Loaded Chocolate Celebration Cake - from Kiwicakes test kitchen

Here is a simple idea for the next cake you have creative license with. Simply load the top with the recipients favourite chocolate bars and lollies! I made this cake with inspiration from my baby sister for her 21st birthday and was really pleased with the result.

Think about height and variation of textures when you are shopping for goodies. Position the biggest items first. Cut a shallow hole out of the cake where you will anchor each piece and press them firmly in. Turkish delight and Crunchie bars can be sliced to expose their colourful centers. Red licorice choc logs work well too. Remember that odd numbers look best with any creative endeavors like this. Somehow the cake looks most balanced when there are bars coming out on completely different angles!

Pipe some buttercream swirls in and around the base of your bigger chocolate bars to further cement them in. Top with a generous mixture of lollies and sprinkles to fill in all the gaps. I used some Glo Hearts and Sour Strawberries from Kiwicakes old fashioned lolly range as well as a chocolate transfer sheet to create the stunning chocolate shards with swirl effects.

Summer strawberries - chocolate dipped with chocolate transfer detail

Chocolate dipped strawberries can be transformed with the use of chocolate transfers. It's quick and easy to do. Chocolate dipped strawberries are a fond memory of Valentines Day for me. My now hubby presented me with a bowl of strawberries for Valentines day that he'd dipped himself way back in the 1990s when we first started dating. At the time I was suitably impressed that he'd taken the time to make something for me. I'm still impressed today when I'm given a home made gift, made with love.

Chocolate transfers elevate the simple chocolate dipped strawberry to a whole new level. Chocolate transfers come in a wide variety of colours and patterns, to suit every occasion. You can view our entire selection here.

Simply melt your chocolate over a double boiler, dip each strawberry and place down on your chocolate transfer sheet. Once cool, lift your strawberries away from the sheet and place on your serving dish (I do not refrigerate my strawberries, as this makes them ooze juice).

Any portion of unused transfer can be reused for your second round of dipping, simply place your next strawberry down on any patch of colourful transfer, avoiding the clear spaces, where the colour has been removed by the previous strawberry.

Lemon Cupcakes with lemon chocolate transfer garnish

Recently my daughter Poppy had to make a large batch of cupcakes for a fundraising bake sale for school camp.

As our small lemon tree is often over burdened with lemons, she decided lemon cupcakes were an obvious choice. We made over 4 dozen standard size and 4 dozen minis. It took us all afternoon in a normal oven, but the lovely lemony smell was heavenly in the kitchen. 

We decided on a simple cream cheese icing. When there's nearly 100 cupcakes to embellish, the decoration had to be simple. We settled on yellow sparkling sugar and a chocolate transfer on a dark chocolate background (click here for a tutorial on how to create chocolate squares with chocolate transfers).

A few cupcakes were harmed in the tasting, however I can confirm they were delicious.

Lemon Cupcakes

225 grams butter

2 C Sugar

4 eggs

3 C Flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 C milk

2 Tbsp lemon zest

2 Tbsp lemon juice

Lemon cream cheese icing

250g cream cheese

125g butter

4 C icing sugar

zest lemon

squeeze lemon juice

Preheat oven to 160C

In the bowl of an electric mixer cream butter and sugar together until the mixture is light & fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time.

Alternately add your dry ingredients with your milk on low speed, a little at a time until well mixed.

Add the lemon juice and lemon zest. Mix an additional minute, your mixture should be light & fluffy.

Spoon or pipe mixture in to your cupcake cases (1/2 to 2/3 full). Bake for 15-20 minutes. A skewer inserted in the centre should come out clean.

To make icing, in an electric mixer cream together butter & cream cheese. Add icing sugar a little at a time, mixing well with each addition. Squeeze in your lemon juice to taste, mixing again to combine.

Our cupcakes have the cream cheese icing piped with a 1m Wilton piping nozzle. The chocolate transfer can be found here 

Lee-Ann's Pink Champagne cupcakes

I just love it when you all send me photos of your cake decorating. Today in my inbox I received this gorgeous photo from one of our Kiwicakes members - Lee-Ann English of some pink champagne cupcakes, with a chocolate transfer topper. She made them for a newly engaged couple. Lee-Ann was inspired to try the recipe after I blogged about it here.

Chablon mats in use

Today I received this photo from Rachel at http://www.cupcake.co.nz/ I was thrilled to see how she made use of the chablon mat for creating round circular discs of chocolate to top her cupcakes. Rachel is based in Auckland and runs a cake & cupcake decorating business there. She also has a great blog

Chocolate transfers on fondant

I received these wonderful photos from Kiwicakes member Rachel Pilcher. She tells me it is her first attempt at a wedding cake. I was thrilled to receive these photos, Rachel did a great job. The middle tier has a chocolate transfer applies to the fondant. Rachel tells me, she iced the middle tier, then placed the chocolate transfer directly on top, covered with a layer of baking paper and then with a very cool iron, ironed the fondant. Taking care not to leave the iron in one place for too long. This is a technique I have been meaning to try for quite some time myself - I even had my eye on the same transfer. Thanks for sending this in Rachel!

How to use Silicone CHABLON moulds

These stunning new silicone chablon mats are a brand new release from Autumn Carpenter. Prices at 59.95, they will take all of the hard work out of creating even sized shapes. Available in square, round and scalloped, they are in stock now!

How to use - To Create Shaped Pieces

Step 1. Lay chablon on chocolate transfer sheet.

Step 2. Pour approximately 2/3 pound melted candy coating or melted and tempered real chocolate over the chablon, fillling the first row on two sides.


Step 3. Smooth with a confectionery blade or other straight edge, spreading at an angle.

Step 4. Slide transfer sheet with chablon onto a cookie sheet and place in refrigerator for 5 minutes.

Step 5. Invert and remove transfer sheet.

Step 6. With gloved finger press gently to remove chocolate pieces.



Truffle Sandwiches

Step 1. Create shaped pieces following directions above.


Step 2. Mix truffle recipe below.


Step 3. Pack truffle mixture in pastry bag fitted with a #21 tip.


Step 4. Pipe truffle mixture on top of one shaped piece.


Step 5. Place a shaped piece on the piped truffle mixture.

Truffle Recipe
•2½ cups (¾ pound) finely chopped real chocolate
•1 cup heavy cream
•¼ teaspoon salt
•¼ teaspoon vanilla
•Melt chocolate. Cool at least 98°. Whip cream until it holds a soft peak. Add chocolate, a little at a time, to whipped cream, stirring with a spoon. When all chocolate is added, stir in salt and vanilla. Chill in refrigerator until mixture is firm but not stiff (5-20 minutes). Beat with a spoon until fluffy. Do not overbeat

How to make a chocolate transfer collar for a cake

This method although shown with a chocolate transfer, works equally well with a chocolate wrap.

Thanks goes to Amanda at Roberts confectionery for allowing me to re-post this here for you all to benefit from. The transfer shown in photo, is retro green dots
Step 1. Measure the cakes circumference and height


Step 2. Cut the Transfer Sheet to size. You can use sharp scissors or a Stanley knife. You can join two cut strips together on the using sticky tape. Join on the smooth side of the transfer sheet (ie. not on the chocolate)

Step 3. Lay the strip on a flat surface with the rough side facing upwards. If you place some baking paper underneath it makes cleaning up a lot easier and the chocolate that goes over the edges can be re-melted and used. Step 4. Pour the melted chocolate over the transfer sheet. The black strips in the photo are the “Perfection Strips”. They help you achieve a smooth even thickness of chocolate.

Step 5. Using an offset spatula, spread the chocolate out evenly over the transfer sheet. Try to get a smooth even consistency that is not too thick – approximately 3mm.

Step 6. Gently pick up the chocolate transfer sheet with two hands and transfer to the cake. Place one end on the cake then smooth the remainder of the sheet around the cake smoothing with your fingers as you go around.

Step 7. Once the collar is fully wrapped around, continue to smooth the collar onto the cake to ensure the chocolate adheres to the transfer sheet well and there are no air bubbles.

Step 8. Allow the chocolate to set for a good half hour until it is hard. Then peel away the plastic to reveal your chocolate masterpiece.

Transfer sheets are a sturdy but flexible plastic sheet coated with a mixture of cocoa butter and FSANZ approved food colouring, which has been etched with a repetitive design. They come in a wide variety of designs and colours.

You can use the transfer sheets on any flat chocolate surface or to decorate biscuits, cakes and deserts. Just apply the same basic application method to whatever you wish to decorate - you can achieve amazing and impressive results with ease.

Transfer sheets can be used with any type of chocolate. Milk or dark chocolate will show gold designs to their best advantage, white chocolate will highlight pastel or lighter colours with great effect. Each sheet is for one application only. You can cut sheets to the specific size you require and tape them together on the underside to make longer strips.

Chocolate transfer hearts how to

Check out the "how to" to make these fantastic chocolate hearts below (full credit goes to the team at Roberts). If you need chocolate transfers, click here to buy.

Transfer sheets are a sturdy but flexible plastic sheet coated with a mixture of cocoa butter and FSANZ approved food colouring, which has been etched with a repetitive design. They come in a wide variety of designs and colours.

You can use the transfer sheets on any flat chocolate surface or to decorate biscuits, cakes and deserts. Just apply the same basic application method to whatever you wish to decorate - you can achieve amazing and impressive results with ease.

Transfer sheets can be used with any type of chocolate. Milk or dark chocolate will show gold designs to their best advantage, white chocolate will highlight pastel or lighter colours with great effect. Each sheet is for one application only. You can cut sheets to the specific size you require and tape them together on the underside to make longer strips.

How to use

Basic Application:

Step 1. Make and bake your favourite cupcake recipe using co-ordinating cupcake papers for your theme. Ice the cooled cupcakes - I've used a basic butter frosting for these.

Step 2. Melt the chocolate melting buttons using your preferred method. I like using a small slow cooker as it keeps the chocolate melted and at the right temperature for as long as I need it.

Step 3. Make a template of the small plain heart. I placed a piece of paper over the back of the mould and rubbed around the edges with a marker pen. Step 4. Cut out the template but making it slightly smaller. You are wanting the final shape to fit easily into the bottom of the mould. Make sure there are no edges curling up the sides.

Step 5. Using your heart stencil, cut out the heart shape from the Chocolate Transfer Sheet using scissors. Step 6. Ensure the cut pieces fit freely in the bottom of the heart mould. Place it smooth side down, rough side up. Gently spoon the melted chocolate into the mould until it is filled just to the top. Gently tap the mould onto a flat surface to release any air bubbles. Then let it set in the fridge.
Step 7. To make sure your chocolate is set, look at the underside of the mould. It should look dull and slightly retracted from the edges. If it still looks wet and glossy then it is not yet set.


Step 8. Once the pieces are set, turn the mould upside down and gently tap on the bench (put a teatowel down first to soften the surface). The pieces should remove easily. If they don't, it means the chocolate still isn't fully set. Leave for a little bit longer. The piece will look like this with the plastic still on top. Step 9. Peel away the plastic. You may have to gently pick to find the edge of the plastic, but once found, it will peel away easily.

A birthday cake for my mother in law Margaret

I have often bragged I have the best mother inlaw in the world. She is very good to me, I definitely struck it lucky when I married her son!. Today is Margarets birthday, we are going out to dinner here in Whangarei to celebrate. I made her this cake, which I'll be dropping down to the restaraunt shortly, so it can be brought out as a surprise for her.

Click here for Wilton's instructions for making ribbon roses. (I just made them using my hands)


I used a gold flourish chocolate transfer on the free form slabs. Then I added some golden ivory cachous And I topped it off with some Bronze sand sparkle dust glitter

A quick cake I made for Janet

I made this cake for my dear friend Janet. I go to body combat exercise classes twice a week with Janet. She invited me and some of the girls to her birthday at our local Thai restaraunt. We had a great night and I was out dancing until 12.30. For this Mum of small kids, that's a major accomplishment! - especially when I realised I hadn't been dancing since before my eldest was born (and I love dancing!).

Janet didn't know she was getting a cake, it's always so nice to surprise someone. The cake was chocolate fudge, with a Baileys Irish creme buttercream under the white chocolate slabs, which had a design of stripes, using chocolate transfers.

Apologies for quality of photo, it was taken in failing light and the only place I got get a halfway decent photo, was on the deck outside