Seasons

The Most Amazing Ombre Whopper Cake /// Autumn Inspiration

15 · Oct 22, 2012 · 17 Comments

Today was my sweet Husband’s birthday and of course in true WhipperBerry fashion I had to make him a fabulous cake for his special day. I asked him what he would like and his one request was for, “one of those Whopper cakes with your Amazing Chocolate Cake recipe.” What can I say, the man has good taste! Here we have it… as my spunky daughter decided to name it, The Whipper Whopper Cake!

This is not a new cake or a new concept at all. As a matter of fact my sweet friend Michael from Inspired by Charm made the most stunning Strawberry Malt Ball Cake that I just LOVE! I needed to put my own spin on it. With our move to Nebraska from the desert of Las Vegas, our family is falling in LOVE with Autumn all over again. The colors, the crisp feel to the air, hazy days and foggy mornings are something we missed for the last several years. I thought, since Mike’s birthday is in October, why not make a Whopper Cake with a little bit of Autumn flair. Using Duff Goldman’s Gold Cake Graffiti, I gave the cake a bit of an ombre look, by spraying the top half of the cake gold.

I also found some fall leaves out in our yard to decorate the table with. I lightly sprayed them with the Gold Cake Graffiti as well to class up the rustic look.

Recipe

I used the same cake and frosting recipe from my Most Amazing Chocolate Cake post from a few years ago. It’s a classic cake and chocolate buttercream that can be reinvented in soooo many ways. Luckily we have some new friends here in Lincoln that we can share this cake with because it is a rich one that is meant to be shared.

Tips for Cake Assembly

Freeze your cake after it cools to create a firm surface to work with when putting the cake together.
Make sure the frosting is a good stiff frosting that will hold those lovely Whoppers in place.
Place some bamboo skewers into the cake before you frost it to give it a little help in the stability department.
Once the cake is assembled, place in the refrigerator for an hour or so to firm up the frosting and hold tight to the Whoppers.

Ready for a little bit of autumn love from my backyard. These are the things that a girl who just moved from the desert just relishes…

I just can’t get enough of the fall colors, they are just making my world so happy right now. I was photographing the cake outside and just looked up and to a picture. Here it is in all it’s simple glory.

I love watching my children fall in love with a new season that most of them haven’t ever really experienced. While I was engrossed with taking pictures of the cake, my spunky Emily was out playing in the yard and came running over to me to share her most amazing discovery. Of course I had to stop what I was doing so that I could come over and photograph it for her…

Today had been a bit of a gray misty day and she was just aaaamazed to find spider webs in the grass with little rain drops dotting their surface. Ahhhhh, I love when my kiddos can find the little beauties in nature that we as grown-ups sometimes pass on by. Of course I had to take a picture and Em insisted that I share it with all of you. What’s your favorite hidden gem? What makes fall magical for you? On a sweeter note, what’s your favorite go to cake recipe? What makes your special days, even more special?

Simple Chili and Cornbread in a Jar | Recipe

32 · Feb 21, 2012 · 28 Comments

When it comes a cold and gray day, I'm a purest at heart… I love a good chili and cornbread recipe. Case in Point… My Creamy White Chili and Turkey Chili posts from a few years ago. Today, I thought I would share my super easy weeknight chili with a little WhipperBerry twist…

You got it… it's chili and cornbread in a jar! Perfect for those cold winter nights or a fun dinner by the campfire. All you have to do is make up your favorite chili recipe, place it in a 16 oz. wide mouth jar. Mix up your favorite cornbread mix and then place a 1/2 cup of cornbread mix on top of the chili and bake it at 375 degrees for 20 minutes right in the jar. Don't have a favortie chili or cornbread recipe, no worries… I have two fabulous recipes below that I know will easily become a couple of your favorites!!

Here is my go-to simple weeknight chili that is a snap to make and super delicious!!

Simple Weeknight Chili

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 large onion diced

1 lb. ground beef or turkey

3 16 oz cans of chili beans

2 cups of mild chunky garden salsa {Pace Chunky Salsa is my favorite}

2 cups of V8 tomato juice {regular or spicy depending on how hot you like your chili}

1 tablespoon of cumin

1 teaspoon of chili powder

1/2 teaspoon of cocoa powder {weird I know, totally tasty}

salt and pepper to taste

Place large soup pot over medium high heat and add olive oil and onions. Cook for about 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Once onions are cooked down place the ground meat into the pot and brown. Once the meat is browned start dumping all the remaining ingredients into the pot, the beans, salsa, V8, cumin, chili powder, cocoa powder, salt and pepper. Bring to a slow boil and cook for 8- 10 minutes over medium heat.

Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream, diced onion or your favorite chili condiments.

Serves 8-10 people.

Cornbread

2 c. (1 c.) flour

1 c. (½ c.) cornmeal

2 ½ t. (1 ¼ t.) baking powder

1 t. (½ t.) salt

¾ c. (6 T.) butter

3 (2) eggs

1 c. (½ c.) milk

1½ (¾ c.) sugar

1 t. (½ t.) vanilla

See that vanilla? It gives you the hint of the deliciousness you’re about to embark into. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Sift together your flour, cornmeal, powder, and salt, and set aside. Beat butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy (about five minutes).

Once your batter is fluffy, begin mixing in the dry ingredients and milk by fourths, alternating dry and wet (beginning and ending with flour) until smooth. Pour into a well greased 9×13 pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes.

If you decide to make this in a jar bake the cornbread for 20-25 to make sure that it cooks all the way through. Let the jars cool a bit and then you can dress your jars up a bit with some fabric, ric-rack, and hemp twine. Include a fun eco friendly disposable spoon and you have a classy chili perfect for any event!!

I plan on sharing this fun chili and cornbread recipe over at TidyMom and Dine & Dishes Soupapalooza later this month on February 28th! “Come join SoupaPalooza at TidyMom and Dine and Dish sponsored by KitchenAid, Red Star Yeast and Le Creuset”

HeartGrams | Giveaway

0 · Feb 6, 2012 · 39 Comments

Several times a week I am contacted by people who would like to host a giveaway on WhipperBerry and I have to be pretty selective as to who I chose to partner-up with to present to my favorite people… YOU GUYS!! I was thrilled when the lovely ladies from Love Feast Table contacted me to host a giveaway for their HeartGrams!

What a FUN gift to give YOUR favorite people in your life for Valentines day! These beautiful heart shaped velvet plush pumpkins, or HeartGrams as they are called are a stunning addition to any Valentine display. It's a perfect gift to send to Moms, Sisters, Grandmothers, friends and sweethearts! Let's face it Valentine's Day is a perfect day to share our love with all the amazing people we have in our lives, not just our sweethearts.

Each HeartGram is lovingly created with great attention to detail. The unique addition of the one-of-a-kind pumpkin stem is what gives every HeartGram it's distinctive style. The HeartGrams are packaged in a simple Kraft paper gift box with a fun postcard to personalize the gift for your loved ones…

Chris Ann and Kristin from Love Feast Table have been super generious and have offered one lucky reader a set of two beautiful HeartGrams for you to share with a loved one or keep for yourself!

BUT… don't wait to long to order yours!! The last day to place your order to send to someone you love is on February 9th if you want them to arrive by February 14th!!

Here is what you need to do to enter the giveaway…

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck, but don't wait too long to order a set for yourself and for a loved one. You're going to LOVE them!!

Vanilla Bean Heart Doughnuts | Recipe

0 · Feb 2, 2012 · 18 Comments

Ahhhhh… can you feel it? Love is in the air. As promised I have the recipe for the Vanilla Bean Heart Doughnuts that I featured last week with our Gift Gloss post. These little gems are perfect for any Valentine goodie or gathering. Don't worry, you don't have to make them heart shaped. Any good donut baking pan will do.

I found my heart doughnut pan at Target if you want to make the heart shaped variety or you can find a good ole' round doughnut pan large or small at your local baking store or online. Here is the recipe that I used.

Vanilla Bean Doughnuts

2 1/2 cups cake flour

1 cup sugar

2 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 vanilla bean

2 eggs slightly beaten

3 tablespoons melted butter

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and spry pan with non-stick cooking spray

In a large mixing bowl sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add buttermilk, vanilla, eggs and butter. Cut the vanilla bean length wise and using a knife scrape out the vanilla seeds and add to the mixture. Mix just until combined. Fill each doughnut cup 1/2 full and bake accordingly.

large doughnut pan or heart shaped pan 10-12 minutes

mini doughnut pan 4-6 minutes

The top will only slightly brown and the doughnut will spring back when touched. Let doughnuts cool in pan for a few minutes and then place on a wire rack to cool completely.

Now my little secret is… I dip the doughnuts in melted chocolate to create that lovely glazed look. The funny thing is I now prefer my doughnuts with a chocolate topping! I used the red colored candy melts along with some white jimmies from Sweet baking & candy making supply. I prepared the chocolate according to package directions and then added a tablespoon of canola oil to the chocolate to thin it out a bit. You'll have to check the consistency of the chocolate and may need to add a little more. Just start slow until you get your desired consistency. Don't worry, the chocolate will still set-up with the oil. Carefully dip the doughnuts into the chocolate and then sprinkle the top with the jimmies. Put doughnuts into the fridge or freezer for a few minutes until the chocolate sets-up. The lovely thing about the chocolate is that it makes it super easy to package your goodies without making a huge mess and they taste aaaaaamazing!!