moneysupermarket.com

So the brilliant moneysupermarket.com are hosting a thing for bloggers all over the country!
By posting 30 money saving tips, it pays a brilliant £30! Let's just get this clear. Yes. 1 post. £30.

This is an awesome opportunity to add thirty pound coins into your pocket!
If you post 15 tips- £15!

Please check out my best friends blog thegirlwithacameracalledlionel.blogspot.co.uk
She has a lot more details and informational links about this event.

Please check it out soon its definitely worth checking out and joining in! 

30 ways to save money!

1. When baking I use reasonably priced ingredients then a luxury ingredient like brown sugar to make up for it!
2. MUA may be cheap makeup but its still great makeup!  Highly recommended.
3. Using a scented deodorant acts as protection and perfume! 2 in 1!
4. Turn all the things you dont use throughout the day that you leave on standby whilst in work or school off!-classic
5. Cut the toothpaste open to get every last bit out!
6. Wet your hair right before putting on shampoo- it spreads a lot more and you'll use less!
7. Shops such as Blue Inc accept NHS discounts- so if your on the NHS then its worth asking places such as Blue Inc
8. Plan your meals instead of ordering a £15 pizza on your own
9. Buy fruit and vegetables at a local market because they are cheaper and you get more value for money
10. Set savings goals and stick to them
11. Put a percentage of money away for a rainy day'
12. Change your supermarket- why not change from somewhere like tesco to asda- much better deals!
13. Make a budget for certain things such as food shopping and clothes shopping and stick to it!
14. Buy clothes and shoes that are diverse and that can go with everything- e.g black/white converse or pumps
15. Use brand names such as superdrug cleansers -which I have recommended on my blog- only £2 and does a bang-up job!
16. Use spray deodorants that have the same amount in a smaller, cheaper bottle as a big bottle
17. Use good quality reasonably price heated hair tools rather than too expensive ones and too cheap ones- just because they're megabucks doesn't mean they're better!
18. Using frabric dyes on plain clothes can mix up your wardrobe through the seasons!
19. Tesco's contact lenses are cheaper than places such as Milicans but just as good!
20. Using finer coffee means using less coffee
21. Buying whole nuts and whizzing them in a food processor or coffee grinder is cheaper than buying already ground nuts
22. Before buying a phone consider whether its cheaper to buy it on contract or pay as you go
23. Sell your clutter on ebay
24. Use artistics sides to sell to your family ect... -e.g cakes
25. Buying black and white shorts/jeans means you can match any top and shoes with them- more variety of wardrobe!
26. Use plain cupcake cases then make up for it in cupcake decoration
27. Charity shops hide little goodies, to cute teddies to that peice of clothing you've been looking for! (Or you could raid a charity shop to fill a hamper for a present!)
28. Work out whats cheaper- multi packs or single packs
29. Use places like amazon, play.com and ebay to buy things a lot cheaper in price
30. 'Carpool' rather than use your own car by yourself or use a bus pass rather than individual fair

I need to change my life!

Right, so summerz coming faster than expected... I know we've only just scraped into spring, believe it or not,  summers going to be here before you know it! That means beaches! Sun! And bikinis? Not for me... I've always wanted to, I'm more self conscious about my body than you could ever imagine. So I'm here thinking "you know what if you want this your going to have commit and do this." So here we go, I'm serious about it this time, as I've said in the past... but this time I really mean it! Its go time. I don't even care how ridiculous I sound writing this, I just don't. So I'm not saying I'm going on some craaazy yoyo diet or crash diet to make me lose 5lbs one week and put 5lbs on the next. No. I need a properly balanced diet and A LOT and as much exercise I can. The challenge is to burn a lot more calories than I eat.

So for the weeks to come I'll update on how its going...

Challenge accepted!

The cake to the collection!

So yesterday it was my dads birthday... and for eeeeveryone in my famiy I make them a cake! Obviously...
And my dad has LOVED the band ACDC since he was really young :)
So I slaved for 6 hours in MY kingdom of a kitchen making my cake, waiting for it to bake, molding, cutting ect... for this finished product.
My mum kindly went to tesco for some fondant for me because I was running out and the rest is history!

It is a vanilla packed cake with pleeenty of light toasted coconut buttercream in the middle! Then covered in black fondant, yellow/orange&red fondant flames, and red fondant letters and lightning bolt.

So here it is!

Chilli & Chocolate Brownies #2 RecipeFriday

So I bet your think...
Really!? Chilli. And. Chocolate? Ew! But trust me its amazing and such a quirky combo.

Ingredients :
1 cup plain flour,
1 cup brown sugar,
1/2 cup white sugar,
1 tsp vanilla extract,
1 / 2 cup butter,
1 / 2 cup cocoa powder,
1 heaped tbsp chilli paste (I get a squeeze bottle of blended chilli) -can substitute 1/2 finely chopped chilli,
1/2 tsp baking soda,
1/3 tsp baking powder,
2 eggs.

Fondant chilli:
Red fondant,
Green fondant.
Method:
Over a saucepan.  Place a heatproof bowl ontop of an inch or two of water (simmering) and melt the butter and cocoa powder.  Leave aside to cool to room temperature. In a bowl blend together the flour, sugars, soda and baking powder. Im the bowl of wet liquid add the eggs, vanilla, and chilli paste- (if your using chopped chilli, put into dry mixture bowl- this way they wont sink to the bottom of the cake.) Combine both mixtures.  Bake in a square or small rectangle tin for 20-25 minutes or until skewer comes out clean.

Cut into squares ot rectangles.
Mold the red fondant to look like a small red chilli. Mold the green fondant like a small chilli stalk. Apply to red chilli with a dab of water. Apply these tiny chilli's to the brownie- brush a little water on one side so it doesnt fall off the brownie.

Enjoy :D x

Snow White and The Huntsman review

This contains some SPOILERS ...be aware.

So I watched Snow White and The Huntsman and although I wasn't super excited to see it... it kind of makes me remember that Kristen had an affair with the director of it, hmm.
But either way I did get myself to watch it. And 5 minutes into it I didnt want to turn it off atall! As I got into it I really enjoyed it. Its stars Chris Hemsworth -whom I love!! And Kristen Stewart.
As the movie goes on you kind of feel a slight chemistry between the two characters, although it is questioned whether it is going to be pursued when William played by Sam Claflin, -an old close friend, returns into her life after years apart.
As the movie goes on the action continues and it becomes a very interesting movie. When Snow White dies Chris Hemsworth's character fesses his love for her. The movie continues and by the end of the movie Snow White becomes Queen, yes, snow white.
One thing I would add that was a negative for me was I didnt really see how the romance (or not) between Snow White and The Huntsman ended for them. There wasnt a kiss or moment at the end that made me again question about the relationship between them.

Rating: 8.5

Carrot cake cupcakes RecipeFriday #3

This sweet and moist and filled with spices and flavours.

Ingredients:
200g self raising flour,
250g brown sugar,
2 large eggs,
200ml sunflower oil,
2 level tsp mixed spice,
1 tsp cinnamon,
1 tsp vanilla,
1/4 tsp nutmeg,
2 large carrots, (grated)
2 tbsp chopped walnuts,  (optional)
1 level tsp baking soda.

Method:
In a bowl whisk the eggs and sugar. Add the vanilla and eggs. In seperate bowl blend the flour, carrots, walnuts, baking soda and spices together. Add the wet to the dry-or dry the wet. Seperate into paper cases about 2/3 full and bake in a 180oC oven  for 18-22 minutes or until skewer comes out clean.

Want frosting?
1/2 packet of cream cheese, (such as philidelphia)
200g icing sugar,
1/2 tsp vanilla,
1/2-1 tsp milk.

Give the cream cheese a mix. Add the vanilla and milk. Asd half the icing sugar and add the other half when fully combine. Apply to cooled cupcakes.

Fondant carrot topping:
Orange fondant, (or 3/4 yellow + 1/4 red)
Green fondant.

Roll small thin carrot shape out of the orange fondant. Then make a jagged shape stalk for the top. Stick onto the orange with a drop of water. Apply to cream cheese frosting on the top of the cupcakes.

Enjoyyy :')

This post was editted and re-posted on saturday x

New jumper & new top :)

So the other day I went for my contact lenses in Tesco and thought I'd 'have a gander' upstairs in the clothes department. And even though it was in the boys 5-14 years section I stumbled across the glasses jumper and geek top. I was surprised that I got myself to be bothered to try them on aswell! I was also surprised that the age 13-14yrs was too big for me! So I tried on the 11-12yrs, that was still abit baggy but fitted nicely! I was chuffed with myself! Then I tried the 13-14yrs in the jumper and it also fitted perfectly! 
So at £5 for the GEEK top.
And £10 for the jumper. I say thats a good deal!

:):):)

lemon meringue cupcakes #1 RecipeFriday

So I usually do recipes in cups kind of the american way... I find it easier and I have the cup measurements here at home. But sometimes I have to write recipes for school and my cooking teacher doesnt take kindly to cups because its 'the American way.' So sometimes I will have them in grams and some in cups :)

Ingredients:
Cake:
1 cup self raising flour,
1/2 cup brown sugar,
1/2 cup white sugar,
1/2 tsl baking powder,
1/4 tsp baking soda,
1/2 cup soft butter,
1 tsp lemon juice,
1 tsp vanilla extract,
1/3 cup milk,
2 eggs.
Curd:
1 egg yolk,
Juice and zest of 2 lemons, (or one large/plump)
1/3 cup white sugar,
1 tbsp butter,
1 heaped tbsp cornflour.
Meringue:
3 egg whites,
3 tbsp white sugar,
1 tbsp icing sugar.

Method:
In a saucepan, bring the lemon juice and zest to a boil. In a small container/bowl mix together the cornflour and 2 tbsp cold water. Add egg yolk to saucepan whisking at all times for a minute. Add the butter until melted. Then add the cornflour mixture and whisk straight away. Take off heat. Set aside to cool.
-
In a bowl cream the butter and sugars together. Add one egg at a time until fully combine. Add the vanilla and baking powder and soda. Then add the flour, lemon juice and milk. Put in individual cases 2/3 full and bake for 20 minutes in 180oC oven.
Allow cakes to cool.cut each cake in half and add 1/2-1 tsp of the lemon curd and reattach halves. Place in fridge for around 10-15 minutes.
Whilst they're chilling, in a bowl whisk the egg whites until foamy, add the sugars and continue whisking until stiff peaks form and the mixture is completely opaque.
Put in a piping bag and pipe a high spiral peak into each cupcake. Put in 150oC oven for 3-5 minutes or until nicely golden.

Enjoyyyy ;)

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I bet your thinking...

I bet your thinkin... Wait this is a recipe blog aswell right? So where are the never-ending recipes?
Well the wait is over, i've been busy with school, life and well anything else that attracts my attention away from giving you one of my faithful recipes! So starting tomorrow FRIDAY I will be putting a brand new recipe up EVERY WEEK and some of them may be classic favourites and some may leave your jaw on the floor with surprise!
But the point is, Friday is now Recipe Day!

 I've also put some new buttons on for my Facebook, Twitter and Instagram that I made. These will send you quickly through a link to my profiles on each one :) Feel free to contact me for anything.
 

Enjoy fellow Bloggers and Searchers!

Email me ideas!

So I really want to know what the passers by, viewers and/or people looking for a blog they want to relate to and enjoy viewing want to see. I did an earlier post and this time I'm really getting my point across... I have my email for this blog in the contact page along with other ways of contacting.
Here is the email.
thegirlwhobakes@live.co.uk
Please email and let me know any subjects you are interested in viewing :):):) x

Is summer coming?

Today we had amaaazing weather! I mean bare armed, sunny weather! Woo hoo! I say its about time aswell... as it turned past 5 oclock-ish it did start to get slightly chilly, and I mean slightly. So, is this the start of our much-deserved english summer!? I hope so! Today I had a few friends round, and what started out as a day walking round the high street turned into a chill-out party in the back garden :D
Which made me even more excited for my anual back garden summer BBQ! Which I have in the summer holidays with my friends... but as unpredictable and disappointing english weather can be I expect it will turn on us pretty soon.
I feel sorry for people who spent ALL day in watching the Grand National... Today was the perfect day to have fun outside!
How did you spend your day? Did your horse win?

:):):)

Natural Collection Lipstick

For my best friends birthday last month I remembered from about 2 years ago she used to wear Natural Collection Makeup because it is kind to her skin, it has a nice range of colours and is inexpensive. For inexpensive makeup its not that cheap nasty stuff you get in a child's 'dress up with barbie' sort of crap. The makeup isnt bad. 2 years ago I use to use their eyeliner, which was the liquid kind. I don'd ear the liquid kind anymore but back then I didnt think it was a bad choice.
So after I had bought my friend a range of products from the collection, I decided to buy one of the lipsticks I had bought for her.
It was a Natural Collection Lipstick in the colour Crimson. It is soft of lips and after applied, it stays on like a lip stain/paint. It stays on for a few hours which is always convenient.
I dont usually buy such a RED lipstick nor lipgloss but I decided to give it a go.
And at only £1.99 as are most of the Natural Collection, I was impressed with the product. The collection has a nice range of colours and shades as do the other types of makeup products in the collection.
Can be found in Boots and not in Superdrug.