Yip, that’s right folks, it’s only 92 sleeps till Christmas. Ninety-two sounds like quite a lot, though, doesn’t it? Ninety-two more bath times. Ninety-two more bedtime stories. Ninety-two more arguments about choosing the wrong pyjamas/cuddly toy/bedtime drink receptacle before the mince pie and carrot are sat by the fireplace.
There’s something almost wrong in beginning to turn one’s attention to thoughts of mince pies, Christmas presents and chipolatas when the leaves are still green and the days are only beginning to shorten.
However, when it comes to planning things in advance, I have discovered there is no such thing as too soon. That’s why I find myself pouring over the internet and Pinterest to gather ideas for our Christmas range while my children are still playing outside in T-Shirts.
So where does one start? The most obvious place would be cupcakes, and so far I’ve managed to find these little gems:
I love these perfectly piped christmas trees and think they would look great decorated with our Vegan-Friendly star sprinkles. Then there’s these minty little numbers:
Wouldn’t these be great with a hot chocolate after a wintry walk? For the traditionalists, I’ve found these dinky little puddings – perhaps they could work with a fruit cake mix too?
And it really wouldn’t be Christmas without a nod to the most famous reindeer of all:
Then there’s the celebration cakes. I’m currently on the hunt for a suitable allergy and vegan friendly fruit cake recipe that can be decorated as a traditional Christmas cake. I’m thinking lashings of dried fruit and possibly a wee nip of brandy! Contenders so far include:
I love the high fruit content of this one, which would be the perfect accompaniment to a cup of tea and an old Christmas film. Or there’s this little beauty, which just looks so moist and juicy:
As with all NeedCake recipes, all my discoveries will need tweaking and testing to ensure I can make them nutless and free from gluten – and that means eating a whole lot of cake between now and December!
Then there’s gift ideas. NeedCake will be venturing out and about to some local markets and fayres in the lead up to the big day and we’d like to ensure we’ve catered for everyone, so I want to provide an option for people planning to post gifts or those who need something with a longer use-by date.
I’m thinking along these lines:
The beauty of these recipe jars is that the person making them will be able to recreate NeedCake recipes in the comfort of their own home. They’ll have the choice of which milk they use, plus eggs can be added instead of the replacer we use here.
Then there’s the ever popular sharing pots. Hopefully I can infuse a Christmassy vibe with rich flavours of chocolate, mint, red velvet and cinnamon to bring comfort and warmth to those cold winter days – albeit not in the same pot!
So I’ve got lots to be getting on with during those ninety-two short days! It would be great to take on board some of your ideas too – what would you like to see available this Christmas? We’d love to be able to fill a gap in your Christmas preparations, whether it’s something for your own Christmas table or a gift for someone who is usually difficult to buy for. Get in touch with your ideas, we’d love to know what you think.
