Food- Cake!

Hi guys!

I know we have done quite a few food related posts on this blog already but I found the design on this cake really cool and wanted to share with you how I did it!

Even though this recipe look like it would be quite complicated its actually quite easy. If you watch The Great British Bake Of then you will see that someone else made a cake like this. I don't know if she did it the same way or a different way but here goes.

You want to start off by making a normal sponge for a normal cake. You can use whichever recipe you like its up to you. Now as this cake is kind of like a Victoria sponge you are going to want to half the mixture into two cake tins. One of them is normal sponge however with the mixture left in the bowl, Stir in some coco-powder to make the other tin chocolate sponge. Bake them in the oven for about 15-20 minuets then check if they are done. If they are, leave them to cool, if they aren't, pit them in for another 5 minuets. What temperature you use depends on which type of oven you have. When the sponge has cooled take one of them out and put it on a wire rack. Now you are going to want to get something small and round. Put it in the middle of the cake and carefully cut around it. Next take something a bit bigger but not the size of the whole cake and cut around that. You should now have three sponge circles all the same width. Put these back in the tin or to one side and do the same thing with the same shapes on the other sponge. Finally, take the second piece or the middle sized piece of one and swap it with the other. You should have one cake that goes chocolate, normal, chocolate and one that goes normal, chocolate, normal. Now put jam (or any other filling) all over one side and sandwich it to the other. This will create a chequered pattern when you cut in to the cake.

Now for the icing. You can either use brought icing/buttercream from Tesco's or make your own with melted chocolate and double cream. However if you make your own icing you will need to leaving in the fridge for an hour before using. When you put the icing on the cake MAKE SURE IT IS COOL! If it isn't it will all melt. With decorations you can go crazy with sprinkles or keep it simple! Its up to you!

I'd love to see any of you make this so if you do take picture and tweet to us @ellalucy1020 ! Follow us if you want to know more about when we upload! Hope you enjoyed!

                                                                    Lucy
                                                                           Xx

Favorites- Lifestyle/Beauty

Hey guys!
I didn't want this blog to be too long because I know they can sometimes be boring.
Today I thought I would do a favourites video as it's nearing the end of the month.

First up I have the book called "All about pumpkin". I was brought this by my mum and read it recently. It's a really nice book about a holiday and meeting new people and adventuring. It has some really cool plot twists and is actually quite funny. Good read.

Next up I have the "Sweet vanilla and coconut" candle. I think this is an amazing smelling candle. I would say that you could burn it all year round. I got this from primark and have a back up ready to go! It's really cheap and I would really recommend it. Cool packaging as well.

Next we have a water bottle. This is kind of a random one but I bought it for back to school and I love it. I haven't stopped using it. I bought this at new look.

Now we have a body moisturizer. I bought this because I had seen the advert and liked the way it worked. It's actually really handy and the smell is great. Exactly what I expected and I'm getting through it quickly. I bought this at boots but you can get it from most shops which do that type of thing.

Next a Ted Baker body wash. IN LOVE with the smell it's just amazing. It's a really summery smell and unlike some body washes you can still smell it when you get out of the shower. I got this as a present but I would definitely recommend it!

Lastly is a Hollister Body spray in Vista Cove. Again this is a summery smell but I think that's what I like about. Some Hollister scents are really strong but I think this one hits the spot. It's a bit pricey but I got it as a present which I chose myself.

Anyway hope you enjoyed and that this gave you some tips!

                                                             Ella
                                                                   Xx

New Zoella beauty range!

Hey guys!

Today I wanted to talk about the new (kind of) 'Zoella' beauty range! I love all of these products and will go through them in detail but firstly I love the scent! It is a sweet fruity scent that smells very refreshing and I find myself always reaching for the perfume just to smell it!

So, first of all I want to talk about the body lotion 'Candy Cream'. This is one of my favourites because it smells so refreshing and absorbs instantly which I like! Also, it has little pink bits in it which I think are little burst like berries of flavour and help moisturise the skin. There is a body cream like this in the old range too but it depends which one you prefer the smell of as to which one you might buy. Next up, the 'fresh fizz' bar. This is an amazing bath bomb like bar. Unlike the old fizz bar, 'fresh fizz' has a different smell and 4 big pieces rather than 6 or 8 small ones. It really brings my bath to life and is perfect for a pamper evening, Usually I would probably just have a plain bubble bath, maybe with a bath bomb, but when its a pamper evening or I'm feeling tired I find this really helps! Now for the scrub, 'Scrubbing me softly'. this scrub is one of 2 new additions to the range. It work wonders on my skin though and makes it feels so soft. Apply it onto damp skin and wash thoroughly for best results. Plus, if you have sensitive skin or don't like to hard or rough scrubs this is perfect as it is a soft sugar scrub so isn't as harsh on your skin. It still has brilliant results and I love it! Next is the second new addition to the range. Its the 'kissy missy' lip balm! Now this lip balm is pink and very pigmented as you can see in the picture. However, I still think that the colour works well with pretty much any skin tone. I had been looking for a colour like this for a while so when I got this it was perfect! You can apply it with a brush or your fingers but I find a brush easier because I have long nails. The coin purse I feel is so handy! I use it when I go out as a touch up make up bag or to keep my fresh fizz bar in. However, you can use it for whatever you like. I love the design and feel like it is the perfect size for carrying in your handbag. The 'Foam sweet foam' body wash smells incredible and is my all time favourite body wash. I have 2 bottles so I don't run out quickly and I use it all the time! The smell is quite strong so I can still smell it after I get out of the bath. Finally, I saved my personal favourite of the lot until last. The 'Lets spritz' perfume is my favourite just because the smell is incredible. It lasts for ages on my skin and I can still smell it after PE lessons! I find it perfect for school because it is not too strong yet still noticeable.

That's it for the new range! I hope you enjoyed the post and want to buy some 'Zoella' products now and try them out!

                                                                   Lucy
                                                                            Xx

Smoothie recipe- Food

Hey guys!
As you can probably guess this is not my picture but i'm going to show you a recipe I have for a smoothie. My mum bought a nutribullet a few months ago and I love it. One of my favorite recipes is strawberry and banana. For this you will need:
-1 Banana
-A handful of strawberries
-2 teaspoons of honey
-A bit of water
-A few cubes of ice

Blend that together and that's it!
Sorry this blog is so short but I hope you enjoyed!
     
                                                              Ella
                                                                   Xx

Autumn essentials!

Hey Guys!

So it's finally autumn and I couldn't be more excited! Autumn is one of my favourite seasons because it's the first season you can really bring out all the blankets, jumpers and all things autumn!

For this post I thought I'd talk to you about my idea of autumn essentials. It doesn't mean you have to get all of these things but if you want to re-vamp your wardrobe or stock up on candles it may give you a good start!

First of all, what is autumn without fluffy socks and pyjamas. As the days get colder, so will the nights and I also find cosy pyjamas really gets me in the mood if I am going to watch a film or an episode of my favourite TV show. Fluffy socks are a good alternative for slippers. I know some people find the idea of wearing slippers a bit weird as its like wearing shoes inside. Fluffy socks are perfect because they are so cosy and they equal, if not double, the amount of warmth!

Another autumn essential is new clothes. When you go shopping or out and about in autumn you want to look the part and in my opinion, there is nothing better than some warm bottoms, fluffy boots and a cosy jumper. If its really cold you may also want a scarf or hat to complete the look. My favourite boots are from Shoe Zone and are in the image above but I find Ugg boots look great too!
 
Next up is candles. Candles, candles, candles! I love candles all year round but when it comes to autumn and winter I feel candles are at their best! One of my favourites is 'Pumpkin spice' as mentioned in one of Zoella's videos . It smells like what I imagine autumn would smell like if you put it in a smell. Its just so good and I love it! A lot of other candles smell amazing too like the Yankee candles ones but Pumpkin Spice is one of my personal favourites!

Finally, we all love a cosy night in with a film, snacks and some great apps! The Harry Potter series are my favourite films but I definitely recommend The Parent Trap, Big hero 6 and of course, Frozen! These films aren't really very seasonal so you may want to opt for a Halloween or a horror movie instead. As far as snacks go I have been loving Crunchie, Wispa Gold, and Haribos! They taste amazing and are my favourites at the moment. Last but not least, apps! Everyone needs Spotify on their phone with a Halloween playlist! It can really put you in the mood. The Hunt is also one of my absolute favourites for apps as it lets me find a whole new wardrobe for good prices. I really recommend it!

Okay so that's all of my autumn essentials! Hope this helped you or just made you smile!

                                                                  Lucy
                                                                         Xx

Beauty- Autumn make-up look

Hey Guys! 

Today I'm going to show you my Autumn look. Some autumn looks are quite dark so I went for a lighter coloured one which is still Autumn themed.

So first I would use my foundation which is No7 essentially natural in beige and rub it all over my face. It's a really nice foundation and I've found that it's really nice on your skin and quite subtle.  Next I would put a tiny amount of concealer under my eyes and on any spots I have. I would use collection lasting perfection for this and I cant emphasize how little you need. Then onto eyes. I would use my naked pallet 2 for this in the shade half baked. It's a really nice shimmery gold eyeshadow but not too light so it's perfect for this look. If you don't have this pallete you could opt for a gold colour. Then I would put a bit of eyeliner on my lid, you can add a flick but I choose not to. Then I would apply my mascara. The mascara is perfect for me as i'm only thirteen as it is again subtle but you would still be able to notice it, if you get what I mean. Onto the lips, I would put on No7 Ginger rose 860. it doesn't look like how the packaging says it would look so I would advise you check it out. The woman that helped me buy it said that this colour suits anyone and it's a lovely nude colour. i thought I would add a nail polish ,again, by No7. It's called Dreamy 33 and it goes with the look really well.

Q- What is your favourite season?

  

                                                       Hope you enjoyed!

              

                                                                  Ella

  

                                                                        Xx

Food- Fun-fetti cupcakes

Hey Guys!

A couple of weeks ago, we made fun-fetti cupcakes! They tasted amazing yet were so easy to make. Perfect for a party or just if you want to bake something a bit different.

The recipe was so simple. All you needed to bake just the cakes themselves was a simple sponge cake recipe. Many of these recipes can be found both online and in cookbooks but personally, my favourite one is from a cookbook called 'Perfect cupcakes, cookies and muffins!'. When you have made your cake mixture just sprinkle some brightly coloured sprinkles into the mixture. I like to use lots but its up to you. These sprinkles will melt when you cook them in the oven and when you bite into the finished cake, lots of coloured dots will appear. Its so simple and yet really effective!

Once you have spooned the mixture into the  cake cases and let them cook for 20-23 mins, you can make the butter icing whilst they are in the oven! You can either buy butter icing from the shops or make your own (recipes online). Wait for your cakes to completely cool and then pipe the butter icing on. Finish off with some more multi-coloured sprinkles and your cakes are complete.

Another way you can make these cakes, if you have access to YouTube, is by watching Zoella's fun-fetti cupcakes video. Her cakes turned out really well and the video is well worth watching!

Hope you enjoyed this post and will have fun making your cakes (if you choose to do so!). See you next week!


                                                       Lucy
                                                               Xx

Lifestyle- Back to school

Hi Guys! This week I'm going back to school after the summer holiday. For some people this is a horrible time but I actually like going back to school. One of the reasons is because I get to buy new stationery for the year ahead. I'm going into year 9 so it's quite an important year for me. Anyway, this is what I bought for going back to school. A lot of it is just the usual stuff but there may be things you haven't thought about in there.

Notebook, Pens, Pencils, Highlighters, Rubber/sharpener, Glue stick, Fine liners, Pencil cases, Post-it notes, Water bottle, Bobbles, Ruler, Calculator.

In my school bag there is then a folder where I keep loose sheets, a smaller bag which contains lip gloss and hand cream and things like that. There then is also my memory stick in its pocket along with a purse.

                                            So yeah, I thought it would be the right time to do something like this
                                                         since everyone is starting school. I hope you enjoyed this
                                                               blog and that it gave you some tips!
             
                                                                       Ella
                                                                                 Xx

Welcome to our blog!

Hi guys!
 

Welcome to our blog. We are new to blogging so please let us know what you think of it. We will be uploading twice a week individually about these topics: Beauty, Lifestyle, Travel and Food. We made our first post together but in future they will be from us separately.

We hope you enjoy our posts and if you have any questions don't be afraid to ask! Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. 

                                                    Ella & Lucy      

                                                                         Xx