52 Weeks of Sweets

February Cakes :: Take 2

2012-03-06T08:38:00.001-08:00

February was a busy month for cakes--so busy I forgot to take pictures of them all! But there are still many to see....

First, the "Two Peas in a Pod" was made for Miss Colleen's Baby Bash:

And check out the beautiful mother-to-be! Kid you now she was wearing non-pregnant lady skinny jeans and a regular top. Aaaand she is 6+ months pregnant....with twins! Unbelievable!

Second was another baby shower cake with a butterfly theme! Also, a variation on the ever so popular "Bum Cake":

Then there were rose cupcakes assembled last minute that turned out remarkably well--love them! Both the cake and buttercream was champagne flavored. The flavor was such a hit, I used it for the last cake--the engagement party.

This last cake was made for an engagement party this past weekend. In preparation for the inclement weather Nashville expected, I moved the baking to the basement and decorated the cake as tornado sirens went off and hail was coming down. The decorating never stops! The colors were made to match the colors of the event and here it is:

So that's it for now--as always, happy baking!

February Cakes :: Take 1

2012-02-20T22:44:00.000-08:00

February is a busy month for cakes.  Fortunately I have a baking buddy that doesn't make fun of me given innumerable opportunities to.  You see, I can get super jazzed about a fondant fish....I can also get super psycho if the buttercream isn't thick enough.  So it goes without saying that Sara's patience and kindness is much appreciated.

We have made several cakes so far this month.  The first of which is the fishing cake:

Next up is a karate cake, designed by Sara:

And finally, one of my favorite cakes ever--Lightening McQueen:

This cake went off without a hitch and I think I have figured out the key to successful cake baking--80's music. This all makes perfect sense seeing as my first cake was the 80s themed cake!

Several cakes are yet to come this month so stay tuned. And as always...happy baking!

Stay Calm and Bake On!

2012-01-31T21:32:00.000-08:00

New year--no time to stop!  January has been such a fun month and it's time to catch up on the cake-happenings.

First of all, how cute is this little bug?!?

Miss Evelyn May

Miss Evelyn May turned one this year and I had the honor of making her very first birthday cake. While I think the picture above is way cuter than the actual cake--this is what the cake looked like before:

This is one of my all time favorite cakes.  Pink and brown are some of my favorite colors and strawberry is one of my favorite flavors.  Couldn't ask for a better combo.

Next up are pea-pod cupcakes for a twin baby shower. I helped a friend with these and I think they turned out great! The strawberry and blueberry cake she made (one boy/one girl) was AMAZING! I am going to be using those recipes for some cakes in February.

Next up are some quick carrot cake cupcakes for a sweet friend's birthday.  <3 them:

Miss Whitney

And we're down to the final two! I love getting requests for unique cakes.  Sometimes I really have to think about how to make an idea come together.  Perfect example, "Hey! Can you make me a rhino cake that incorporates Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu?"

Sure! 

Black Belt Rhino

Or how about, "Hey! Can you make me a baby shower cake that is green, blue, and cream with plaid, buttons, and a dinosaur?"

Sure!

That pretty much sums up the month of January!  Lots of wonderful things are on the books for February so keep a lookout.  And as always....

Happy Baking!

Week 52 :: A Year of Sweets!

2012-01-02T19:56:00.000-08:00

Sorry this post is a few days late--my Grandmother has already e-mailed me to inform me I am behind!

First--I can't believe 52 weeks have passed since beginning this adventure! A lot has happened this year, and obviously I won't stop baking now--if anything my love for baking has multiplied.

I began this year with a Cookie Recipe--so I thought I would end with one as well. My favorite (and simple) White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookie. FYI--these are some expensive nuts! So stock up if you find a good deal.

Ghiradelli Macadamia White Chip Cookies

Prep time :: 15 minutes

Bake time :: 12-14 minutes/batch
Yields :: 5 dozen cookies

::Ingredients::

1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 cups (one 11 oz bag) Ghiradelli Classic White Chips
1 1/2 cups chopped Macadamia nuts

::Directions::

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream together butter and sugars until fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs one at a time. Beat well.
Blend in flour, baking soda, and salt. Fold in chips and nuts. Drop tablespoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 12-14 minutes.

I also thought it would be fun to sum up this year and the blog. I haven't looked in to the site's statistics until now, and it was kind of fun to wait. So here are some stats:

There have been more than 7,000 visits to the site (not all me, I promise)
Different countries include Netherland Antilles, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Russia, Italy, Romania, Phillipines, Mexico, the United Kingdom and Canada (Hi Grandma!)--among many others. A big "hello!" to all those visitors. It's amazing how quickly one can circle the world with a cake.
The most popular cake is actually my first cake--the 80s Themed Cake!
The most popular cookie is the McQueen Cookie
The most popular recipe is the Royal Icing Recipe

I can't believe this year is over, I have had a lot of fun baking all these treats. Right now I am not sure what 2012 brings, but I will keep posting and hopefully you will keep reading!

And finally, for the 52nd time, Happy Baking!

Week 51 :: Holiday Cupcakes!

2011-12-23T20:36:00.000-08:00

This week I was able to make three sets of cupcakes. My dear friend Sara helped me create these wonderful treats and I was lucky to have her assistance.

First, some holiday cupcakes for Reagan's (Sara's daughter) school party. And the snowman cupcake was born!

Then there were Christmas Cupcakes for work....

...the Christmas Tree Cupcake, complete with golden stars, ornaments and presents. Sara is truly a natural at decorating!

Lastly, were baby gender surprise cupcakes:

This was such a special job. A sweet co-worker of mine is pregnant with twins and the next ultrasound was to reveal the gender! The results are going to be kept secret and handed to the sister who is planning a reveal surprise--which involves cupcakes! I made two boy and two girl cupcakes for the sister, so she will be the only one to know before Mom and Dad. Externally the cupcakes are all the same, but filled with pink and blue buttercream--when Mom and Dad bite in to the cupcakes they will find out the gender of the little-ones-to-be! SO very excited to see how this turns out!

Just one more week to go! Eeek!

In the mean time...Merry Christmas and Happy Baking!!

Week 50 :: Christmas Treats

2011-12-20T23:08:00.000-08:00

I have always loved home made treats at Christmas time.  There is just something about the time and love that goes in to making Christmas treats that makes them that much sweeter (pun intended!)

 
Linzer Cookies 
Over the past year many of you that live nearby have been able to try my sweets.  Many of my loved ones that live far away haven't been able to, so I thought--perfect opportunity!

Completed Tin

I was fortunate in that my Mom was easily recruited for the task.  She is full of great baking ideas and has quite a bit of experience herself.  After much deliberation and a carefully planned grocery list we ended up with Linzer Cookies, Macaroons, Gingerbread Men, Mint Fudge (below), Peppermint Bark, Sugar Cookies, Pfeffernusse Cookies and Peanut Butter Balls.  Phew!

Peppermint Bark

Many of the recipes we used are linked above.  Here is the recipes for the Mint Fudge (super easy):

Mint Fudge 
Mint Fudge
Prep time :: 10 minutes
Chill time :: 1+ hours
Yields :: 2-3 dozen fudge squares 
::Ingredients::
1 lb. milk chocolate
1 lb. semisweet chocolate
1 Tbsp. butter
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk 
1 tsp. peppermint extract
1 tsp. vanilla extract
::Directions::
Melt chocolate and butter in a saucepan on low heat stirring constantly.
Once chocolate is fully melted and smooth, remove from heat.  Immediately add sweetened condensed milk and extracts.  Mix well.
Spread mixture on a wax paper lined 11x7 inch baking dish.  Allow to set in the refrigerator for at least one hour before cutting. 


Note :: For perfect fudge squares, let fudge sit a room temperature for 20 minutes before cutting.  Run a sharp knife under hot water and wipe dry before each cut.

We tasted everything (a few times to be sure) and I am really happy with how everything came out. Somehow I missed taking pictures of the Pfefferneuse Cookies and the Peanut Butter Balls before everything disappeared.  It was my Mom's idea to do Pfeffernusse Cookies and I am so glad we did.  There were by far my favorite and they have pepper in them--go figure!  Until next time...

Gingerbread People


Happy Christmas Baking!

Week 49 :: Cake Catch-up!

2011-12-11T08:42:00.000-08:00

These past couple of weeks have been crazy with cake baking!  While exhausting I have thoroughly enjoyed it.  Here is quite a long re-cap of the cakes I have missed posting and some ideas/tips. 

Happy Birthday Andres!

Double-yay for couponing and new cakes pans! I found a coupon in the paper this week for 50% off a full-priced item at Michaels (these coupons circulate almost every week).  I haven't bought many shaped pans (I usually carve the shapes), so I thought this would be a good opportunity to add to the collection for less than $7.  My friend Andres is a soccer fan and perfect circles are very difficult to carve so I thought the soccer ball pan would be perfect for several projects.

... and Happy Birthday Kietya! 

This week I was asked to make another cheerleader cake for a girl's 13th birthday.  I remade this little girls head several times but I am happy with the way that it finally turned out.  I use star, heart, letter and square cutouts all the time.  They are inexpensive and super helpful in cake decorating and can be found here. 

...and Happy Birthday Nikki! 

This cake was for another 13-year-old's birthday that happened to be the daughter of a dear friend I work with.  She had the party at the Brentwood Skate Center (so fun!) complete with pizza and cake.  I will be double that age next year but would it still be cool to have a party there?  I would require 80s themed attire and music, of course ;o)

Again, I used the awesome star and letter cutouts, but I also used pearly dust to create the gold effects (it is edible, as always).  I have found the easiest way to create cutouts like the dancer is to print the shape out, cut out of wax paper and trace with an exacto-knife into the fondant.  Is this the technical way to do it, you ask?  No idea--most of what I do is trial and error until I find something that works for me.  Often I find that when I try to do it "by-the-book" I either don't get it or it just doesn't work out.  On the other hand, sometime when I do it "by-the-book" I think "OH!  That is a whooooole lot easier and prettier."  In sum, if it doesn't work for you, just find another way to do it.  I honestly can't telly ou how many things I have redone or thrown out.

...and Happy Birthday Chloe!

Then there was a Sweet 16 Cake for Miss Chloe who loves make-up.  I researched some of her favorite products and made the decorations accordingly.  I tried a new trick with this cake as well--after I made the cake, assembled and dirty-iced it, I froze it.  When I was ready to decorate, I removed it from the freezer, gave the dirty ice another coat and then decorated while still frozen.  Well--don't do that.  Because the cake is so cold it causes the fondant to condensate and get really hard.  It all worked out OK in the end but I wouldn't do it again.

...and another Baby Shower!

The baby cake was a repeat request from an earlier week, but fun to try again.  The "box lid" is made out of rice crispies covered in buttercream and fondant.  I don't make a lit of things out of rice crispies; however, there are times when logistically you need something like this lid to hold it's shape with little support and it is perfect to use rice crispie treats!  the baby and all other decorations are made of fondant.

Phew....Happy Baking!

Week 48 :: Happy Birthday Liam!

2011-12-06T11:13:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Liam!

This week was a busy cake week, but there was one cake in particular that was extra special. My sweet friend Shay asked me to make her little one's FIRST birthday cake! He is a unique little boy with what appears to be an affinity for yellow--bananas, giraffes, and his favorite dump truck which happens to have...you guessed it--yellow! So after much brainstorming came the Giraffe-Driven-Banana-Hauling-Dump-Truck!

Happy Baking!!

Week 47 :: Potted Flowers Cake

2011-11-29T07:23:00.000-08:00

I have been wanting to do this cake for a while now--and it almost turned into a disaster! Even after all of this time I still have major issues sometimes. I made a GF chocolate cake and wanted to try a new chocolate frosting--and while it was delicious, it was almost too creamy to hold the shape of the cake! I had to finish decorating it in the fridge--no joke! All-in-all it turned out well and I can't wait for an excuse to make one like it again.

I should have taken pictures during the process and posted directions but I was gabbing away with my grandmother who stayed up with me until 1am baking this cake. Here are some tips if they help:

Make three thick 6" layers.
Use two layers to make the pot, fill and cover with frosting, and cover it in clay-colored fondant.
Take the third layer, round it on top by carving.
Put a little frosting on top of the "pot" and put the rounded layer on top.
Cover the rounded layer in frosting to make it look like dirt.
Cut two strips of clay fondant. One to make the rim of the pot and one for the base of the pot.
Make flowers as desired and adhere them to the "dirt."

Happy Baking!

Week 46 :: Cheer Cake!

2011-11-29T07:15:00.000-08:00

GO PANTHERS!

This week I made a cake/cupcake combo for a friend of mine. She is a superstar Mom of a superstar daughter who is part of the Nolensville Cheerleaders. Go black, white, and red!

I have used this cupcake tower twice now and it is awesome! Paying $40+ for some cardboard seems a bit crazy, but it is awesome, reusable, and decorate-aable. It is well worth it if you get a few uses out of it. The stand on top holds up to a 5 lb. cake as well. Definitely something useful to have around.

Happy Baking!

Week 45 :: In the Jungle!!

2011-11-17T09:54:00.000-08:00

What a fun cake to make!  One of my dear friends Jill asked me to make this for a little one's 1st Birthday.  I think it turned out wonderful.  I could have spent four more days on this cake because I was having so much fun.  I also made some matching cupcakes so the birthday boy didn't have to share :o)  The elephants are by far my favorite!  Well....the giraffes are pretty cute too, and will be making a reappearance in a couple of weeks!  Here are some close ups:

The flavors were just vanilla and chocolate with buttercream.  Little one's don't appreciate fancy flavors and there is something to be said or that! Here are the matching cupcakes:

And as always....Happy Baking!

Week 44 :: Chocolate dipped Peanut Butter Cookies

2011-10-30T15:13:00.000-07:00

These cookies were a bit time consuming but worth the tediousness. First, you want to make your favorite peanut butter cookie recipe. If you don't have one, try the one below:

Peanut Butter Cookies

Prep time :: 10 minutes

Bake time :: 10-11 minutes/batch
Yields :: 24-30 cookies

::Ingredients::

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

::Directions::

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cream together butter, sugars, and peanut butter. Beat in eggs.
Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix well on medium speed for 1-2 minutes.
Roll dough into balls about the size of golf balls, place on cookie sheet. Grease a fork and press down to make an "X" onto cookies as demonstrated below. Bake for 10-11 minutes or until slightly browned.

Once the cookies are complete, let them cool. While the cookies are cooling melt chocolate in a double broiler. If you don't have a double broiler you can put a couple inches of water in a sauce pan and place the chocolate in a glass bowl on top, like so:

I used dark chocolate chips, but you can use any kind of chocolate that you like. Just dip the cookie in the melted chocolate about half way and voila!

Happy Baking!!

Week 43 :: Pumpkin Cupcakes

2011-10-19T18:41:00.000-07:00

Less than 10 weeks left and I have so much that I still want to do this year! I suppose this may turn into 52WoS-and-then-some.

I made this cupcake for a sweet friend's birthday. Happy Birthday, Sara! I iced the pumpkin cupcake with cream cheese frosting and a gumpaste rose. It was more than a fair trade since her husband made her a delicious dark chocolate cake for her birthday and I got to eat that all weekend while house-sitting.

These pumpkin cupcakes are by far one of my favorites! I love pumpkin, and this is the first of several fall pumpkin recipes. These cupcakes are rich and full of pumpkin flavor. If you want, you can easily add a cup of walnuts or pecans to the batter.

Pumpkin Cupcakes

Prep time :: 10 minutes

Bake time :: 25 minutes
Yields :: 24-26 cupcakes

::Ingredients::

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 can mashed pumpkin or 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
1 cup milk
2 1/2 cups flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. pumpkin pie spice (if you don't have this on hand, you can use a mixture of ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg)

::Directions::

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cream together butter and sugar. Beat in eggs.
Add milk and flour alternating and mix well. Add pumpkin puree. Add baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices.
Pour into prepared muffin cups 1/2 to 2/3 full and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

I made a batch of these for a Vanderbilt party and decorated with a fondant embellishment. Here is a close-up:

Happy baking!

Week 42 :: Mitzi's Sprinkle

2011-10-16T19:51:00.000-07:00

Congratulations sweet friend!

A dear friend of mine is expecting Baby #2 and I had the honor of making the cake for her sprinkle! Here is a picture of me and the mom-to-be, the beautiful Mitzi:

The hostess did such a beautiful job and it was such a wonderful day to celebrate Mitzi's new addition.

The cake was strawberry/vanilla with green and pink fondant. I made the feet several days before so that they had time to dry. The "bum" is actually a second tier to the cake, carved into a tooshie. The ruffles are white fondant strips. Here is a close-up:

Happy baking!!

Week 41 :: Cars and Dragons...

2011-10-11T19:14:00.000-07:00

Interesting combo, I know....but I am willing to try anything someone would like.  

Honestly, both cakes surpassed my expectations seeing as I know nothing about classic cars OR Dungeons and Dragons. But, with a lot of help from friends and Google, here are the final products:

1950 Custom Chevrolet:

The back is my favorite:

And the Dungeons and Dragons cake with custom dice and gold coins:

Happy baking!!

Week 40 :: Mr. and Mrs. Parmley

2011-10-01T23:30:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Parmley!

At this point I have made a lot of cakes, but never wedding cakes. Oh, the pressure was on! I feel so honored that a friend of mine trusted in me to make the cakes and cupcakes for her reception! The party was for about 50-75 people and she wanted two cakes--a beach-themed wedding cake and cupcake tree and a groom's cake. So here's the first look:

Now, I guess I will start with the groom's cake since I am sure you are thinking--"is that a shoe?" Yes--it is a shoe. A Nike-Air-Jordan-UNC-Tournament shoe. Jason, the groom, likes Nike, Michael Jordan and UNC and I couldn't think of a better idea! Now, I know you ask, "why would he like UNC?" That, I cannot answer....why would anyone like UNC? I almost refused to make any cake resembling UNC; however, Jason and Diana are very sweet people so it's not like I could say no--but I did think about it, seriously. The groom's cake was strawberry with strawberry icing. Here's a close-up:

The bride's cupcake tree turned out better than I could have ever imagined. Several flavors went into this cake. The top cake was a funfetti (bride's favorite) cake with vanilla buttercream. Next was banana cupcakes with peanut butter-chocolate frosting. Next was pineapple with coconut buttercream (my favorite--yum!). And the last two layers were chocolate with peanut butter-chocolate frosting and them Key lime cupcakes with vanilla buttercream. Phew! This was a lot of work but I took my time. I made the cupcakes and cakes a week ahead and froze them (Note:: The BEST way to freeze cupcakes is to get 2.5 gallon zip locks, put cardboard at the bottom, fill with cupcakes and top with parchment paper--SO easy). Cakes iced in buttercream can stay frozen for months because of the high fat content. Just wrap in parchment paper and then plastic wrap and freeze. I also made and bagged the icing and put it in the refrigerator. The icing will stay fresh in the fridge for at least two weeks. I also make the white chocolate sea shells a could weeks in advance. This made for a much easier day-of prep. Here is the cupcake tower:

And a close-up of the cake on top:

The "sand" accents in the cakes and cupcakes were made out of crushed graham crackers.

I feel so blessed to have been a part of this special celebration. The party was so much fun and the bride and groom loved the cakes, so it was certainly a good night! I wish Mr. and Mrs. Parmley a lifetime full of love and happiness (and cake) :o)

Happy baking!

Week 39 :: Strawberry Crumble Pie

2011-10-01T23:03:00.000-07:00

This is one of my all-time favorite pies and I can't believe it took me this long to post it! The ingredients are simple so you may have them all on hand. This pie might not be the prettiest but it is de-licious!

Strawberry Crumble Pie

Prep time :: 15 minutes

Bake time :: 1 hour

::Ingredients::

1 9" unbaked pie shell
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup flour
4 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and cut

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup oatmeal
3/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Pinch salt

::Directions::

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Mix together 3/4 cup flour and 3/4 sugar. Stir is strawberries to coat. Discard excess mixture that does not stick to strawberries.
Mound strawberries in the unbaked pie shell
Mix together the last 6 ingredients (butter, brown sugar, oatmeal, flour, cinnamon, and salt) to make the topping. Gently pack an even layer over the strawberries.
Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Lower heat to 350 degrees and bake for 40 minutes.

Happy baking!

Week 38 :: (Sweet Tea and) Wheat Free!

2011-09-26T10:59:00.000-07:00

Little background story: 

A couple of weeks ago one of our family friends brought his new sweetheart to the house.  I thought it would be nice to have some special treats ready for them.  Well--no one was touching my mini chocolate and peanut butter cupcakes (seen below):

As I was about to force feed my new guest a cupcake she kindly tells me she is intolerant to gluten.  AH!  How mean is that?!  I put a whole plate of cupcakes in front of someone who can't touch them!  She comically referred to my cupcakes as "food porn" which was the best complement she could give without actually trying them.  Well--I felt pretty bad about this so for her next trip I wanted to have some gluten-free goodies ready.

Well I did have some treats ready and it was so nice to have them over again for round two.  Come to find out, Celeste is a bit of a foodie and has her own wonderful gluten-free blog, Sweet Tea and Wheat Free. What a great resource for those in the search of gluten-free!

The chocolate cupcakes with buttercream icing are all gluten-free.  And in case it save you a phone call--all Betty Crocker sprinkles and decorations are gluten-free!  The tea-cup cupcake holders are one of my favorites and are available here.  Here is another shot: 

The other recipe I made was a chocolate pound cake with peanut butter cream cheese frosting (yummy)! I had to serach but you some really yummy organic ingredients:

This recipe might you off at first--BUT, it was tasty and pretty good for you with a base of black beans and apple sauce! Definitely a runner food. The original chef has an online store, Gesine, when she sells her gluten-free baked goods. Certianly worth checking out.

This is what the loaves looked like before frosting:

Happy Gluten-Free Baking!

Week 37 :: Polka-Dots in Pink!

2011-09-25T19:43:00.000-07:00

This week I made a cake for a little girl's first birthday!  What a milestone that she won't remember ;o)

I made a small smash cake to match the larger two-tier square cake.  The smash cake and bottom layer were birthday cake flavor and the top tier was strawberry.

This is actually my first square layered cake.  I thought that the crumb coating would be easier but it was more of a challenge than I thought!

Here's a little tutorial on how to make the fondant bow:

1.  First, mix about 1/2lb. fondant with about 1/2 tsp. stabilizer (or you can use gumpaste).  Let sit for 30 minutes.  I used CMC's fondant stabilizer.

2.  Roll out the fondant and cut into strips.  Note :: I LOVE the multi-wheel cutter my mother got me for my birthday.  BUT--it's not perfectly calibrated (and that's pretty standard).  It's pretty close, but you have to pay close attention if you want this ribbons to be equal.

3.  Fold and pinch like so. Make loops of several different sizes (about 6 of each size).

4.  Set ribbons on their side on a paper towel for faster drying. The will be ready to assemble the bow in a few hours.

5.  When the pieces are fry to the touch, gently layer them to make a bow as desired.  secure together with piping gel and additional pieces of fondant when needed.  VOILA!

Happy Baking!

Week 36 :: Cowgirl Cake!

2011-09-18T08:07:00.000-07:00

I made this cake and matching cupcakes for a cowgirl themed birthday party this week.  LOVE the finished product:

To make the brim stand up, I made supports our of cardboard, lined them with a paper towel, and left them in place until the cake dried completely and VOILA!  They stayed in place.

A couple tricks about carving shaped cakes:

Frozen cakes are easier to carve. You can stack your cake layers (up to 3), filling the layers in between with buttercream icing and freeze a few hours up to 2 months. Just make sure to cover and make air tight. The high fat content of buttercream freezes well and keeps the cake moist.
If you make a small mistake cutting, don't worry. Use extra buttercream to get the shape you want. If it is a bigger mistake. Mix extra cake crumbs with buttercream into a thick moldable paste and fill in the area to get the shape you need. Dirty ice over the area with buttercream as usual.
If you make little cuts at a time, you most likely won't mess up.

This occasion also called for matching cupcakes, and here they are:

Happy Baking!

Week 35 :: American Apple Pie

2011-09-11T15:20:00.000-07:00

So I'm a little off on my weeks and will catch up soon, but today required a special post.

Nashville Fire Department Station 10 set up a memorial with 343 flags in honor of the NY firefighters of 9/11.  The flags were meticulously placed, with a board honoring all who perished.  The Nashville firefighters were so kind and appreciative of people stopping, when we are the ones that need to show appreciation.

How do I show appreciation?  You guessed it--by baking.  In this case an apple pie.



Grandma Ople's Apple Pie
allrecipes.com
Prep time :: 30 minutes
Bake time :: 50 minutes- 1 hour
::Ingredients::
1/2 cup butter 
3 Tbsp. flour
1/2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup water 
7-8 apples of choice, peeled, cored, and sliced
2 unbaked 9" pie shells 
::Directions::
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 
Place one unbaked pie shell in baking dish.  Place apples in unbaked pie shell mounding slightly in the middle like so:


Top apples with lattice-work crust.
Melt butter in sauce pan, add flour and thicken.  Add sugars and water, bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.  Pour mixture over pie slowly like so: 


Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes.  Lower  temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 35 to 45 minutes more.

Happy Baking!  

Week 34 :: Happy Birthday Betsy!

2011-09-05T06:23:00.000-07:00

So I have a bit of catching up to do!  A two week trip to Europe has put me a bit behind, but more about that later...

This week was yet another important birthday! Betsy was my very first friend when I moved to Nashville and drug me all over town meeting great new friends (including last week's Jill!). Well, the crazy cougar turned 30 20 this year and celebrated on a pontoon boat! She requested chocolate cupcakes with cream cheese icing and here they are. The fondant decorations are beach balls, turtles, suns and flips flops. If you try this, make SURE you have a big enough cooler and lots of ice!

Happy baking!

Week 33 :: Happy Birthday Jill!

2011-08-14T18:30:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Jill!

A friend of mine had a big birthday this year and this was the cake (and matching cupcakes).

The cake is chocolate with a peanut butter buttercream (yum! yum! yum!). Here is the recipe I came up with:

Peanut Butter Buttercream
::Ingredients::

2 1/2 cups peanut butter
1 stick butter, softened
1 stick Crisco
2 lbs. powdered sugar
1/4 cup +/- milk or cream

::Directions::

Mix together butter and Crisco until creamy, add peanut butter and mix well.
Add powdered sugar a little at a time, alternating with milk until you reach desired consistency.

Note :: If you have a kitchenaid, you can dump the sugar in all at once and let mix on medium speed for a couple minutes, add milk gradually.

Happy Baking!

Week 32 :: Drama Queen Cake!

2011-08-14T18:18:00.000-07:00

This cake was made for my preceptor's birthday. Simple, but I love it. I mixed white fondant with stabilizing powder to make it more of a gumpaste quality to make the tiara. Other than that, a straight forward German chocolate with caramel-pecan filling!

Happy baking!

Week 31 :: Cupcakes, cupcakes and more cupcakes!

2011-08-08T17:58:00.000-07:00

So over the past couple of weeks I have made several sets of cakes and cupcakes.  I just love cupcakes--they are quick, pretty, and easy to eat.  Cakes--not easy to cut once you've spent 78865 hours decorating it.  I have never felt like they do on Cake Boss--I don't make a cake and then as soon as I get there say "who wants some cake!!"  No, in fact, it is often painful to cut a cake.  So, I began making matching cupcakes.  The first set was for a sweet friend--her father's retirement party.  The pictures below make more sense when I tell you he owned a garage door business.

Close-up of the car bumper and plate:

Matching cupcakes!

Wanna know a super easy way to fill all 24 cupcake lines is <1 minute.  Here it is: the no-drip-super-awesome-cupcake-filler (thanks, Mom, once again for an awesome find!).  Such a breeze.  I don't even think I can remember how I filled cupcakes before.  Seriously.  This tool has certainly made my top-10 tools for bakers.  Get it.

On to more cupcakes I have made this week--red velvet with cream cheese frosting, chocolate-chocolate, and birthday cake with buttercream.  This buttercream recipes makes the perfect amount for 24-generously-iced cupcakes.

Happy baking!

Week 30 :: M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E

2011-08-02T16:00:00.000-07:00

Well a big happy birthday to little Maria!

I made this cake for a little one's very first birthday--a big fan of Mickey Mouse.  This was a white cake with caramel pecan filling.  No new recipes but here are a couple more tips:

When I make a cake with a unique shape, I cut the supporting cardboard to shape before cutting the cake, then cut the cake, a little at a time, to fit the cardboard support
I put a small straw through the back of the cake after I cover it in fondant to prevent any bubbles in the fondant

Happy baking!

Week 29 :: Snickerdoodles

2011-07-31T19:18:00.000-07:00

I actually made cookies this week! Gasp--I know.  Well...honestly, I made a couple cakes too (to be posted later) but cookies first!

These snickerdoodles were amazing--I have established (what I think) is the perfect recipe.  These cookies are light, fluffy and cinnamon-sugar-deliciousness.  But then again, you can't exactly go wrong with butter and sugar (why I love baking).

Snickerdoodles

Prep time :: 25 minutes

Bake time :: 8 minutes/batch

::Ingredients::

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening (butter flavor preferred)
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp. cream of tartar
2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. white sugar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon

::Directions::

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Cream together butter, shortening, 1 1/2 cups sugar, eggs and vanilla together. Add flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt.
Place dough in refrigerator for 10-15 minutes.
Blend remaining sugar and cinnamon together. Shape dough into balls about an inch around and roll in cinnamon-sugar mixture (picture below). Place cookies 2 inches apart on baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes.

Happy baking!

Week 28b :: Tennessee Titans Cake

2011-07-23T11:21:00.000-07:00

There were two cakes this week so I thought I would do another quick post on Lisa's Tennessee Titans Birthday Cake!  Here is a quick shot:

Happy Baking!

Week 28 :: It's a Girl!

2011-07-23T11:13:00.000-07:00

This week is another cake (surprise!) for a baby shower.  I made this cake for one of the assistants at my dentist's office.  She has always been so sweet to me and I was thrilled to be asked to make a cake for her!  If you are looking for a dentist in Nashville, check out Nina Foley--everyone in their office is loads of fun, they do great work, and they give you headphones and blankets (among many other comfort measures) during your visits.  I highly recommend them!

Close-up of the bubble bath:

One tip for the week.  If you use a Kitchenaid (AKA God's gift to bakers) there is this little attachment that makes SUCH a difference, the Silicone Pour Spout, and it's $5.  It will fit other bowls as well but fits the Kitchenaid PERFECTLY.  Here is an action shot:

Shout out to my sweet Mom who found this wonderful tool for me!

Happy Baking!

Week 27 :: S-mores Cupcakes

2011-07-11T19:13:00.000-07:00

This was such a sticky fun and easy recipe.  I needed to make quick cupcakes and didn't have all my cake-baking and decorating stuff with me.  I looked at a bunch or ideas online and came up with these s'mores cupcakes!   There are a ton of variations out there, all of which I am sure are great, (I mean how can you go wrong with chocolate, marshmallow, and graham cracker?) and this final idea was no exception.

Here is what you need:

Chocolate cake recipe
13 oz marshmallow fluff
1 package graham crackers (1/2 a box)--crushed into crumbs
2 Hershey bars (12 squares each)

So you start with a basic chocolate cake recipe, and make 24 cupcakes.  Once they have completely cooled place a blob of marshmallow fluff on top like so:

Let it sit for a few minutes and the marshmallow will spread out on top of the cupcake.  If you have to spread out with the back of a spoon or a knife, let sit a little longer and it will smooth out.  Once the marshmallow has spread out, roll the cupcake in a plate of graham cracker crumbs like so:

Then add a little Hershey bar on top and voila!  If you don't serve immediately, keep in the fridge.

Note :: Use foil cups for easier clean up. Once the marshmallow has spread out you can remove the foil with any excess marshmallow and you are left with a plain liner on the cupcake!

Happy Baking!

Week 26 :: Cupcake-cake!

2011-07-10T09:35:00.000-07:00

It's Week 26 and I'm halfway there!  I'm starting to think that 52 Weeks of Sweets might last longer than 52 weeks...No problem though--I. Absolutely. Love. Baking. And this week was no exception.

I was asked to make a cake for a 5-year-old's cupcake themed birthday party.  I got a lot of direction from the mom and the cake turned out great--one of my favorites.  It's a white cake with plain buttercream icing, the birthday cake combo--one of my favorites.  To make the top cupcake tier I used Casabella Jumbo Silicone baking cups.  There is no need for a pan, just place on a baking sheet and go!  They bake evenly, cool quickly, and pop out easily without greasing the cups.  A great find I think.

When I delivered the cake I saw the adorable set-up the mom had created for the party, including personalized aprons(which you can see in the mirror in the picture below) for the little guests.  You can (and should) check her out here.  I think 52 Weeks of Sweets aprons may be in the near future!

I just adore the whole get-up for the party!  I am certain the birthday girl had a blast!

Another week down! Happy Baking!

Week 25 :: Margarita Cupcakes with Tequila-Lime Buttercream Icing

2011-07-01T17:52:00.000-07:00

You can make this recipe from scratch or use a "cheater" recipe.  Either is great, but the "cheater" version is super fast and super easy.  Here it is:

Margarita Cake

::Prep Time:: 5 minutes

::Bake Time:: 21 minutes
::Yields:: 24 cupcakes 

::Ingredients::

1 box white cake mix
3 eggs
3 Tbs. oil
1 Tbs. Tequila
5 drops lime flavoring or a lime juice
1 1/4 cup water

::Directions::

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix all the ingredients together and beat on medium speed with a hand mixer for 2 minutes.
Pour into prepared cupcakes pans with liners about half way full.
Bake for 21-23 minutes
Voila!

Tequila-Lime Frosting

::Prep Time:: 5 minutes

::Ingredients::

1 1/2 cups Crisco
1/2 cup butter
2 lbs. powdered sugar
10 drops lime flavoring or lime juice
2 Tbsp. Tequila
1/4 cup water as needed

::Directions::

Mix butter, Crisco, Tequila, and lime flavoring until well blended.
Mix in sugar slowly and add water until desired texture is reached.

Happy Baking!

Week 24 :: Golf, baseball, beer, the beach and country music....

2011-07-01T12:04:00.000-07:00

Phew!  What a combination.  I had a request in the office to make a cake for a colleague that has somehow yet to try my cake.  I really enjoy tailoring my cakes to fit the personality of the person they are going to, so I asked what he liked.  Well....he likes golf, not working, vacationing, and hockey.....and the beach.....and beer.....and the Yankees.  Ummm.....well I'm glad this guys likes so much--I mean that's great!  But how I am supposed to make a cake that reflects all of that?!?!  After thinking about it for hours I came up with the idea to make three small cakes, each with their own theme--and here are the finished products!

Close-up of the Yankees cake:

Close-up of "Not a worry in the world, a cold beer in my hand..."

Close-up of buzzed golfer cake:

Happy Baking--and be creative!

Week 23 :: Father's Day Angel Food Cake

2011-06-25T21:55:00.000-07:00

So it was Father's Day and my Dad's favorite cake is Angel Food Cake....so of course that's what I tried....again....from scratch. When my Dad said "really, my favorite is this box mix," I should have listened....but, no. I just had to make Dad a cake from scratch. I am just that ~~stupid~~ sweet.

Angel food cake is a royal ~~pain in the rear~~ good time! So here is a step by step walk through for those of you that want to give it a go!

Angel Food Cake
Adapted from Alton Brown
::Ingredients::

1 3/4 cups white sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup cake flour, sifted
12 egg whites, room temperature (can buy egg whites in a carton)
1/3 cup warm water
1 tsp. extract of choosing (I used vanilla)
1 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

::Directions::

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (do NOT grease the tube pan you will use.
In a food processor, spin the sugar until it is super fine, about 2-4 minutes.
Sift half of the sugar into the flour and add the salt., set remainder of sugar aside.
In a LARGE bowl (I mean large) whisk together egg whites, water, extract and cream of tartar.
Use an electric mixer and beat on medium speed, slowly adding in the sugar until a medium peak forms (flops a little at the top when you try to make a peak).
Sift enough of the flour mixture to cover the top of the foam and fold in with a spatula. Repeat this until all the flour mixture has been added.
Spoon mixture into UNGREASED tub pan.
Bake for 40-50 minutes. Test to see if it is done by inserting a wooden dowel in the middle of the cake, it should come out dry.
Cool the cake UPSIDE DOWN for at least one hour.

WHEW! I am tired just thinking about making this cake again!

*Note: I garnished it with fresh whip cream and strawberries soaked in sugar (it makes them a bit syrup-y), but you can cut it in half and fill it which chocolate mousse, or any other combo you like!

Happy Baking!

Week 22 :: Fondaments!

2011-06-11T19:43:00.000-07:00

What are fondaments you ask? Well it's a new term made up by accident to describe this week's sweet. This week was a very special week as it was my sweetheart's birthday! He is quite a fan of his iPhone and iPad so that's the theme I went for. After some researching I came up with this as my final design....

And fondaments were born. Fondaments: pre-made fondant decorations that are attached later when needed. I was puzzled as to how to make this because I had a little time every evening over the past week but not one single night where I could sit down and make the perfect cake. So, I made the fondaments in advance and the day of I made his favorite brownies and stuck the decorations on with a little bit of chocolate frosting. Parfait!

I have a set of Wilton tools that came in SO handy with this project. I use them with every cake but I think I used every tool with these decorations. I highly recommend getting this set, or one like it, for even the most beginning cake decorator.

Happy baking!

Week 21 :: Let Them Eat Cake!

2011-05-29T13:37:00.000-07:00

This week I had three cakes requests--whew!! I had so much fun making them but I am worn out. There are a few tricks to share with each cake in case you want to try making them on your own, but as always, if you have any questions feel free to ask....

Happy Baking!

Cake 1 :: Life's a Beach!

This cake is a small two tiered cake that serves about 20 people. The figures are made out of fondant and the sand is made out of mashed up graham crackers and buttercream icing (I am particularly proud of thinking of this on the fly). For the eyes I used a Gourmet Writer which is a food coloring pen. I used these pens again on the other cakes I made this week. You can also use them on dried royal icing and many other edible surfaces. The figures dried for about 36 hours before I attached them to the cake--careful with the octopus legs, they break easily.

Cake 2 :: Vegas Baby!

This cake is a larger two tiered cake that serves about 40 people. It's pretty straight forward, but there are a few details that are a challenge. First, to make the blue support for the sign on top I stuck two skewers into a thick ball of fondant. I then rolled the fondant out with the skewers in it. I then cut out around the skewers to get the shape I needed. I did this instead of poking the skewers in later because they can push around the fondant and mess up the shape you were going for. I also used the Gourmet Writers to write on the sign. Everything gets glued together with piping gel--an edible super glue of sorts. The coins I painted in antique gold luster dust and let them dry for about 24 hours.

Cake 3 :: Drum Machine!

Let's be honest--I had NO idea what I was doing here. I don't even know what one of these things does. But a sweet friend asked for this cake for her boyfriend so I did my best dang-it and this is what came out. The Gourmet Writers came in REALLY handy for all the detail of this cake. All the buttons, etc. were made out of fondant. By the end this cake weighed about 30 pounds....

Week 20 :: Camo-dream Graduation Cake!

2011-05-21T17:29:00.000-07:00

Another special request! A friend asked for a cake for her nephew's high school graduation this week and I know how special nephews are. This was a super busy week so I didn't get to do as much detail as I would have liked to, but it still turned out great and got great reviews!

I had to "wing-it" when it came to making the camo fondant, and there was no going back once I started but it worked! First, I colored fondant black, brown, and hunter green. Then I pulled each color apart and rolled them into smaller balls about the size of golf balls (no need to be exact) and flattened them out. I mixed the colors up and grouped them together in the middle of my mat. I put the top on, rolled them out, and ta-da! Here ya go:

Happy baking!

Week 19 :: Cutout Cookies for Dogs!

2011-05-11T16:24:00.000-07:00

This week my sweet dog Napoleon and I made some dog cookies!  They are really easy and Napoleon loves them but then again he eats bugs and dirt. Here is my handsome man posing with his cookies:

Doggy Cookie Cutouts

::Prep Time:: 10 minutes

::Cook Time:: 2-4 minutes

::Ingredients::

2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion salt
1 egg
1/2 cup chicken or beef stock

::Directions::

Mix the dry ingredients together.
Add egg and stock. Mix until moistened.
Form dough into a ball and turn out onto floured surface.
Roll out dough and cut as desired.
Place cutouts on microwave safe plate and microwave for 2-4 minutes in batches.
Allow to dry and cool completely.

 Here is a pile of all the cookies we made!  And don't judge, but yes, I did try them and they aren't bad :o)

Week 18 :: Carrot Cake for Mom!

2011-05-08T17:43:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day!!

This week I made a carrot cake as it is one of my mother's favorites! I used what I had to make a new cream cheese frosting and it turned out awesome (and super easy!). Some people suggest mixing the pecans in to the frosting but I chose to decorate with them, either way is fine. I certainly recommend trying this spring-time recipe while it is still in season. Happy Baking!

Carrot Cake

Prep time :: 10-15 minutes

Bake time :: 40-55 minutes

::Ingredients::

2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
4 eggs
1 1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 Tbs. vanilla extract
2 cups sugar
3 cups grated carrots
1/2-1 cup pecans

::Directions::

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour (2) 8-9-inch round cake pans, (3) 6-inch, or (1) 9x13-inch pan.
In a large mixing bowl sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon together. Mix well.
In a medium bowl beat eggs, add oil, vanilla extract, and sugar and mix well. Add to dry ingredients. Fold in carrots and pecans.
Bake at 350 degrees for 40-55 minutes or until a knife inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Prep time :: 5 minutes

::Ingredients::

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened
1 Tbs. vanilla extract
1 lb. powdered sugar
1 cup pecan pieces (optional)

::Directions::

Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract together until smooth. Slowly mix in powdered sugar.
Fill and ice cake as desired, decorate with pecans if desired.

Week 17 :: Baby Shower Cake

2011-05-03T07:23:00.000-07:00

I've been on a cake kick for a while now because there have been so many special occasions for friends and family. I have to admit I love it that my friends trust me with such special events in their lives! This week I made a baby shower cake for a boy. No new recipes but I added a few "tricks" below.

Tricks:
1. If you're not getting the straight lines and edges you want with the crumb/dirty coat, let the coat sit for a minute then take a paper towel and place on top of the cake or around the side of cake...use your hands to rub the paper towel and smooth out the buttercream....pull off the paper towel slowly and ta da!
2. If it is going to be rainy or humid, start a couple days early. Fondant and humidity do NOT get along and it takes for-ev-er to dry! I made all of the buttons, the bow and the baby days before--anything that is not going to be eaten, give it time to harden.
3. The lid is made out of a rice crispy treat. You can mold them into any shape that you want....they are a great support and perfect for little accents like the lid. You can also use them in the base of a cake for extra support and height.

Week 16 :: Happy Birthday (NAS)DAD!

2011-04-25T20:32:00.000-07:00

This past week the family went to NYC because Dad was asked to ring the opening bell for NASDAQ. It was a super short trip but it was really great to get to share that with him. Here is a pic of him doing his thing, being awesome...

Well just a few days later was his birthday, so what better way to celebrate than a NASDAQ (or NASDAD--thanks Anna!) cake. I used the Guinness cake recipe with a Bailey's Irish Buttercream frosting because those are his favorite; however, he refuses to cut the cake so I guess he'll never know!

Happy Birthday Dad from your biggest fan!

P.S.--I did take what few free hours I had in NYC to hike it over to Hoboken, NJ to visit Carlo's Bakery from the Cake Boss....no dice!! There was a 4-5 hour line just to get in!

Week 15 :: Peeps cookies

2011-04-12T11:50:00.000-07:00

I got this idea from the amazing SweetSugarBelle.  Her blog is incredible, with innumerable tutorials on how to make some pretty incredible cookies in just a few steps.  You can find the tutorial for the Peeps cookies here.

I love holiday baking so this is the first of many Easter creations this month including new recipes for "Bunny Bread" and Carrot Cake.

Happy baking!

Week 14 :: Engagement Cupcakes

2011-04-12T10:43:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to my friends Andres and Melissa on their engagement!  To celebrate, the girls went out to Arrington Vineyards just south of Nashville.  The weather was perfect and the view was incredible, if you're in the area I highly suggest a visit!  

These are chocolate cupcakes with chocolate and strawberry frosting.  The decorations I made out of fondant 24 hours before and let dry.  Here's a close up of the love birds!

Week 13 :: Topsy Turvy Cake

2011-04-01T20:10:00.000-07:00

When I started out this year I never thought I was going to love cakes this much! But the hours of hard work and (many) failures are worth it when you make a finished product that is JUST what you wanted! I love a challenge--so when a friend had a special request birthday cake, I got to work and created this chocolate-flavored-black-and-pink-hip-hop-and-music-themed-sweet-16-cake! (More pics at bottom of post)

The whole process starts days before...3 days before the event I baked the cakes and froze them....THIS IS SO HELPFUL! I baked three of each tier....chocolate, strawberry, then chocolate again! When you freeze them you can just brush off the crumbs, fill them, and dirty ice (crumb coat) them and they are ready to go! Here's a peak inside my freezer....

Don't stack them as they will flatten out and freeze. The next day of so when you are ready to decorate, take them out, trim them as you please and crumb coat. If you are making a topsy turvy cake, you just stack the first two layers normally, and then cut the third layer of each tier at a diagonal BEFORE you cut a hole in the middle. Use the second tier's cake board as a template to cut out the hole. This way the second tier sits flat, and reduces the risk for catastrophe (sinking, shifting, etc.)...if you want to know more...here is a great video of how to make a topsy turvy cake.

If you need extra tips refer to Week 9 :: Christy's Cake. This week I used all recipes I have used before, except a from-scratch strawberry cake recipe is below:

Strawberry Cake
All recipes
::Ingredients::

2 cups white sugar
1 (3 ounce) package strawberry gelatin
1 cup butter, softened
4 eggs, room temperature
2 3/4 cups sifted cake flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup whole milk
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup strawberry puree made from frozen sweetened strawberries

::Directions::

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease and flour (2) 9" cake pans.
Cream together butter, sugar, and gelatin. Beat in eggs one at a time.
Combine flour and baking powder and add to butter mixture alternating with milk.
Blend in vanilla and strawberry puree.
Pour into prepared pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes until toothpick inserted into middle comes out clean.

Week 12 :: Alpha Options Cookies

2011-03-29T19:43:00.000-07:00

Hello readers! No new recipes this week, I had a specific project in mind. My Dad has spent the last year or so on a project for NASDAQ--Alpha Options. Next month he's been invited to ring the NASDAQ opening bell and he's taking my Mom and me! I am so excited and I wanted to do something to celebrate, so I tested out some Alpha Options cookies using the Sugar Cookie and Royal Icing recipes. After a few attempts, this is what I got:

That's the alpha logo from the index! I certainly went through plenty of uglies to get these...here's the trick to make any pattern you want on iced sugar cookies.....
1. Print out your image the size you want it.
2. Trace it on a disposable plastic lid.
3. Cut out with x-acto knife or scissors, so you end up with a stencil.
4. Lay the stencil on top of DRIED, iced cookie.
5. Using piping consistency royal icing, pipe in the stencil.
6. Level icing with a toothpick.
7. Remove stencil. Rinse excess icing off before the next cookie!

VOILA!

Week 11 :: Guinness Cupcakes with Bailey's Irish Cream Frosting (and Irish whiskey ganache)

2011-03-18T19:01:00.000-07:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

This week I made a handful of treats for St. Patty's day. I didn't just make the "Irish Car Bomb" Cupcakes, but I used those same recipes to make the cake below and I also made the iced sugar cookies from last week. I clearly love holiday baking! All of these recipes were a hit so I hope you give them a try! Happy Baking!

These "Irish Car Bomb" Cupcakes originated in the Smitten Kitchen. What a great website and source for some incredible recipes that will amaze you but are fairly easy to make! I'd like to think I am a talented baker, but I have nowhere near the amazing creativity and skill this chef has at creating unique recipes. Other recipes from the Smitten Kitchen site I hope to try in future weeks are the Apple Cider Donuts and Gateau des Crepes.

"Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes"
Guinness Chocolate Cupcakes with Bailey's Frosting
Prep Time :: 30 minutes
Bake Time :: 17-19 minutes
::Ingredients::
For the Cupcakes

1 cup Guinness
1 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup sour cream

For the Ganache Filling

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate

2/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 to 2 teaspoons Irish whiskey (optional)

For the Baileys Frosting

3 to 4 cups confections sugar

1 stick unsalted butter, softened
3 to 4 tablespoons Bailey's

::Directions::

Make the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 24 cupcake cups with liners. If you have a pattered cupcake liner you want to use, double up in each cup.

Bring 1 cup stout and 1 cup butter to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.
Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and 3/4 teaspoon salt in large bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream in another large bowl to blend. Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined.
Divide batter among cupcake liners, filling them 2/3 to 3/4 of the way. Bake cake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 17 minutes. Cool cupcakes on a rack completely.
Make the filling: Chop the chocolate and transfer it to a heatproof bowl, add butter. Heat the cream until simmering and pour it over the chocolate. Let it sit for one minute and then stir until smooth. (If this has not sufficiently melted the chocolate, you can microwave in 1- second increments until melted.) Add whiskey (if you’re using it) and stir until combined.
Fill the cupcakes: Let the ganache cool until thick but still soft enough to be piped (the fridge will speed this along but you must stir it every 10 minutes so it doesn't harden). Meanwhile, using a 1-inch round cookie cutter or an apple corer or knife, cut the centers out of the cooled cupcakes (about 1 inch around and 1 inch deep, once cut these can be scooped out easily with a spoon). Put the ganache into a piping bag with a wide tip and fill the holes in each cupcake to the top.
Make the frosting: Whip the butter for several minutes with an electric mixer. You want to get it very light and fluffy. Slowly add the powdered sugar, a few tablespoons at a time. Once you have a creamy consistency, add the Bailey's and mix until smooth.

Week 10 :: Sugar Cookies and Royal Icing

2011-03-10T20:19:00.000-08:00

Gavin's Lightning McQueen Cookies!

I made these by special request for my sweet nephew Gavin! Hopefully I will be able to add a pic of him with the cookies when he gets them! These are great for shipping as the icing dries hard overnight and holds up pretty well.

I got the design idea from Sugar Mama Cookies who has so many cute ideas! I am just amazed at the many baking blogs out there that have such great ideas. I am continuously inspired by them and the wonderful thing is, when I botch something up I can send them a message and they'll let me know how to fix it!

Both the cookies and icing are super easy to make...the decorating is certainly the hardest part to these cookies, and I still need some practice but I think they turned out well! The dough and icing are both very simple and the recipes are below. The dough can be made in advance and saved in the fridge for a week or so and the recipe below makes a LOT of dough. Happy Baking!!

Rolled Sugar Cookies
All recipes

Prep Time :: 15 minutes

Chill Time :: 1 hour +

Bake Time :: 6 to 8 minutes

::Ingredients::

1 1/2 cups butter, softened

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

5 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

::Directions::

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Cream butter and sugar together until smooth.
Beat in eggs one at a time and beat well after each addition. Add extract.
Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt and mix just until consistent.
Chill dough for at least one hour or overnight.
Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick and cut into desired shapes.
Place on ungreased cookie sheet 1 inch apart.
Bake at 400 degrees for 6 to 8 minutes. Cool completely on wire rack.

Royal Icing
All recipes

Prep Time :: 5 minutes

::Ingredients::

4 egg whites

4 cups confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon extract (almond, vanilla, lemon)

::Directions::

Beat eggs whites in large bowl at high speed until foamy. Gradually add sugar and extract. Beat on high speed until thickened.

::Note:: I used Meringue powder in place of eggs whites for these cookies since they are going to my little nephew and I didn't want to use raw eggs. You can find Meringue powder at any craft or baking store (maybe even some grocery stores).

::Note:: Add more sugar to thicken for piping icing.

Here are some other pictures of the same recipes I made this week for Kristen's birthday, including some St. Patrick's cookies!

Week 9 :: 80's Themed Cake

2011-03-06T17:43:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Christy!

This week a friend of mine turned 30 and the occasion involved dinner and an 80s cover band, Guilty Pleasures! So how about an 80's themed cake?

Not going to lie....this cake took a lot of time, but it really isn't that hard to make a themed cake! So while this post is long it talks you through make this cake, including a couple new recipes, along with many of the cake decorating tips I learned along the way.

There are three staple recipes that you definitely need: cake, a crusting buttercream icing, and fondant. You need at least those three...beyond that you can be creative. For this cake I used my Moist Chocolate Cake recipe for the base and modified the Crusting Buttercream below for a Kaluha flavored filling. For the top tier I used the Yeloow Cake recipe below and made and almond buttercream by adding almond extract.

Cake :: For this cake I did two 8" rounds and two 6" rounds and layered them. When the cakes come out of the oven I let them cool for 5-10 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. I then use a serrated knife to cut off the "bump." No need to be perfect...you can always level it out with some extra buttercream, just as close as possible. Once the cakes are cooled and leveled you can fill them or layer them with buttercream, if you choose to use a filling such as a fruit compote or caramel, first create a buttercream "dam" around the edges--just trace the perimeter of the bottom later and put the filling in the middle. This keeps the filling from running out once you put the top layer on.

Icing :: The next step is to "crumb coat" or "dirty ice" the cakes. This isn't meant to look pretty, it's just mean to add flavor, make the fondant smoother and stabilize the cakes. Use a Crusting Buttercream for the crumb coat so that it hardens slightly and helps holds the shape that you want when you add fondant. I use the Wilton #789 icing tip found here to crumb coat the cake (I spin the cake on a turntable), then smooth with a spatula. Now is the time to make things as smooth and even as possible with sharp edges. When you are satisfied, place the cakes in the fridge for 20-30 minutes (or overnight if you are making early, once you decorate with fondant, do not put in fridge). This is what a crumb coated cake looks like:

Decorating :: When ready to decorate. Roll out fondant to cover cake tiers. I use the MAT from Sweet Wise and wouldn't use anything else because it saves a ton of time and looks amazing every time. Otherwise, dust your surface and rolling pin with powdered surgar and dust it good....and keep dusting. When it sticks, you have to start all over (and trust me....after it sticks a few dozens times you will just order the $15 mat). Sweet Wise has a video on their site of the MAT method including how to cover the cake with fondant.

You can use premade fondant or make your own. My go-to recipe for Marshmallow Fondant is here, but a true black fondant can be a mess and near impossible to make, so I also used Fondx elite fondant found at Sweet Wise for the black and pink to save time. It also has a great taste!

Now decorate however you want, and be creative! To adhere soft fondant pieces to the cake paint the adhering surface with water. If you have make the decorations in advance (up to 2 weeks) and they have dried, apply them with piping gel (it's like a baker's super glue). Wilton makes a ton of cookie cutters to make all sorts of great shapes, but you can always use an x-acto knife to cut out any shape you like. I also covered the cake board with a layer of fondant and hot-glued a ribbon around the edges. Lastly, I used toothpicks to support the TV and "mini Christy." You can attach the figures before you transfer the cake (just use a little extra piping gel to secure) but I recommend waiting until you are at your final destination to attach.

Here's a close-up of the cake:

If you have any questions, just shoot me a message--I will help as much as I can and I hope I provide you with some motivation to try!

Happy Baking!

Yellow Cake
All recipes

::Prep Time:: 10 minutes

::Bake Time:: 45 minutes

::Yields:: 24 servings

::Ingredients::

1 cup Crisco
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 3/4 cups milk

::Directions::

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour (1) 9x13" pan or two 8" round cake pans.
Cream together shortening and sugar. Beat in eggs well, add vanilla.
In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to creamed mixture alternating with milk. Mix well.
Pour batter into prepared pan(s).
Bake for 45 minutes (or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean) rotating pans half way through baking time.
Cool in pan for 5-10 minutes. Remove cakes and cool completely on wire rack.

Cake Central is an another great resource for any cake-making recipes and questions. Below is the crusting buttercream recipe used for the VIVA method you can read about below--I use it under my fondant to hold shape and adhere to the fondant.

Crusting Buttercream
Cake Central

::Prep Time:: 10 minutes

::Yields:: 30-50 servings

::Ingredients::

2 lbs. sifted powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups Crisco (vegetable shortening)
2 Tbsp. clear vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. almond extract
1/4 to 1/3 cup water

::Directions::

Cream butter, shortening, and extracts until creamy and smooth.
Gradually add powdered sugar and water. Adjust the amount of water from 1/4 to 1/3 cup for desired stiffness.
Mix thoroughly on medium speed with a hand mixer (slow speed for stand mixer) until smooth and creamy consistency. Do not overmix or mix on high speed.

Note :: If you want a true white, you can purchase butter without dye at places like whole foods. This icing can be refrigerated for up to two weeks in an airtight container, or at room temp for 2-3 days.

Week 8 :: Red Velvet Cupcakes

2011-03-01T17:13:00.000-08:00

Yum! Yum! Yum! These cupcakes are my favorite so far. I used Paula Dean's Red Velvet Cupcake recipe (so it couldn't be bad, right?) and iced them using Cream Cheese Frosting, and crumbled some of the cake on top. You can decorate with nuts, sprinkles, or fondant cut outs. I found these damask muffin cups at Sweet Wise, my new favorite store in Nashville. It has everything a little baker could dream of!

Red Velvet Cupcakes

::Prep Time:: 10 minutes

::Bake Time:: 20-22 minutes

::Yields:: 24 cupcakes

::Ingredients::

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 Tbsp. red food coloring
1 tsp. white distilled vinegar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

::Directions::

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fill (2) 12-cup muffin tins with liners.
In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder.
In a large bowl gently beat together oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla with an electric mixer. Add the flour mixture slowly until thoroughly combined.
Fill 24 muffin cups 2/3 full with batter.
Bake for 20-22 minutes (or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean) rotating pans half way through baking time.
Cook completely on wire rack.

Week 7 :: World Peace Cookies

2011-02-21T22:00:00.000-08:00

This recipe originally came from Pierre Herme who created these cookies for a restaurant in Paris. As this recipe has been passed around it has earned the name "World Peace Cookies."
These cookies are truly fantastic, and legend has it that if everyone had one of these cookies every day we could ensure planetary happiness ;o) So I'm happy to do my part....
I found this recipe via my newest blog follower. She posted the recipe on her blog along with a great post I encourage you to read here. I encourage everyone to share these cookies or another sweet with someone who needs a little peace in their life....Happy Baking!!

World Peace Cookies

::Prep Time:: 10 minutes

::Chill Time:: At least 2 hours

::Yields:: 28 cookies

::Ingredients::

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 tsp. baking soda
11 Tbs. unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. fine sea salt
5 ounces dark chocolate, chopped into small pieces

::Directions::

Sift together flour, cocoa, and baking soda. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat butter until smooth, beat in sugars, vanilla, and sea salt.
Add flour to butter and sugar until mixed.
Mix in chocolate. Note :: Dough will be crumbly.
Knead dough into ball and divide in half. Place each half on a piece of plastic wrap and roll into equal logs about 1.5 inches in diameter. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Note :: dough can be kept in fridge up to 3 days or frozen up to 2 months.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a thin sharp knife, cut logs into 1/2 inch slices. Space cookies one each apart on baking sheet.
Bake for 11 to 12 minutes until cookies appear dry.
Cool on wire rack before storing in airtight container.

Week 6 :: French Silk, Coconut, and Pecan Pie!

2011-02-17T21:34:00.000-08:00

Better late than never! I have been swamped this week so I am late on my post...but these pies are worth the wait! None of these pies are difficult to make and they aren't seasonal so they are great recipes until fruit pies are back in season. I made these pies for a BBQ with very little left over. The three different flavors were a great variety for a large party too. Happy Baking!!

French Silk Pie
All recipes

::Prep Time:: 20 minutes

::Set Time:: 2-4 hours

::Yields:: 8+ servings

::Ingredients::

1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup white sugar
2 (1 ounce) unsweetened baking chocolate, melted
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 8 inch pie shell baked and cooled

::Directions::

Beat butter and sugar together until well blended.
Stir in chocolate and vanilla extract.
Beat in eggs one at a time, beating 3-5 minutes after each addition.
Spoon into cooled pie shell.
Chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving.
Note: To melt chocolate microwave for 10 seconds, stir, and microwave for 5 additional seconds if needed. Stir. Repeat if necessary.
Note: To bake pie shell place unbaked shell in pie dish. Poke holes throughout shell. Bake at 450 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Coconut Cream Pie
All recipes

::Prep Time:: 20 minutes

::Cook Time:: 30 minutes

::Set Time:: 2-4 hours

::Yields:: 8+ servings

::Ingredients::

3 cups half and half (or 1 1/2 cups whipping cream and 1 1/2 cup milk)

2 eggs

3/4 cup white sugar

1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 9" pie shell, baked

1 cup flaked coconut, toasted

2 cups whip cream (the original recipes calls for frozen whipped topping, I used fresh)

::Directions::

In a medium saucepan combine half and half, eggs, sugar, flour, and salt. bring to boil over low heat, stirring constantly (this may take 30 minutes; do NOT turn the heat up or you will get scrambled eggs :o).

Remove from heat; stir in 3/4 cup coconut and vanilla extract.

Pour into baked pie shell.

Chill in refrigerator for 2-4 hours until firm.

Top with whip cream and sprinkle with dusted coconut.

Note: To toast coconut spread on ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 5-7 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes.

Note: To bake pie shell place unbaked shell in pie dish. Poke holes throughout shell. Bake at 450 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Roma's Pecan Pie
by Roma Willis

This recipe is really special because I had a dear friend share her many generation-old recipe for pecan pie. We made it together, with fresh pecans, and it was so wonderful it disappeared before I even had a chance to take a picture! So a picture of the pecan pie will be added as soon as I can make a new one! (Thanks Roma!)

::Prep Time:: 10 minutes

::Bake Time:: 40-50 minutes

::Yields:: 8 servings

::Ingredients::

3 eggs, well beaten

1/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup light Karo corn syrup
2/3 cup dark Karo corn syrup
1/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. melted butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 heaping cup of pecans
1 unbaked 9" pie crust (Rolled Pillsbury crust is an easy go-to)

::Directions::

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Combine eggs, sugars, syrups, salt and melted butter. Mix well.
Add vanilla and pecans.
Pour into unbaked 9" pastry shell.
Bake at 325 degrees for 40-50 minutes until set (or toothpick inserted into middle comes out clean).

Week 5 :: Moist Chocolate Cake with Marshmallow Fondant

2011-02-05T18:21:00.000-08:00

The 2011 Super Bowl Cake!

This cake is made from my favorite chocolate cake recipe that was passed down through my sorority, creamy chocolate frosting, and marshmallow fondant.  This combination is time consuming but worth it for a special occasion.

Moist Chocolate Cake

::Prep Time:: 10 minutes

 ::Bake Time:: 45-50 minutes

::Yields:: 12 servings

::Ingredients::

2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup baking cocoa
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 cup brewed coffee
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract

::Directions::

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Mix the first six ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
Add the eggs, coffee, buttermilk, oil and vanilla and beat on medium speed for two minutes.
Grease and flour cake pan; preferably a 10-inch fluted tube pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool for 10 minutes in pan before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
Dust with confectioners' sugar or decorate as desired.

Creamy Chocolate Icing
All recipes

::Prep Time:: 15 minutes

::Yields:: 12 servings 

::Ingredients::

2 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
6 Tbs. baking cocoa
6 Tbs. butter, softened
5 Tbs. evaporated milk
1 tsp. vanilla

::Directions::

Mix together the sugar and cocoa, set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter. Gradually beat in sugar and evaporated milk, alternating. Beat in vanilla until light and fluffy.

::Note:: I halved this recipe for the above cake. I also added more condensed milk to make the filling a bit smoother.

Marshmallow Fondant
All recipes

::Prep time:: 30-40 minutes

::Ready In:: 8 hours

::Yields:: 12 servings (I had almost double what I needed for this cake)

::Ingredients::

1/4 cup butter
1 (10.5 ounce) package mini marshmallows
4 Tbs. water
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 pounds confectioners sugar (with 1-1.5 cups reserved)

::Directions::

Place butter in a shallow bowl and set aside.
Place marshmallows in large microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 45 seconds-1 minute. Stir the water and vanilla extract into the hot marshmallows, stir until smooth.
Slowly beat in confectioners sugar one cup at a time (note: towards the end this is going to get really stiff and unable to stir.)
Place dough on surface dusted with powdered sugar. Cover hands thoroughly in butter. Begin kneading dough, adding powdered sugar to surface and butter to hands as needed. Knead dough until dough is no longer sticky, about 5-10 minutes.
Add food coloring to portions of icing as desired and need until color is consistent.
Roll fondant into a ball and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.
Top use, allow fondant to come to room temperature and roll out onto a surface dusted with powdered sugar.

::Note:: If you want to cut out unique designs I suggest the Wilton Cutter/Embosser.  Once you mark your design it makes cutting it a breeze.  For the logos I printed them out on the computer, placed them on tip of the fondant and used a toothpick to punch through the paper and mark the design onto the fondant before cutting. 

If you're interested in the football cake pan click here. Visit Wilton for other great baking accessories!

Week 4 :: Cake Bites

2011-01-30T07:51:00.000-08:00

This recipe is super easy and can be mixed up in so many ways! Use any flavor cake and icing combination you like. These treats turn out great and are the perfect portion size, no fork needed!

Cake Bites:
Prep time :: 30 minutes
Yields :: 6 dozen

:: Ingredients ::

Favorite cake recipe (I used French Vanilla cake below)
Favorite icing recipe (I used Cream Cheese frosting below)
Milk or semisweet chocolate to melt.
Items to decorate such a sprinkles, nuts, coconut, etc

:: Directions ::

Bake cake according to recipe. While still warm, crumble into a large bowl and mix well with prepared icing.
Melt chocolate in microwave or in a double boiler. (If you use the microwave, microwave for 30 seconds, then stir. Repeat until chocolate is melted--usually less than 2-3 minutes).
Use a rounded tsp. measuring spoon to scoop out cake mixture into balls about 1 inch in diameter.
Set the ball on a fork and dip into melted chocolate, let excess run off. Place on wax paper lined baking sheet to dry.
Decorate with sprinkles, nuts, etc and place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to set.

French Vanilla Cake (great for cupcakes too!):
Miss Homemade
Prep Time :: 10 minutes
Baking Time :: 25-30 minutes
Yields :: One two-layer cake

:: Ingredients ::

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs at room temperature
2 3/4 cups flour
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1 cup milk
1 Tbs. pure vanilla extract

:: Directions ::

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease two nine inch cake pans.
Sift dry ingredients together and set aside.
Beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, add eggs one at a time.
Add flour and milk to butter mixture, alternating flour and milk, ending with flour mixture. Beat in vanilla extract.
Pour into prepared cake pans and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes until center of cake in "springy" to touch or knife inserted into middle of cake comes out clean.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
All recipes
Prep Time :: 10 minutes
Yields :: Enough for a 2 layer cake

:: Ingredients ::

2 (8 ounce) packages of cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups confectioners sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

:: Directions ::

Cream together cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add vanilla extract.
Slowly beat in confectioners sugar.
Icing must be kept refrigerated.

Week 3 :: Mom's Coconut Cream Cake

2011-01-20T04:28:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Mom!

Coconut Cake is one of my mother's favorite desserts and this year she requested it for her birthday. I looked high and low for the perfect recipe. I searched online (Martha Stewart's recipe calls for 10 sticks of butter!), called a friend in NC, searched through a dozen cookbooks including my Grandmother's Original Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook and Cooking in the Deep South given to my mother by Great Aunt Nell and Uncle Shelton, and I even had a sweet friend call her mom for a recipe (Thanks Emily!). After ALL of this research I couldn't settle on just one recipe, so I took the best parts from each recipe, added my own little twist and came up with the recipe below.

Coconut Cake:

Prep time :: 15 minutes

Cook time :: 20-25 minutes

:: Ingredients ::

1 cup butter
1 3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 cups cake flour (may use all purpose flour)
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup coconut milk (may use plain milk)
6 egg whites

:: Directions ::

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three 9" cake pans.
Cream together butter and sugar. Mix in vanilla extract.
Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together.
Add flour mixture and milk alternating to butter mixture, ending with flour mixture. Mix well.
Beat eggs until a stiff peak forms. Fold into batter.
Pour batter into prepared cake pans.
Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

:: Helpful Hint :: Hold the pans 3-4" above the counter and drop to level out batter in pan.

Coconut Filling:

Prep time :: 5 minutes

:: Ingredients ::

1 cup sour cream
1 cup sugar
1/2 package shredded coconut
+ remainder of coconut milk

:: Directions ::

Mix together sour cream, sugar, coconut, and remainder of coconut milk left in can (optional). Set aside.

Coconut Icing

Prep time :: 10 minutes

Cook time :: 15 minutes

:: Ingredients ::

1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar (or 1 Tbsp. corn syrup)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup hot water
2 Tbsp. coconut rum (optional)
3 egg whites
1 tsp. vanilla extract

:: Directions ::

Mix sugar, cream of tartar, salt, hot water, and coconut rum in saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally until sugar is dissolved and mixture is clear. Continue cooking without stirring until syrup is 238-240 degrees on a candy thermometer (about 10 minutes over medium heat).
Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl beat eggs with electric mixer until soft peak forms.
Remove syrup from heat and slowly beat into the eggs. Continue beating with electrical mixer until a stiff peak forms about 5 minutes). Add vanilla extract and coloring if desired.

Assembling the cake ::

Place strips of wax paper on the surface of the plate you will be serving the cake off. These help to keep your surface clean while decorating and will be removed before decorating (Tip courtesy of Mama Whaley).

Place first cake later upside down on plate. Top with 1/2 the filling mixture. Place second layer upside down and top with remainder of filling. Place the final layer upside down on top (this creates a smoother surface for icing).
Cover top and sides of cake with prepared icing.
Finish off the cake however you like! I used a few drops of red food coloring to make the icing pink, sprinkled the cake with the remainder of the shredded coconut and embellished with a lime slice.
Chill the cake overnight (up to three days) in the refrigerator. If needed, it may be served immediately.

Happy Baking!