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!

Might have more business

This week I was asked to make two Italian Cream Cakes for a new customer.  He is a Philly transplant like myself and we have talked several times about many different things.  He recently took over his family's pretzel business and has been thinking of expanding  some things.  He had a family get together this week and asked me to make the cakes.  I of course was delighted to.

It is a three layer cake with cream cheese icing, pecans, and coconut.

I have not found what they thought of them. I haven't needed to get any pretzels since I delivered them.  I don't want to jump ahead of myself, but I am hoping that this might turn into something more.  Send good thoughts, please.

Until next time.... Happy Baking!

Valentine's Day Treats

With Valentine's Day fast approaching, I needed to make some sort of treat for my daughter's class.  The party itself was today.  So, for the longest time I couldn't decided what I want to make.  It didn't help that she was also snack girl for another day this week.  But, finally I decided to make brownie pops.  I did make them different then what most of the websites called for.  Instead of making the brownie balls and putting them on a stick, I cut out heart shapes with a cookie cutter.  Alton Brown would be proud of me for not letting something in my kitchen be an uni-tasker.  (Sorry for the reference to those of you who don't watch Food Network)  Any way here was the final result......

As you can see, I cut them in heart shapes and put them on a popsicle stick.  I then drizzled melted milk chocolate over the top and sprinkled them with candy hearts. 

I did have left over brownies which I did do the more traditional "pop".  I just made little balls with the leftover and put them in lollipop sticks.  I did dip some in chocolate while left others plain.  My daughter went after these right away.  She kept saying..."Mommy, I taste, I taste."  Of course being the great mom that I am, I let her have one of each.  She devoured them in a blink of an eye.  I will take it they were good then.  I didn't keep any for myself though.  I handed out the rest to my co-workers.  They all said they looked great.  So, I will see on Friday how they thought they tasted.

I do have a cake order for a birthday party in two weeks.  I get to make another transformer cake.  This time the "good guy" logo.  I will post pictures and tell you all about it next time.

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

OMG!

I know it has only been two days since my last, but I thought I would honor you with my presence again this week.  Sorry had to poke fun at myself.  I am really going to try to get back into the swing of things again.  Which means, you my faithful readers will be seeing more of me..... (I just hope I can come up with things to talk about).

Obviously, I haven't baked anything new, but as always I am searching the web for new ideas.  Nothing has jumped out at me recently.  Maybe I need to find some new websites.  I just keep seeing the same things over and over.  And I know my husband will never get tired of my chocolate chip cookies, but even he has to admit we need variety.

I did get some new toys to try out.  My mother decided to send me some baking tools for Christmas.  She sent me some of those silicone cake molds.  I now can make a giant cupcake, a three tiered present, a house and an American flag with little stars.  But, the best thing I got was a pan where I can make every letter and number just by moving pieces around.  The first thing I said was when I opened it was, "What letter can I make?"  But, I wasn't allowed.  I guess I need to wait until someone needs a letter cake.  So, anyone out there need a cake?  LOL!

I did find out one thing though.  The cake that I will be making next month will be another Transformer cake.  So, I will need to get out those star tips again.  Lucky for me I find decorating a cake that way therapeutic.  The only details I need now are what kind of cake and if they will need cupcakes or not.

Well until next time....... Happy Baking!

Microphone Cupcakes and Other Things

I feel like I am always apologizing for not posting a blog.  So, again I am sorry.  I just have been really busy working a job in retail and of course the holidays.  I hoping now that things are calming down at work, I should be able to get back into blogging and baking.  I did do a little bit of baking over the holidays and I will tell you all about them.

First, I made my PB and J snack bar for my Christmas holiday party.  They were well received by everyone.  I did have few that were disappointed that I didn't make my angel food cupcakes again, but they got over it.

This year I didn't have as many "gift" baskets to make this year with different things in them.  So, this year I only made about 6 dozen chocolate chip cookies and gave them to a few people.  But, because of them I will be making a birthday cake for a little boy next month.  I don't know what yet, we haven't worked out the details yet.  I also sent a dozen cookies to a dear friend in the Netherlands, unfortunately because of a bad winter storm here in the States and few storms that had parts of Europe shut down, after almost  two weeks she still doesn't have her cookies.  I just hope they are still edible by the time she gets them.

Lastly, I got to make some microphone cupcakes for a little 5 year girl who was having a Justin Bieber theme party.  She asked specifically for my strawberry margarita cake because it was "SOOOOOO good and it was Pink!"

There are not to hard to make.  It is just any cupcake you want to use, some icing and sprinkles.  As I already said the cake was strawberry margarita, the icing was butter cream tinted black, chocolate sprinkles and then sugar ice cream cones.  The hard part was trying to figure a way to get them to the party without incident.  It took some time, but with few of my ideas and my husband's ideas, we were able to come up with something and it worked out perfectly.

I'll let you know as things come up.

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

My Latest Creation

This past weekend was a friend of mine son's birthday.  She asked me to make the cupcakes for his party.  I, of course said yes.  The request was for a white cake and Iron Man theme.  This was my first time making a white cake from scratch.  I think I did pretty well.  I was also asked to make a icing that was not as sweet, so I went with a cream cheese icing.  I was able to find both Iron Man paper cups and cupcake picks.  I decided to have two different color icings.  One was red and the other was golden yellow.  Here is the final result.......

Everyone was happy with how they looked and tasted. (Hopefully, I'll be able to do her daughter's birthday cake next month.... hint hint)

This weekend I have several things going on.  I have Mom's Night, Breakfast with Santa and a work holiday feast.  I have decided to make a strawberry margarita cake and apple enchiladas for the Mom's night.  I am making a quiche for the breakfast.  And lastly the work holiday is still up in the air.  I have a few ideas, just not sure which to do yet.  I'll let you know when I do.

Until next time..... Happy Baking!

Happy Holidays!

I realized I missed Thanksgiving, but I have been working everyday since then.  Things are starting to get a little hectic for me, so I am going to apologize now if I seem to disappear until after Christmas.  But, I do have a few things happening between now and then. I'll get to them in a moment.

First things first...... I made and delivered my first order for Thanksgiving.  From my understanding everything was good.  I never a got am official yes, but I am assuming if something was wrong I would have been told.  I made 2 pies and 6 creme brulee.  I am hoping this order may lead to others.  We shall see. (keeping fingers cross)

Pumpkin Pie

Maple Pecan Pie

I have 2 Christmas parties coming up in the next few weeks.  One of them has a Mexican theme, so I will be making a Strawberry Margarita Cake and somethings else.  I haven't decided yet what.  I have come across a few things that seem very promising.  I need to bounce the ideas off a few people and get their input.

The second one is "Breakfast with Santa" for the kids.  I need to make a breakfast item.  Believe it or not I am completely stumped at the moment.  I know I will think of something, but right now I am lost.  I'll let you know when I figure it out.

Lastly I will be making for myself and family a lemon meringue pie for Christmas.  I know it isn't scream holiday, but I like it and have fun making it. (also with the left over yolks, it gives me an excuse to make creme brulee again.....shhhhh, don't tell though)

Well, until next time..... Happy Baking!