When asked to prepare a small feast of bite-sized eats for my God Sister's pre-wedding Pool Party... excitement, nerves, fear, pressure, thrill.  All felt in equal measures.  But as the baking (and food-photo shoot...) came to a close, and the guests got their hands on the first mini bundt cakes, watching their faces, their head nods, their satisfied smiles, it warmed me to the bone and was the perfect reminder as to why, from the bottom of my heart, I love and need to make food for the people I love. 

Even in a foreign kitchen, using foreign ingredients, with foreign friends, we miraculously pulled through with minimal casualties, (though I'll be honest, we might have lost a few bundts in the crossfire...to hungry housemates...).  Simple, delicious, elegant.  You know you want to churn these out at your next tea party. 

And while I don't claim to be by any means omniscient when it comes to tips and tricks of entertaining, there is one tablescape tip I learnt a year or so ago at a make-shift dessert and cocktails evening, that I'd love to share.  For whatever reason, you live at home alone, you don't have the resources to invest in the perfect prop cupboard, infinite cake stands, you ran out of time or you simply forgot, you can always present a beautiful dessert (or food) display.  Once you have picked a colour theme, plated your desserts on a variety of shaped plates, big small square round, grab a few bowls, different sizes and heights will work best, turn them upside down and arrange on your table.  On top of which, place your plated desserts.  That's it, that's all it takes.  Angle your plates, alternate heights, sprinkle with icing sugar, a succulent or two on the table.  Golden. 

Without further ado, Orange and Olive Oil Mini Bundt Cakes, adapted from Fancy Food Fancy with Fresh Mint Icing

Orange + Olive Oil Mini Bundt Cakes with Fresh Mint Icing
recipe adapted from Fancy Food Fancy. makes about 25

Ingredients:
2/3 Cup Orange Juice
Zest of 2 Oranges
2 Eggs
1 Cup White Caster Sugar
2/3 Cup Olive Oil
1  1/3 Cup + 1tbsp All Purpose Flour
2/3 tsp Baking Powder
Pinch of Salt

1 Cup Icing Sugar
1/4 Cup
3-5 Fresh Mint Leaves

Method:
Preheat your oven to 375F/180*C/170*C Fan.  If not using a silicon mould, butter and flour your muffin tins/line your cupcake tins.
Zest and Juice your Oranges into a bowl and set aside.
Combine eggs and sugar with a hand or electric whisk, until starting to fluff.  Slowly incorporate Olive Oil, followed by Orange juice and zest.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into the wet ingredients, and mix until thoroughly combined.
Fill your moulds about half way for short mini bundts, 3/4 way for tall mini bundts (they will not rise all that much).  Bake for about 20 minutes, rotating half way through (note baking time will change depending on ovens and moulds used); toothpick should come out clean.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack, in the moulds, for about 15-20 minutes.  Then unmould and allow to cool completely on the rack. 
To prepare the icing, slowly add 1/4 cup water to the sifted icing sugar, until your desired consistency is reached (I added just less than 1/4 cup).  Pour into a piping bag and gently pipe around the top rim of your mini bundts, and allow to drizzle both into the centre and over the sides.  Wash, dry and julienne your Fresh Mint leaves, then sprinkle over the still wet icing.  Plate and serve.

Consume:
With a cup of tea or coffee.
Fresh fruit.
More cakes!