a few last minute cakes

I just wanted to add a few last minute cakes that were simple and cute. I missed taking a picture of the pretty tulip cake. The first was inspired by the wedding cake. The birthday girl wanted "patriotic" and "butterflies". This is what I came up with. I'm glad she liked it!

Some more mini cupcakes. I think these are just so cute! Its hard to eat just one though!

Butterflies in Flight

Nice title for the cake, you think? Wow, I think it all came together, not without a few mishaps, not the least being falling with a cake! The butterflies are handmade, by me :-), out of wafer paper.

The cakes are covered in fondant. The main cake is pink champagne with strawberry and cream cheese filling... YUMMM! One of the side cakes is red velvet with cream cheese filling and the other tuxedo (alternating layers of vanilla and chocolate).

It was fun putting some creativity into these cakes. Wedding was at the Holiday Inn in Kearney. For future brides, you may consider the background for your photos. This one is not too nice.

Go Big

This was given to me by a friend and I find it really inspiring. I hope you do too.

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.

We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?

You are a child of God.

Your playing small does not serve the world.

There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.

We are all meant to shine, as children do.

We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.

It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.

And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.

As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

This inspiring quote by Marianne Williamson is from her book, A Return To Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles, Harper Collins, 1992. From Chapter 7, Section 3 (Pg. 190-191).

a few cakes from the week

This week was graduation for many high schools so I thought I'd post a few of the graduation cakes that I made. Congratulations to all of the graduates!


The first two aren't your conventional graduation cakes, but that is what I like the most, the unconventional!

I made two New York style cheesecakes, the first topped with caramel, toasted walnuts and ganache.


The second has a fresh strawberry puree with sliced strawberries. So refreshing!



Just a hint when making cheesecakes. Spring form pans are waayy over rated. You can bake a cheesecake in regular cake pans, any size you wish. I have made them in large sheet pans as well. As long as you cover the bottom with parchment and grease the sides they will slide right out. I run the bottom of the pan over a hot burner to ensure that it loosens well. These cheesecakes were baked in 3" high pans for greater height.





The following are your more traditional graduation cakes complete with fondant scroll and flowers. They also include edible images. (loving my edible image printer!) I was also touched to have customers drive 2 1/2 hours to get my cakes. Thank you!

And, last but not least, a little birthday cake thrown in with the rest. Now time for me to rest!

My next blog will include some of my favorite baking tips. Stay tuned!

Brownies on a Stick

My first entry.... no pressure there! Well, I'm just going to dive in with what I am here for. I want to put up a stand at the local farmer's market. I don't want to sell your everyday, packaged on paper plate food. So I am testing a few ideas.

Here's the first one: Brownies on a Stick. Everyone loves food on a stick. People like to buy a simple one serving, yet decadent treat these days. So I began with testing the brown recipe. I had a good reason. Today was my turn to bring the treats for my son's first grade class. What better treat than brownies on a stick! I did feel a little sorry for the teacher, loading them up with sugar like that.

Well, I've been told before that brownies from a box were just as good as homemade, if not better. They definitely have not tried Ina Garten's Outrageous Brownies! The recipe was very close to my Chocolate Oblivion Truffle Torte from Rose Levenbaum (which I will share soon!) Oh my word, these brownies are heavenly. You can not describe the texture. It will be my base brownie forever. The options are endless with these beauties.

First the recipe:

Outrageous Brownies

Copyright 1999, The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

This was adapted from a recipe for chocolate globs in the Soho Charcuterie Cookbook. Prep Time: 30 min Cook Time: 30 min Level: Difficult Serves: 20 large brownies

Ingredients

• 1 pound unsalted butter
• 1 pound plus 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips, divided
• 6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
• 6 extra-large eggs
• 3 tablespoons instant coffee powder
• 2 tablespoons real vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided (1 cup for batter and 1/4 cup in the chips and nuts)
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 cups diced walnut pieces

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 13 by 18 by 1 1/2-inch sheet pan. Melt together the butter, 1 pound chocolate chips, and unsweetened chocolate on top of a double boiler. Cool slightly. Stir together the eggs, instant coffee, vanilla and sugar. Stir in the warm chocolate mixture and cool to room temperature.

Stir together 1 cup of the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to cooled chocolate mixture. Toss the walnuts and 12 ounces of chocolate chips with 1/4 cup flour to coat. Then add to the chocolate batter. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until tester just comes out clean. Halfway through the baking, rap the pan against the oven shelf to allow air to escape from between the pan and the brownie dough. Do not over-bake! Cool thoroughly, refrigerate well and cut into squares.

Brownies on a Stick

Now, for the purposes of the Brownies on a Stick, I omitted the 3 cups diced walnut pieces and the 12 ounces of chocolate chips. After brownies were cooled and refrigerated, I used a 2" circle cutter.... you could pick any shape and size you wish, but keep in mind these little beauties are rich. I placed the brownie circles on a cookie sheet, inserted a Popsicle stick into the center and placed them into the freezer. I did not have time to let them freeze completely but it worked well any way.

Then, take some melted candy coating (Ghirardelli or even chocolate bark) and dip each brownie on a stick into the coating, covering the stick where it enters the brownie for more security and allow the excess to drip off. I then dipped the ends into sprinkles.

The possibilities are endless with decorating these little treasures in fun or decadent ways... for kids or adults. They definitely were a hit with the first graders and I can't wait to sell them at the farmer's market.