Recipes

Cake Decorating Made Easy

14 · Mar 21, 2013 · 25 Comments

Cake Decorating // Let's face it, we all see those amazing cakes on Pinterest and it deflates us a bit. How on earth can we create a cake so stunning. Are you less of a woman if you can't? NOT AT ALL!! I'm not a professional baker but I have found a few tricks that help to create some fun cakes for my family and friends on their special days.

This is a cake that I made for my little guy's 3rd birthday. It looks pretty and… It was pretty easy to make. Over the years I've learned a few tips to make things a little easier for those of us who aren't professional bakers / decorators. Here are a few of my secrets…

The Cake

I have made many different types of cake in my life; homemade, box mix cakes, doctored box mix cakes and I've even… bought naked cake!!

From Scratch // Homemade can be challenging if you don't have a lot of baking experience. In my early years when I was aspiring to be just like Martha, I made my first from scratch cake for a friend's party, and it was a disaster. The cake was dense and awful!! I had to go back to the drawing board on that one. After a little more practice, I can now make a much better from scratch cake, but I don't have a fabulous go to recipe just yet.

Box mixes // I have been a cooking show junky for years and many different chefs / bakers on various different shows have said that todays box mixes are as close to perfect as you can get. They say there is no need to try any other method. I have to agree with this as well. Don't feel any shame at all when you use a box mix. You can even take a box mix to a whole new level by doctoring the mix a bit. One of my most popular posts is a post that my friend Janeen helped me create. She has an amazing recipe for a doctored chocolate cake that is DIVINE!!

Naked Cake // Here is my favorite cake secret… When in a pinch, buy naked cake from your favorite bakery. Yep, you can do that!! The week of Gage's birthday was super crazy, and I really wanted to make a fun cake for him. I just didn't have time to bake and decorate a cake so I went to the bakery at my local market and asked to buy three cake rounds. They always have cakes in the freezer waiting to be decorated. However, if you have a specific flavor in mind, you may want to call a couple of days ahead. On the fly, you kind of have to take what you can get. My bakery charged me $5 per round, not bad considering the time that was going to save me.

The Frosting

My sweet friend Lara from Less Cake… More Frosting would say, frosting is the most important part of the cake. Others may say, they can take it or leave it. For me, you need to make sure you have a fabulous frosting. That means… steer clear of the store bought brands and learn how to make a signature frosting that can act as a good base for many different flavors. My signature frosting is my Simple Vanilla Buttercream recipe…

It is a perfect, easy to make frosting that even a beginner baker can't mess up. For Gage's cake I went a step further and added the paste from a vanilla bean to the frosting to make it a little extra special. I just love the little flecks of vanilla in the frosting. I order my vanilla beans from Beanilla. They have some of the best product around. Steer clear of the dried-up, stale vanilla beans you find for a premium price at the super market.

Building the Cake

Here are the boring mechanics that many people like to skip. Since the inception of Pinterest, there have been a ton of blogs out there who's main purpose is to see if you can recreate what you see on Pinterest. They LOVE to show-off if they have a fail and they want everyone to know that the feat is impossible. Case in point…

img source // I wish I could find the original source, I would love to show them how easy it is!

Here is how you can avoid this mess.

Make sure you have a good frosting that will hold up to a layered cake. That frosting looks more like a glaze, not the type of frosting that will hold a layered cake together.
Freeze your cake. A frozen cake is much easier to work with.
Trim off the dome of the cake if it has one, creating a nice flat cake. Then flip the cake over and have the bottom be the top of the cake. That way you have a nice flat surface to work with.
Place a small amount of frosting on the cake plate to provide a stable base for the bottom layer.
Skewer your cake. Add a few bamboo skewers to the cake to keep it stable.
Create a crumb layer. What is this you ask? You will frost the cake with a thin layer of frosting and then place in the fridge for a bit to create a clean work surface.
Take your time, work clean and your cake will look like the top cake. Rushing before you've mastered a skill is the bakers worst enemy.

Decorating the Cake

Here is where the fun begins! For Gage's cake I worked in stages. First I frosted a crumb layer and then put the cake in the fridge for a bit to create a clean, solid, workable surface. Next, I frosted the smooth layer of the cake with a small off-set spatula and since the cake was cold, it made that process really easy. I then used one of my favorite tools a jumbo star decorator tip that I purchased at Sweet Baking Supply. Having the right tools makes all the difference. Those small decorator tips that you can find at your local craft store will not do the trick for this cake. You NEED to have the jumbo tips which I have only been able to find online. Then all you have to do is create a large rosette with a small circular motion. It's really easy, just practice a few times on a plate. When you have the technique down all you have to do is scrape the practice rosettes back into the frosting bowl so you don't have to waste the frosting.

Another tip… If you mess-up on a rosette, take your off-set spatula and carefully take it off the cake and start over. Frosting is very forgiving!

I found these lovely blue gum balls at Target and bought several containers because I knew I would find something to make with them. They are so pretty! I thought they would be the perfect addition to the cake around the base and on top of the rosettes. I loved how they turned out.

Now, hind sight being 20/20 I would've left off the polka-dot straws. I was wanting something vertical and something that showed that Gage was turning three. If I had to do it over again, I would've just stuck with the extra tall candles, but that's just me. Just keeping it real.

Now, keep in mind… I'm not a professional, far from it. These are just some of the tips and tricks that I've learned over the years that have made my cake decorating what it is. I hope they can inspire you to try something fun and different the next time your loved ones have something to celebrate!

What are some tips, tricks or secrets that you've learned when it comes to cake decorating? Let's all take a minute to share, so we can all become EXPERT cake decorators.

Ham and Cheese Egg Boats // Recipe

1 · Mar 14, 2013 · 12 Comments

Spring Egg Boats // Have you ever had an ah ha moment that makes you feel pretty silly? When I discovered this recipe a few weeks ago, my first thought was… Holy cow, why didn't I think of that!! I've been making all kinds of egg / bread dishes for years. Why hadn't I ever thought of just putting the egg right into the bread itself and baking it just like that. Total paradigm shift for me. What I love most about this recipe is how easy it is to make and yet it presents really well. This would be a fabulous Easter brunch dish idea, your guests will think you are a culinary genius! Yet it's simple enough for an easy weeknight meal as well. It's the best of both worlds.

Ham and Cheese Egg Boats

This recipe is an adaption of a recipe originally found on Spoon Fork Bacon.

Large loaf of french or sour dough bread

6 eggs

1/4 cup whole milk or cream

Tabasco sauce to taste

1 cup of diced ham

3/4 cup of shredded cheese (I used an Italian blend of shredded cheese but cheddar would work fine too.)

Goat cheese (optional)

Directions

Cut a long narrow trough in the bread and scoop out a bit of the bread to make room for the egg mixture and set a side. In a bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, Tabasco (I usually put in about 6-10 dashes, but that's up to your taste), and 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese. Once the mixture has been whisked well, add the ham and carefully pour into the bread. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of the egg boat. If you are a goat cheese lover, you can add some little dollops of goat cheese on top as well. I love goat cheese but other members of my family do not. So, I made one with and one without.

Now to bake this, if you are using a full size french loaf can be a little tricky. The loaf does not fit on a traditional baking sheet, so I had to improvise. I turned the baking sheet over and then used aluminum foil to create a baking dish for the loaf. That way if there were any spills, the foil would catch the mess and the inverted baking sheet provided stability. It worked like a charm.

Place in a 350 degree oven for 20-30 minutes or until the egg has fully set. Let the egg boat cool for 10-15 and then slice into sections for your family or guests. I served mine with a lovely salad of mixed greens, tomatoes, goat cheese and pine nuts with a bright lemon vinaigrette.

Now that I've found this gem of a recipe, I can't wait to try all kinds of different variations. I can see all kinds of fun combinations with mushrooms, spinach, sausage you name it… Anything that would normally work in an omelet would be lovely. What combination would you try? Leave a comment and share and let's see what other amazing ideas we can all come up with!

36 Fresh Spring Recipes

1 · Feb 19, 2013 · 21 Comments

36 Spring Recipes // For the last several days, I’ve woken up to the sound of song birds… For this former Vegas girl, it’s the first exciting sign of spring. Inevitably, with the awakening of the earth from it’s winter slumber, I start to crave fresh spring meals. Food that’s light, clean, crisp and colorful. It won’t be long before the spring produce starts to arrive to our local markets, and farmer’s markets open up for the new growing season. I thought I would share a few of the spring recipes that I plan to try this year…

I’ve broken things down into four different groups… Dinner, Salads, Breakfast & Sides and of course Dessert!

Spring Dinner Ideas

1. creamy tomato orzo soup // two peas & their pod 2. goat cheese tomato quiche // life’s a feast 3. chicken pot pie // baked bree 4. ground turkey with potatoes and spring peas // skinny taste 5. penne with asparagus, sage & peas // food & wine via the huffington post 6. tofu tostadas // two peas & their pod 7. spicy roasted shrimp sandwich with chipolte avocado mayo // damn delicious 8. prosciutto, asparagus & parmesan spaghetti // val so cal 9. asian veggie noodle bowl with grilled steak // half baked harvest 10. kung fu panda soup // sophistimom 11. chicken fajita recipe // how to cook recipes

Spring Salad Ideas

11. white house biggest loser salad // ivillage 12. kiwi, pear & gorgonzola salad // przwpis 13. curried chicken apple salad // with style & grace 14. vietnamese banh mi salad // a spicy perspective 15. super salad // the alkaline sisters 16. spring salad with orange vinaigrette // dine & dish 17. baby greens with goat cheese, beets & candied pecans // skinny taste 18. tuscan bread salad // jones design company 19. raw stacked salad // the sweet life

Spring Breakfast & Side Recipes

20. baked eggs in avocado // white on rice couple 21. tabbouleh salad // two peas & their pod 22. homesick toast // simple provisions 23. chickpea, feta and parsley salad // simple provisions 24. steamed asparagus with poached eggs // skinny taste 25. corn cakes with tomato avocado relish // annie’s eats 26. fresh pea salad // closet cooking 27. healthy greek quinoa salad // with style & grace 28. orzo chicken asiago // citron limette 29. spring sweet pea & asparagus pickles // white on rice couple 30. avo & egg breakfast pizza // justin blakeney

Spring Dessert Recipes

31. blood orange bars // white on rice couple 32. pavlovas with strawberries, vanilla cream and basil coulis // tartine & apron strings 33. blueberry cupcakes with buttercream // the sweetest occasion 34. key lime cheesecake // 35. mango coconut rice pudding // cook republic 36. acai berry granita // tidymom

What inspires your kitchen as the seasons change? Do you relish the idea of welcoming in new dishes to your tables after the long, cold winter. I know I do!! What is your favorite spring recipe? Share a link in my comments… I would LOVE to see what you crave!

Goat Cheese Puff Pastry with Raspberry Chili Chutney

3 · Jan 24, 2013 · 2 Comments

Goat Cheese Puffs with Raspberry Chili Chutney // Morning everyone!! I don't know if you happened to see yesterday's post about my Raspberry Chili Chutney? Today, I have the perfect appetizer made with puff pastry, goat cheese and topped with my chutney, and it's SUPER easy!!

This recipe couldn't be easier… It was inspired by Marcela Valladolid from Food Networks Mexican Made Easy show. I had been watching her show and this recipe caught my attention. Earlier in the month I had been invited to a cooking club here in Lincoln. The challenge for January was appetizers and decided I wanted to give this recipe a go. I loved that it was a little different, not your normal boring cheese and cracker type appetizer. It's light and classy with a lovely burst of flavor from the chutney. Frankly, it's divine!

Goat Cheese Puff Pastry with Raspberry Chili Chutney

1 package frozen Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry

11 oz. goat cheese

1 1/2 cups of Raspberry Chili Chutney

Agave

Directions

Thaw the puff pastry according to package directions. Flour your rolling and cutting surface. Gently unfold the pastry and roll it out a bit just to smooth out the dough. Using a round 2 1/2 inch cookie cutter cut the pastry dough into rounds.

I used a jumbo decorator tip from Sweet Baking Supply, generally used for decorating cakes as a round tool to score the tops of the rounds. You don't want to cut all the way through the dough when scoring. You just want to create a neat round that will make it easier to fill your pastry once baked. Place the pastry in the oven and bake according to package directions. Remove from oven and place on cooling rack to cool for a few minutes.

Once cool, gentle with your thumb push down on the scored round section of your little puff pastry bite. It will neatly push through and create a perfect little cup for you to add a bit of goat cheese. Take your goat cheese which has been sitting out at room temperature for about an hour and place little bite sized spoonfuls into the round center of the puff pastry. Top with a little dollop of the raspberry chili chutney and drizzle with a little bit of agave.

This recipe yields approx. 40 bite sized appetizers.

If you are a puff pastry lover like I am, here is another recipe that I know you are going to love… Nutella Marshmallow Puffs!

What are some of your favorite appetizers? Do you like to be adventurous or do you like to stick with the classics?

Recipes

The Cake

The Frosting

Building the Cake

Decorating the Cake

Ham and Cheese Egg Boats

Directions

Spring Dinner Ideas

Spring Salad Ideas

Spring Breakfast & Side Recipes

Spring Dessert Recipes

Goat Cheese Puff Pastry with Raspberry Chili Chutney

Directions

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