Easter Cakes with Ferrero Rocher

Easter is almost here! How is it April already? We are still having some horrible winter weather up here, so I decided to make some cheery, Spring-like mini cakes. They are super easy and great for an Easter celebration too! I like the idea of putting one at each place setting on Easter dinner or placing a pretty cake stand in the center of the table for dessert. Mini cakes are always fun and the individual sizes are great for kids, I know Ellia loves them!

I also decided to make them even more delicious with some Ferrero Rocher chocolates. I adore the hazelnut flavour, and of course they are so pretty to look at.

I started by making a box cake, which I normally wouldn't do, but we all know how yummy and easy they are. Bake in a 9x13in pan, and make sure you line it with parchment paper so it comes out easily and is smooth! I cut off the top with a cake leveler and then used various sized round cookie cutters to cut out the mini cakes. Scrapes are excellent for taste testing ;)

While the cake is baking, make a batch of your favourite frosting or buttercream. I used The Perfect Crusting Buttercream from I am Baker because I wanted something that was easy to make and would hold a design when I piped it out. I always use it with butter instead of shortening though to make it a little more yummy.  I split the icing into three bowls and used gel food colouring to dye each one. Then I used a Wilton 1M tip, starting in the center and swirling out to make the little flower design. I layered a few cakes to have mini 2-tiered cakes and topped with some super delicious Ferrero Rocher Eggs.

Thanks to Ferrero Rocher for all of the yummy treats!!

Happy Easter!

xox nat

beach waves

Despite February being LOVE month, it's also the longest, coldest, snowiest, kinda depressing, filled with cabin fever month. Every single year. And trust me, I'm not the only Debbie Downer that is thinking this, it's the center of many conversations. Almost every year around this time, we head off on a little tropical vacation, but with all the craziness of my parents house just finishing up and the 3rd pub opening, we haven't been able to sneak away just yet.  Keeping my fingers crossed it still happens. We've already discussed it and cannot wait to take Ellia along with us next year, but we don't think she is quite ready for the lengthy travel and a week away from home just yet.

So of course I am always thinking about sunny warm days and the beach. It's a daily struggle of "why the hell do I live here." The struggle is real people. I know this is probably a cliche thing to say, but I really do  know that I am meant to be in a warm climate, surrounded by palm trees and ocean. Even if it only is 3-4 months a year, aka wintertime. A girl can dream, right?

My last trip to Cali was amazing. I love spending time in my favourite place, my second home, with some really awesome people. Spending Thanksgiving with such a great group is always a highlight, I love, love the 5K Turkey Trot with the group!  And of course seeing my Instagram ladies is the best, I really adore those girls! I spent some time alone at the beach this trip which was a first, since my hotel was literally across the street from Doheny Beach.  I could probably stare at the ocean forever and never get bored. I love traveling. I love flying over different landscapes and seeing the world change, it's pretty incredible.

Just a few a bunch of my iPhone photos from Cali Thanksgiving 2014. I'll be in Jamaica for a wedding over Thanksgiving 2015 and will really miss these adventures.

xox nat