tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58628100121877561762024-03-18T19:47:34.794-07:00Midnight Baking AdventuresBaking tasty treats at midnight-ish- the time of day that I think most clearly and am most inspired!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09611595780439449265noreply@blogger.comBlogger79125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862810012187756176.post-83894552525253174562014-05-17T23:11:00.003-07:002014-07-07T23:04:07.726-07:00Multi-Colored Smash CakeLittle Miss B. is turning 1!! This little girl has such a wonderful personality- she's fun, smart and has a little hint of trouble maker in her eyes ;) <br />
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I got to make her smash cake! Her theme was primary colors, so I decided to go with a multi-colored cake that would be a lot of fun for mom and dad to clean up after :)<br />
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BEFORE </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9qXMfgZyrhz18oBT_6fcxTBfTjzE7uOtwKbgK2EflPiGDi_Goq_4SBUVPp-5Rqs_7BzqPj4-nPSl_o_p_Lu14ioh6-BQsUOB6j0r0adjpwLJvbBIVOG-EufnHNcFZLXNM8Psew8aB8IM/s1600/2014-+May-+Brennas+Smash+Cake+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9qXMfgZyrhz18oBT_6fcxTBfTjzE7uOtwKbgK2EflPiGDi_Goq_4SBUVPp-5Rqs_7BzqPj4-nPSl_o_p_Lu14ioh6-BQsUOB6j0r0adjpwLJvbBIVOG-EufnHNcFZLXNM8Psew8aB8IM/s1600/2014-+May-+Brennas+Smash+Cake+1.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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AFTER</div>
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BRENNA AFTER</div>
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Happy Birthday Brenna! We love you and had so much fun on your special day! You are growing so fast I can't believe you're already 1! Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09611595780439449265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862810012187756176.post-79722550467806250502014-05-17T22:24:00.000-07:002014-05-17T22:24:14.089-07:00Lego Head Cake Pops<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Lego cake pops were the request of the birthday boys... so lego cake pops they got. It was a fun adventure, and my favorite part was making the lego faces! See the steps I took to make these below:</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yXcTLEzLaXo/U3hBKcnF1PI/AAAAAAAAAGE/qIYxlZKIBcU/s1600/Crumbled+Cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yXcTLEzLaXo/U3hBKcnF1PI/AAAAAAAAAGE/qIYxlZKIBcU/s1600/Crumbled+Cake.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Bake the cake then crumble it into little pieces. Mix it with frosting until it becomes a loose dough. Don't add too much frosting or the cake pops will become soggy.</div>
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I balled up the "dough" and used a small round biscuit cutter to make the right shape.</div>
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Once the dough has been cut out, it should take on the middle sized lego head base.</div>
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Cut out small round pieces for the top of the lego head, and medium sized round pieces with a hole for the bottom of the lego head.</div>
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Place the lego head base on the stick then dip the end of the cake pop stick in melted yellow chocolate.</div>
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Slide the stick into the large part that was cut out earlier and press the two pieces together. Do not push the stick through the other side of the large cutout.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-H-Kgp6EWHK8/U3hBINLYHCI/AAAAAAAAAF8/hxLGr2ZOfKM/s1600/Assembly+Part+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-H-Kgp6EWHK8/U3hBINLYHCI/AAAAAAAAAF8/hxLGr2ZOfKM/s1600/Assembly+Part+3.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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Place a little bit of chocolate on the small top part of the lego head.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFGP_Jz1M6Ag5wd3VCMUHt3z4csIInlkHhLbMRIaT0YNzcKFMPbKZRXEiCMIAyZfb1RQEHSmHuqdmoaK4p3ZnIamPZTH6JfjHSAy8goHdvGRTpkH1S682epIR0B5ecEY-R8ovYCVUHlTY/s1600/Assembly+Part+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFGP_Jz1M6Ag5wd3VCMUHt3z4csIInlkHhLbMRIaT0YNzcKFMPbKZRXEiCMIAyZfb1RQEHSmHuqdmoaK4p3ZnIamPZTH6JfjHSAy8goHdvGRTpkH1S682epIR0B5ecEY-R8ovYCVUHlTY/s1600/Assembly+Part+4.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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Stick the small part on top of the pre-assembled lego head base.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfqldNzv-N1hgppbEdF9nCHpdva99jNidDye-2PFksoxzaDXHHg1r2Eq-dpuzH_kji5pg1RjhQL_jEbkPElOwRU-YOl4cdPdV83b49e6zUhQMaRkmbBcdQH6U3JtlanQ-RdnStVD2B9F0/s1600/Before+Chocolate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfqldNzv-N1hgppbEdF9nCHpdva99jNidDye-2PFksoxzaDXHHg1r2Eq-dpuzH_kji5pg1RjhQL_jEbkPElOwRU-YOl4cdPdV83b49e6zUhQMaRkmbBcdQH6U3JtlanQ-RdnStVD2B9F0/s1600/Before+Chocolate.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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Set the cake pops up to allow the chocolate to dry as you start to melt a larger quantity of yellow chocolate.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd5SJq4JI9_35CqWYgL67I5pu0K0_R1CXGj1zE-YcppwupHP26tJEv-i0E8e3xrLsWbd3QF5uvHq1XAcqO6yyJw1jAsCQ3J30QorF2OjfeLwJJQCyiIT-93QBI5u2cmupdVyCYcJKkHDE/s1600/Chocolate+Dipping.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd5SJq4JI9_35CqWYgL67I5pu0K0_R1CXGj1zE-YcppwupHP26tJEv-i0E8e3xrLsWbd3QF5uvHq1XAcqO6yyJw1jAsCQ3J30QorF2OjfeLwJJQCyiIT-93QBI5u2cmupdVyCYcJKkHDE/s1600/Chocolate+Dipping.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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Dip the entire lego head dough assembly into melted yellow chocolate. Tap the pop stick lightly to help remove any excess melted chocolate, until the chocolate stops "dripping." </div>
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Set the cake pops on a stand or in a piece of styrofoam to dry.</div>
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Use edible marker to write on the lego faces. Wrap the lego heads in a food-grade poly bag and close off bag with ribbon or twist ties.</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09611595780439449265noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862810012187756176.post-43513911781976612882014-01-13T13:47:00.000-08:002014-01-13T13:47:02.842-08:00My Go-To Sugar Cookie Recipe- RevisitedI previously posted this recipe, but wanted to revisit the topic of my all-time Favorite Sugar Cookie Recipe! Over Christmas, I had a friend post a photo of the cookies he was baking and planned to decorate with his family. When I saw the photo you're about to see, I recommended <a href="http://cookiecrazie.blogspot.com/">Cookie Crazie</a>'s sugar cookie recipe! <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6hOgl1yx5Qc/UtRaO312lLI/AAAAAAAAFTk/k1_HRchPkT4/s1600/Generic+Cookie+Recipe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6hOgl1yx5Qc/UtRaO312lLI/AAAAAAAAFTk/k1_HRchPkT4/s320/Generic+Cookie+Recipe.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Cookie Crazie was gracious enough to share her recipe with cookie bakers everywhere, and this recipe is so much more moist and tasty than any of the recipes I've found on the Internet, AND the edges of the cookie are more firm/sharp looking than my previously posted go-to recipe. Here is my friend's final result using the new recipe- what a difference a couple of ingredients makes!!<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4PfgWT2RVYQ/UtRaO1FS-6I/AAAAAAAAFTw/2p5mezk5R1Q/s1600/Cookie+Crazies+Recipe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4PfgWT2RVYQ/UtRaO1FS-6I/AAAAAAAAFTw/2p5mezk5R1Q/s320/Cookie+Crazies+Recipe.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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My Sugar Cookie recipe below was adapted from here: <a href="http://www.cookiecrazie.com/2012/01/cookiecrazie-basics-sugar-cookie-recipe.html" target="_blank">Cookie Crazie's blog</a>. I use slightly less flour than she does, but other than that I use the same ingredient quantities that she uses. I typically double this recipe and haven't had any problems with the dough consistency.<br />
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<b><u>Ingredients:</u></b><br />
1 C butter, softened<br />
1 1/2 C sugar<br />
1 large egg<br />
1 tsp vanilla (or any other extract/emulsion flavor)<br />
1/2 C sour cream<br />
4 1/2 C flour<br />
1 tsp baking powder<br />
1/2 tsp baking soda<br />
1/2 tsp salt<br />
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<b><u>Instructions:</u></b> Preheat oven to 325 degrees F<br />
1) Cream butter, sugar, egg, vanilla, & sour cream.<br />
2) Blend in dry ingredients.<br />
3) Roll dough to desired thickness (I prefer to use a <a href="http://www.armchair.com/store/gourmet/baking/rollingpin.html">Dobord</a> on the middle setting, cover with parchment paper, then roll out dough directly on the parchment paper that gets transferred to the baking sheet).<br />
4) Cut into shapes.<br />
5) Transfer parchment paper to cookie sheet OR place cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet.<br />
6) Bake for 18-20 minutes.<br />
7) Transfer to a wire rack then cool the cookies.<br />
8) Decorate with icing, sprinkles, or just enjoy them plain.<br />
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<b><u>To make a chocolate sugar cookie:</u></b><br />
Substitute 1/2 C cocoa for 1/2 C flour<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Er7yOQaImFs/TDlenZT3ydI/AAAAAAAAALo/aqwGG5vVCzM/s1600/Beach+Cookies+006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="111" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Er7yOQaImFs/TDlenZT3ydI/AAAAAAAAALo/aqwGG5vVCzM/s200/Beach+Cookies+006.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
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<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862810012187756176.post-33074886455118245622014-01-12T22:15:00.002-08:002014-01-12T22:15:46.587-08:00Can People Cupcake Display<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WHzOj953x-0/UtOCu3JQ9gI/AAAAAAAAFTA/88ymdA78QXc/s1600/2012-10-25_07-13-14_362+(3).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WHzOj953x-0/UtOCu3JQ9gI/AAAAAAAAFTA/88ymdA78QXc/s320/2012-10-25_07-13-14_362+(3).jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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My mom runs a non-profit organization called the Can People (<a href="http://thecanpeople.com/">http://thecanpeople.com</a>). This is an amazing organization that sends care packages to Marines (and other military troops as requested) who are serving overseas in Afghanistan. The organization initially sent care packages over in large coffee cans, and the troops who received the packages dubbed them "The Can People" and the name stuck. The Can People is a wonderful organization and they do a fundraiser every year to help support the cost of making and sending the care packages. I was blessed to be asked to make cupcakes for the annual event.</div>
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If you are interested in donating (goods or money) to support this wonderful organization, please go to their <a href="http://thecanpeople.com/" target="_blank">website</a> and take a look at the details, or feel free to leave a comment on this page and I will make sure your message reaches the right people. </div>
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<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862810012187756176.post-47479553435978048802014-01-12T22:07:00.002-08:002014-01-12T22:07:11.295-08:00Acoustic Guitar Cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-33Y8iCSw4TE/UtOBrnk2hqI/AAAAAAAAFS4/OmO7He05dLY/s1600/Guitar+Cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-33Y8iCSw4TE/UtOBrnk2hqI/AAAAAAAAFS4/OmO7He05dLY/s320/Guitar+Cake.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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This is one of my early cakes (made approximately 3 years ago), but I just found the photo in my archived cell phone photos (please forgive the image quality). I made the body of the guitar out of cake, covered in multi-colored fondant. The neck of the guitar was made of cake, and the guitar strings were real guitar strings. The accents were made out of fondant that had been left out to dry, then airbrushed silver. </div>
<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862810012187756176.post-61478426175610822112014-01-12T22:01:00.001-08:002014-01-12T22:03:03.291-08:00Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
My cousin and his wife have twin girls, and I was excited to make the cupcakes for their birthday party. The theme was Strawberry Shortcake, so I made bright pink and bright green colored cupcakes, with a fresh sliced strawberry on the top of each cake. </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Br_V6mDqe9Q/UtOAibSft_I/AAAAAAAAFSs/xKnttXoO3_I/s1600/Strawberry+Shortcake+Cupcakes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Br_V6mDqe9Q/UtOAibSft_I/AAAAAAAAFSs/xKnttXoO3_I/s1600/Strawberry+Shortcake+Cupcakes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Br_V6mDqe9Q/UtOAibSft_I/AAAAAAAAFSs/xKnttXoO3_I/s320/Strawberry+Shortcake+Cupcakes.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-chbN72HLDmY/UtOAiZhynCI/AAAAAAAAFSo/dbRko5B-G-o/s1600/Strawberry+Shortcake+Cupcake+Display.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-chbN72HLDmY/UtOAiZhynCI/AAAAAAAAFSo/dbRko5B-G-o/s320/Strawberry+Shortcake+Cupcake+Display.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862810012187756176.post-4094349824854567662014-01-10T01:33:00.000-08:002014-01-10T01:43:38.791-08:00TWINS- A Tale of Two Babies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IADW1IIpLEI/Us-8NCwSI0I/AAAAAAAAFQI/BZv7h8trAEY/s1600/Boy+Baby+Shower+Cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IADW1IIpLEI/Us-8NCwSI0I/AAAAAAAAFQI/BZv7h8trAEY/s1600/Boy+Baby+Shower+Cake.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
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I had the privilege of making a set of baby shower cakes- for TWINS!! One of my dearest friends in the world was blessed to have twins- a boy and a girl. The cakes are opposites- pink and blue, chocolate and vanilla. They both have hand-piped clotheslines with royal icing baby clothes. The toppers are hand-cut flags, with puffy-painted signs that say "BABY BOY" and "BABY GIRL."<br />
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These are the cakes and cupcakes that I made for this wonderful couple's baby shower. Oh, and PS- I made their <a href="http://midnightbakingadventures.blogspot.com/2012/07/rustic-wedding-wedding-cake.html" target="_blank">wedding cake</a> too! <br />
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<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862810012187756176.post-54251006938850192352014-01-10T01:23:00.000-08:002014-01-12T18:42:19.491-08:00That Was a Very Hungry Caterpillar<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This was a first birthday smash cake featuring a Very Hungry Caterpillar. This was a very special cake for me to decorate and I was excited to be able to make it. I also made the cake for this precious little girl's mom and dad's <a href="http://midnightbakingadventures.blogspot.com/2011/06/black-and-white-wedding-reception-cake.html" target="_blank">wedding reception</a>. </div>
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Here are some photos of the birthday girl digging in to her cake! She was so polite and such a lady when it came to her turn to "smash."</div>
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<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862810012187756176.post-68180107296970408532014-01-08T16:01:00.000-08:002014-05-17T23:13:13.632-07:00Art Party Neon Cupcakes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
My niece was turning two and she was having an "Art Party". My sister gave me artistic freedom on this project, so I decided to go with a very colorful and Jackson Pollock vibe. </div>
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I laid a sheet down, put down some cooling racks, and covered them in brightly colored cupcakes that were topped with white buttercream frosting. I thinned out matching brightly colored royal icing (I used AmeriColor gel food coloring) and dipped a silicone basting brush in each color, then just splattered the cupcakes with the icing. </div>
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To make the cake topper "Smash" cake I used brightly colored "Sixlets" (candy coated chocolates). The entire top was covered in Sixlets, and a number "2" was made on the side using the candies.</div>
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Once the party started to die down a bit, I made "to-go" cups for the cupcakes using plastic cups and a little bit of plastic wrap. </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-115aMnpseMk/Us3eD2bD1QI/AAAAAAAAFOw/do8BNAFzP3g/s1600/Cupcakes+To-Go.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-115aMnpseMk/Us3eD2bD1QI/AAAAAAAAFOw/do8BNAFzP3g/s1600/Cupcakes+To-Go.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862810012187756176.post-74905346528513737942013-10-01T16:06:00.000-07:002014-01-08T16:06:37.843-08:00It has been a VERY long timeSo much has happened over the past year and it seems to have been an eternity since I last posted (mostly because it has been more than a year!). I had a car accident at the end of 2012 and have been through quite a bit to heal from my injuries which included a couple of surgeries and a LOT of physical therapy and chiropractic visits. I completed a few projects in my down time, so I'll be posting updates that includes those projects in the near future.<br />
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<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862810012187756176.post-23923921578090473652012-11-10T00:23:00.000-08:002014-01-11T00:38:50.032-08:00Fall Wedding Cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ClpP6easHbg/UtD-u8IgQcI/AAAAAAAAFRU/n_FHtxtVNvI/s1600/Fall+Wedding+Cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ClpP6easHbg/UtD-u8IgQcI/AAAAAAAAFRU/n_FHtxtVNvI/s1600/Fall+Wedding+Cake.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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This Fall-Themed Wedding Cake was made for my husband's best friend and his lovely bride. They requested a White Vanilla Buttercream rustic-looking cake, with branches and edible leaves. The cake was very simple and fun to make! </div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862810012187756176.post-45458045001065554062012-07-22T01:40:00.000-07:002014-01-11T00:40:03.018-08:00Rustic Country Wedding Cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nh8dTO4vMAU/Us-_KF5jAjI/AAAAAAAAFQ0/8sXpsWKIFxI/s1600/Rustic+Wedding+Cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nh8dTO4vMAU/Us-_KF5jAjI/AAAAAAAAFQ0/8sXpsWKIFxI/s1600/Rustic+Wedding+Cake.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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I made this cake in a hotel room, in Las Vegas, NV! A very dear friend of mine got married in Vegas, and she asked me to make her wedding cake. Of course I said YES, but then the question of logistics came up- how would I transport a wedding cake to Las Vegas from Southern California (a 4 hour drive) in the middle of summer, and have the cake #1: Survive, and #2: Taste good. A good friend of both of ours had a timeshare I was able to use, so I had a functional kitchenette, and a table to use for assembly and decoration.</div>
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The cake you see is the finished product, without the topper. I'll have to ask the bride for a photo with the topper, and hopefully a photo with the beautiful couple cutting the cake. Hopefully more photos to come!!</div>
<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862810012187756176.post-34674399478957932132012-06-30T22:19:00.000-07:002014-01-12T22:28:18.545-08:00Maroon, Silver and Black Graduation Cake and Cupcakes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
My cousin graduated from high school! I remember when she was born- I was a freshman in high school, and I got to watch her grow up as I went to her house after school. Her school colors were maroon, black and silver. The graduation cap on the top of the cake was made out of cookies and cream chocolate wafers in a chocolate mold, and the flowers were made of fondant and each had a black dragee placed in the middle. The 2012 on the top of the cake were sparklers that lit up and really made a fun impression when they were lit! I also made about 100 cupcakes with a graduation cap and a small silver and black flower adorning the top of each. What a fun project for a wonderful person! </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nK_P9hvE1P0/UtOFj-6ufsI/AAAAAAAAFTQ/NRJkoS0QjF4/s1600/Graduation+Cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nK_P9hvE1P0/UtOFj-6ufsI/AAAAAAAAFTQ/NRJkoS0QjF4/s320/Graduation+Cake.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9vZ7i10Ssa0/UtOFnl0fR8I/AAAAAAAAFTY/wXTgqGePhw4/s1600/Graduation+Cupcakes+and+Cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9vZ7i10Ssa0/UtOFnl0fR8I/AAAAAAAAFTY/wXTgqGePhw4/s320/Graduation+Cupcakes+and+Cake.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862810012187756176.post-46322819185553863172012-06-01T18:29:00.000-07:002014-05-04T15:27:42.670-07:00Engagement Party Sugar CookiesThis is going to be a quick post- I know, you're thrilled! :) I just wanted to post my wedding sugar cookies- well, actually, engagement party sugar cookies. They were made with the most awesome sugar cookie recipe from <a href="http://www.cookiecrazie.com/search/label/cookie%20dough" target="_blank">Cookie Crazie</a>'s Blog (this woman is awesome and does her missionary work using the funds she raises decorating cookies- she is truly talented and a real Proverbs 31 woman- inspirational!). Here they are- I hope the bride-and-groom-to-be enjoy them!<br />
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I also made a set of wedding dress and tuxedo chocolate covered strawberries for the same event :) </div>
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<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862810012187756176.post-38217115735687427712012-05-28T21:17:00.002-07:002012-05-28T21:19:28.513-07:00Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese FrostingWow- it has been a while- sorry for the delay in posting everybody- life has been crazy busy but crazy good too :)<br />
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Tonight I started practicing a Red Velvet Cupcake with Cream Cheese frosting. For the cupcake I used the standard WASC recipe, but used Red Velvet mix and added a 4th egg to try a new texture (which I must say I like better than the normal 3 egg recipe). Instead of Almond extract, I just added an extra teaspoon of vanilla. I got a thumbs up from hubby which is a good thing- because he hates red velvet.<br />
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The cupcakes were great- but the reason I REALLY made this post was to highlight the cream cheese frosting. I scoured the Internet for a cream cheese frosting recipe that would be heat-stable (due to the fact that this wedding is Mid-July in California- what was I thinking?! Lol) but still tasty and not over-sugary. After reading MANY blog, forum and website recommendations (too many to even count at this point)- I decided to branch out and try my own mixture in hopes that something stable yet tasty would come out of it. I think I might have something worth keeping- but I'll know better tomorrow after the cupcakes have been sitting out for a day on my table in this lovely California heat-wave we're having (tomorrow should be 91 F, so that will be a good test <i>I hope</i>).<br />
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<b>Cream Cheese Cupcake Frosting Recipe</b><br />
2/3 Cup Shortening<br />
1/2 Cup Butter (Unsalted, room temperature)<br />
8oz Cream Cheese (I prefer whipped)<br />
1 teaspoon clear vanilla<br />
1 teaspoon lemon juice <br />
4 drops concentrated Cheesecake extract<b> </b><br />
4 Cups powdered sugar (you can sift after measuring to avoid lumps)<br />
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<b>Steps:</b><br />
1) Blend together all ingredients (except the powdered sugar). Mix long enough to get the lumps of butter/cream cheese/shortening out of the mixture- but not so long that the mixture starts to break down- approximately 45 seconds on high using a stand mixer- about 1.5-2 minutes using a hand-mixer.<br />
2) Sift the powdered sugar, if desired, into another bowl.<br />
3) Mix in the powdered sugar in 1/2 cup at a time with the mixer set on low, until all powdered sugar is incorporated.<br />
4) Pipe onto cupcakes immediately, or cover and refrigerate until you are ready to pipe.<br />
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I hope this one holds up to the heat- I'll let you know what my findings are tomorrow!<br />
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<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862810012187756176.post-88651418571147772392012-04-12T22:24:00.000-07:002012-04-12T22:24:34.225-07:00Creme Brulee Cheesecake BarsFor those of you who loved the Creme Brulee cupcakes- you HAVE to try this Creme Brulee cheesecake bar recipe- mixing fired up crunchy vanilla sugar AND cheesecake- talk about a winning combo!<br />
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Here is the recipe for Creme Brulee Cheesecake Bars<br />
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Crust:<br />
1.5 boxes (about 115) crushed Vanilla Wafer cookies<br />
1/2 Cup melted butter<br />
4 Tablespoons granulated sugar<br />
2-3 teaspoons vanilla extract<br />
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(Note- you can cut the crust recipe in half if you prefer a thinner crust- this recipe gives about a 1/3"-1/2" crust).<br />
Step 1: Mix all crust ingredients together and press into the bottom of a greased 9" x 13" pan.<br />
Step 2: Bake at 350 F for about 6-8 minutes.<br />
Step 3: Allow crust to cool for 5-10 minutes before filling.<br />
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Filling:<br />
4- 8oz Packages cream cheese<br />
1 Cup sugar<br />
1 Cup sour cream<br />
2 Whole eggs<br />
4 Egg Yolks<br />
3 teaspoons vanilla extract<br />
2-4 Vanilla beans, scraped (optional- I just love the look of vanilla beans in pretty much anything dessert-like) <br />
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(Note- you can cut the filling recipe in half if you prefer a thinner cheesecake- this gives about 1" of filling on top of the crust- just make sure to decrease the baking time if you decrease the filling amount.)<br />
Step 1: Mix the cream cheese, sugar and sour cream together until smooth.<br />
Step 2: Incorporate the eggs, egg yolks and vanilla extract and beat until well incorporated.<br />
Step 3: Pour mixture onto cooled cookie crust.<br />
Step 4: Bake at 350 F for 40-45 minutes until the cheesecake mixture is firmly set in the center.<br />
Step 5: Allow cheesecake to cool for 1-3 hours by refrigeration or longer if time permits.<br />
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Topping:<br />
1/2 - 1 Cup Vanilla sugar (lightly pulsed in a blender or food processor for up to 30 seconds) <br />
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Step 1: Just before you are ready to serve, put a light coating of vanilla sugar (or regular granulated sugar that has been pulsed a couple of times in the blender if vanilla sugar is not available).<br />
Step 2: Cut into Bars or slices before torching the sugar. <br />
Step 3: Using a kitchen torch (this is the fun part!) - torch the sugar until it turns a darker brown color by melting the sugar and allowing it to form a crystallised layer on top of the bars.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862810012187756176.post-72300568967784178872012-04-05T23:56:00.000-07:002012-04-05T23:56:39.531-07:00Chocolate Chocolate CupcakesWhat is better than a chocolate cupcake? A chocolate chocolate cupcake. 'What does that mean?' you may be asking... it means this is one of the most chocolate-y cupcakes you'll ever indulge in! Adapted from the amazing "Cupcake Project" website... this is truly my new cupcake inspiration go-to site!<br />
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Here is the recipe for the Chocolate Chocolate cupcakes that are a new crowd-favorite.<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature<br />
1-1/4 cups vanilla-infused sugar (or regular granulated sugar)<br />
3 large eggs, room temperature<br />
3/4 cup flour<br />
1/2 teaspoon baking powder<br />
1/4 teaspoon baking soda<br />
1/4 teaspoon salt<br />
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder<br />
1/2 cup milk (or Heavy Whipping Cream)<br />
1 teaspoon vanilla<br />
1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips<br />
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Steps: <br />
<div><ol><li>Combine butter and sugar and beat until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes).</li>
<li> Add eggs, beating until well combined. </li>
<li>Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder to the butter/sugar mixture.</li>
<li>Mix in the milk and vanilla.</li>
<li>Stir in chocolate chips.</li>
<li> Scoop batter into cupcake cups about 1/2 full (I prefer to use a Large Cookie Scoop from the Pampered Chef).</li>
<li>Bake at 340 degrees for 22-25 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Do not bake too long- cake can dry out too much.</li>
</ol></div><div></div><div>Topping: </div><div>While the cupcakes are baking, you can make this simple ganache that is great for filling and frosting your cupcakes.</div><div> </div><div>Ingredients:</div><div><ol><li>1/3 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream</li>
<li>1/2 Cup 62% (or greater) Dark Chocolate chips (you could also substitute white chocolate if you prefer)</li>
</ol>Steps: </div><div><ol><li>Heat the whipping cream until lightly boiling (constantly stirring so as to not burn the cream).</li>
<li>Put the chocolate into a glass or metal bowl. </li>
<li>Pour the heated cream over the chocolate and let it sit for about 8-10 minutes.</li>
<li>Stir the chocolate/cream mixture until the lumps smooth out. </li>
<li>Place in a pastry bag with a round tip, and inject the chocolate ganache into the cupcake as filling. </li>
<li>Next, pipe the warm ganache on top of the cupcake, and smooth with a knife or spoon (I hold the spreader or knife in the same position and spin the cupcake in a circle to coat the cupcake). Allow it to cool for about 10 minutes before moving to prevent the chocolate from dripping.</li>
<li>Serve with an iced cold glass of milk</li>
</ol></div>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862810012187756176.post-26938409959882023852012-04-05T23:37:00.000-07:002014-01-13T13:10:11.252-08:00First Birthday Party<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My adorable, wonderful, beautiful, brilliant, amazing (I could go on and on- but this blog is short) niece and godchild turned 1 this year! And I got to make her cake, cupcakes and cake pops! (And my husband and I got to buy her saddle to go with the miniature horse grammie and grandpa got her- mini-horse can be viewed at the end of this post :) ). Here are some photos that captured the event of the year! (Note: I don't know how I didn't get photos of the pinata- it was huge!)<br />
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The kids' table- coloring books, bubbles and toys. </div>
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What first birthday would be complete without a jumper for the kiddos?<br />
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Some decorations my sister came up with- paper lanterns wrapped in clear plastic for a "candy" appearance.</div>
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Cake pops! White cake with pink vanilla buttercream frosting, and pink and white sprinkles.</div>
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Cake pops- chocolate cake with pink vanilla buttercream frosting and white sprinkles.</div>
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Vanilla cupcakes filled with vanilla buttercream, topped with vanilla buttercream and green sixlets. </div>
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Miss Avery with Uncle Charlie and Aunt Lena- smashing her neon pink smash cake (her mom picked out the pink buttercream, I just put it on some cake for her- I accept no blame for the fluorescent pink color that is shown covering her face, hands and dress in this photo!)</div>
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The smash cake- neon pink, with green sixlets and white gumpaste rose.</div>
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Avery's miniature horse- what every little girl wants- and bows in her hair for this special occasion!</div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862810012187756176.post-56228462490444400262012-04-05T23:19:00.000-07:002014-01-12T18:43:19.404-08:00Baby Shower- Monkeys (and other Jungle Friends)My Great Aunt threw a baby shower for her daughter, and I was blessed to be asked to cater the event for Megan and baby Blake! It was so much fun thinking up "jungle" themed foods- then getting to serve the food at my Aunt's wonderfully decorated themed shower was absolutely amazing. Here are some photos of the big day- it was so much fun to plan out the menu and see it all pull together with the help of a few wonderful relatives of mine :)<br />
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Chocolate covered jungle critter pretzels </div>
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Chocolate covered coconut candy and jungle-animal cut-out rice krispies for fondue dipping.</div>
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Individual servings of Monkey Bread</div>
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Salad with various fruits and berries for dipping in fondue....chocolate...yum.</div>
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Snack table with monkey sugar cookies and jungle pretzels. Also, look at the bowl on the left- cookie dough dip with animal cookies... also yum!</div>
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The whole shebang of the dessert table- from the left- cake pops, monkey bread, cupcakes, cookie dough dip and animal cookies, monkey sugar cookies and chocolate covered pretzels.</div>
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Cupcakes! Chocolate and Vanilla- both with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting.</div>
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Annndddd the most important part of the day- Mommy-to-Be! Congratulations to you, Chase and Baby Blake!</div>
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Ok, and one more photo of the monkeys :)</div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862810012187756176.post-63393415157346722102012-04-03T21:26:00.002-07:002012-04-05T22:52:46.695-07:00Cinnamon Roll Cake<h4><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-weight: normal;">I was aimlessly wandering the Internet the other day when I stumbled upon a recipe for Cinnamon Roll Cake. I decided then and there that I had to make this cake- but for whom was I supposed to I bake it? I didn't have an event or any sort of meeting planned- so I decided to make two cakes (by doubling the recipe)- one for my hubby and me, and one for my office. This cake was moist and dense and tasted just like a cinnamon roll- the only request my co-workers had was to bring a gallon of iced cold milk the next time I make this tasty concoction!</span></span></h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ks4IV-I1G20/T36ET54kdYI/AAAAAAAAAWc/rCj4442jf0g/s1600/IMG_4900.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ks4IV-I1G20/T36ET54kdYI/AAAAAAAAAWc/rCj4442jf0g/s200/IMG_4900.JPG" width="200" /></a> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ako2iOiloeg/T36EXKjUAyI/AAAAAAAAAWk/4AQ-NxDnsNs/s1600/IMG_4908.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ako2iOiloeg/T36EXKjUAyI/AAAAAAAAAWk/4AQ-NxDnsNs/s200/IMG_4908.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><h4><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-weight: normal;">I modified the recipe I found online to suit my tastes- here is the <a href="http://cakerecipeswithpictures.com/cinnamon-roll-cake/" target="_blank">original recipe</a>- and below you will find my version.</span></span></h4><h4></h4><h4><span style="font-size: small;">Cake Ingredients</span><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">3 cups flour</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"> <br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">1/4 teaspoon salt</span></span><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><br />
1 cup sugar</span><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><br />
4 teaspoons baking powder</span><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><br />
1 1/2 cup milk</span><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><br />
3 eggs</span><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><br />
2 teaspoons vanilla (preferably pure vanilla, not extract)</span><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><br />
1/2 cup butter, melted</span></h4><h4><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">1) Mix everything together except for the butter. <br />
2) Slowly stir in the melted butter and pour into a greased spring form pan or a 9×13 pan. (Do not place in oven yet)</span><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></h4><h4><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></h4><h4><span style="font-size: small;">Topping</span><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">1 cup butter, softened</span></span><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><br />
1 cup brown sugar</span><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><br />
2 Tablespoons flour</span><br style="font-weight: normal;" /><span style="font-weight: normal;">1 Tablespoon cinnamon<br />
1/2 - 1 cup chopped pecans (optional)</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)</span></h4><h4 style="font-weight: normal;">*Note- I made two cakes- 1 cake had pecans only, and 1 cake had pecans and mini-chocolate chips- my preference was the cake with the pecans only.</h4><h4></h4><h4 style="font-weight: normal;">3) Mix all the ingredients together until well combined. Drop nickel-sized pieces evenly over in the batter and swirl the pieces into the batter. Bake at 350 F for ~35 minutes in a spring form pan, or 28-32 minutes in a 9x13 pan.<br />
</h4><h4><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></h4><h4><span style="font-size: small;">Glaze (Make this while the cake is baking)</span><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
<span style="font-weight: normal;">2 cups powdered sugar</span></span><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><br />
5 Tablespoons milk</span><span style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><br />
1 teaspoon vanilla (I prefer pure vanilla over vanilla extract)</span></h4><span style="font-size: small;">4) While the cake is still warm, drizzle the glaze over the cake.</span>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862810012187756176.post-38352736125268154622012-03-31T21:38:00.000-07:002012-05-28T21:39:14.789-07:00Gluten-Free Toasted Coconut SconesI was blessed to be asked to help make scones for a recent women's event at my church (Faith Bible Church in Murrieta, CA). I was given a recipe for regular scones which I got to make my own - researching various flavor combos- what a great adventure that was! But then I remembered that some of the women at our church are on Gluten-Free (GF) diets, and I wanted to accommodate them so they could enjoy the breakfast at the event as well. Several women have asked me for the GF recipe, so here it is!<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pwBjIMVJlDc/T8RStq6QtFI/AAAAAAAAAgE/oTefzd8vrZ0/s1600/Scones.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pwBjIMVJlDc/T8RStq6QtFI/AAAAAAAAAgE/oTefzd8vrZ0/s320/Scones.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;"><b>INGREDIENTS:</b> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">3 Cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Flour Mix (or your own favorite all purpose GF Flour blend)</span><br /><span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">1/2 Cup Coconut Flour</span><br /><span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">2/3
Cup granulated sugar (I used vanilla sugar - sugar infused with vanilla
beans- but regular sugar is fine too)</span><br /><span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">1 teaspoon baking powder</span><br /><span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">2 teaspoons baking soda</span><br /><span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">2/3 Cup Cold Butter (sliced thin- in 1/2 Tbsp or smaller increments- or sliced using a food processor)</span><br /><span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">1 1/3 Cups Buttermilk </span><br /><span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">1 Cup Toasted Coconut (bake on a cookie sheet with a rim at 350 degrees for 10 minutes)</span><br /><span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">1 Teaspoon Coconut Extract (optional but preferred)</span><br /><span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract (optional- I just love vanilla so I add my homemade vanilla with vanilla beans to the recipe)</span><br /><span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;"><b>STEPS: </b>(I find this easiest using a stand mixer, but you can use a hand mixer
if you prefer. Be careful not to overmix this dough as it will get stiff).</span><br /><span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Preheat oven to 380 degrees F</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;"><span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">1) Blend together flours, sugar, baking powder and baking soda.<span> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;"><span>2)<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Add sliced butter 2-3 pieces at a time, until you no longer see large pads of butter.<span> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;"><span>3)<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Add toasted coconut (leaving about ¼ cup for the topping) (and extracts if you decide to do so).<span> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;"><span>4)<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Incorporate buttermilk 1/3 Cup at a time until dough starts to tighten up.<span> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;"><span>5)<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Turn
dough out onto a floured cutting board (I prefer to use the coconut
flour), and lightly need (if necessary- just to make all dough stick
together).<span> </span>Then cut the dough into ¼ths.<span> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;"><span>6)<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Make
each 1/4 dough into a ball, and flatten with the palm of your hand,
until diameter of the dough is about 6”-8” round and about 3/4” – 1” in
height (this recipe doesn’t rise very much, so make it as tall as you
want the scones- but for GF I prefer a little thinner than traditional
scone height due to the texture and consistency). Sprinkle<span> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;"><span>7)<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Cut
the dough into 6 pieces (these make small scones- like the ones at the
women’s event. If you want them larger- then cut the initial dough into
1/3rds instead of 1/4ths).<span> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;"><span>8)<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Bake
at 380 degrees F for about 16 minutes- scones will be a light golden
brown (pan does not need to be greased- I prefer to use parchment paper
to line my pan, but it is not necessary).<span> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;"><span>9)<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Allow to rest 1-2 minutes then transfer onto a cooling rack.</span>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862810012187756176.post-75602052412754790852012-02-26T18:17:00.000-08:002012-02-26T18:17:43.153-08:00Lemon Souffle PanckakesI have loved pretty much everything that contains lemon since I was a little girl with a giant meyer lemon tree in my back yard. This recipe is no exception! I found this recipe through Pinterest, on blogger kokken69's blog and must say that I am happy that I did (and so is my husband- I got 2 thumbs up!). <br />
<br />
The ingredients are simple and it takes only a few minutes to whip this batter together. I modified kokken69's recipe slightly to suit my own tastes.<br />
<br />
Lemon Souffle Pancake Ingredients:<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"></span></b><br />
<br />
1 1/2 cup Nonfat Milk<br />
4 Egg yolks (Save the whites for later)<br />
5 Tbsp Lemon Juice<br />
2 tsp Vanilla Extract<br />
1/2 cup Butter (melted)<br />
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour<br />
2 tsp Baking powder<br />
3 Tbsp granulated sugar<br />
1/2 cup powdered sugar <br />
A pinch Salt<br />
4 Egg whites<br />
<br />
Steps: <br />
1. Mix egg yolks, milk, vanilla extract and lemon juice together in a bowl. Add melted butter and mix well.<br />
<br />
2. Gradually mix flour, sugars and baking powder with milk mixture until the dry ingredients are moistened. Be careful not to overmix.<br />
<br />
3. Place egg white in a separate bowl with a pinch of salt (make sure the bowl is oil free) and beat until soft peaks are formed. Fold in egg white into the batter.<br />
<br />
4. Melt a small portion of butter in a heated griddle or non-stick pan. Pour batter into the pan and cook until the cake is golden brown on the underside then flip and cook the other side. <br />
<br />
5. Serve pancakes with any of your favorite toppings- I would recommend raspberries, strawberries, honey or powdered sugar (or any of your favorite combinations). <br />
<br />
*This recipe yields approximately 10-12 three inch pancakes.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862810012187756176.post-44684270011142054072012-01-15T21:00:00.000-08:002012-01-15T21:00:49.854-08:00No-Cook Coconut CandyI love the combination of coconut and chocolate. I also love candy. That is exactly why this mix of sugar, coconut, chocolate and what should be France's official food- Butter- is absolutely amazing.<br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
1 C melted butter<br />
4 C powdered sugar<br />
2 Tbsp heavy whipping cream (milk or cream of coconut can also be used)<br />
5 C sweetened or unsweetened coconut<br />
2 C Chocolate candy melts <br />
<br />
Steps:<br />
1) Mix all ingredients (except the chocolate) together until the mixture is well moistened.<br />
2) Roll into bite-sized portions using a tablespoon or cookie scoop (you will have to roll quickly because the heat of your hands can make the mixture sticky). <br />
3) Place the rolled coconut balls on wax or parchment paper, then stick in the fridge or freezer until firm (about 15 minutes).<br />
4) Melt the chocolate while the coconut candy centers firm up.<br />
5) Take the candy centers out of the freezer/fridge, then dip in the melted chocolate. Place dipped chocolates on wax or parchment paper until candy coating has dried. As a garnish, add 2-3 flakes of coconut or create a design in the top of the chocolate using a fork or toothpick (before the chocolate has dried).<br />
<br />
*Store in an air-tight container for up to 3-months in a freezer, or serve immediately. <br />
<br />
**Note: I found a similar recipe to this on the Internet some time ago, but I cannot find the original source- I have made some modifications to tailor the original recipe to my own tastes.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862810012187756176.post-67059766544132679512011-12-20T23:56:00.000-08:002011-12-20T23:56:01.735-08:00Crockpot Chocolate ClustersIf you want a simple chocolate candy recipe that takes very little effort and can make about 100 candies, you've found the right place! This mint, nut and chocolate combo hits the spot for your holiday candy-making sessions.<br />
<br />
This recipe was inspired by blogger <a href="http://messythrillinglife.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">My Messy Thrilling Life's </a>candy recipe.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wStgXxQ6zpk/TvGQaWxvHRI/AAAAAAAAAV8/cZExAOEm-BQ/s1600/333224_10150539997562790_720217789_10661946_2025383187_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wStgXxQ6zpk/TvGQaWxvHRI/AAAAAAAAAV8/cZExAOEm-BQ/s320/333224_10150539997562790_720217789_10661946_2025383187_o.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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Set a crockpot on "low" and layer in the following ingredients:<br />
1 lb of cashew halves (roasted preferred)<br />
1 lb of chopped pecans<br />
2 (12oz) bags of Hershey's Special Dark chocolate<br />
1 (12 oz) bag of Andes Mint chopped pieces<br />
1 (12 oz) bag of milk chocolate chips<br />
2 lbs Vanilla (white) Almond Bark (also known as candy coating)<br />
<br />
Steps:<br />
1) Cover the crockpot with the lid and cook for one hour.<br />
2) After one hour stir all ingredients and allow to cook another 30 minutes or longer until all chocolate and almond bark pieces have melted.<br />
3) Place parchment paper down on a flat surface, and spoon the chocolate/ nut mixture by the tablespoon (or smaller) into mounds on the paper to dry (I use a small cookie scoop from Pampered Chef to get a good chocolate cluster shape).<br />
<br />
Variation Ideas <br />
-You can add any variety of ingredients to tailor this recipe to your tastes- you can use puffed rice cereal, various nuts (peanuts, almonds, pecans, cashews, or any combination you like), mini-marshmallows, or anything to give the chocolate some structure. <br />
-Try substituting peanut butter chips for the andes mint candy pieces.<br />
-Use your favorite sprinkles to decorate the tops of the candies, or drizzle a contrasting color (such as white, red, green, etc to theme it for various holidays)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862810012187756176.post-62484696985781714482011-12-19T23:15:00.000-08:002011-12-19T23:15:20.147-08:00Creme Brulee CupcakesI love Creme Brulee...then again, who wouldn't love the stuff? It has a nice but not overly sweet flavor, and crunchy sugar topping that has been caramelized using fire (you can't go wrong with fire and dessert- as long as the fire was a planned part of the dessert process and not an unhappy consequence of course). <br />
<br />
Now, stick that crunchy caramely custardy goodness in a cupcake, and you have a little cup of heaven that pleases the masses (or even just your husband, your BFF on their birthday, or yourself when you're really in the mood to just indulge). FYI- I adapted this recipe from the <a href="http://iheartcuppycakes.com/" target="_blank">I Heart Cuppycakes</a> blog. <br />
<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-L9zFHoV6wQA/TvAx2XKyl-I/AAAAAAAAAV0/1CF4a-TmDts/s1600/322712_10150535677347790_720217789_10642887_139849704_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-L9zFHoV6wQA/TvAx2XKyl-I/AAAAAAAAAV0/1CF4a-TmDts/s320/322712_10150535677347790_720217789_10642887_139849704_o.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<strong>INGREDIENTS</strong><br />
<em>For cupcakes</em><br />
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour<br />
1 Tablespoon baking powder<br />
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus a pinch for the egg whites<br />
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature<br />
1-1/2 cups sugar<br />
2 eggs, separated<br />
1 cup milk (I used Heavy Whipping Cream or you could use half and half too)<br />
3 tablespoons caramel syrup (I used homemade salted caramel- but Mrs. Robinson's caramel syrup or Hershey's caramel syrup work great too)<br />
1 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />
<br />
Steps: Prep: Preheat oven to 340 degrees F and line cupcake pan with liners.<br />
1) Mix together the butter and sugar until fluffy, then add the two egg yolks until incorporated.<br />
2) Add in the vanilla, caramel and milk or heavy whipping cream.<br />
3) Make a dry mixture with the flour, salt and baking powder, then slowly incorporate into the wet mixture.<br />
4) In a separate bowl, beat egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form, then fold the egg whites into the batter, or mix them in on "slow" in your stand mixer.<br />
5) Scoop batter into cupcake liners and bake from 15-20 minutes until cupcakes have a golden brown crust.<br />
Note- cupcakes will be slightly porous but that's ok- you still need to add the frosting! Sometimes if they do not bake long enough they will slightly cave in the middle, but that is still ok because you will fill with the frosting to make the creme brulee!<br />
<br />
<strong>INGREDIENTS</strong><br />
<em>For Frosting</em><br />
1 stick butter (1/2 C), softened<br />
1 8oz package cream cheese, softened (I usually buy pre-whipped)<br />
4 C powdered sugar<br />
1/4-1/2 C brown sugar (to taste)<br />
<br />
Steps:<br />
1) Blend together the butter and cream cheese until well combined and smooth.<br />
2) Mix in the powdered sugar until smooth.<br />
3) Add in the brown sugar and beat until smooth and slightly fluffy.<br />
<br />
Combining the two:<br />
1) Once cupcakes have cooled, using a piping bag fitted with a plain coupler- no tip is needed (or ziploc bag that has been cut), pipe some of the filling into the cupcake (by sticking the coupler slightly under the surface of the crust), and slightly squeeze until the filling rises above the surface, then continue to squeeze until you get a little mound of frosting on top of the cupcake (see photo above). <br />
2) Sprinkle a little bit of sugar (about 1/2-1 teaspoon) on top of the frosting.<br />
3) Using a kitchen torch, caramelize the sugar- it may turn dark or look like it is turning into beads of sugar, but keep going a little longer until you get a nice caramelized sugar topping.<br />
4) Serve warm or cool- either way these are super yummy!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0