Oh lord, can I please tell you all how amazingly motivated I am after this weekend?! I am literally bursting with ideas – ideas for recipes, posts, projects, videos, businesses, you name it, I am motivated to do it! Seriously, I feel like I just came back from an intense Tony Robbins workshop, but instead I just spent the most amazing weekend at Food Bloggers Connect. A whole 3 days of meeting fellow food bloggers, laughing and crying with them (no, actually, no crying, just lots of laughing), listening to informative talks about how to improve your food photography, write recipes, build up traffic and most importantly, have fun whilst doing it.
Yeah yeah, you hear the word conference and think ‘booooring’. In fact, some of my friends were referring to my food blogging weekend as “the geek conference”. Hello?! Yes, geeky maybe a tiny bit, but geeky with tons of food and wine. Still sounds like a boring conference? No? Though so!
Finally meeting Mowie and Sari
The stunning venue
Lemon Tart
Meeta taking photos
The weekend kicked off with a wine tasting – and a test! We had to guess what countries certain wines came from, what grapes they were made of and what vintage they were. Hmmm, glad it was multiple choice, so I could just close my eyes and circle one option (and like this I got 4 out of 6 right!). Yes, I’m not a wine conoisseur at all! I love drinking it (loads), but have no idea about anything more than if I like it or not. I’d love to pair up with a wine buff to take Anne’s Kitchen to the next level and suggest wines to go with my meals. Anyone out there? Preferably male, good-looking and single! Ha, just kidding!
The tasting was followed by a great Skype conference with Jaden of Steamy Kitchen, whose enthusiasm was just amazing and rubbed off on everyone! Afterwards we all gathered outside again for more wine and some food. It was the most beautiful, warm summer evening – a real precious rarity in London. So, thanks weather gods for squeezing in some sun and warm temperatures (on Monday after the conference it started raining again!).
The fabulous Kerrin from My Kugelhopf
The coolest thing about FBC was hanging out with all those fabulous people!
I had a blast talking to Kerrin of My Kugelhopf (honestly, who doesn’t have a great time with that girl?! She’s the most entertaining person in the world, hell, make it the universe). I was quite surprised to hear that she nearly moved to Luxembourg instead of Zurich, and I seriously wonder how My Kugelhof would have turned out if set there. Maybe it would have been called “My Luxemburger”?
I had a fabulous time talking to the ever so lovely Mowie of Mowielicious. His amazing photos still blow me away, even though he let me in to some production secrets… I think I’ll have to go over to his place one day and watch the master at work – and eat his cakes!
Found out that Sarah of Maison Cupcake had been at the same casting for the TV baking show (and didn’t make it either – we’re both happy to have missed out on that stress!). Then chatted to Rachel of Cookyourlife and found out that she is actually going to be a contestant on a British TV cooking show, so fingers double crossed for you girl!
Bumped into Bron of Feast with Bron, and recognized her from the Food and Drinks Journalism course we took 3 years ago! Good to see we’re still both passionate about it!
A big thumbs up to Sari of Cooking your Dream, who let four international bloggers crash at her place! Great to meet the lovely Tiina of Sparkling Ink and the real Cooking Ninja! Shared many laughs with the delightful mother-daughter bloggers of Peanut Butter and Jealous, and met the lovely Reena of Coconut Raita. And I finally got to touch an iPad thanks to Nando of Cuca Brazuca.
I was also very happy to get some great chocolate and beautiful spoons from Julia of Always Leave Room For Dessert. She brought them all the way from Canada! Can’t wait to use them as props in my next shoot!
And last but not least, a massive thank you to Beth of Dirty Kitchen Secrets for all her hard work in organizing this event!
Anyway, so much to share and tell, so many amazingly lovely people I met. I can’t name them all, but have a look at my blogroll on the right hand side and see how many new links are there? They’re all fabulous, so please click on some and explore their blogs!
Tiina from Sparkling Ink
Pamela, The Cooking Ninja!
With the delightful mother and daughter team of Peanut Butter and Jealous!
Chilling between talks
Julia from Always Leave Room For Dessert
So, since I haven’t been able to bake all weekend, or last week, I decided to go back to my recipe archive (yes, I have a whole library of recipes stacked in some folder on my computer), and pull out this lovely passion fruit cupcake recipe. Passion fruit for passionate people. Makes sense, right?!
What struck me about this cupcake recipe is that it is in fact quite unusual for a cupcake. It’s not your usual sponge base topped with loads and loads of butter cream. The secret to this cupcake is its lightness and its freshness that comes from the use of cream cheese. It’s quite a fluffy cake, more on the soufflé side than on the sponge cake one.
Don’t be surprised that the cupcakes collapse when you take them out of the oven. Really, no need to shed a tear for that imploded middle bit! Because that’s where your superhero, the frosting, comes into play! We’ll be able to hide that hole with a good slap of frosting, just like the best concealer can cover up those dark rings under your eyes on a hangover day.
Trust me, magic’s in the make-up and in the frosting! ★
Passion Fruit Cupcakes
Makes about 12
For the cupcakes:
185g unsalted butter, softened
170g sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs
125g cream cheese
2 passion fruits (get 5 in total, since you need 3 more for the frosting)
125g self-raising flour (if you can’t get that then use normal flour with 1 tbsp baking powder)
30g plain flour
60ml milk
For the frosting:
250g icing sugar
100g cream cheese
50g unsalted butter
3 passion fruits
Preheat the oven to 180°.
In a big mixing bowl, beat the butter, sugar and vanilla until light and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time and beat well after each addition. Add the cream cheese and the passion fruit pulp (including the pips) and beat until smooth.
Now add the flours alternatively with the milk to the passion fruit mix. When it’s all smooth and mixed, distribute the dough in the 12 cupcake holes (which you have lined with cupcake cases).
Bake for 20 mins or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the centre. Let the cupcakes cool down for a bit until transferring onto a wire rack to cool.
Meanwhile make the icing: Mix the butter and cream cheese in a bowl. Gradually incorporate the icing sugar (in small batches! You don’t want your kitchen full of exploding icing sugar dust!). This will take about 5 mins. Once it’s smooth, beat in the pulp (including pips) of 1 and 1/2 passion fruits. Beat for 2 minutes until it’s all nice and smooth. Put in the fridge until the cupcakes have cooled down completely.
Once the cupcakes are cold, take the icing out of the frige and let it warm up for 5 minutes (so it’s easier to spread). Either spread the icing on with a spoon or, like I did, use a piping bag with a star-shaped nozzle to make a nice shaped icing. Top all the cakes with a bit of the remaining passion fruit pulp.
I would recommend eating these on the day they’re made, or the next day, but don’t keep them for longer since they will only disappoint.
Voila, the perfect cupcake for passionate people!
Those cupcakes look yummy – the passion fruit on top looks gorgeous! It was so lovely to meet you, and have a chance to chat. Have a wonderful week, and see you again soon in the blogland, dear! Hugs!!
Wow, Anne! What a lovely post! And I’m not just talking about those delish cupcakes (though those do look fab!). It was so kind of you to put up your lovely photos and sweet words about everyone, my mom and I included! Thanks hun! I’m looking forward to more yummy cakes and desserts from your posts!
Yummy!! I was so glad to meet you! Great experience, I can’t find any other words by now!
Hey girl, thank you for popping by my blog!
I’m very glad we met: now I know your blog I’ll keep in touch and check your news often!
Take care!
Jas
p.s. should you ever come to Milan, let me know: I’ll take you shopping!!!
Lovely Anne – it was so much fun chatting with you at FBC. What a great weekend it was. I love your blog, and love the look of those cupcakes. I think I’ll be baking this weekend! Pascale xxx
Hi Anne – So great to meet you at FBC. Great pictures. We must get together soon for dinner or a cooking session! Cupcakes look lovely – and we are passionate bunch!
Really wish I could have made it, looks like it was a great weekend, oh well hopefully next year.
Hello! What a great wrap-up of the conference. You were the first person I met when I arrived for the first time on Sunday and you made me feel so welcome. Thanks for that!
Hi Anne! What a great post about the event. Think I finally managed to chat with you very briefly on Saturday. There were so many people to meet and so much to learn. I had a great time. Your words and pictures really capture the atmospher. Can’t wait until next year!
A lovely post Anne! I wish we had more time with each other – I got a feeling we were on the same wavelength! You were a joy and a lot of fun. Hope we stay in touch via twitter, blogs and FB. Great meeting you at the FBC!
Darling Anne! It was so nice meeting you over the weekend – you’re so much fun. We simply must meet up again soon. x
Hi Anne, it was great to meet you during the weekend as well! Lovely pics and even lovelier cupcakes! Your friend’s comment about the ‘geek weekend’ totally resonated with me haha.. think non food bloggers won’t understand the craziness we feel abt food, not to mention fanaticism with props!
What a fabulous post, I am bowled over that you even managed to sneak a cake recipe in there too!!
How spooky that we had already “met” but didn’t twig until it was all nearly over. Your blog is amazing, I can see I will be a regular visitor here. Thanks for your bbc link you gave me too.
Looks like you guys had such a blast! I wish I could come. I love passion fruit, but have never tried them as cupcakes.. this recipe looks interesting.
WOW! Sounds like a blast, wish i could have been there. Will you be sharing some of the stuff you learned?
Wow, I’ve never had so many comments, and every time a little number pops up behind my inbox, my heart makes a little jump! So thank you all for the lovely comments!
Delishhh, actually, why not?! I’ll try to include little tips and tricks from now on in my posts Anything particular you’re burning to know about?
Oooh, I LOVE passion fruit! Love the plate too – just adorable. I feel a visit to a car boot sale coming up to find some cute props…
Kerrin is a HOOT – yo ushould try sharing a house with her for a weekend 
)
It was lovely chat to you at FBC10 – a pity we only really chatted properly on Sunday as I really enjoyed meeting you. I also felt absolutley FIZZING with ideas on Monday morning. We may be geeks, but we sure have a load of good ideas
Hope to see you again soon – before FBC11 at any rate!
moien anne !
what a fabulous post here – totally captured the energy and fun and *passion* at that geeky foodie conference, ha ha ! i could go for one of these cupcakes right about now – love your last line to this post, brilliant !
and i really love that photo of us, you must send it to me, please !
i am just beaming from your words above, wow, really appreciate it ! i totally hope to hang with you one day soon in luxembourg – and YES make that “kerrin & the chocolate factory” scene come true ! thanks again anne, so lovely to have met you…
That is such a great event. I would have loved to be there! Those cupcakes look delightful!
Cheers,
Rosa
Hey Anne, It was so great o meet you!
What a beautiful site, and I really enjoyed your write-up of last weekend….only sad it’s not on again this weekend!
Your photographs are beautiful, and shows off your fab-looking cupcakes with style!!
Thank-you so much for your link to my site, and will be adding Anne’s Kitchen to the links at Cook Your Life over the weekend (when I begin its transformation)
I did the TV show…and although can’t tell you how I got on, I will say it was a really interesting, and exciting experience!!
I look forward to reading more of your delightfully sweet adventures!
Rachelx
Dear Anne, I became a fan of yours from the first day. Your bubbly personality was so contagious and warming. this whole weekend was just bliss. I am still on a high and full of ideas. now, moving on to your cupcake: I LOVE – yes, capital letters, passion fruit. So you can imagine the effect that this post has had on me.I found really interesting that there is cream cheese in the batter, and the ingredients of the icing got me hooked. I am writing it down.
If it was not for FBC2010 I would never have found this blog. Wow, am I glad I did!!! Mind if I follow you, Love everything about this site!!!
@Jeanne: Car boot sales make my heart beat faster! That and charity shops! I found this plate in a little charity shop and I suspect it was part of a cake stand since it has a hole in the middle! Very cute though! And hey, it was great to meet you too and hear your interesting talks!
@ Kerrin: You HAVE to come me visit! I’m making plan as soon as I’ve moved flats! Too much stress at the moment!
@Rosa: where are you based my dear? You have to come join the fun next year!
@Rachel: Oh my, I am still crossing my fingers for you! Please let me know when your episode is aired!!
@ Valentina: a real pleasure to meet you my dear! Your website is just so beautiful, I absolutely adore your photos!
@Nina: how nice to hear you like the site! Yes, do come round and see what’s cooking from time to time
So lovely to meet you at FBC. I can’t believe it was just a week ago – it really does seem like a bit of a dream – a lovely frosted cupcake kind of dream, though
Yes, time passes too fast – and the good weather too! Seriously, I’ll need some of your potato comfort food recipes soon… it’s so miserable outside!
looks like you all had a great day!
No actually it was pretty lame!
Lawrence, thank you SO much for all these super amazing updates on Anne’s Kitchen! I love that I can reply to individual comments now! You’re a true genius!
haha, a pleasure to oblige
– think you can have up to 5 layers before the indent stops.
Oh. My. God……
congratulations Anne – amazing website! Amazing looking food as usual.. there goes my waistline! xxx
Thank you my dear! When are you back in the UK again? I hear you’re having a blast in Dubai?! I wanna visit!
Those cakes look sooooo gorgeous – I’m not really much of a cakey person but add passionfruit and you have me!
So good to see you again – hope it’s not so long till next time.
What?! Not a passionfruit person?! I didn’t know that existed, but then you and my mum both break my ‘everybody-loves-passionfruit-bubble’!
Keep me posted about any foodie events in London, would be lovely to do another wine or cheese tasting together!
oh, wow!!! looks like a great weekend you had, amazing gathering of all those interesting people, and cupcakes sound delicious, too.
Yes it was fantasic! You should try and join the fun next year!
Thank you for coming by! I quit my job to work at a bakery and to see if this is indeed the right path for me. Now that I’m certain it is, I’m going to take it a step forward and apply to Le Cordon Bleu! London mostly since I’ve family there. It’s pretty awesome to be a journalist, no? I was thinking of studying it part time to further my writing..
OMG, you’re applying to Le Cordon Bleu!! That is amazing! It’s one of my absolute dreams to attend their pastry courses… Well if you end up going to the London campus let me know and we can explore some London bakeries together!
Surely will! That will be so much fun!
These look so good and I bet they tasted delicious. I made white chocolate and passionfruit cupcakes earlier this year and they were pretty damn good too.
I really liked your article.Thanks Again. Awesome.
I got what you intend, saved to bookmarks , very nice web site .
Hey Anne, I was looking for a passion fruit cupcake recipe for my father’s birthday (he loves passion fruit!) and found your blog…lucky me! I have tried many of your recipes so far and they are really good. The only thing is that we got different -bigger- passion fruits in Argentina (actually they come from Brazil) and my frosting was a bit runny…but delicious nonetheless! Thanks for posting and sharing! I’m going to try your pear tart tomorrow!! ¡Gracias!
lovely.they’re surely delicious
Yummy. Getting hungry already!
These cupcakes look delicious! I love all things passion fruit and was looking for some cupcakes inspiration. This is the first time I’ve seen your blog and had a lovely look around. Also like the sound of this conference, I am new to the blogging world so would be nice to meet other bloggers. Thanks for the idea x
I glad I did, Mind if I follow you, Love everything about this site!