Cake 8

Chocolate Muffin

9 August 2010.

Thank you Jenny (my mum) & Bob (step-dad) for sharing this with us.


A cupcake enjoyed by the four of us for morning tea on Monday 9th August.

Cake 7

Chocolate-coated Strawberries

4 August 2010

With thanks: Irene and Graham. We were so happy and excited when we found this in our room! This was the surprise when we arrived at O'Reilly's for our 5-day rainforest walking holiday.




Surprise! When we arrived at our holiday destination last week, in our room were two platters of chocolate-covered strawberries, a bottle of champagne and a card from Irene and Graham.

Delicious.

Cake 6

Chocolate Cake

2 August 2010

Thanks to Irene, one of Paul's wonderful team, for baking this delicious Chocolate Cake, enjoyed by Paul and everyone at work.

It's only day 3, and we're up to cake six already....yum.

Cake 5

Vienetta

1 August 2010

Thank you Arlene, Steve and Alex.

It's only day two and we're already up to Cake #5 and Candle #5.

This one was eagerly anticipated, expected and hoped for. We were not disappointed. Every year, without fail, Arlene, Steve and Alex do a Vienetta for Paul's birthday. And it always follows Steve's culinary triumphs - he does the best baked dinners. Yum.

A lovely moment of unexpected colour coordination and synchronicity: Arlene's blue tablecloth didn't know that my blue candle was joining us for dinner.

Wilkos, thank you thank you thank you....

Closeup of the Vienetta

Cake 4

Vienetta

1 August

Thank you Mary-Anne!

A surprise entry this afteroon with an unexpected celebration on Sunday afternoon.

Mary-Anne bought presents (see below these beautiful serviettes with cakes on them), and a gorgeous card featuring many cakes, see further below with candle #4.

But wait, there's more. Four beautiful plates which we will use in the next 50 weeks for future cakes. And still more!....she surprised Paul and Seb with a Vienetta for afternoon tea. See next blog , ckae #5, for the final celebration this weekend, to see a photo. Lucky Paul is the proud ingester of two Vienetta's in one day.

Cake 3

Pancakes!

1 August 2010

Thank you wonderful Seb for making a celebration breakfast for your Dad x x

Paul's pancake with candle #3

A special entree sized pancake

The birthday pancake in progress

Cakes 1 & 2

Blood Orange Almond and Semolina Cake

and

Chocolate Cake with Apple and Berry topping

31 July 2010

Thank you Bruce, Nicole, Bob, Lyne, Mackenzie, Joyanne, Andy, Seb AND our special surprise friends from Melbourne: Liz and Ken.

We celebrated Paul's 50th with a small group of friends and launched 50 Cakes in 50 Weeks.

We're salivating with anticipation of what is to come. We're looking forward to lots of occasions with all our friends over the next 50 weeks as we reach our target: 50 cakes in 50 weeks.

Here are Paul's first two cakes (and therefore his first two candles). Celebrated on his birthday, 31 July.

1) Chocolate Cake with Apple and Berry Topping - Recipe here on the Nestle site. Fun to experiment, but would not use this recipe again

2) Blood Orange Almond and Semolina Cake: a great success, made with new season blood oranges which have just appeared in the markets. Thanks to the Sydney Markets website for this recipe.

Thanks to Seb and Mackenzie for the photographs.