Cupcake Decorating Party!

"Frosting Time!" is one of the most awesome tasks here at the bakery for our team of bakers (yes it's grown to 5 and almost 6 now!). So imagine Maddy's excitement when her Mother organised a Cupcake Decorating Party for her 13th Birthday here at Cupcake Central! We were just as excited. I've only ever done this once, for my dear little cousin over at her house. Yes there was a lot of screaming, yelling, running around, fondant and icing sugar e.v.e.r.y.w.h.e.r.e. but all the girls (and boys) had the time of their life and all squealed that it was the BEST BIRTHDAY EVER!

So I have been contemplating for a while to set up instore Cupcake Decorating Party packages but never really got around to it but as Maddy's mum was enthusiastic to arrange a party for her here, I thought this was a great chance finally implement the idea. It's also been quieter on the weekends over the holiday break so we thought it would be a good chance to roll this idea out so we don't end up ripping our hair out.

So the girls got 90 minutes in the Cupcake Central sleek open kitchen being taught & shown how to roll out fondant and create their own fondant cupcake toppers, practising their piping techniques and being able to show their creative flair of decorating cupcakes. They also got to take home their 6 cupcakes in one of our special gift boxes...and also another little surprise being one of the first people to get their hands on a Cupcake Central's Batter Up Cupcake Mix so they can bake them at home!

They sure had fun and the noise was bellowing out of our kitchen into the alley way, attracting the attention of passersby. Some even asked Tin what was happening down in the kitchen, seeing 10 kids busily decorating cupcakes - to which he replied "We've just hired new bakers and are training them up".

With some of the creative cupcakes that came out of the party, who knows there might just be an aspiring cupcake baker waiting to come out!

If you would like to hold your own Cupcake Decorating Party at Cupcake Central feel free to contact us at www.cupcakecentral.com.au

And this here is gorgeous Cooper showing off his fondant Teddy Bear, who knows he could become the next Adriano Zumbo!

Happy Baking!

Working in a cupcake bakery and losing weight? Yes, it can happen.

Happy new year everyone! Or more recently Happy New Lunar Year! I know it's been a while and one of my new year's resolutions was to blog a lot more and share more experiences with you all - there's still time...it's only February, already! Ok I promise to keep you all more updated on the happenings of Cupcake Central this year. For now, I want to put business talk aside and talk about something that is just as important, which is health and wellbeing.

- Come smell how delicious this cupcake is Tin...smoosh. World War III occurs when I need to elicit the help of my boyfriend in the kitchen. He is amazing at all the business stuff, but baking? Not so much -

So let's get down to business.. what's this about losing weight? Weight is such a touchy topic and I'm sure that 80% of ladies, if not more, have had a time in their life when they've thought about going on a diet and losing a couple of kilos. I think throughout my whole life I have pretty much been a chubby kid. I never felt as though I hated myself or my body though, I would've liked being skinnier but I never hated myself, I've always quite liked the proportion of my body. Anyhow, ever since I started working in my cupcake store I thought 'Yes, this is my chance to get skinnier' since I thought I'd be running around, being stressed out and all those kilos would fall off.

- Passionfruit cupcake. Tin was once asked by a customer how many calories was in a cupcake, he responded with "as many calories you want it to have, *wink*" lol -

I was wrong. Somehow waking up at 4am and relying on a soy latte as a means of breakfast has severely effed up my metabolism followed by 1 or 2 large high-carb meals during the day, such as the deliciously evil white crusty bread deli rolls filled with prosciutto, brie and basil pesto, several cupcakes (for tasting purposes), junk food (due to lack of preparation) and goodness knows what has made me put on 5-6 kilos! FML.

Since my store opened I had neglected my own health and wellbeing as I was busily working on the business making sure everything was doing well. I had neglected sleep, stopped going to the gym, eating unhealthily and ended up getting stressed out. So after the Christmas & New Year break I started getting this uncomfortable feeling every time I sat down. I realised that it was due to the rolls of flab *gag* I had for a stomach, I felt...utterly disgusted. I had to do something about it. I felt like s.h.i.t. there's no other way of describing it. So a week before I was going to be filmed for a TV segment on Channel 7's Coxy's Big Break, I ran out and bought The 4-Hour Body by Tim Ferriss from Borders.

- On camera for Coxy's Big Break, I get to show you guys how to make Red Velvet cupcakes! -

As you know, I LOVE self-help books and I loved the 4-hour Work Week. I had stopped reading for a while and it's been difficult for me to start reading again and break my bad habit of watching YouTube clips at night. But once I started the book I couldn't stop. The excitement of putting everything the book said to work was amazing, the next morning I started the Slow Carb diet straight away, not on a Monday but on a Thursday!

Anyway, in short, I've lost about 4kgs in 30 days BUT it's much more than that, I definitely know that I've put on muscle and I've lost centimetres off my stomach, thighs & arms. I took before and after photos and the results are so visible...but the most amazing part is that I didn't starve myself nor did I have to exercise 2 hours a day. I think I've probably done 5-6 hours of exercise all up in the 30 days. Oh and I've also been able to pig out on Saturdays but I think my body is doing something weird and is no longer really craving for sugar and junk - just this Saturday past I was sure I wanted pancakes or something carby for breakfast but I ended up at High Tech Burrito and got a high protein steak, egg & bean burrito instead but then I ate frozen yoghurt afterwards.

So how the hell did I stay away from cupcakes whilst on this Slow Carb diet? Besides from knowing I was going to be on TV...

- Channel 7 Presenter, Mel Hetherington. Sitting with her cupcake tower at our store. Did I mention she also has an amazing to-die-for toned & petite figure? She did get to eat quite a few our cupcakes and loved them, she's also been to Magnolia bakery a couples months before visiting out store and definitely knew what she was talking about when it came to cupcakes -

I made sure I prepared what I had to eat for the week (eggs, tuna, fish, lentils, beans, beans and more beans) and I had to taste test cupcakes using the good old wine tasting method (a la swirl in mouth and spit). Even with a bite of a cupcake multiplied by 12 means I'm consuming a lot of wasted calories, I mean it's different when you eat a cupcake for enjoyment. Taste testing is wasted as it's part of a job...? I'm too focused on the texture, the sweetness and flavour to savour the moment, I guess. But don't you worry on my cheat-days I got my fix of cupcakes alright, I think it made me enjoy it all the more actually. Also when you're on a high protein diet, you start to feel as though you're eating so your body is getting fueled properly. Your energy levels will change and you won't feel bloated, I never even knew what it really truly meant to feel not bloated because I was always bloated!! I do sometimes crave for sugar and I've had a few lapses and ate banana chips or grapes but seriously I'm surprised how long I've been able to follow this diet and with such ease. I do want to lose another 5 kilos...of fat though and gain some kilos in lean muscle and have more definition.

I know I'm not fat or overweight but I'm aiming to be fit because I believe the healthier my body is going to be, the better I will be at running my business and achieving my goals a lot quicker. Without energy and vitality, it'll be harder to get to where you want to go whether it be mentally or physically.

- Presenter, Mel Hetherington and I after all the filming. She was so bubbly, friendly and gorgeous! She can really bake as well. This was only a week into my Slow Carb diet thus the flowy dress and still rounded face -

And yes, I KNOW that this is quite contradicting for someone that bakes and sells cupcakes for a living to be going on about health, weight loss and diets. But I still do believe that moderation is key. Food is there to be enjoyed and I think what I've learnt most from the Slow Carb diet is by being able to say to yourself that you want to fuel your body with the right foods, there will be days where you will need to fuel it with cupcakes! Cupcakes may not be too great for the hips but it's good for the soul.

I'll be back with some more posts on Cupcake Central and it's happenings next week and perhaps an update on my #4HB Slow Carb diet. Till then...

Happy Valentine's Day!
Order away at www.cupcakecentral.com.au