Lavender Cupcakes and Fudge Box Tutorial! *Picture Heavy!*

This is a looooooooong post so please bear with me - i know when i see tutorials etc i wish they were done step by step with photographs so that if i dont follow the words i can visually make out what to do next :) Thats what ive done with both the recipes and tutorials on my blog.....

First up today is a very delicious Lavender Cupcake recipe - dont knock it till you try it as its got a very unique taste and is miles better than you could ever imagine (even my boys love them, i DID refuse to tell them what was in it until they had tasted and told me whether they liked them or not - otherwise we would have had the 'urrghhh im not eating girly flowers' face!) lol

Lavender Cupcakes with Lavender frosting.

Ingredients:

4 oz Caster sugar
4 oz Butter (softened)
2 eggs (beaten)
1 tbsp milk
1 tsp lavender flowers (chopped)1/2 tsp vanilla essence
6 oz Self raising Flour (sifted)

Icing sugar to decorate that has been left to stand the night before infusing with a tbsp of lavender flowers (sieve before making up the icing to take out flowers). Top with more dried lavender.

Method:

1. Place 12 cake cases into a prepared tin (i used silicone cases to hold their shape and i didnt want the icing to make paper cases go soft)
2. Place caster sugar and butter into a bowl and cream until soft and fluffy. Gradually add beaten eggs, milk, lavender and vanilla essence.3. Fold in the flour.4. Divide the mix between the 12 cases and bake in a preheated oven for approx 15-20 mins at 200 degrees c.5. Cool the cakes on a wire cooling rack. 6. Make up the icing sugar to a semi hard consistency.
7. Carefully cover the cakes with the icing mix and sprinkle with lavender flowers before the icing sets.Enjoy xxx

I had lots of emails and requests for how to make the little fudge box that was shown on the Bo Bunny blog the other day. The easiest way was to start from scratch so ive listed as we go what you need and its best to have it all to hand before you start :)

You need 4 pieces of chipboard that is 2 1/4 x 2 3/4 inches and 1 piece that is 2 3/4 x 1 inch.
Next cut the lid paper which is 6 3/4 x 6 3/4 inches. (seablue in pic)
In another colour cut the two drawers for inside at 5 15/16 x 5 15/16 inches. (dark brown in pic).
You need 1 strip of 11 3/4 x 4inches (typewritten patterned paper) and 1 strip of 10 x 2 10/16 inches (seablue)
Place your longest strip of paper face down and starting from the left hand side place your smallest strip of cardstock onto the paper with double sided tape. Leave a little gap between each one and place each of the 4 larger pieces alongside.
Put double sided tape all around the outside of the remaining paper as this needs to be folded over.
Fold the corners over first to ensure a neat finish.
Then fold over all of the sides and make sure you press firmly, making sure your box will bend at each of the spaces between the cardstock.
Cover your slightly smaller strip of paper in double sided tape and place this over the top of the pieces you have just turned over - this gives a neat and perfect finish to the inside of your box.
Again make sure it all folds neatly without any blisters and press down ensuring all the double sided tape is in place.
You are going to do the same for the inside boxes as you are about to do for the lid so please refer back to this part and simple redo for inside :)
Place a ruler onto each adjacent corner and draw a line across the middle point of your paper - turn and do the same again so you have a cross in the middle.
Fold each corner in to touch the center point...
Fold this section again making sure you stay on the line in the center. Again do this for each side.
Make cuts down 2 adjacent folds giving you 2 sections with little arms and 2 without (thats the best way i can explain it!!LOL)
Fold the sides with the arms up and bring the folds over into the center to reinforce the other sides.
Now fold the last bit up and over. A little sticky tape on the end of this piece may be needed to hold it in place.
Repeat for the other side...
Repeat for the 2 internal drawers...
Place a little sticky tape onto one side of each drawer.
Stick one drawer onto the bottom of the last section of your box and the other drawer onto the top of the middle section.
The lid will be a tight fit at first but this eases up after the first fitting. You need it secure to hold the box together.
Bottom drawer should be level with the bottom of the box so that when anything is placed in the drawer it will not sag.
Voila - now its up to you to decorate as you wish :) Add lots of bling, flowers, gems and jewels or simply pop a little ribbon around the top! Im sure it will be adored by whoever receives it :)
Phew, if you stuck around this long i thank you and will sign off now....... Chinese take away for tea followed by a Lavender cupcake - bliss! :)