Bunny Cupcakes

I know Easter was over a month ago and that means I probably missed the prime time for this post, but it is ok, I don't mind.

This was actually the second time I made these cupcakes.  The first time for some reason I never wrote a post about them.  I don't know why?  I must have had a 'Mommy Moment'.  I am use to those.  I am starting to get use to them, but I digress.  So, here is my first time making them two Easters ago.

Very Cute!

I just made simple yellow cupcakes, nothing too fancy.  The icing is buttercream tinted pink.  The bunny itself is just a rounded teaspoon of white buttercream.  The ears are very simple.  There are just two slices of marshmallows.  Now, the website I got the idea from dipped the ears into pink sugar crystals, but I didn't want to do that.  The eyes are tiny cupcake hard sugar decorations and the whiskers are writing gel.

I thought I would pretty much do the same thing again.  Why do I always think things will be easy the second time around?  Will I ever learn?  Nope I guess not.  Here is Number Two...

As you can see not the same.    For whatever reason the icing DID NOT want to work with me to make the head of the bunny.  So, I had to improvise with what I had.... marshmallows.  Each bunny is made from two slices.  One full slice is for the head.  Then I cut one in half to make the ears.  I do have one tip here.... Your everyday kitchen shears will work great, but just have a damp paper towel handy to wipe the blades once in awhile.  They will get very sticky.

I have done some other things recently, so I have lots more to share.

Until next time..... Happy Baking!

Valentine's Cake

I know Valentine's was almost two weeks ago, but this is the first chance I got to write about the two cakes a made for that day.

About a week and a half before Valentine's day, a teacher at my daughter's school asked me if wouldn't mind if I would think of something to make for her and her husband for Valentine's day.  Of course I was more then happy to think of something for them.  This wasn't very hard because I was already eyeing a new toy I wanted, but had no reason to get it.  Now I did.

I wanted a pan that Wilton made that allows you to do this......

I couldn't wait to try the pan out.  I decided to make a trial run before the final product.  The final cake I would be making was a chocolate cake with white chocolate mousse and buttercream icing.  Something I thought that would have a very nice contrast.  But, for the trial this combination would not work because hubby isn't too fond of chocolate.  (I know... How dare he?  Everyone loves chocolate!)   So,  I needed to come up with something else.  Also, I didn't want to do the same old same old.  After thinking and surfing the web, this is what I cam up with..... Applesauce Cake with a Apple Mousse.

The trial was a 50/50 success.  The cake it self turn out great.  It is a little heavier then a regular was is fine.  If you like to try is for yourself here is the link http://www.marthastewart.com/340985/applesauce-cake .  I am not a big fan of Martha Stewart usually, but this was good.  The Apple Mousse.... well not so good.  The taste was great, but the texture was something to be desired.  It ended up being more like a thicker applesauce then a mousse.  Because of this, it made it interesting putting the cake together.  I was able to, but in the end the cake ended up soaking in much of it.  So, when I cut into we had a hole in the center of the cake rather then a nice filling.  Oh well!  Live and Learn!

The final cake came out much better.  L and her hubby were very happy the cake.  I only wish I could have gotten a picture to share with all of you, but she forgot.  (It is ok.  It just gives me another excuse to use the pan again.)

I have a few other things happen these past few weeks, but those are for other posts.

Until next time....... Happy Baking!

The Wedding Cake

I can finally say I made my first wedding cake.  Here it is.....

I know it isn't too elaborate or anything, but I like to think it is pretty good.

I made this cake for a co-worker.  She just got married on December 10th.  She decided to have a very small intimate wedding.  She had no plans of having a cake at the reception.  I, of course, could not let that happen.  Every woman needs a cake at he wedding.  So, I decided to make her her cake anyway.

With getting married a few weeks before Christmas, she was having a Christmas/Winter themed wedding.  With that in mind, I started thinking of winter type things to decorate with.  I really wanted to make snowflakes, but was unable to find a snowflake cutter or anything that looked like one on such short noticed.  So, I thought stars was the next best things.  This was my inspiration.  It was from Wilton.com ......

I know, it isn't exactly the same, but that I wasn't trying for that.  I just wanted an idea.  The inspiration cake is done completely in fondant, where I iced the cake in buttercream and only the stars are made from fondant. I covered the stars in a blue and silver pearl dust. (This was actually very fun to do).  It was also my first time working with fondant.  After getting over my initial fear of it, I really like working with it and can really see the potential of using it.  I hope to get the chance to use it again.

I had real fun making this cake and it was great seeing J's face when she saw it.  She was happy and I was glad to bring a little extra happiness to her on her special day.

I know I have bee talking about doing a few different with my blog and haven't done anything.  But, I finally have what I want to do, so look for some new fun things after the New Year.  

Until next time....... Happy Baking!

Doing things for fun!

I have not had any orders recently which to a part is good because I have been working overnights the few weeks.  But, I did do some things for fun.

I currently work with a small group of people.  We are part of a bigger team, but because we work overnight we tend to miss some of the fun things going on during the day.  So, I decided to be nice and bake some things.

The first thing I did was make my famous chocolate cookies.  I hate to sound egoistical, but they were a hit.  I wanted to try something new.  It needed to be easy to bring in and also easy to divide up.  I thought about it for a bit and realized that I haven't really made any muffins.  I knew that was the answer.  The decision was made Applesauce Muffins it was.  Here is the link to the recipe that I used http://allrecipes.com/recipe/mothers-applesauce-muffins/detail.aspx .

A co-worker also had a birthday recently.  I made him a chocolate two layer cake with chocolate fudge buttercream icing.  The icing came out a little pudding like, but worked very well.  I plan on making a black forest cake for another co-worker.  I think that will be fun since I have never made that before either. I promise I will have pictures of that.

I don't have any details yet for either of them, but I will have an order for my microphone cupcakes and some cookies.  I'll let you know when I know.  If nothing else the cupcakes will make me write another post about how to transport them.

Until next time...... Happy Baking!!

PS... Only 5 days until in is completely legal to sell baked goods made in your home in the state of Texas.

Got to do something special

Some of you may or may not know, but because due some changes in my life I need to go back to work a few months ago. It was suppose to be a temporary thing, but a always life sometimes throws you a curve. Even though I didn't need to continue working I did. Several things came because of this. I have made some great friends and also have gotten some great customers. Recently the place I am working started to remodel its store. I was asked to make a cake and cupcakes to celebrate the start of this occasion. I of course was honored that my boss thought of me for this. I happily accepted. I had to make a 9 x 15 cake and 8 dozen cupcakes in 4 days. I knew that this was going to be a challenge but I knew I could do it. Half of the cupcakes were chocolate with chocolate buttercream icing and they were made to look like footballs.

The other half of the cupcakes were yellow cake with buttercream icing.  The cake was also yellow and made to look like a football field. I also used buttercream icing to decorate.

What do you think?

I have been thinking about doing some posts of how I do things, where get my ideas, websites I use, and about other baking news out there.  Any thoughts?  I am trying to expand my horizons.  I hope it works.

Until next time....... Happy Baking!

Happy Birthday! Ok it is a little late!

Today's post comes to you from Orlando, FL.  Yes, that is right Disney.

My daughter's birthday was about a month ago.  I was able to use a new toy that I had received for Christmas.  It is is a cake pan that is adjustable.  I am able to make every letter of the alphabet both upper and lower case as well as any number. I won't lie I had large dreams of making six cakes and spelling out my daughter's entire name, but of course life and reason finally set in before it was too late. I ended up making just one cake and two dozen cupcakes.  Both were strawberry margarita cake because they were PINK.  Pink was the theme for this cake,.  I was specifically asked for pink cake with pink icing and pink sprinkles.  This was the result of that request:

I think it works.  What do you think?

The cake was not as a specific of a request.  The only thing that was asked for was that is was a pink cake.  So, like the cupcakes I used strawberry margarita cake.  I used buttercream icing which I colored pink and purple.  The cake itself I did in the shape of a four.

Both were a big hit at the party.  Many thought the 4 idea was great.  I think it was too.  I can't wait to try that pan again.

Until next time....... Happy Baking!







Graduation Cakes

I was lucky enough in the last two weeks to be able to make two graduation cakes for a wonderful person. The first one I told you a little about before.  It was the newspaper design that I came up with.  The graduation girl loved it and even asked if I was making the cake for her party that was on a later date.  So, that is where Cake #2 comes in.  First here is the Newspaper Cake:

It is a red velvet cake with buttercream icing.

This cake was actually very fun to make, except for the red food coloring.  (Anyone who has worked with red food coloring in anything should know what I mean.)  It was very exciting to see what I had sketched on paper come to life.  All the decorations on the cake are done in icing except for the graduation cap which was done in yellow chocolate.

The second cake was much simpler.  It only needed to half the size of the first one and didn't need to red velvet.... (thank god!)  Did I mention, red food coloring and I are not getting along at the moment?  Anyway here is the second cake....

This is a Vanilla White Cake with buttercream icing.

As you can see this is a much simpler cake then the first.  Just like the first one, I made the cap and diploma of out white chocolate.  To make the cap black while the chocolate was still melted I covered it in black sugar crystals.  I also got play a new toy that I bought.  It was the letters.  I know my writing is not the greatest, so I knew I needed some help in that department.  I bought a letter press.  I am able to create any word with the letters and then just press them into the icing.  Then use the impressions as a guide to your writing.  I think I did pretty well, if I say so myself.  I can't wait to try it out again.

My next big project will be for my daughter's 4th birthday.  I still have several ideas running around in my head, so I can't really tell you much yet. But, I promise I will tell and show you all.

Until next time....... Happy Baking!

Snoopy Cake

All went well with the Snoopy Cake for the most part.  After two different cakes and two different icings, it was finally made.  Here is the finished product:

The cake was a vanilla white with buttercream icing.  

I know you must be wondering what happened.  Well, I like to think you are wondering what happened.  Even if you aren't I am going to tell you anyway.  I ended up making  two cakes and two different icings.

The first cake came together very well and baked with no problem.  So, I didn't think much of it.  Well, even the best bakers have goofs.  I turned the cake out of the pan to finish cooling on the rack.  Let's just say half the cake didn't want to leave its warm home of the pan.  The cake tasted great, it just wasn't in one piece.  So, my daughter's teachers got vanilla cake pops dipped in milk chocolate as an end of the year thank you gift.  Hey, I couldn't let a good cake go to waste. Back to the mixer I went.  The second cake was nice and came out its home.  So, I am thinking.... Phew, all good..... WRONG!

I thought I would make a whipped icing instead of my normal buttercream because I wanted Snoopy to be a brighter white.  Stupid me.... I need to learn to stay with I do best.  For whatever reason, the whipped icing did not want to set up right nor no matter how much sweet I added to it, it never tasted right.  Needless to say, I ended up making my buttercream icing instead.  

In the end all was good and Snoopy went to a good home.  He was loved by all.

As a small side note I did start writing this entry on May 30.  Sorry I got a little side tracked with another cake I was making and forgot to finish.  But, it is here now.  And very soon I will have two cakes to write about.

Until next time....... Happy Baking!

Transformer Birthday Cake!

I was lucky enough to make a special little boy his birthday cake.  He wanted a Transformer cake.  So, I got to buy a new toy, a Transformer shaped cake pan.   Here is the final product:

The cake was a white cake with buttercream icing.  The entire cake was done with a No. 3 star tip.

I was told by the mother that the boy was very happy and thought it was very cool.  She also informed me that every one kept asking her where she got the cake, so she was great PR for me that day and handed out my business cards to everyone.  Keep you fingers crossed for me that I start getting more orders.

I also found out today that the Italian Cream Cake were also a big hit.  One woman said she loved it and she doesn't really care Italian Cream Cake. I was very happy to hear this since this was my first time making it. 

Until next time....... Happy Baking!