Sorting the compartments!

A big hello on this blustery Monday morning! It's Jordan from Team Cake here, bringing you a quick post while Mags is hard at work.

I have a week off work this week to do nothing more than relax and put my life in order! As busy multi-tasking women it isn't just our stomachs that have separate compartments. Sometimes life is so busy trying to juggle a million different things at once.

So after a hectic few months I thought a week off would be great to do some non-pressing things like eventually changing my name over to my married name at the bank and maybe even sorting my 'Monica Cupboard' at the front door that helps with the illusion of a tidy house, but causes an avalanche whenever its door is opened.

Whoopie Pies!

Hey hey cake lovers :-)

Well we mentioned a few days ago we wanted to introduce you to yet another emerging cake trend, and once again we have our US neighbours to thank.

We have no doubt that some of you may not have heard of whoopie pies just yet...but also no doubt that you will see (and taste!) them more and more over the next months and years...

Similar in texture to a cupcake, but sort of inside out, with more of the yummy top stuff! Intrigued?

Well we've asked the lovely Whoopie Pies UK to tell us more!

Chocolate Whoopie Pie with Vanilla Cream - by Whoopie Pies UK

The next big thing or an old faithful?

Hi :-)

Earlier in the week we introduced the lovely Popcake Kitchen and saw how a cute idea can come over from America and take the UK cake scene by storm. (Yes there's a "happening cake scene"...don't spoil our bubble).

It's amazing how quickly tastes change and new ideas start to take over...from the humble victoria sponge next thing you know it's all about cupcakes one minute, popcakes the next and who knows what's coming just around the corner.

Later this week we'll bring you a fab post about another new trend from our United States friends - the Whoopie Pie!

With all these creative and exciting new ideas, we'd also like to know what your old favourites are.

Leave us a comment and let us know what the cake favourites are you'll never tire of, or that you haven't had for years but remember from when you were little.

Let's start you off....

• You can't beat a nice bit of battenburg
• Oooh what about a slice of Jamaican ginger cake?
• Banana loaf
• Grandma's lemon cake with lemon icing and dessicated coconut sprinkled on top...

Oops we're drooling now and can't wait to hear about your own old favourites :-)

Team Cake xxx

From cupcakes to popcakes!

Hi everyone,

We hope you've had a fabulous weekend. We had a couple of technical issues on the blog this weekend but are catching up with all of our lovely posts over the next couple of days :-)

It's been a busy weekend for Team Cake - Margaret has been spending some lovely time with her family and Jordan has been trying our 'sphereing' for the first time on a pamper/adventure day as a late birthday treat. We can highly recommend it though have to admit it's a bit of a rough ride!

We've also returned to kettle bell workout class tonight after three weeks off and are feeling rather shaky now. It's tough staying in shape when you like cake as much as us!

Enough rambling - let's get back to business :-)

As you'll know last week was all about cupcakes as we seized the opportunity to indulge in some lovely treats for National Cupcake Week. So today we thought it about time to introduce something that is fast becoming the next big thing in the world of cakes, having caught on from 'across the pond' and building in popularity as more people see how versatile they really are. And what better company to help educate our cake fans about 'popcakes' (beautifully decorated cake treats on a stick), than the brilliantly creative Popcake Kitchen.

Photography by Karen McGowran Photography 2011

We'll let Popcake Kitchen and some fabulous photos do the rest of the talking for today!

National Cupcake Week

Sweet as a rose

Yippee there are still two more days of National Cupcake Week left :-)


Yep, those genius cake people have included the weekend thank goodness!


We just wanted to bring you another sneak preview of some GORGEOUS cakes we've been sent by Lorraine Wight Photography (that's Jordan's Mam by the way...we're saying it really small as she'll tell us off for telling you!)

Photography by Lorraine Wight Photography

We really love these wedding cakes, so romantic and proving a fabulous cupcake display is still a wedding favourite. Margaret's daughter's middle name is Rose, so she particularly loves the delicate red roses on each one.


We've more to show you in our National Cupcake Week round up tomorrow.


Until then,

Cupcake love, Jordan & Mags xxx

These cakes rock!

Hello lovely visitors,

A bit of a sneak preview for you - we're rubbish at saving things! We've received some gorgeous photos of cupcakes from far and wide this week to be included in our feature on National Cupcake Week 2011.

We got a bit over excited tonight when we got an email from Cakes by Beth - check out her website to see just how fab her cakes are. We'll bring you more later in the week but we just had to show you these for now.... how cool are these Rock Climber Cupcakes!

Something a little bit different as far as cupcakes go we thought, and even our menfolk gave them an enthusiastic nod of approval :-)

Happy cakeness, Jordan & Mags xxx

Party time!

Hi there :-)

We hope you're enjoying National Cupcake Week and doing it justice by treating yourself to some yummy treats throughout the week!

Following in the theme of the week, today we're introducing you to Manchester based Lily Bud Cupcakes (who I'm sure we'll be seeing a lot more of at A Separate Compartment!) and her fabulous children's cupcake decorating parties.

Lily Bud Cupcakes is run by the lovely Emmylou, with the company name inspired by her gorgeous daughter, Lily.

Pop by their website for a taster of what's on offer :-)

The idea of cupcake parties is so adorable, and a lovely unique idea to make a little girls' birthday party something all her friends will remember.

National Cupcake Week

This week is National Cupcake Week - now if that isn't an excuse to have cake for breakfast every day we don't know what is :-)


Later this week we'll be bringing you a fabulous round up post of some of the best cupcakes we come across. If you're a photographer or cake baker/decorator and would like to be featured, get in touch via our submissions page.


We'll also be bringing you a gorgeous post about the lovely Lily Bud Cupcakes and her fabulous children's cupcake decorating parties.


Cupcake love, Maggie and Jordan xxx

Dreamworld Cakes

Hello and thanks for popping by :-)

I hope you've all had a lovely weekend. It's Jordan from Team Cake here, with a post we're both very excited about!

I first noticed Dreamworld Cakes last year when I was planning my wedding, and was so pleased the lovely Bernadett agreed to be the first company for us to officially introduce. It was Bernadett's amazing flowers that caught my attention when Dreamworld were exhibiting at a wedding fayre. I had to get up so close to be convinced they weren't actually fresh flowers! I can only imagine how much time and effort (and sheer talent!) goes into creating something so beautiful.

Pop by Dreamworld's website or facebook page to stay up to date with all of the latest creations. For now, over to Bernadett...

Photography by Katy Melling Photography

Buns in the oven

Hi there, hope you're all having a lovely weekend!

We're cooking up some exciting posts here at Cake HQ and will shortly be introducing you to some amazing cake makers and decorators. Look out tomorrow for the most beautiful and intricate flower details from the fabulous Dreamworld Cakes.

We also have a list of places that people tell us we must go to try the desserts. Coming soon is a visit to Willow Farm, a family run pub in Cramlington that's becoming known for its out of this world cakes. And we're also planning a trip to York after spying through the window of Patisserie Valerie.

We'd love you to leave us a comment and let us know of anywhere you think we'd be blown away by the cakes - of course it's a chore but we'll try them if we can, all in the name of research!

Happy weekend :-)  xxx

Setting the standard

Hi there fellow cake lovers :-)

Thank you for visiting our blog, the new home of all things cake! Have a read of our introductory post to find out more about A Separate Compartment.

We've got some fab posts coming up featuring some amazing cakes and suppliers, but first of all we thought it a good opportunity to talk to you about the benchmark for all of our cake comparisons - the ultimate cakes that despite travelling far and wide, we've never quite managed to beat!

The difficulty is - there are two. And choosing between them is like choosing between your two favourite pets, or Robbie Williams and Gary Barlow, or...well you get the impression!.

If we had to - we're sure it could be done (in fact we may do this one day soon), but for now let's tell you about them both.

Let's be clear - in this post we're talking about the taste sensation and yumminess of these cakes - rather than presentation...we couldn't compare a wedding cake or a delicious looking cupcake to these fail safe desserts! These are the cakes you turn to at any time to pick you up and make the world a nicer place :-)  

What’s in a name?

Team Cake has recently been to our first ever Naming Ceremony. Margaret was proud to be officially declared a 'Supporting Adult' for Eva Nicole, the daughter of our close friends Jane and Matt.

Having never been to a Naming Ceremony, we were looking forward to seeing what it would bring. The service was beautiful, with promises to Eva to bring her up in a kind, caring and understanding way, helping her to live life to the full - 'Living Life' being the translation of her name.


Of course there was cake-a-plenty at the fabulous party in the Captain's Suite afterwards! Jane's Mum is a definite one to keep on side, working for a food wholesaler known for their fabulous desserts!!


Congratulations Eva Nicole, we know you're surrounded by family and friends who love you more than words can describe xxx

Room for dessert?

If you know that's a silly question, welcome to our blog!

Two twenty-somethings who've somehow found ourselves all grown up (Margaret's first daughter has just turned one and Jordan got married a few months ago), we love nothing more than a good catch up with wine, shopping and cake...not necessarily in that order.

If your friends don't even need to ask if you're having dessert,

If you go home disappointed when nobody else is and you politely decline,

If you know exactly what we mean by 'It's a Separate Compartment',

If you believe a good chocolate fudge cake can solve all of life's problems,

our blog is for you!

With a growing list of hobbies and interests that have fell by the wayside, our love of cake has stuck with us through our friendship of almost 10 years.

We're new to blogging, but expert in cake (eating, not making!), so thought we'd give this a go. We'll update you regularly on life, love and cake - because so often, cake is the only answer!

Love J & M xxx