Banoffee Cupcakes

I love baking and cooking. For me it's a way of shutting off especially after a day at work - it's nice to just get into the kitchen and cook something tasty for tea. The other night I decided to make a batch of banoffee cupcakes using Carnation Caramel and toffee sauce to go inside. It was super easy and they tasted amazing - I definitely recommend trying out Carnation in a few recipes, gives one hell of a flavour.   

 

 

                                                        Ingredients

                                           - 2 ripe bananas
                                           - 110g/4oz caster sugar
                                           - 2 free-range eggs
                                           - 125g self raising flour
                                           - 1 tsp baking powder
                                           - 100g butter (softened)

                                                              Icing 

                                           - 85g softened butter

                                           - 300g icing sugar

                                       - 100g Carnation Caramel

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases. Then mash the two ripe bananas in a separate bowl.
2. Cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl until pale. Then slowly beat in the eggs a little at a time.
3. Fold in the flour using a large metal spoon, adding a little milk until the mixture is of a dropping consistency. Next add the Carnation Caramel to the mix, folding in the mashed bananas as you go. Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until they are half full.
4. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes, or until golden-brown on top and a skewer inserted into one of the cakes comes out clean. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes, then remove from the tin and cool on a wire rack.
5. For the butter cream icing, beat the butter in a large bowl until soft. Add half the icing sugar and beat until smooth.
6. Then add the remaining icing sugar with one tablespoon of the milk, adding more milk if necessary, until the mixture is again - smooth and creamy before adding in the caramel.
7. Once cakes are completely cool - spoon the icing into a piping bag with a star nozzle and pipe the icing using a spiralling motion onto the cup cakes in a large swirl. (I need to brush up on my piping skills however!)

I topped mine with bananas although another idea would be to chop up some walnuts and sprinkle them over the top, just to add a bit of texture if your wanting more of a crunch. Definitely something you can play around with. 

Lush Rosie Gift Set

1. Ro's Argan Body Conditioner
This is one of my favourite products in the box and even probably one of my favourite Lush products too. I'd seen a lot of in shower body conditioner things advertised before and I was quite sceptical about it at first. A cream you put on in the shower instead of after? It sounded a bit strange to me, that was until I tried it.
The formula isn't thick or heavy, if anything it's light weight and applies to the skin really nicely. I've found I only need to use the tiniest amount, a little definitely goes a long way with this product.

The smell is gorgeous, a very floral but musky scent, really hard to describe but next time your in a Lush give it a quick sniff and you'll see what I mean. With many moisturisers the scent goes during the day but this stuff lingers on your skin and makes you smelling lovely and fresh all day long.

I'm one of those girls who hates moisturising, I'm quite lazy when it comes to moisturising my skin and I find it a chore to do but with this product is so quick, simple and easy.
After washing in the shower you apply a small amount of this into your hands and rub it all over your body, especially paying more attention to places like knees and elbows. It may seem strange at first but all you do now is wash off, get out of the shower and pat yourself dry. Your left with super soft skin and the great thing is there's no need for waiting around to put your clothes on.

If your like me who can get quite lazy with moisturising then this is the product for you. Quick, easy and effortless. I'll be sure to repurchase this and at £15.95 for 225g it's well worth it.

2. Rose Jam
This are one of the bubbleroons Lush do which I find such a cute idea, in the shape of little macaroons. I find using half of this is more than enough, again great because you can get two baths out of it.
All you do, the same with any bubble bar is crumble it under running water and it will start to create the most amazing bubbles in your bath. That's why I always come back to bath bombs from Lush because they create so many bubbles and I'm most definitely a bubble bath gal.
This bath bomb leaves your skin amazingly soft (no need to moisturising afterwards), sweet smelling and leaving you totally relaxed.
£3.50

3. Rose Queen
For this one, you run a hot bath and just drop this into the water and let it fizz away. Lush always do the nicest bath ballistics, each one always has little bits of flower or sugar paper in which makes your bath so pretty.

I love this bath bomb, it's so relaxing and makes your bath water so silky. It also leaves your bath water a nice bright pink too. The perfect bath bomb for a relaxing bath, this one has little petals inside (blue mallow, tiger lily, honeysuckle, apple blossom and amaranth flower) which adds a little bit of luxury to your bath.
All you need is a glass of wine and a magazine and your good to go.
£2.75 each.

4. Amandopondo
The last bubble bar in this gift set and again one of my favourites.(they're all just too good) Refreshing and awakening, Amandopondo has a mix of lemon oil and sweet orange oil which gives it that citrus, re freshening kick. Along with the citrus it also has damask rose in which is used in aromatherapy, great for relaxing you and easing your muscles. I find this is a great little bath bomb to use after the gym or a running session to relax and repair your muscles, along with the scent which will calm and relax yourself too.
£2.75 each.

The Titanic Hotel, Liverpool | Little Break Away

The weekend just gone me and my other half stayed at the beautiful Titanic Hotel in Liverpool. It was safe to say we were both in need of a break away from work - and especially with T hardly having time off this was the perfect time to get away and spend some time together. The whole weekend was absolutely stunning - definitely one to remember. 

I'd come across this hotel by chance after browsing the many hotels Liverpool has to offer but as soon as I saw the pictures I was completely sold straight away. Not only is it a hotel but a gorgeous venue for conferences and weddings, which again would be stunning - with the style and interior it's definitely up my street. Both me and T have the same kind of style when it comes to interior bits and we both adored this hotel. Everything was absolutely stunning - so much attention to detail but still has a rustic style to it. 
The hotel itself is a historic warehouse conversion, refurbished to give the feel and look of the Titanic.With our room facing outward onto the dock, we had the most gorgeous view in the morning from the bay window. The location was another thing that swayed me towards this hotel rather than any other - right by the Albert Dock it was only a short walk away from the City centre but still peaceful, up and out of the way. 

The whole hotel is just completely out of the ordinary - unlike anywhere else I've been before, still managing to keep the industrial feel whilst keeping it really classy and modern. With working in a hotel myself it was completely different to what I'm used to. The main reception being a complete open space, looking over the bar and restaurant. All keeping to the same theme with beautiful furnishings and little added touches - nothing looked out of place. The restaurant having an open kitchen and glass meat room - gorgeous seating areas for pre drinks before dinner. 

My personal favourite had to be the rooms with a huge open space with a living area - again something that made me fall in love with the hotel. Bathroom was to die for, a huge bath, wall size mirror, his and her sinks (again a personal favourite) and a walk in shower (which may I add was heaven). The room had all of the elements you'd expect plus handy things like an iron, ironing board, robes and slippers, espresso machine (although neither of us really drink coffee - but a nice touch), tea facilities and wifi access. We had a meal booked in for 8 which gave us enough time to get ready and relax a bit before heading down. 

                                                                                                          ___________________


We were going to eat out that evening but at last minute decided to dine in the restaurant which I'm so glad we did as not only was the food was heavenly but the waiting staff were all lovely. The restaurant wasn't as busy as I expected and had a really nice relaxing atmosphere. For drinks I opted for my usual Mojito which is no surprise as I order it almost every time I go out - T had the usual guy choice of a beer. 

We were booked onto a package deal for the set menu however, after us browsing at the set menu I didn't really fancy anything and it made me smile because looking at T - he didn't either, so we paid the extra and went for the A La Carte menu.

Starter we both ordered the Celeriac soup - although I'm not too keen on celeriac or walnut it was hands down was one of the best soups I've had, it was lovely. For mains again we both went down the same route and had the fish of the day with rustic chips and peas. I also ordered a side of buttery mash to go with it - can't beat a bit of mash. 

By the time it got to desserts it's safe to say we were both stuffed. We had a look at the dessert menu but nothing took our fancy (we must be really picky!). Once we'd finished our drinks we retired back to the room and cuddled up watching a bit of Saturday night tv before calling it a night.

                                                                                      
                                                                                                        _______________

The weekend was absolutely perfect, it was so lovely to relax and just spend some time together after hardly having any time from work. Unfortunately the only thing we didn't get the chance to make use of, were any of the spa and leisure fatalities but with out doubt I'm sure we'll be back again. Overall I was very impressed with the service at dinner, the wonderful room and interior through out the hotel and adored the element of an old industrial warehouse. A huge thank you to T for treating me and making it such a wonderful weekend which I'm certain I won't forget!

Lucy Mecklenburgh | The Two Step Programme

Ok so, I've tried sticking to the gym and surprise surprise I've never really kept to it. I'd go for a few weeks, every other day and then it got to the point where I had no will power what so ever and stopped. (Still paying the £25 fee each month). If any of you are a bit like me in the sense that you can't seem to get your arse to the gym or eating the right foods seem to be a bit of a task I highly highly recommend starting Lucy Mecklenburgh's Two Step Programme. It's a basic 6 week programme that gets you along the way to becoming a lot healthier and in better shape.
I've only started this diet this week so I really can't comment on how much it's worked however it is hard. Very hard.

Step 1 - 'Clean and Clear' Weeks 1-3 is all about clearing out sugars, toxic fats and artificial ingredients from your daily diet. There's a list of six 'no-no' foods that you must eliminate in the first week, some of which involve all the sweet things such as; my beloved pickled onion monster munch, kitkats, french fancies, diet coke and tea.
It then gives you a list of things you can swap such as smoothies, herbal tea's (not as nice as a cup of normal tea, no where near) and additional green vegetables.

Not only does it tell you a list of all the foods you should be trying to avoid, it gives you meal plans to follow (which is perfect for me especially when I'm busy with work) and gives you a selection of workouts to do at home or at the gym - which I really need to start back at.

I can't say I've seen a huge difference but I'm not really expecting to as I've only been following it for around a week - although I will keep you up to date with it if it's something worth doing. I've also see a huge hype around Protein World which looks fab, definitely something I'm going to try.

If your wanting to try Protein World use the promo code 'New 10' to receive 10% your first order!

'Rose Golden' Zoeva Set

There's been so much hype recently over Zoeva brushes so obviously I couldn't help myself. Let's be completely honest about this shall we? It was the colour more than anything that did it for me. Anyone who knows me will know copper/rose gold is my favourite. I some how wasn't expecting a lot from these brushes - although they look the part and are mid range in price I still had a feeling they wouldn't be up to expectations.

The set comes with 8 brushes, 4 of which are eye brushes (can easily double up as concealer brushes) and 4 face/contour brushes. All of the brushes are super soft and quite dense - especially the buffing brush which has to be one of my favourite brushes from this collection. It blends out foundation effortlessly, leaving a flawless coverage. Another brilliant one is the 142, perfect for using with concealer. I've been searching for a good concealer brush for such a long time. Up to now I've always preferred using my ring finger to blend out concealer as it heats up the product making it a lot easier to work with.

An over view..

106 Powder: Apply loose and pressed powder
102 Silk Finish: Apply and blend foundation
110 Face Shape: Contour the face shape with cream and powder products
127 Luxe Sheer Cheek: Apply powder blush
142 Concealer Buffer: Apply and blend concealer

227 Luxe Soft Definer: Softly blend and smooth eyeshadow
231 Luxe Petite Crease: Accentuating and blending in the crease
317 Wing Liner: Detailed eyeliner strokes and a perfect wing


I've had these brushes for about 4/5 months now and despite using them daily they feel and look brand new. Other brushes I've used tend to get a bit worn and difficult to clean after a couple of months so the fact these have kept shape is a huge plus.

For these brushes I really recommend using a decent brush cleanser and wash them (depending on how much you use them) about once a week/two weeks. This is what keeps them feeling soft resulting in flawless application. I think the best one I've come across so far is the one from MAC. It's perfect for using in between washes - give it a few swirls on a cotton wool pad  before you use them and your good to go. At £12 you can't really go wrong, would definitely recommend it rather than using baby shampoo. Works a thousand times better. The only downside is the smell, very alcohol based so can be quite strong but other than that - a good all rounder. 

This is definitely the set to go for if your after something basic. It's got every brush you'll need for a full face of make up - from base, to brows. Blush to concealer.

Leighton Denny | Expert Nails

One thing that I think every girl should have is nice nails and with the job I'm in it's key that I look presentable which includes nails too. I've had a wide range of Leighton Denny products in the past and although I'm an acrylic addict from time to time it is good to give your nails a break. I've fallen in love with the nail polishes in this range - they're very opaque and only really need one coat which is fabulous. He's got such a wide range of products regarding nails, one I'm loving in particular right now is the Hydra-Flex range. First off before I go into what the kit includes I just want to comment on how gorgeous the packaging is, definitely something that's right up my street and would look amazing as a storage box.

In this little set you receive:

5 beautiful colours, perfect for this time of year,

1 Crystal Nail File,

1 Fast Drying top coat,

A pair of tweezers for gem application and 1 pot of sliver diamante gems. (I'm not going to review these to items as they're pretty self explanatory - 'these are a pair of tweezers' I think they sell themselves haha).

Quick Drying Top Coat:

I hate waiting around for my nails to dry, it's such a faff especially when I have things I need to be getting on with so when I saw this in the kit I was happy. Once your nail polish is slightly tacky whip a quick coat over the top and honestly within a couple of seconds (maybe a minute) your nails will be bone dry which means you can then get on with your daily tasks. Not only do I love the quick drying aspect but I adore how glossy it makes the polish look, I'm used to getting gels and acrylics so having such gel like nails without the damage is perfect. 

Crystal Nail File:

The thing with normal nail files is the grains are so harsh and rough they can more than likely snap your nails. Not the best thing right? Crystal nail files are a lot better for the condition of your nails, you can get a really smooth finish and can ever 'saw' from left to right which your not supposed to do with ordinary files as they snap the nail structure. This file isn't any different to any other crystal file I've tired really, to me they all give the same results. However it does give a softer feel to my nails shape and if anything makes the structure stronger.

High Performance Nail Colours

Gem Stone Buzz (red), Crown Jewels (purple), Girls Best Friend (light purple), Crystallize Me (silver glitter), Diamond Rose (pink). How cute are the names of these polishes though?!

These colours are so beautiful for pale skin, I've always been a bit scared to wear red (especially on the lips Autumn Edit here) I don't think it suits me with my skin being quite light however this colour is just right. The most gorgeous christmas/festive season colour - maybe a red base with gem filled accent nails would look stunning. The light pink you see in the pictures is actually has a purple sparkle under tone in it that changes the colour you put underneath it, kind of the 'petrol' effect which is super flattering. 

In this kit you also receive 2 shades of purple, again sticking to an autumn/winter theme. The lighter purple, a very grey toned colour - perfect for work or school if your not allowed to wear polish but still want to make your nails look presentable. Again maybe the dark purple all over with the lightest on the accent nails, the different looks you can create with this set are endless. Possibly my favourite colour from the whole set is the really sparkly sliver, you can just apply one coat to apply over a colour or you can build it up and have really sparkly nails again, christmas comes to mind. 

As of yet I don't think this is available on his website but if your wishing to buy this gorgeous set, perfect as a gift then you can pick it up for £39 from the QVC website where all links will be included, a full description, pictures, swatches and prices.