dessert

Perfect Gingersnap Cookies

1 · Nov 12, 2013 · 2 Comments

Hi all! It’s exciting to be back here from One Sweet Appetite! Today we are talking cookies. Around this time of the year it seems that all I can think about are trays full of the little treats. Every year we like to have a baking day to put together fun plates of goodies for our neighbors and this cookie always seems to take the show! These gingersnap cookies are full of holiday flavor. Lots of ginger, cinnamon, molasses… All rolled into a cinnamon and sugar mixture then baked to perfection. Chances are good you’ll end up snacking on one (or ten) before packaging them up for neighbors and friends!

Perfect Ginger Snap Cookies

2 C. sifted all-purpose flour
1 T. ground ginger
2 t. baking soda
t. ground cinnamon
1/2 t. salt
3/4 C. shortening
1 C. white sugar
1 egg
1/4 C. dark molasses
1/3 C. cinnamon sugar

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

Whisk together the flour, ginger, soda, cinnamon, and salt in a medium sized bowl. Set aside. Combine the shortening and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Mix until light and fluffy. Add the egg and molasses. Stir in the dry ingredients.

Pinch of small amounts of dough and form into a circle. Roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture, and place on your prepared tray. Bake for ten minutes and cool on a wire rack.

These are full of flavor and one of our favorite cookies. I know they should be crisp, but I’m a soft and chewy kind of gal. If you want to each cookie to be equal in size I suggest buying a small cookie scoop. I found one on amazon for fairly inexpensive.

I hope these cookies will inspire you to create some treats of your own! Check out a few other cookies that you might enjoy:

Gingerbread cookies & Eggnog Dip // Oatmeal cookies three ways // Homemade Thin Mints

Autumn Inspired Red Bird Buttercream Cake

0 · Nov 5, 2013 · 6 Comments

This buttercream cake post brought to you by Craftsy // Have you ever had that experience of learning a new skill, and then the excitement of wanting to practice, practice, practice? That is totally how I felt after taking the FREE Modern Buttercream Class on Craftsy. I have always wanted to create beautiful cakes and I have learned some skills over the years, but this class really helped to take me to the next level. I learned how to shape the cake so that it looks more professional, not all rounded and wonky. That amazing trick of adding simple syrup to the cake to keep it moist. So many fun fabulous tricks. Not to mention the step-by-step instructions on how to make Swiss buttercream. That helped me with my first practice my simple buttercream cake. You can check it out here. You can tell in that picture I still had some stuff to work on. With all of that, I had to try my hand at another cake. This time I was going to conquer a challenge of mine… FONDANT. In the class Joshua John Russell teaches how to make gum paste embellishments, but I decided I wanted my decor to be made out of fondant. I didn't want my fun graphic elements to be hard I wanted them to be soft but, the steps are pretty close.

For this cake, I was inspired by the beautiful time of year we are in. When we first moved here to Lincoln last year, we arrived at this time of year. It was so fun to actually have a real fall for the first time in 8 years. I had a very special morning one day early on here. I was feeling a little blue with the move and looking out the window at the new scenery. The trees and the leaves were beautiful, but I was feeling weighted down. Then all of a sudden a beautiful Cardinal flew right up next to my window and just sat there for a moment. My spirits soared! I hadn't ever seen such a beautiful red bird. From that time forward, Cardinals have been a special fall friend for me. I decided to make a modern little red bird cake to celebrate the season…

Now remember, I have a little bit of a fear of fondant. For some reason, it has always been one of those elements that only really cool cake decorators could use. I just didn't feel like I was at that level yet. I lacked confidence. After taking Modern Buttercream I felt like it was time to tackle this skill!

I found these fondant cutters from Wilton that are normally leaves, but I thought they could easily turn into cute modern looking birds. I used a fondant roller with rolling pin guides to make sure I had a uniform thickness just like Joshua did while working with the gum paste. He made little butterflies and affixed them to his amazing cake…

I cut out my little birds in just the same way…

Then I pinched the front of the shape to make it look a little more bird like…

I used a little gold Gragée for the eye and then affixed it to the side of the cake.

Because the cake is buttercream, it's super easy to affix the fondant birds right to the side of the cake. I kept things simple with the cake to keep the modern feel. I didn't want a completely smooth cake so I kept a little bit of movement in the buttercream, but not a ton.

It turned out so cute… It also helped that I had the cutest little red bird cake plate that I found while I was at the Smucker's Company Store in Ohio. I just adore it!

Now, as Joshua teaches in the Modern Buttercream class on Craftsy… You can have the most beautiful cake, but if I doesn't taste good, you've missed the mark. Here's one of my little secrets… If you don't have time to bake a cake, but you want to decorate your own cake, go to your favorite bakery! You may want to call a day or two ahead, but you can purchase pre-made cake rounds that are generally frozen and ready to decorate. For sure a time saver, but if you have a good bakery, you know you will always have a scrumptious cake to serve.

I CAN'T WAIT to practice some more. I also can't believe how just a little bit of education can help boost my confidence. I now love cake decorating and can't wait to learn even more though Craftsy. Have you guys checked it out yet? What classes would you like to take?

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Craftsy. The opinions and text are all mine.

Modern Buttercream with Craftsy

2 · Oct 31, 2013 · 1 Comment

This post brought to you by Craftsty // I LOVE learning new skills and one of my go to places for that is… Craftsy. Have you discovered Craftsy yet? Craftsy is your premiere online learning resource for anything creative. They have sewing, knitting, jewelry making, cooking and cake decorating to name just a few. They have gathered top experts in their field to create high quality classes for you to enjoy and learn from right in your home and on your own time schedule. The other day I took one of their free classes that they have available, Modern Buttercream…

Now, I'm no stranger to cake making, but… I am no expert. I am self taught, I have been dying to learn how to make my cakes look a little more professional. I knew it was time to take a class, but who has time to take a class? I sure don't. That's why Craftsy is perfect! I logged onto my class while sitting on my couch in my PJ's with Gage (my three year old tag along) hanging out with me. It was perfect, I didn't have to find a babysitter or even get dressed. I was able to learn the finer points of creating a buttercream cake from Joshua John Russell. He is an amazing cake artist who I've been watching for several years on the Food Network. He is super talented and a fabulous teacher…

I am blown away every time a take a class through Craftsy. They are indepth and create a class that you can really learn from. I learned a ton from Joshua. Like how to carve a cake so that it not only looks good, but tastes even better too.

I have always used a "buttercream" that is simple to make, but it's not a real buttercream. In this class Joshua teaches how to make a traditional Swiss Buttercream and then how to frost your cake so that it looks like a professional decorated it. Another tip I learned, drizzle a simple syrup on your cake before you assemble. this way your cake stays nice and moist…

I was able to watch right along with Joshua on my iPad while I worked right along with him…

Craftsy even has their very own app so it's even easier to watch your classes on your mobile device.

I was able to practice my carving skills (which I still need more practice.)

Then I practiced my crumb coating skills. Do you know why you use a crumb coat? You'll have to come take the class to find out.

Then I did my final coat and a simple decoration and a rustic finish for my first buttercream cake…

It turned out pretty good, but I'm ready for some more practice so I can make a cake just like Joshua. The nice thing… it tasted amazing! I did add a little more sugar to his buttercream recipe because I like my buttercream a little sweeter, but overall this class was excellent. I am going to work on another autumn themed cake this weekend to practice my skills. I'll let you know how it turns out next week. In the mean time… You should head over to Craftsy and take one of their free classes to see how amazing the platform is. They have this Modern Buttercream class and Fondant and Hand Painted Cake classes… You'll be amazed!!

Come back next week for my second cake, I have a few more secret tips that I will be sharing!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Craftsy. The opinions and text are all mine.

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.

dessert

The Cake

The Frosting

Building the Cake

Decorating the Cake

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