spongebob cake

This is a chocolate cake 1/2 sheet.  I used a melon baller to scoop out some spots to make him more sponge like then covered in fondant. With fondant arms and legs etc. The color is painted on using wilton colors and vodka.The cake board is also panted no fondant...

Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes

Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes
Yield: about 21 cupcakes
Ingredients:
For the cake:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. lemon zest
12 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
2 cups fresh strawberries, chopped
For the lemonade syrup:
1 cup lemonade concentrate, thawed
3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
For the frosting:
1 cup fresh strawberries, roughly chopped
12 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
18 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 2/3 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
3 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla extract
For garnish:
Fresh strawberries
Lemon slices
Directions:
To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.  Line muffin pans with paper liners.  In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and lemon zest.  Stir together with a fork and set aside.  In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until it is light and fluffy.  Add the sugar and beat until well combined.  Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition.  Add half of the flour mixture to the bowl and beat on low speed until just incorporated.  Add in the milk and mix until smooth.  Add in the remaining flour mixture and mix on low speed until just blended.  Fold in the fresh strawberries with a spatula.
Divide the batter evenly between the paper liners, filling them about 3/4 full.  Bake about 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Allow to cool in the pan 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Once the cupcakes have cooled, whisk together the lemonade concentrate and confectioners’ sugar in a small bowl to make the lemonade syrup.  Poke several holes in the top of each cupcake with a skewer and pour the syrup over the cupcakes, allowing it to soak in.  (Place wax paper underneath your cooling rack so you don’t make a mess!)
To make the frosting, puree the strawberries in a food processor or blender.  Strain the puree through a mesh sieve to remove the seeds, and set aside.  Beat the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and very fluffy, about 5 minutes.  Add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth.  Add the lemon juice and vanilla extract and mix until incorporated.  Mix in strawberry puree, a tablespoon at a time, until you achieve your desired texture and flavor of frosting (I added about 7 tablespoons of puree).  Frost cupcakes as desired and garnish with fresh strawberries and lemon slices. 

Chocolate mud cake

Chocolate Mud Cake (aka Brownie cake)

1. 12 oz / 350 grams Dark chocolate pieces

2. 8oz/225 grams butter

3. 2 ½ cups /600 ml water

4.  3 whole eggs

5. 2 cups/400 grams sugar

6. 2 cups/400 grams Self rising flour*( recipe at bottom)

                Grease and line a 9in/23cm round cake pan. Don’t skip lining your pan. This cake is very fudgy and likes to stick even in a well grease and floured pan..I know I skipped this step the first time I did it…Learn from my mistake….lol…. Preheat oven to 325f /170c.

In a med size saucepan over low heat melt butter, chocolate, water until smooth..Remove from heat. LET THIS COOL. Or you will COOK your eggs.  And you don’t want to do that….again made that mistake.

In a large bowl lightly beat eggs then add the sugar mix well. Add cooled chocolate mixture.

Whisk in flour until smooth. This cake batter is very runny…so don’t use a spring form pan!

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 45 min or until skewer inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Let cool 10 min in pan then turn out on to a wire cooling rack.

Let this cake cool at least 2 hours and take care moving it to much…it is very similar to brownies..

I would not torte this cake. It will not work, but you can but filling between the layers.

·         Self rising flour.  If all you have is All Purpose just add 2 ¾ teaspoons of baking powder and ¾ teaspoon of salt…Now you have self rising flour…this is for 2 cup of flour.

This cake is  chocolate mud cake and dark chocolate fudge cake on the bottom 12 in round.The top is strawberry 8 in rounds.Covered in fondant with fondant cutouts and butter cream boarder.

The birthday girl wanted a 60's peace cake.

close up of some of the cut outs and butter cream boarder.In the center of the flowers (2D tip) is a silver dragee.

Hope she likes it..(she is my daughter so she better =P)

Replacing eggs on your baking

If you have someone with egg allergies that you cook for often, then you would have heard about doing this. You can definitely use banana, applesauce, pureed apricot or even soft tofu to replace an egg. Use 1 very ripe banana smashed or 1/4 cup of applesauce for 1 egg. Banana has a stronger flavor, and you may taste it so be sure the flavor of your baked goods go well with it. I would use applesauce over bananas. Also add an extra 1/2 tsp baking powder to the recipe to help with rising.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream

This Icing is great but know that it is not great in warmer weather.

Ingredients

• 12 oz (336 g) egg whites (10 large egg whites or about 1 1/2 cups)
• 3 cups (680 g) granulated sugar
• 3 lbs (1.36 kg) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 Tbsp lemon extract, almond extract, orange extract, or pure vanilla extract or up to 3 fl oz (90 ml) light rum, framboise, ETC

 

Preparation

1. Lightly whisk egg whites and sugar together over simmering water until egg-white mixture is hot to touch or a candy thermometer reads 140°F (60°C).

2. Pour hot whites into a room-temperature bowl and whip with a wire whip until double in volume on HIGH speed. When the mixer stops, the meringue should not move around in the bowl. Meanwhile cut up butter into 2-inch pieces. (The butter should be room temp not microwaved.I set my butter out the night before.)

3. On your mixer, remove the whip and attach the paddle. Add half the butter (1 1/2 lbs or 680 g) into the bowl immediately and pulsate the mixer several times until the meringue has covered the butter completely. To pulsate the mixer, turn it on and off in a jerky motion. This forces the butter on the top to the bottom of the bowl. Add the balance of the butter (1 1/2 lbs or 680 g) and pulsate mixer several times. Slowly increase the mixer's speed, starting with the lowest speed and increase the speed every 10 seconds until you reach a MEDIUM-HIGH speed.

4. Continue beating until the mixture begins to look light and fluffy. Stop the mixer and scrape the bowl. Reduce speed to LOW. Add flavoring and continue to beat on LOW speed for 45 seconds. Then beat on MEDIUM-HIGH speed for an additional 45 to 60 seconds.

5. Leftover buttercream can be placed in plastic containers with lids and kept in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost completely (several hours) and rewhip before using.

Note: In hot weather, use 2 lbs 10 ounces (1.19 kg) of butter and 6 ounces (710 g) of hi-ratio shortening. Hi-ratio shortening is emulsified and contains water.

Storage: Store the icing in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.

Yield: 2 1/2 quarts (2.37 L)

St Patty's Day cake

My little helper.

Made white cake batter...split it into 5 different bowls and added a different color to each bowl. My helper picked the colors.. yellow, green,blue,purple,red.. Poured each color into the pan slowly as to not mix them.

This is what it looks like once baked.

This what the cake looks like after I torted it...

This is the marbled green I used...

This is the finished cake..
Happy St. Patty's Day!!!

Globle Sugar Art Easter Cake....Love it

http://www.globalsugarart.com/instruction_sheets/2011_02_28_0Q65CNFD_Eastercake2011.htm

Buttercream Recipe Recommended for use on Frozen Buttercream Transfers

Buttercream Recipe Recommended for use on Frozen Buttercream Transfers

1 stick of butter, softened
...12 ounces of solid vegetable shortening
Cream together and add 1 teaspoon Vanilla

Add:
2 pounds of confectioners’ sugar
3/4 to 1 cup of liquid (water or milk)

Beat until mixed together and fluffy.

Chocolate fudge cake

• 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup best-quality dark coco powder 
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1/2 cup corn oil
• 1 1/3 cups chilled water

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and line the bottom of 2 (8-inch) cake pans.
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugars, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl or wide-necked measuring cup whisk together the eggs, sour cream and vanilla until blended. Using a standing or handheld electric mixer, beat together the melted butter and oil until just blended (you'll need another large bowl for this is using the hand mixer; the standing mixer comes with its own bowl), then beat in the water. Add the dry ingredients all at once and mix together on a slow speed. Add the egg mixture, and mix again until everything is blended and then pour into the prepared tins. And actually, you could easily do this manually; I just like my toys and find the stand mixer a comforting presence in itself.
Bake the cakes for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a cake-tester comes out clean. Cool the cakes in their pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes, and then turn the cakes out on the rack to cool completely.

How to make a Dark Chocolate peanut butter cup barrel cake



You will need about 20 peanut butter cups, about 50 kit kat sticks..they come in pairs so about 25 pairs, and this is for an 8 in  two layer cake. you will need more for bigger cakes.

And your cake! This is dark chocolate fudge but you can use whatever you like. Baked, cooled and leveled.
(Recipe is under the recipe tab)

Place about 10 peanut cups in a zip lock bag

and crush...

put in your peanut butter butter cream and mix well

this is my taste tester.!!!

Once your candies are mixed in the icing spread on bottom layer then on top layer..



I then use plain butter cream to ice the sides then start adding you kit kats. I sometimes have to add a little more butter cream to the backs of the kit kats to make them stick..it is a bit dry in my house.



once you have all you cake covered in kit kats ...crush the rest of your peanut butter cups and place on top clean up your board and you may want to add a bow around the barrel ...if you are taking it some where I would advise putting a bow on it at least until you make it where your going..



and with the left over butter cream and the cake that was cut off when leveling I make cake balls.



cake paste...?

Cake paste???? Well cake paste is what you make when doing cake pops..cake leftovers and butter cream. When making this cake paste make sure it is not to wet or too dry...then you can use it like clay and shape it for things like tails, heads, legs..and you let it dry a bit and cover with icing and or fondant. I love using it for shaping legs and tails etc.. It sticks well to other cake parts or for building up parts of your cake...

mickey mouse club house cake

The base is cake as well as the head and body. I used the sports ball (wilton)pan for the body(in red) and the head.The ears are chocolate waffer cookies. The hand and shoe and neck are rice treats all covered in butter cream with fondant accents..Dowel through the head neck body and base.. painted lines on the windows and gold candy beads for center of flowers.

Caramel-Toffee Cheesecake

Makes: 16 servings

Prep: 45 minutesChill: overnight + 2 to 6 hoursBake: 1 1/2 hoursCool: 2 hours

 

Ingredients

• 1-1/2  cups  finely crushed gingersnap cookies
• 2  tablespoons  granulated sugar
• 1/4  cup  butter, melted
• 5  8-ounce  packages cream cheese, softened
• 1-1/3  cups  packed brown sugar
• 3  tablespoons  all purpose flour
• 5    eggs
• 2    egg yolks
• 2  teaspoons  vanilla
•     Caramel Topping*
• 2  1.4-ounce bars  chocolate-covered English toffee, coarsely chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Wrap a double layer of foil around the bottom and side of pan to form a watertight seal; set aside. For crust: In a medium bowl, stir together crushed gingersnaps and the 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Stir in melted butter. Press mixture onto the bottom of the foil-wrapped pan. Bake about 14 minutes or until crust starts to brown. Cool on a wire rack.
2. In a very large bowl, beat cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Add brown sugar and flour; beat until smooth. Add eggs and egg yolks one at a time, beating after each addition just until combined. Beat in vanilla. Pour over crust, spreading evenly. Place the foil-wrapped springform pan in a roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into roasting pan to reach halfway up side of springform pan.
3. Bake about 1 1/4 hours or until a 2-inch area around the outside edge appears set and the center appears nearly set when gently shaken. Remove springform pan from water. Cool in pan on wire rack for 15 minutes. Using a small sharp knife, loosen edge of cheesecake from side of pan; cool completely (about 1 3/4 hours). Remove foil. Cover and chill overnight.
4. Prepare Caramel Topping. Remove side of springform pan; transfer cheesecake to a serving plate.
5. Spoon topping onto cheesecake, spreading to cover top. Garnish with chopped English toffee. Cover loosely and chill for 2 to 6 hours.
*Caramel Topping: In a large saucepan, combine 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 1/4 cup water, and 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Without stirring, boil gently, uncovered, for 9 to 12 minutes or until mixture turns a deep amber color, occasionally swirling pan and brushing down the side with a wet pastry brush. Add 1 cup whipping cream (mixture will bubble); reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, uncovered, for 12 to 15 minutes or until reduced to 1 1/3 cups, stirring occasionally. Chill about 30 minutes or until thickened but still pourable.

marshmallow flower cupcakes

My 9 yr old bakes strawberry cucpcakes..leaving them a little low in the cups..works better without a crown.

When cooled..we put colored sugar in bowls. The cut mini marshmallow on a slant, dropping the cut marshmallow right into the color you want to use.





Put a nice layer of buttercream on your cupcake.. then start placing the sugared marshmallows on your cupcake starting on the outside edge. Then work your way to the center.






Mix and Match or do one solid color...I like the multi color ones myself.



Kit Kat barrell cake

This is a chocolate devils food cake with chocolate ganache filling and peanut butter cup butter cream icing.

Honey Bun Cake

Honey Bun Cake

This rich cake is a cross between a cinnamon roll and a honey bun.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need: 

• Cake 
• 1 pkg Plain Yellow Cake Mix

• 1 c Sour Cream
• 3/4 c Vegetable Oil
• 4 lg eggs
• FILLING
• 1/3 c Honey
• 1/2 c light Brown Sugar
• 1/2 c chopped pecans (chop finely)
• SUGAR GLAZE
• 2 c Confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 1/3 c Milk
• 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
• also cooking spray for pan

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13X9 inch pan and set aside.
2. Mix the cake mix, sour cream, oil and eggs in a mixing bowl and blend for 1 minute with an electric mixer. Stop and scrape the sides and beat an additional 2 minutes on medium speed. The batter will be thick. Pour into the pan and smooth it out with a rubber spatula.
3. Add the filling to the top of the batter. Drizzle the honey, sprinkle the brown sugar and pecans. With a butter knife, swirl the ingredients lightly in the batter, do not mix it in.
4. Bake for 38 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. Mix the ingredients for the glaze and spread over the cake while it is hot. Allow cake to cool for 20 minutes before cutting.

no chocolate brownies

Blondie Brownies

By: CAMELLIA JEFFERY 

"This quick and easy no-chocolate brownie recipe takes 15 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to bake."

Original Recipe Yield 16 squares

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

1.     Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour one 8x8 inch pan.

2.     Combine shortening and milk in large saucepan. Place over low heat until shortening melts. Remove from heat, add the brown sugar and egg. Stir until well blended.

3.     Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; stir into sugar mixture. Stir in vanilla and nuts. Spread evenly into prepared pan.

4.     Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. Cool and cut into 2x2 inch squares.

Chocolate Ganache recipe

If you love baked goods, I’m sure you’ve already been introduced to the blanket of velvety goodness that is chocolate ganache. Ganache has been used to cover nearly every sort of baked creation you can think of, because it has a luxurious sensuality that leaves people a little out of breath.
Ganache doesn’t harden like traditional frostings. It stay soft and supple, even after a stint in the fridge (which will indeed cause it to firm up, but not become brittle). When warm it pours easily, also unlike frosting, and can be used to create an organic-looking flow of icing that you can’t accomplish with anything else.
The thing that most baking civilians don’t realize is that – shhhhhhh! – a chocolate ganache recipe is probably one of the easiest frostings you can make, nearly as simple as the whipped cream recipe
 It’s painfully simple to make, but as with anything else, there are a few caveats when it comes to actually  using it.
For now, here’s the basic ganache recipe. Scroll down for details on how to use the stuff.
Super Easy Chocolate Ganache RecipeMakes about 2 cups of ganache. , eclairs, and even taken the lowly donut to new heights.  . I’ve screwed up my fair share of cooked icings, and let me tell you – even I can’t mess up ganache., chopped finely (or use chips) . to mix until completely smooth. , you’ve made ganache. And if you’ve never made , I will do those soon. 
12 ounces chocolate.
1/2 pint of heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon of flavoring, such as espresso or bourbon (optional)
Pour chopped chocolate (or chocolate chips) into a metal mixing bowl
Stirring constantly, heat whipping cream, butter and vanilla in a small saucepan to just about boiling, but don’t let it actually come to a boil. You should see bubbles forming around the edges of the pot. If you’re using a thermometer, heat it to about 180 degrees.
Immediately pour hot cream mixture over chocolate and use a small wisk
Add flavorings, if you’re using them.

That’s it! I told you ganache was easy, didn’t I? You don’t even have to directly heat the chocolate, so there’s no chance of scorching or seizing it. In fact, if you’re ever made truffles
When frosting a cake – with any type of frosting – you’ll want to create a crumb coat, which will prevent random crumbs from ruining the smooth coating on your cake:
Place cake on a wire rack, which is placed over a piece of parchment to catch any falling ganache.
Brush away any loose crumbs.
With a cake spatula, spread a few tablespoons of ganache over the top and sides of cake, then refrigerate for a few minutes to set the coating. To finish frosting your cake, pour the rest of the ganache in the center of your cake and quickly spread with a spatula. Use sweeping strokes to push the ganache over the sides and create an even layer over the whole thing. Cover any bare spots with extra icing.
Refrigerate any leftover ganache for future use, but seal it well and use it quickly as it will capture bizarre flavors in your refrigerator!

                  To make a glaze or coating: use one part cream to three parts chocolate.  
                 To make a truffle filling: use one part cream to two parts chocolate.
To make a light filling: use one part cream to one part chocolate.
Refrigerated ganache can be whipped for fillings and frostings or formed into truffles.
When warm, it can be poured over whatever you like to make a smooth, shiny glaze.
When chilled it can be spread like regular frosting.
If covering a cake with ganache that is to be refrigerated, make sure the cake is cold before frosting. This will ensure that the ganache

Duncan Hines new Amazing Glaze and Orange cake mix.

Okay we had a nasty winter storm and I am now back to the blog!!!
While I was away, I tried the new Duncan Hines Orange cake with the Chocolate Amazing Glaze. My review is not good. I love Duncan Hines,but with that being said the orange flavor was awful. It tasted like a baby aspirin. As for the Chocolate Amazing Glaze. I liked the ease of just opening the bottle and putting it in the microwave. Once warm it poured well over the cake. And with that being said that taste was awful as well. This is not just my opinion. I had 5 people taste it..and all 5 said about the same thing. So I will not be using the orange cake mix or the chocolate glaze by Duncan Hines again.