Week 47 :: Potted Flowers Cake

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!

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!!

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

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::

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cream together butter, sugars, and peanut butter. Beat in eggs.
3. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Mix well on medium speed for 1-2 minutes.
4. 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

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::

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cream together butter and sugar.  Beat in eggs. 
3. Add milk and flour alternating and mix well.  Add pumpkin puree.  Add baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices.
4. 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

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...

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!!