What a lovely day for a celebrating Greta’s 90th birthday in Horsham yesterday. Despite the worrying weather forecast, it was a very good day and the rain didn’t arrive until everybody was on their way home! It was a pleasure and a privilege to be involved in such a happy occasion so a big thank you to Julie and Nick for asking us to cater for this very special tea party.

On the menu yesterday it was:

Chocolate Brownie Cupcakes, Mini Lemon Drizzle Cakes, Mini Victoria Sponges, Devonshire Scones with Clotted Cream and Strawberry Jam plus little pots of fresh strawberries and cream. The savoury selection comprised turkey and cranberry and smoked salmon with cream cheese sandwiches, mozzarella with tomato and basil wholemeal mini rolls and egg mayonnaise brioche rolls.

A special day for a very special lady. Thanks very much for choosing us!

With love,

Fran, Chrissie and Gem xx

I was commissioned to bake a cake for a family gathering in Lewes on Saturday. The cake was a 9 inch iced Genoise sponge. It was a 3 layer cake sandwiched together with a lemon and fresh cream frosting and lemon curd. I iced it in white fondant icing and then decorated it with handmade lavender icing roses and butterflies. I am sorry to say I forgot to take photos though! Thank you so much to Fiona for the commission and I am pleased to hear your family enjoyed it.

If you have a family birthday, retirement or an anniversary to celebrate, and would like me to bake for you, please get in touch via the website or email me.

Thank you,

Fran

I had the pleasure of catering for a tea party in Lewes today for Sarah and her friends. A very big thank you to Donna for the recommendation and also to Ellie and Cat for your help in getting cake and sandwich choices from the other hens (whilst keeping the fine detail hidden from Sarah!)

Today’s menu:

• Ham and mustard sandwiches
• Smoked salmon and cream cheese  sandwiches with honey and dill
• Hummus and grated carrot mini rolls
• Cream cheese and cucumber sandwiches
• Individual pots of crudités
• Mini carrot cakes
• Mini lemon drizzle cakes
• Mini chocolate chip and banana cakes
• Sultana scones and plain scones with clotted cream and jam

The party was for 15 of Sarah’s friends and promised to be a lovely occasion – the tea urn was on and the prosecco was flowing when I left these lovelies to enjoy their day!!

Thanks once again to a lovely group of women, I hope you had an amazing day celebrating Sarah’s forthcoming wedding together.

If you would like help in organising your own bespoke “at home” tea party please contact me and I would be delighted to meet and chat through your requirements.

Fran x

I am delighted to say I was invited by Donna to bake for a hen weekend,  for her friend Laura. Laura is due to be married in a few weeks time and this was an opportunity to spend a lovely time with family and friends. The venue was a stunning house in the Sussex countryside. On the menu for this party was a selection of finger sandwiches, Lemon Drizzle Cake, Victoria Sandwich, Chocolate Brownies and Fruit Scones served with clotted cream and a selection of preserves. There was also a full selection of the same cakes and sandwiches for a guest who is gluten free.

Thank you for the commission Donna and thank you to the appreciative “hens”, it was a pleasure to bake for you all!

Love from Fran xx

I was commissioned to do an 80th birthday party for the lovely Maureen at the end of October last year, which was a commission that was a pleasure and a privilege to accept.

This was a party for 30 people held in Sayers Common. It was a traditional afternoon tea with scones, jam and clotted cream, mini lemon drizzle cakes,  mini coffee and walnut cakes and vanilla cupcakes. This was accompanied by a range of finger sandwiches and mini rolls containing, honey roast salmon with dill mayo, mozzarella tomato and basil with a pesto drizzle, traditional ham and mustard plus egg mayonnaise and rocket. I also provided a large platter of berries and fresh fruit.

Lorraine and Dean also commissioned goody bags in lovely striped lilac sweet bags. The bags were filled with a fixture of “pick and mix” and went down a storm with children and adults alike!

Fran x

Just to let you know that the wedding favours that took a trip to Malta went down very well. Due to the heat, (and the potential for melting!) the contents of the boxes were filled with pick and mix sweets rather than chocolates. The tables were also complemented with AB table crystals and filigree butterflies which doubled as place cards. Very many congratulations to Karen and Mario and a massive thank you to Carmen who commissioned the favours for their wedding.

More pictures to follow but these were when they were in progress. The boxes were decorated with pretty sage green organza ribbon edged in satin and large single roses.

Fran x

Friday was a busy baking day and here is Des who had just received his birthday cake! The cake was a rich chocolate fudge cake, layered with apricot conserve and chocolate ganache icing then smothered with more chocolate ganache. Mini chocolate fingers around the cake, then loaded up with Reece’s Peanut Butter Cups,  Mini Boost Bars, Smarties, White Chocolate Buttons and a selection of “pick and mix” sweets.

Love Fran x

What a fabulous birthday celebration at The Birch Pavillion in Frant. “Ariel” was a stunner and the party was enjoyed by everybody! The brief for this party was to bake cupcakes with a Little Mermaid theme. The cupcakes were vanilla and white chocolate and were decorated with handmade white chocolate seashells and edible glitter. I also baked brownies and made some very boozy rum truffles. I hope you like what you see and please feel free to contact me if you want to plan a themed party.

Love Fran x

Getting packed up to go to the party!

The Helper!

Well, what a weekend! It was exhausting, exciting, really successful and great fun. Thank you so much to all of you who came to celebrate “Artwave” at Venue 101 in Lewes with Anna Kane, Melissa Hodges and me. We hope you enjoy your purchases and that you had a lovely time relaxing and eating your cakes in the garden at Bifrost Cottage. For those of you who bought take-away cakes to share with family and friends, very many thanks.

We had such a great time that we have decided to add another date to our open days so that those of you who were not able to get to us over the last couple of days will have another chance to come along, meet the artists, eat cake and generally enjoy beautiful Lewes on the 27th and 28th of August.

We are considering having “pop up” events every so often where you can come along, buy some artwork, see how Anna transforms wool into amazing creatures and eat your fill of goodies – what do you think? Please let me have your feedback either here on this website or on my Facebook page. If we have enough interest, Anna and I will organise some dates. I will look forward to hearing from you.

Here are a few pictures to whet your appetite with the edible and non edible varieties!

The Mad Hater Cake Stand

Anna’s Needle Felted Cakes Donuts and Buns

Vanilla Cupcakes

Thank you so much

Fran x

Hi all,

just to let you know that “It’s Time for Tea and Cake” is delighted to announce that we will be joining forces with 2 local artists in Lewes to celebrate Artwave 2016. For those of you who don’t know, this is an opportunity to meet with artists in their homes or studios and for you have to opportunity to view, and purchase, their work. The 2 women we have joined up with are Anna and Melissa – Anna does needle felting and Melissa does line drawings and portraits. So come and see us, have some tea and cake in the garden and snap up some amazing pieces of art work by these 2 very talented women! We are Venue 101  (in Malling St) for those of you who have an Artwave booklet and our dates are 20th, 21st and 28th of August. Copies of the booklets can be picked up in Lewes Tourist Office or visit the Artwave website for more information

See you in a short while I hope

Fran x