Coconut!

So, I have been looking high and low for yummy cupcake recipes. Randy loves coconut- so at his request I made these. Coconut cupcakes with vanilla buttercream frosting. They are topped off with milk chocolate curls and dark chocolate abstract designs.

They were very delicious, but after a day or two they became a bit dry. Nothing a little more buttercream per bite could not fix! However, it would be best to make them the day of the event or refrigerate so they do not dry out.

I learned great techniques to use with chocolate, and even piped buttercream inside a few of the cakes. All in all this project was a success.

Present cakes #1

Max was a big help this time. He called this his "construction site". Well, I guess it sort of was!

These cakes were a challenge, and made me decide on making friends with cupcakes for a while until I learn some of the basics of all these new materials before I launch such a project again. The cake was regular vanilla sheet cake. I found a great half sheet pan from Williams Sonoma ($19.00) that is amazing. The layer inside was chocolate ganache.Key note: always chop chocolate into tiny pieces (1/4 inch or less) before pouring hot heavy cream over it to melt. Otherwise you end up with my version, which was "chunky chocolate ganache"

(I don't think a French culinary master chef would be too happy with that outcome).

The next challenge with this cake was getting the fondant to cover a square surface. After the third cake it was working much better for me, and it was basically smooth all around. The bows were made out of gum paste, and turned out OK. I think after some practice they could end up looking very nice, but round one had its flaws for sure.

Penguin army

These little guys were fun, and I think they tasted quite good! Both recipes were from my book, chocolate cupcake with basic cupcake frosting. The little penguins were made out of fondant, died in various colors. The "snow" was made by dipping cupcakes in large decorating sugar crystals.

Funny little guys.

Sugar Cookies

After finding a fabulous book on making yummy and tasty treats, I decided upon my first project: Sugar Cookies.

This seemed like a nice path into making beautiful creations without getting too complicated. At this point, I have never made my own icing or mixed my own batter. Not to mention rolling out dough and freezing, rolling, cutting, freezing... or techniques such as "floating", "piping", "BAKING!".

Vanilla sugar cookies with Royal Icing (a recipe I will become quite familiar with as time goes on.

First I thought "hearts" then I thought, Tiffany Blue! The sugar cookie was great, not too sweet- more like a shortbread. The Royal Icing is VERY sweet, so the combination was perfect.

The Intro...

All I know about making cakes is Betty Crocker, Dunkin Hines, and making a drive to the bakery.

But, being a stay at home mom who is used to being creative I am getting itchy. So here I go. My kitchen is right here, next to Max and Ella.

I can create between bouts of running, jumping, crying, playing and eating. I have a mixer in the basement that has been gathering dust for years and a history of clay modeling, painting, designing, and cooking.


Tools. These are the tools I have to work with. Oh, and those two squishy red-heads are my creative directors.