Cupcakes for Charity - July

In an attempt to be more organised this month, I have successfully done my this charity sale earlier in the month! I chose the Hahndorf Animal Shelter as the charity to donate to this time, because they are a shelter that has a no 'put down' policy, they hold onto every cat and dog they receive until they are able to find them a loving and suitable home. I found out about them from their fund-raiser calendar sold at my vet, which was full of heart warming stories of animals who had finally found a home and family.

So to raise money for a heart-warming charity, I thought of selling heart warming "hot" chocolate cupcakes, with marshmallows in the shape of a paw on top. (I got the idea for the marshmallow paw from here)

I searched the internet for a hot chocolate recipe, but didn't really find one I wanted, so I used a chocolate cupcake recipe (one with sour cream - yum!), and added a whole lot of hot chocolate powder to the mix. The cupcakes were frosted with chocolate butter cream frosting, and topped with the marshmallow paw, then dusted with chocolate powder.

Again, I sold the cupcakes at work, to my very supportive colleagues, and was able to raise a whopping $108! I called up the shelter as they don't have an online donation option on the website. The lady said, I could just bring in the money to them, but what they would really love is if I could go spend all that money on Whiskers cat food tins, and bring them in instead! I am thinking that's a whole lotta cat food!!! But I don't mind doing that, Hahndorf is a lovely area, and I am sure with the help of my boyfriend to help me carry the tins we will make a fun day of it.

So without further babbling...here's the recipe:

"Hot" Chocolate Cupcakes - recipe adapted from Group Recipes

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup boiling water

• 1/4 cup butter

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

• 1 1/2 cups Self Raising flour

• 1 egg, beaten

• 1/2 cup sour cream

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• Extra heaped tablespoon of hot chocolate powder (I used Cadbury Drinking Chocolate)
  

Method

• In a mixing bowl, combine boiling water, shortening, sugar, cocoa and hot chocolate powder. Beat until sugar is dissolved.

• Add sifted flour alternately with the beaten egg, sour cream, and vanilla.

• Fill cupcake cups about half full.

• Bake at 350°F or 180°C for 20 -25 minutes. Frost with your favourite frosting. Enjoy!
  

Cupcakes for Charity - May

Apologies for posting this post so late, two months late in fact. I guess things got a bit crazy with going overseas and moving house. It sure has been a super busy year so far. Unfortunately I do not have any photographic proof these cupcakes ever happened, my sister accidentally deleted them off her camera before I had had a chance to download them. Perhaps I'll draw you a picture...

I decided on raising money for bears, and fittingly made honey flavoured cupcakes topped them with creamy honey frosting, and topped them with a cute tiny teddy biscuit! I sold them at work, and they smelled so very good.

I was able to raise $90 for the Free the Bears Fund. A wonderful charity working hard to free bears held captive in countries like India, Cambodia and Thailand. I really urge you to take a look at their website to see the plight of such beautiful creatures, and to see heart warming photos of the bears they have saved so far.

Honey Cupcakes - Recipe adapted from BakeSpace

Ingredients

• ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup honey (I used normal honey, you could used creamed too)
  
• ¾ cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 2 cups self rising flour

Method

Preheat oven to 350F/180C.

In a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, sugar, and honey. Beat for about 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.

Beat in egg, scrape down sides after blended. Add in vanilla and beat for another 30 seconds.

Starting with the flour first, alternate between flour and milk, ending with flour. So 1/3 of flour, ½ of milk, 1/3 of flour, ½ milk, 1/3 flour. Blend until fully combined.

Fill cupcake liners 2/3 of the way full with batter. Bake for 20-22 minutes.

One whirlwind week in Beijing!

What seems like months ago now, but was only in May, my boyfriend and I went on a trip to Tokyo and Beijing. I've already posted some of my photos from Tokyo, now it's Beijing's turn!
Beijing was definitely a completely different world compared to Australia. We had a good time, but were initially a little overwhelmed with how different it was, especially after a trip in a Beijing taxi!

On our first day in Beijing, we went on a tour to the Great Wall of China. Little did I realise it was going to be one of the most gruelling days of my life! It turned out, we were just dropped off at one section of the wall, and then were told we had to hike through 30 towers, and be at another section in 4 1/2 hours!

It was really one of the most breathtaking views I have seen, but climbing up and down those towers, with extremely steep inclines and descents, with the steps crumbling away, was such HARD work! I mean, imagine doing 10 gym sessions in a row, that's really what it felt like, I was sure I was going to die of a heart attack!

There was hawkers following my every move for about half of the journey, they kept trying to sell us t-shirts and extremely expensive bottles of water. One woman kept telling me she knew a short cut...no way I was following her!

Yeah! I had to climb that! But the going down was the hardest part, my legs were like jelly and the footing unstable. With much coaxing from Darren, I made it. I did! I made it! Only 1/2 later than we should have been, and the bus didn't leave without us, much to our relief!

This moment was the greatest feeling ever, the hike ended with us sliding down a great big flying fox, and a short boat ride across a river.

This picture was taken from outside the Forbidden Palace, right near our hostel. The walls were immense and the whole place was really majestic and impressive.

My friend Kim was the main reason we went to Beijing, she was living there for a year to study mandarin, and I wanted to take advantage of having a friendly tour guide in a country I probably wouldn't have normally chosen to go visit. Kim was fantastic, and I cannot thank her enough for showing us around such a big, strange, fascinating city!
The above and below pictures are of the night food market in Wangfujing street. There was every animal/meat imaginable on sticks waiting to be cooked and eaten. I was not game enough to try anything strange! Darren and Kim really enjoyed their toffee fruit though!

We were really lucky with our accommodation, I picked the Peking International Youth Hostel to stay at, as it was recommended in our lonely planet guide, and I am so glad I did! They were warm and friendly, and the place was so well cared for, the garden really was something special...

Here is the typical picture of us in front of the famous portrait of Chairman Mao in Tiananmen Square.

A view from the top of a large hill in the Summer Palace. It was a painful hike up more stairs, as my legs were still non-functional, but the sights up the top were well worth it!

I really enjoyed having my name painted out in beautiful pictures, buy a lady, who was telling me what each character meant, but I know I'll never recall it all!

Our time in Beijing was a real learning experience, and I will never forget it. I think next time we travel we will be more confident and adventurous thanks to this holiday.

Kimmy and I in front of the Beijing Olympic stadium. Thank you so much Kim, for being such a gracious and hospitable friend, we really appreciated your time and help, (especially with the haggling!) and I am so very proud of you for taking the plunge to live overseas for a year!

I still have plenty of catch up posts to do, must tell you of my cupcakes for charity efforts next! Hope you are all having a good week! x

I'm back!

Photo taken by Caitlin

After what felt like an eternity, but was really only 6 weeks, we now finally have the internet connected at our new abode! I feel like I have a part of myself back now, and look forward to catching up with my wonderful blog friends.
Soon to be posted, our week in Beijing, my cupcake fundraiser escapades, of course a bit of craft, and perhaps a look at my new craft room. Nothing makes a Jessy more happy than her own craft room with internets in it! Stay tuned!