The Littlest Petshop...

Today is a special day...my dear friend Valerie turns 11 years old. Valerie is funny, great to hang out with and really awesome at Wii!! She has lived next door to us since she was about 2 years old, my first memory of her is her constant asking me "What's your Name?"

A couple of weeks ago she was playing Wii while I happened to be making cupcakes. I asked her if she would like me to make her birthday cake, knowing that was coming up quickly. After checking with her parents and getting a design theme figured out ---we settled on the octopus from the "Littlest Petshop" line of toys.

Our octopus proved to be a challenge to make entirely in fondant----so she was first constructed in foil and then covered in fondant. Other than the foil she is completely fondant and edible. Valerie's cake request was simple, vanilla cake, vanilla icing. We decorated the cake with corresponding polka dots and a magenta banner.

Happy Birthday Valerie---you are one in a million!

A Trader Joes Inspiration...

It's funny how sometimes the strangest things become and inspiration. Today I made an 8 layer cake frosted with chocolate buttercream---sort of a knock off of a cake I saw on Bakerella's site back in February. I didn't have enough parchment paper to do all 14 layers, so I made as many as I could...8.

I had originally thought I would frost the cake with buttercream and then add a fondant bow and ribbons, like in the previous cake. I really wanted to give the fondant covered cake another go ---so I made yet another batch of marshmallow fondant and dyed it "Tiffany Blue."

As I was looking around at my horribly messy kitchen I noticed a package of Trader Joe's Blueberry Bran Muffins, the label was blue and brown with a leaf and twig design. I did it in reverse --brown on blue. I am getting a better feel for fondant work---although it still scares me just a bit.

If Cupcakes Had Babies...

You would get baby cupcakes of course!! Aren't these the cutest things on the planet?? I am catering a ladies tea in 2 weeks and needed something sweet and small.

I used my mini muffin tin and baked the cake in heaping tablespoon fulls.I used a yellow cake, I think I will go with a white cake next time. I filled them with a mixture of fresh strawberry curd and vanilla butter cream. I piped plain vanilla butter cream on the tops.

Then we made the little strawberries out of fondant dyed green and red. Perfect for a tea party, or just to pop in your mouth!

A Tale of Two Cakes

Friday was a crazy mixed up day. It was the day that I was going to make a "gift box" cake for a client. She really wanted a cake made of fondant like she had seen on "Ace of Cakes," but she was unaware that fondant can taste nasty and is usually taken off before the cake is eaten. I found a recipe for marshmallow fondant that tasted great --- we made it on Thursday afternoon and colored it in the evening. Everything was in place to bake and decorate a fantastic cake...

Friday morning the cake layers were baked off and the raspberry creme filling was made. I filled the cake and crumb iced it---freezing it for just a bit to firm it up. After applying the fondant we noticed that the cake was starting to fall and lean a bit. We tried to firm it up in the freezer, but fondant and freezers don't play well together. It was a "cake wreck" a true disaster. So we started again...buttercream this time.

The cake turned out fantastic, the only fondant on it was the bow and ribbons---the rest of the cake is iced and decorated in colored buttercream. I prefer buttercream over fondant at this point...maybe someday I will try again!

Nests of Milk Chocolate

I needed a an Easter cupcake for a client. She wanted something for her grandchildren, but also wanted to keep them from looking like "mega mart" cupcakes. We found this idea on the web.

I took it a step further and filled the milk chocolate cupcake with a smooth milk chocolate filling, topping it with a white chocolate cream cheese icing. I shaved the "twigs" off of a large brick of milk chocolate. The birds eggs were Cadberry Mini Eggs--they have wonderful pastel colors and a matte finish.

We were very happy with the outcome!

Who Needs Starbucks!!!

Triple Chocolate Coffee cupcakes with Mocha Creme Filling and Chocolate Buttercream Icing---honestly who needs the drive thru??

I wanted a cupcake that tasted like Mocha Chip Ice Cream, or better yet a Frappachino. I started with a Betty Crocker triple chocolate cake mix, substituted cold coffee for the water. I filled the cupcake papers with 1/4 cup batter each. Once they had cooled, I took out the centers with of all things my microplane nutmeg grater . Filled them with buttercream filling that had been laced with instant coffee powder. I made a deep chocolate buttercream, piped that on with a large star tip, grated white chocolate and coffee beans over the top and added a chocolate dipped coffee bean.

Serious buzz off these---and they look amazing!

A Seussical Birthday Indeed!!

About a year ago I stumbled upon this cake at "Zoe Bakes" a baking blog I read frequently. Zoe had made it for a friend. My daughter's birthday had already passed, but she wanted the exact same cake for her 17th birthday.

I had never worked with rolled fondant before, so at Zoe's recommendation I used Wilton premade fondant. The 17 was made of gum paste with the dragees "glued" to it with royal icing. We made the flowers of gum paste that was colored to match the dots. There were a few mis-steps along the way. Next time I use fondant I will make my own --- it will be edible that way. Wilton fondant does not have a great flavor, and we ended up peeling it off.

The concept behind a fondant covered cake is pretty cool actually, you get a smooth and seamless look on the outside. When in actuality the cake is covered in a wonderful butter cream icing underneath...you peel away the fondant and you are good to go.

It was also my first time with a tiered cake, I learned a few things, would change it up next time..all in all it worked out and she was happy.

And that was the most important thing.

Cupcakes, Crowns and One Awesome Dentist!

I have an amazing dentist, he is kind, gentle, courteous and gosh darned fun to be around. I also have genetically horrible teeth, which in turn makes me a regular to root canals, crowns and the other major dental procedures that make the regular person shudder. The gals at the office know me, and understand my quirky sense of humor. In general we all have a great time. Today I went in for a crown after having a root canal 2 weeks ago. The procedure was quick and painless.

To thank the office, I came home and whipped them up a batch of cupcakes. White cake filled with homemade lemon curd and iced with a cream cheese butter cream. I garnished them with lemon zest, grated white chocolate and edible glitter.

Just my way of saying thank you to a marvelous dentist and his awesome team.

Thanks guys...see you in a few weeks!!