My 2nd finished knitting project ever

I need a excuse to post this beautiful photo Katherine took of my scarf-in-progress recently. It's quite long and stripy (if you couldn't tell from the stripy scarf pictured). The yarn is 35% mohair, 40% wool and 25% acrylic blend. so it ain't exactly fancy pants but that isn't the point :). It's the second knitted item I have finished since learning to knit back in March. The first thing I completed was another scarf I made for Leigh a few months ago, and I feel kinda guilty because this latest which I made for myself is nicer than the one i made Leigh. Maybe I should knit him a life-size statue of George Lucas...

Also, if you look in the background of the photo, you'll see the skull-and-crossbones tea cosy I raved about in The Tea Cosy of Death. How much does it rock?!

Trenna's Space Cakes

When Leigh and I got home last night, we found a note left by our housemate Trenna wishing us a good weekend and mentioning that she had made some cupcakes. She claimed that they were yuck, having been made from a packet mix. I believe she described them as 'blek'. However when we investigated, we found that the so-called 'blek' cupcakes were in fact tasty little vanilla joy parcels frosted with white icing and hundreds & thousands. Even though they were from a packet mix, they were great. So this post is basically a tribute to Trenna's Space Cakes :)

p.s.....

A very Happy Birthday to all the horses out there. :)

Maple, Pecan and Apple Cupcakes with Maple Frosting

I made these yesterday afternoon. Even though they turned out kinda deformed, they are still delicious and once I covered them with frosting they looked fine. They were good fuel for our household Monopoly marathon.

Maple, Pecan and Apple Cupcakes
makes about 30 mini cupcakes

60g butter, softened
1 cup self raising flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup maple-flavoured syrup
2 eggs
2/3 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1/2 cup coarsely grated apple

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C (360 F).
2. Beat butter, flour, cinnamon, sugar, syrup and eggs with electric mixer on low speed until ingredients are combined. Increase speed to medium, beat until mixture changes to a paler colour.
3. Stir in pecans and apple. Fill cupcake cases 2/3 full with batter.
4. Bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until golden. Cool on wire racks, then spread with maple frosting.

Maple Frosting

90g butter, softened
1 cup icing sugar
2-3 teaspoons maple-flavoured syrup

1. Beat butter, sifted icing sugar and maple syrup until light and fluffy.