is:

BARB! Barb said.

Yummy looking cupcakes! I personally am looking forward to a pic of the woman in her dressing gown that met the delivery guy!!! I have a few of these cupcake kids cooking sets packed away as presents for Ellie’s friends…..they’re always well recieved by 6-8 year olds!

You’ll be waiting a while, Barb!! hehe!! Congratulations! I hope you and Ellie enjoy it.