When I was asked to make delicious and girly Cupcakes for a Christening in Chorley, I jumped at the chance.
Mia’s Mummy came round with some photos and ideas of the kind of cakes which appealed to her. It was then left to me to make sure I delivered a cake that tasted and looked every bit as pretty as the birthday girl.
A few weeks ago I delivered cupcakes to Wigan. Vicky contacted me, wanting 24 cupcakes delivering to her home in Orrell near Wigan for her sister’s surprise 18th Birthday party. The brief was for a mixture of 24 delicious cupcakes to suit a girl who like her goth Music, so I went for a mix of pink, sparkles and delicious black and white Oreo cupcakes. Vicky left the following comment on my Facebook page: “
This weekend was so much fun, it was the first really sunny weekend of the year. I made some wedding cupcakes for Allan and Jayne (post and pictures coming soon), went to a family wedding myself and went to Caroline and her Mum’s house for a couple of hours cupcake decorating class in Leyland.
Caroline’s husband, Andy bought Caroline a cupcake decorating lesson for her birthday and Caroline’s Mum joined in the fun. I think both were a little unsure how we would fill 2 hours decorating cupcakes and just as doubtful how the finished boxes would look. Fast forward 3 hours and the cupcakes looked fabulous with big smiles all round (we had so much fun I stayed an extra hour, I always like to keep things relaxed and friendly and I think it’s fair to say we nattered just as proficiently as we piped and swirled).
(£40 or £35 per person when booking for 2 or more)
Cupcake decorating lesson in the comfort of your own home!
Swirl Swirl Swirl
Trim and Sprinkle
The Finishing Touches of fairy dust (...well... glitter)
Chocolate Cupcakes Southport: A Chocolate and Vanilla themed box delivered to Southport: Oreo Cupcakes, Choc and White Choc Cupcakes, Vanilla Cupcakes
Strawberry & White Chocolate Cupcakes: Cupcake Delivery WiganPink and Girly Cupcakes: Cupcake Delivery Parbold
Good Evening,
Once again I apologise for my poor attendance, I guess I need to pull my socks up with this blogging mullarkey don’t I?… I’ll get there… eventually.
I cannot believe I am 6 months into being a cupcake shop owner. It is such hard work but I am LOVING it. Every day brings a new challenge, which is all part of the fun, but some challenges are more welcome than others.
As you are well aware we have just had halloween weekend and with it came the decision of whether to bow down to market trends or maintain a (slightly pompous, I admit) higher ground of stubborn steadfast and admittedly boring approach of my normal flavours. After several requests to make halloween cupcakes from some of my regular customers, I decided to go for it.
Away with the lemon syrups, natural fruits, berries, nuts etc which usually adorn my ‘foody’ cupcakes and out with the bloody jam (that’s jam thinned down to look like blood), black glitter, imagination and my inner child, which, let’s face it is not very well hidden.
Within a few hours I had 6 designs for my halloween cupcake range (and a very messy kitchen); 3 designs for the hardcore halloween fans and 3 halloween coloured cupcakes for those wanting to get in the spirit without pushing it too far.
In the end I had to reign myself in and resist the temptation to go too gruesome - it is a cake shop after all, so the final 6 consisted of a chocolate and cookie crumb gravestone (with a little Sweet Annalise sparkle of course), a jam filled vanilla eyeball cupcake, vanilla and marshmallow skull, complimented by purple, orange and dark grey sparkly swirls of buttercream on top of buttery sponge cupcakes.
Earlier in the post I mentioned I was reluctant to bake certain festive cupcakes. I am the first to find an excuse for a celebration and a fancy dress party, but as a consumer I don’t think I’m alone in feeling a bit fed up of every season and festival being rammed down my throat by every retailer of tat and novelties. All of a sudden I found myself deciding whether I wanted to be another retailer doing the usual, predictable cobwebs and pumpkins. I was paranoid that I would appear to be cashing in and selling out.
In hindsight I realise that I was doing my usual over-thinking routine and that giving the customer what they want, is simply good business, whilst having a lot of fun along the way. I can keep the Sweet Annalise style, sense of humour and quality while embracing the demands and expectations of my customers.
Lots of love from a slightly less paranoid
Sweet Annalise x
Hello All,
Sweet Annalise’s first shop has now been open for 7 weeks and although I haven’t got the place looking exactly as I want it just yet, all is good. Already there are many regular visitors and had several wedding/function bookings and even better lots of lovely comments and emails from happy customers 
I still get a little nervous at times but mainly I am excited at what is ahead.
I will be on BBC Radio Lancashire’s morning programme on Monday June 14th 2010 so that is exciting… well… so long as the nerve induced tourettes/giggles stays at bay.
I will leave this entry short and sweet but hope to write with more developments in the not too distant future
A bientot
Sweet Annalise
Hello All,
So once again, it has been a while since we last spoke - I hope you can forgive me?
Things have been going pretty well, give or take a few upsets (notably spinning off the M6 at 70mph - very inconvenient but very lucky because both me and car are unhurt).
Last week I borrowed some china and got some beautiful flowers from Sam at The traditional Flower Company in Staffordshire with the intension of taking lots of new pretty pictures for my new website. The weather in the North West however prevented me from setting up as many shots as I would have liked, keep an eye out for the new design
(I’m not sure when that will be because Adam is very busy doing other websites at the moment).
Sweet Annalise got mentioned in Cosmopolitan Bride magazine - not a massive feature, but a mention nonetheless was nice.
We did the Taste of Trafford Food Festival on 20th September 2009, we sold out and had a brilliant day, surrpounded by lots of brilliant North West foody businesses. This weekend we have The Stone Food Festival in Staffordshire on Friday 2nd October and Saturday 3rd October, we also have our usual market at Altrincham Farmers Market on friday 2nd, and at The Hollins Inn pub in Macclesfield on Sunday 4th October.
Keep your fingers crossed that all goes well.
Take Care
Sweet Annalise xx
Hello Again,
I know it has been a few weeks, I will get better at writing more often. I have been busy planning my first ever outlet… I am so excited! I have planned the space, which will be small, but perfectly formed. The shop is due to open in about a month in the Lancashire countryside but that is all I am saying for now with regards the location.
In the mean time I have to concentrate on my Farmers Market stalls and making lovely cupcakes for my existing customers. Over the last weekend we have done 2 of our regular stalls, the first one on Saturday was at Rode Hall, which is always such a lovely market in 2 barns within the grounds of Rode Hall. I made a new Banoffee flavoured cupcake called Fifi, they all sold so that’s good.
On the Sunday we were at The Hollins Inn pub in Macclesfield, they have got a really nice little market setup on the 1st Sunday of the month, it was the second time we have done the Hollins Inn, we had such a lovely afternoon.
I am now about to start my busiest baking week ever, so I have to get organised (which isn’t necessarily the easiest thing for me!). First things first - I have Wigan farmers market tomorrow, it didn’t do so good last month as there are are only 2 stalls on the market at the moment, although the council are working on developing it again and people must need excellent quality cupcakes in Wigan - mustn’t they?
I have to go now and do some admin and then crack on with the baking.
Take Care all
Sweet Annalise xx
Hello hello,
It’s me again and I am just a little bit tired. We got the cupcakes delivered yesterday to go to the cosmopolitan photo shoot and my first official home delivery of cakes! We (Myself, Andy and my brother Alex) then called in to see the gorgeous Staffordshire settings of The Traditional Flower Company.
After that we got down to the far more important business of watching Paul Weller in Cannock Chase. It was throwing it down and I forgot my coat and out door shoes… I’m such a numpty!
It was a fab night with support from Twisted Wheel, who I was unsure about before but actually quite like them now I’ve seen them, and 1 and a half hour cross country walking and 2 hours of jumping around in FLIP FLOPS have left my legs a little tired today so I am going to relax now and will hope fully speak again soon.
Annalise xx
Hi
I’m not sure what I’m doing - but I can confirm that it is really me this time (the first post was actually my friend Adam who has been the most amazing friend helping me get the website and blog up and running).
I am not sure what you will want or expect to hear/read but I think this will start out as a diary and then can evolve if any comments and discussions develop (that’s how blogs work… isn’t it?!?)
I suppose the most exciting and recent(ish) news is that I am providing some of my lovely cupcakes for a Cosmopolitan Bride photo shoot this weekend. It may end up that none of my cakes appear in the final shots but I am excited nonetheless. We’ll have to wait and see how they turn out and you’ll be the first to hear and hopefully see the outcome.
Take Care
Sweet Annalise xx
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