October 4,2021 The BEST gluten free chocolate cake recipe We have tried many different chocolate cake recipes over the years, and this is, hands down our favourite! We use Countdown’s Free From flour, but if you have a favourite flour, feel free to substitute that. Ingredients 200g Free From self-raising flour 100g milk chocolate 40g cocoa powder 230g caster sugar 230g soft butter 4 large eggs 1½ tsp orange extract 2 tsp milk How to bake the cake … Pre-heat your oven to 180°C Line two 20cm round sandwich tins Melt milk chocolate in the microwave in 30 second bursts, stirring in-between until melted Put remaining cake ingredients into a large bowl. Beat together on low or by hand until the ingredients are combined Add the melted chocolate and mix at low speed until combined Split the cake mixture between the two tins. Bake for 30-35 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean Let cake cool in tin for 5 minutes before turning out of tin. Put on a wire rack to finish cooling. While the cake is cooking or cooling, you have time to make some icing… Icing ingredients 250g soft butter 250g icing sugar 150g milk chocolate 40g cocoa powder ½ tsp orange extract A little milk How to make the icing Melt the chocolate in the microwave, just like you did with the chocolate you used in cake recipe. Once it is melted, let it cool a little. Beat the butter using an electric mixer or by hand until soft Add the icing sugar, cocoa powder and orange extract and beat until combined Slowly add the melted milk chocolate and beat until combined The buttercream needs to be spreadable. If it is too thick beat in 1 teaspoon of milk at a time until it is spreadable. When the cakes are cool, it’s time to decorate! Once the cakes are cool, sandwich them together with a generous helping of the icing. Spread the remaining icing over the cake. Then let you imagination run wild and decorate it any way you please! Read Article
October 4,2021 Fairy party activities The weather in New Zealand isn’t always too reliable, so it helps to have some indoor activities planned in case your party has to be inside (although these activities are great for outside too!). Here are few of our favourite affordable fairy themed party activities: Painting fairy rocks: You can buy bags of river rocks at the local hardware or garden store. Choose large flat-ish rocks with smooth surfaces. Wash the rocks in dishwashing liquid and water. Dry thoroughly. Let the party guests use acrylic paints, stickers, glitter and stick on gems to decorate their rock. Acrylic paint pens can make this activity a little less messy! These rocks make a cute little take-home gift too. Fairy hunt: Hide pictures of fairies in sneaky places around the house (or garden). Think like a naughty fairy when hiding the photos – stick them on the roof, peeking out from behind a door, or maybe even on an adult’s back. Your imagination is the limit! Give each party guest a sheet with photos of the fairies you have hidden on them and send them off on a treasure hunt to find all of the fairies. When they have found them all, they return the sheet to you for a small prize, like a sticker. We have prepared this game for you. You can download it free here: Fairy pictures (print 1 set in colour) Fairy hunt guest pages (print 1 per guest) Musical flowers: This works just like musical chairs, but instead of sitting on chairs, guests compete for the chance to perch on a flower, just like a real fairy! Simply cut flowers out of cardboard and decoarate or paint accordingly (or you can hire our ready-made set here!). Read Article
October 4,2021 Party planning checklist Planning in advance will help your celebration run smoothly and with less stress and fewer last-minute preparations. Up to 3 months before the event – check with Dinky Kids that your preferred party setting is available for the date you would like. Remember to book to secure your booking! Help your child write a list of who they would like to invite so you know how many guests to cater for Four weeks before the event: if you are not planning to bake your own cake, it is best to book a local reliable cake maker now. If you are unable to find someone, why not bake your own cake (or buy one from the supermarket or local bakery) and top it with one of our custom made cake toppers! Three weeks before the event: it is time to invite people. Remember to include your RSVP details on the invitation. Two weeks before the event: Prepare all games Buy all prizes and party favours Buy plates, cups, napkins, spoons, straws, and anything else you may need to prepare the look you are going for Ensure your little fairy has a pretty outfit to wear! One week before the event: You should have a good idea of how many guests can attend by this time. It is time to write your menu and shopping list. If there is any food preparation that can be done early, that can be helpful. Perhaps you could bake and freeze the uniced cake? The Friday just before the event: Pick up your party setting from Dinky Kids! The day before the event: Bake and decorate the birthday cake. Assemble your party setting from Dinky Kids and decorate the area to your liking. On the day: Finish food preparation and prepare to have fun and watch your planning all fall into place. On the Sunday or Monday following the event, return all party hire equipment to Dinky Kids! Remember, this is meant to be a fun and enjoyable day. Don’t stress about it too much! A little planning will go a long way. Read Article