These cupcakes are full of Christmas flavour and a perfect excuse to spend time baking over the Christmas break. This recipe makes 12, they are really easy to make. I've used My Cupcake Set from Debenhams which includes a cupcake baking tray, cupcake cases and cake toppers. The icing is the hardest and messiest bit. I'd recommend getting a good piping bag at the ready to make life a little easier.

You'll need...
For the cupcakes...
100g Butter
100g Caster sugar
1 tsp Cocoa Powder
1 Orange
2 Eggs
50g Dark Chocolate
125g Self-Raising Flour
My Cupcake Set, Exclusive to Debenhams

For the icing...
350g icing sugar
150g butter
Orange food colouring gel
Edible silver balls
Edible glitter
Piping bag & nozzle

To Make...
Beat the sugar and butter together, add the cocoa powder, grate in half of the zest of the orange and squeeze in 2 teaspoons of the juice.


Melt the chocolate in a bain-marie and then add to the mixture.
Whisk the eggs together and mix into the mixture well.
Then fold in the flour gently.


Preheat the oven to 170oC
Spoon the mixture into the cupcake cases, fill just over half way.
Bake in the oven for 20mins, allow to cool.


Make your buttercream icing in the meantime, sift the icing sugar into a bowl.
Mix in the butter and food colouring until it turns a soft orange tone.
Grate in some of the orange zest.


Put into a piping bag and squeeze onto the cupcakes
Decorate with cupcake toppers from the My Cupcake Set, silver balls and edible glitter.
They will keep for a couple of days so you can make them just before you visit relatives over the Christmas season.

Join us today over on the Debenhams social media pages for a fantastic giveaway exclusively on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

Tell us who you are looking forward to spending Christmas with and why for the chance for me to personalise a stocking for you… #foundit

This mince pie recipe has a lovely orange zest pastry, which is really delicious. They are really easy to make and you can make the pastry up to 3 days before you make them up. I've used my mince pie kit which is exclusive to Debenhams, view my full Christmas collection here.

You'll Need...
250g plain flour
25g icing sugar
125g butter
1 orange
1 egg, beaten
400g jar mincemeat
100g dried cranberries
My mince pie kit

To Make...
Sift the flour and slice the butter into cubes.
Rub in the butter into the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Grate the orange zest into the mixture, beat the egg and then add this too.
Add a drop or two of cold water to combine the pastry.
Knead together until smooth then put in the fridge for 30 mins.
Lightly dust a work surface with flour, roll out the pastry to 5mm thick.


Using my mince pie kit, grease the baking tray and cut out 12 of the large circles.
Line the baking tray cups using the pastry, fill with a teaspoon or two of mincemeaat and top with a sprinkle of cranberries.
Squish the pastry together and roll out again.
Cut out 12 of the small circles and top the pies with them, pressing the edges together.
Squish the pastry together and roll out again.
Cut out 12 holly leaves, push the middles together and push onto the tops of the pies.
Add a cranberry to the middle of the leaf, pushing it into the pastry slightly.

Bake for 20mins or until golden brown.
Perfect little gift when you visit friends and family over the festive season.
They can be kept for around a week. So you can make them in advance.

Here's some snaps from our open studio weekend. It was such an amazing weekend. We are all overwhelmed by the amount of visitors we had. Thanks to all the people who came along, we hope you enjoyed it as much as we did. And thank you for supporting local creative businesses like us at The Harley Studios.

Dream of Garstang is set is historic market town Garstang near Preston in Lancashire. They are a contemporary lifestyle shop full of wonderful gift ideas, ladies fashion products and unique homeware. You can now find my products in there too!



Visit them at...

Dream-of-Garstang

10 High Street, Garstang, Preston, Lancashire, PR3 1FA

Gingerbread biscuits are the ultimate Christmas bake. The smell of ginger and cinnamon fills the house when baking them, this mix of spices is reminiscent of Christmas. They are such a fun and easy thing to make over the Christmas period with children and family.

You'll need...
350g plain flour, 1 tbsp ginger, 1tbsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp mixed spice,
A pinch of salt, 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
175g unsalted butter, 4 tbsp golden syrup, 150g dark muscovado sugar

To make...
Put the butter, sugar and syrup into a saucepan
and heat gentle until melted.
Sift the flour, spices, salt and bicarbonate of soda into a large mixing bowl
then add to the saucepan.
Mix well and roll into a ball of dough.
Chill in the fridge for 15 mins.
Roll out the dough to 1cm thick on a lightly floured surface.
Prepare a baking tray with baking paper.
Then use my Christmas cutters to cut out different shapes
and transfer to the baking tray.
Stamp the circular pieces with my Christmas biscuit stamps.
Bake in the oven for 8 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
Then have fun decorating them with icing, silver balls and edible glitter.

For more information, visit www.harleygallery.co.uk

I am totally nuts for my new squirrel cake stand! Exclusively available at Debenhams only. This little fella will be available whilst stocks last! When he's gone he's gone, so take him home with you today!

Squirrel Cake Stand, £20
Only from Debenhams
www.debenhams.com

A Touch of Vintage is a wonderful little shop in Lyme Regis. Situated on the pretty Georgian Broad Street. It's packed to the brim with beautiful gifts and designer products. From hand bags to toiletries, homeware and unusual cards. And now you can find my cushion kits and greeting cards there too.

The best of the region’s contemporary artists and designers will be showcasing their work, from jewellery and ceramics to prints and textiles at the Christmas Art and Food Market at The Harley Gallery on the Welbeck Estate this month.
For more information, visit www.harleygallery.co.uk

Charlwood designs is a family run business who specialise in designing, supplying and installing quality made kitchens and bedrooms. Their showroom also houses some hand picked greeting cards, gifts and kitchen accessories. You can now found my cards there too.

Visit them at ...
136 South Road, Hayward Heath, West Sussex, RH16 4LT
or online at charlwood-designs.co.uk
 

Get yours exclusively from Debenhams, £26
www.debenhams.com

Item No.3040555116

You can now find my products in the award winning shop Follie! Awarded as the Best Independent Gift Retailer in the Midlands and described affectionately as a favourite shop in Lincoln by customers on trip adviser. I am so pleased to announce that my greeting cards are now available in Follie. Highly recommended a visit if you are in the area. Located in Lincoln's historic Cathedral Quarter, Follie is a cosy, inviting and tempting shop; selling a delightful collection of home accessories, gifts and decorative items. 


 
83 & 86 Bailgate, Lincoln, LN1 3AR

www.follie.co.uk

This week I'm featuring my brand new shop scene tea towels from my A/W15 collection at Debenhams. This set of three tea towels includes a hand drawn village scene, which has been screen printed. There is a fruit & veg shop, sweet shop and even an antique shop. The coordinating tea towels in the set include charming prints and little details like a pom pom edge.



Only available at Debenhams, until stocks last! Shop now click the link below...
www.debenhams.com

Set of three tea towels, £8
Item No.3310305090

Come and see me this November Lustre!

Lustre is a high profile fair that celebrates the very best of contemporary craft and is regarded as one of the leading selling event in the East Midlands. During this special weekend at Nottingham Lakeside Arts you will find over 65 of the country’s finest contemporary craft makers selling everything from fine jewellery, bags and hats to ceramics, glass and tableware.  Each maker has been specially selected by an independent panel for the quality and uniqueness of their craft and will be on hand to talk to you about the ideas and techniques behind their work.

Each year you will find first-time exhibitors as well as some returning favourites, so there is always something new to discover.  Not to be missed is their Young Meteors gallery, showcasing some of the most cutting-edge work produced by recent graduates from across the UK.

For more info about visiting click here
Sat 7th Nov - Sun 08th Nov
Djanogly Art Gallery, Nottingham, NG7 2RD
Admission £5

For directions click here

Add a quirky touch to your breakfast table with my new cream wire toast rack, which comes in a super cute bunny shape! Only available at Debenhams!



 Exclusively available at Debenhams, £8
www.debenhams.com

Have you got the Bake Off blues? Then bake yourself happy!
Try one of my bake along recipes from this series.
For all the Recipe's Click Here


Mug & Coaster Sets Exclusive to Debenhams, £8.50
Click here to shop online!