Mrs Stanton Makes...

Kate Stanton is a home-baker and craft-lover from London, who loves all things creative. Join her on a crafty journey and explore this creative world together...

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Welcome to the new and improved Mrs Stanton Makes...

Welcome to the new and improved Mrs Stanton Makes…

Hello everyone and welcome to the new and improved Mrs Stanton Makes blog!

There may be a new logo and a new colour scheme, but rest assured, you’ll find the same recipes, tutorials and reviews just with a few added extras.

Check out my brand new shop page to browse the products I have on sale in my Etsy shop, and check back here every week for new posts and upcoming events.

To receive…

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Mrs Stanton's Makes has moved...

Mrs Stanton’s Makes has moved…

Hello all, This is a personal note from me to say THANK YOU for all your support and follows over the past couple of years and to let you know that Mrs Stanton’s Makes has rebranded and moved here to Mrs Stanton Makes to coincide with the launch of my Etsy shop. You’ll find all the same recipes, tutorials and reviews, plus added extras, so head over there and click follow to keep baking, crafting…

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Oreo cupcakes

Fancy an Oreo cupcake? Here's the recipe - watch out, they're addictive...

Recently, I’ve been baking a weekly batch of cupcakes to share with a charity I’m volunteering at. Every Friday we sit down together to enjoy a home-cooked lunch, finished off with a freshly baked cupcake. This week, I arrived with a batch of Oreo cupcakes – a chocolate sponge, topped with a mound of sweet Oreo buttercream and a whole Oreo cookie, plus there’s a sneaky Oreo surprise in the bottom…

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Those of you who have been following this blog for a while will know that I always have a project on the go, whether it’s a new recipe for a bake or a handmade gift for one of my friends or family. After many years of crafting as a hobby, I have decided to open an Etsy shop to sell my handmade, and often hand-painted creations. Each item is created to order and can be personalised with a name or message for that perfect gift or home decor piece. The shop is a true work of love and I hope others will like it as much as me…

My dream for Mrs Stanton Makes is that buyers will find presents and keepsakes for their loved ones – something personal that will be treasured and remembered for years to come, or a decorative piece to add that finishing touch to the home. Their are gifts for birthdays, weddings and anniversaries, new homes and new babies, for couples, students and families.

So, without further ado, I invite you into Mrs Stanton Makes on Etsy! Here’s a sneak peek of the products I have on offer…

Hand-painted wooden letter bunting

Hand-painted ‘to the garden’ sign

Hand-painted hanging heart

Hand-painted and personalised hanging heart

Hand-painted and personalised hanging heart

Hand-painted decorative letters

Hand-painted decorative letters

Hand-painted pillar candles

Hand-painted and personalised pillar candles

Hand-painted ‘to do list’ peg fridge magnet

Handmade hanging lavender heart

Hand-painted New Home greetings card

Hand-painted and personalised greetings card

Mrs Stanton Makes is now on Etsy Those of you who have been following this blog for a while will know that I always have a project on the go, whether it's a new recipe for a bake or a handmade gift for one of my friends or family.

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Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

The much-requested recipe for my lemon meringue cupcakes is now up on my blog!

I love the idea of turning much-loved desserts into cupcakes, whether something fun and nostalgic like a whippy ice-cream or an age-old favourite like cherry bakewell. Lemon Meringue Pie has been one of my most loved puddings since I first tasted it many years ago. The zingy zestiness of the lemon coupled with sweet and fluffy meringue is a combination that works so well, it can be irresistible.…

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Those of you who are regular readers of this blog will know that I love cake. I love to bake cakes, look at cakes, think about cakes and eat cakes…No one knows this better than my husband, who spotted this year’s Cake International advertised in a daily newspaper and suggested we get tickets – what better way to spend a Saturday afternoon than immersed in a colourful and quirky cake haven…

Cake International brings together the best of the world’s bakers, creators and sugarcrafters, all housed in the magnificent exhibition space at Alexandra Palace. Whether attending the show to buy the latest in cake decorating paraphernalia, meet some of the best cake-decorators in the business, or just to gather a little inspiration for your next big project, Cake International is definitely the place for all things cake.

As a baker whose storage cupboard of baking and decorating equipment is already affectionately termed the ‘Cake Cupboard of Doom’, I was not in the market for buying any more bits and bobs for the time being – however tempting it might have been…Instead I spent the afternoon knowing I was surrounded by people with a shared passion and marveling at the beautiful creations that had been created from such a simple ingredient as sugarpaste.

The highlight of my trip was the competition space, where decorators from all over the globe displayed their very best creations for judging by a team of esteemed decorators – they were incredible! As someone who has been praised for her own decorating skills in the past, I was in awe at the talent, creativity and level of pure perfection on display in the competition zone – not only was it a place to garner new ideas, but it left me eager to learn more and pursue my skills in sugarcraft. Here are a few of my favourites:

The eager-eyed among you may have noticed that while we have spent a lot of time looking at and talking about cake, there has not been a lot of eating cake at Cake International. Alas, have no fear, we did not leave the show without first sampling something sweet and delicious… On first sight, we were sold on Flower & White’s Tweeners. Designed to share, Tweeners come in a variety of flavours and we were tempted by the Quadruple Chocolate and Cherry Bakewell offerings – needless to say, they didn’t disappoint and went down very nicely with a cup of hot chocolate…

And so, our trip to Cake International concluded with full tummies and a head bursting with ideas and the desire to get creative with cake. If this all sounds like your cup of tea (or slice of cake, perhaps?) Cake International will be in Birmingham later this year and back in London next Spring. Check out Groupon for some great deals on tickets.

  A review of my day at Cake International London Those of you who are regular readers of this blog will know that I love cake. I love to bake cakes, look at cakes, think about cakes and eat cakes...No one knows this better than my husband, who spotted this year's…

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Sewing has become a passion of mine since designing my first cushion last year. I was lucky enough to receive a professional sewing machine for Christmas, and have since made simple cotton dresses, bunting and many more cushions. Saturday Sewing Session gives sewers the chance to create something truly unique, and work with materials that we might not have come across in our own projects. The opportunity to work with leather was a biggie for me, and it’s now something I will definitely be working with more…

The Saturday Sewing Session studio can be found in Chelsea, a short walk from Fulham Broadway Underground Station, and is a quaint and quirky haven of all things creative. Having made a separate trip to Goldhawk Road to choose my leather and lining, the studio had all the necessary equipment and extras to create a luxury leather clutch. The class was an intimate affair with five sewers under the expert guidance of bespoke tailor Krystel Quilantang, whose patience and knowledge allowed even the most beginner of sewers to leave with a good quality product.

We were shown how to mark out and cut the pattern from our leather and lining, taught how to tackle the much-feared zip and made tassles as a finishing touch for our masterpieces; all while enjoying cups of tea, crafty chat and a cheeky slice of chocolate cake – provided by Krystel too celebrate the thirtieth birthday of one of our group.The three-hour session sped by with each sewer leaving with a bespoke, handmade leather clutch bag, a new skill, and enough spare leather and lining to create a matching purse or three… Saturday Sewing Session was a fantastic way to spend a weekend afternoon in a colourful studio space that didn’t fail to inspire creativity. Priced at £55 for the three hours, it is not something I could afford to do regularly, but for a special occasion or one-off treat I would highly recommend it to those looking for a different kind of experience. If making a leather clutch doesn’t float your boat, there are many more workshops on offer from dressmaking to lingerie – the biggest challenge will be choosing what to make first!

Luxe clutch bag made from soft purple leather

Open up the metal-toothed zip to find a luxury purple and gold lining

A leather tassle is the perfect finishing touch

Plenty of room to store all the essentials

Photography by Emma Cole, Rachel Christopher, Kirsty Bennett and Kate Stanton

  Read my review of the Saturday Sewing Session Luxe Lined Leather Clutch workshop Sewing has become a passion of mine since designing my first cushion last year. I was lucky enough to receive a professional sewing machine for Christmas, and have since made simple cotton dresses, bunting and many more cushions.

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For me, Easter is all about celebrating new beginnings, spending time with family and friends and enjoying copious amounts of delicious chocolate. This Easter weekend will be no different, and I decided to bake a cake for the occasion. This Easter drip cake is a true showstopper. Baked in the Wilton’s layer cake pans I used one 3 egg cake recipe to create towering layers of chocolate sponge, chocolate buttercream, dark chocolate drips and an array of brightly coloured chocolate eggs…

You will need (for the cake) 175g Stork 175g dark brown sugar 3 large eggs 175g self-raising flour 1tsp baking powder 60g cocoa powder 1tbsp treacle (for the buttercream) 250g unsalted butter 250g icing sugar 200g milk chocolate (for the decoration) 100g dark chocolate chocolate eggs

Method Preheat the oven to 180C and cover your cake pans with cake release. Beat together the Stork and sugar until the mixture is creamy and paler in colour – the longer that you beat the mixture at this stage, the lighter your cake will be. In a jug, beat together your eggs and leave to one side. Weigh out the flour and baking powder and mix together in a separate bowl. Gradually add the eggs and flour to your butter and sugar mixture, mixing well after each addition. Mix the cocoa powder with a little hot water to create a thick paste and add this to the mixture along with the treacle. Mix until fully combined. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tins and bake for 20-25 minutes, then remove from the oven and leave to cool.

For the buttercream, cube the butter and beat it for at least ten minutes until creamy and whiter in colour. Add the icing sugar a little at a time until fully incorporated. Melt the milk chocolate in the microwave, or in a bowl over a saucepan of boiling water, and mix it into the buttercream. Once the sponges are cool, use a little of the buttercream to sandwich them together,then use a palette knife to spread a thin layer of buttercream over the cake to seal in the crumbs. Put the cake in the fridge for 15 minutes to allow the crumb coat to set. Use a palette knife to spread a thicker layer of buttercream over the cake smoothing it as you go to create an even finish, then return the cake to the fridge for it to harden up slightly.

While the cake is in the fridge, melt the dark chocolate in the microwave, or in a bowl over a saucepan of boiling water, then remove it from the heat and allow to cool and thicken slightly. Take the cake out of the fridge and pour the melted dark chocolate over the top of the cake. Use a spoon to tease the chocolate over the sides of the cake until drips form. Return to the fridge for five minutes to help the chocolate set.

Spoon any leftover buttercream into a piping bag and pipe a design onto the top of the cake, then decorate with chocolate eggs and other chocolate shapes.

Celebrate Easter with my super chocolaty Easter drip cake For me, Easter is all about celebrating new beginnings, spending time with family and friends and enjoying copious amounts of delicious chocolate.

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Folk It!

Read my review of the Folk It! Series 1 Starter Kit and see some of my hand-painted creations

Since watching a demonstration on their stall at Kirstie Allsopp’s Handmade Fair last September, I have been intrigued by the idea of Folk It! painting and in February 2016 I finally got my hands on the Folk It! Series 1 Starter Kit – I wasn’t disappointed. The kit has allowed me to create simple, but beautiful hand-painted crafts and is super versatile and fun to use. Since getting the set, I’ve…

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Simple patchwork cushion

So proud of the cushion I made on my sewing machine - find the pattern here

Baking is something I have done regularly for as long as I can remember. Other crafts, however took a lot longer to catch my attention. I envied people who could pick up a length of fabric and turn it into something wonderful. Recently I decided to invest in a sewing machine, and bought a beautiful JL Mini Sewing Machine in Berry – knowing that loving the colour would make me want to use it even…

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Mr Stanton's cookies//Guest post

My lovely husband Mr Stanton baked me some delicious spiced cookies - find the recipe here

Making sweet things never came naturally to me. At Food Tech, aged 15, I attempted, what I didn’t think was that ambitious for my first project, strawberry marzipan. It came out a pink gloop more like ice-cream left out in the sun. I’ve had a couple more baking disasters, including a very well done cake (Chocolate and Charcoal). If sweet stuff is created, it is Mrs Stanton that does it. However,…

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Banoffee cupcakes

Enjoy a much-loved British dessert in cake form with my recipe for banoffee cupcakes

 I love browsing food blogs and Instagram, flicking through magazines and recipe books to get inspiration for new bakes. The idea of turning popular desserts into cupcakes is something that really appeals to me – deciding which flavour to add to the sponge and which to save for the buttercream and the topping, so that a single bite evokes the flavour combination and memory of a favourite dessert.…

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Chocolate orange cupcakes

Whip up a batch of my chocolate orange cupcakes - perfect for presents, afternoon tea, and cake sales

When I hear the phrase Cake Sale I get excited. I love having an excuse to bake something special without feeling like I have to eat it afterwards! After working hard in the kitchen on a new recipe, there is nothing better than seeing other people enjoy the fruits of your labour – especially if it means raising some money for a good cause too. Recently, my work-place held a Cake Sale for Barnardo…

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Amaretto Sours

Who fancies an Amaretto Sours?

I know I’ve shared my love for all things almond-flavoured many times through Mrs Stanton’s Makes – a love which often finds its way into my bakes and makes. It will come as no surprise that I adore Amaretto, and my favourite drink is an Amaretto Sours. Having sampled a few in bars and restaurants around London, the best version I tasted was at Bill’s. Here they mixed the almondy liqueur with…

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Mary Berry's double chocolate cookies

Mary Berry's double chocolate cookies are one of my favourite things to bake

I love Mary Berry. Ever since the first episode of the Great British Bake Off aired in 2010, I have been a huge fan of both the lady herself and her recipes. Mary’s recipe for double chocolate cookies is the best I have found to date. It is in her Baking Bible, and combines five ingredients to make a batch of thirty-six sweet, gooey cookies. This was the first recipe that I tried from Mary’s…

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Lemon and white chocolate layer cake

A zesty and moist lemon and white chocolate layer cake made with Wilton's layer cake pans - perfect for a first time layer cake baker

I have always loved the idea of layer cakes, but found the idea of multiple tins baking at different times to be complicated and ultimately very off-putting. This changed when I spotted Wilton’s layer cake tins in my local branch of Lakeland, which offered five cake pans, designed to fit in the oven all at once, and only take one batch of cake batter. Sure enough, the tins were brilliant! I used…

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Tiramisu

Mother has proclaimed this tiramisu 'better than in a restaurant' - find the recipe here on Mrs Stanton's Makes

Tiramisu is my Mum’s favourite dessert. Whenever she sees it on the menu she cannot resist ordering it. On alternate weekends I visit my parents for dinner, and where possible I try to take along a sweet treat. Tiramisu was a challenge for me – not because it is particularly difficult, but because I know how many delicious versions of the dessert Mum has tasted, giving me a high standard to live…

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