Sneak Peek: Mother's Day Giveaway!

ashley thomas

Join us over on the Debenhams Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages on Monday for our Mother's Day giveaway. You can win a personalised pinny from my new Spring 16 collection. 
Head to the Debenhams social media pages and tell us three words that sum up your mum, follow with our competition hashtag #MumsTheWord and tag me in it @ashleythomasdesign for your chance to win a gorgeous personalised pinny. We only have 8 to giveaway over the day so be quick and good luck!


Country Living Fair 2016

country living fair
 

Come and see me at the Country Living Fair this March. Banish the winter blues and celebrate the bright new season with a visit to the Country Living Spring Fair. You'll find great ideas to help you brighten up your home, give your garden a new lease of life or refresh your wardrobe. Come to the Fair and enjoy an inspiring day out!

Find me on Stand: MF22





Spectacular Victoria Sponge

baking
Mother's Day is coming up in a couple of weeks time on the 6th March. A unique idea to spoil your mum is with Traditional Afternoon Tea. Why not bake your own cake, Mum's are definitely worth the effort. This Victoria Sponge recipe is super easy but does take a little time to put it all together. 
I've pimped it up with a cream cheese icing. Decorate with lots of fruits for a real wow factor.

You’ll need…
For the cake…
8oz butter
8oz caster sugar
8oz self raising flour
4 large eggs
2 tsp. baking powder

For the filling…
Raspberry jam

For the icing…
6oz cream cheese
2oz butter
4oz icing sugar
Vanilla essence
2 punnets of mixed fruits

To make…
Take a large mixing bowl add the butter and soften in the microwave for 30seconds. Sift in the flour and sugar, beat in the eggs and finally add the baking powder. Mix together until smooth.

 

Grease two 20cm cake tins, and turn the mixture out evenly into the two tins.
Bake for 25mins until risen, test it’s cooked by putting a skewer into the centre of the cake. If it 
 comes out clean it’s done. Allow to cool or a wire rack.


Once cool spread the jam onto the top of one of the cakes.
Add the other cake to the top, then make your icing.


Add your butter to a bowl and microwave for 30seconds.
Sift in the icing sugar and mix in the cream cheese, add a few drops of vanilla essence and blend together until smooth.
Put in the fridge for 10mins if it’s too runny.
Take the icing and smooth over the top of the cake, decorate with fresh fruits of your choice.


Baked using my exclusive collection at Debenhams
Shop the range at www.Debenhams.com

SS16 Kitchen

Ashley Thomas at home
My SS16 collection has started to appear in stores across the country. 
Have you spotted it in your local Debenhams?
There's everything you need to bake up a storm! Look out for this season's pinny with a quirky bow and button detail. And my clip jars which are great for extra storage in your kitchen and have fun sayings on them as well as this season's prints.




Shop online to start your collection www.debenhams.com