Jar Cakes...

I made these for my lovely sister-in-law last October for her birthday (as you can tell by the halloween table cloth). She saw them online here: Rainbow Cake in a Jar And sent me this link with a note that said "You HAVE TO make these" clearly knowing how much I like to try making different things. I told her I would absolutely make them for her birthday and had her pick out a few colors. As you can see from above she selected shades of purple and lime green. So I followed the directions in the link above and just changed the colors and the size of the jars (see below)

Modifications:
The original recipe calls for 1 pint-size canning jars, but barely gets 3 jars out of one box of cake mix. With a birthday dinner with at least 8 people this seemed like an excessive amount of cake per person. Don't get me wrong they look stunning in the taller pint-size jars but I couldn't serve 1/3 of a cake to each person! I went to the local craft store and found they had smaller 8oz mason jars which I figured would work out perfectly (pictured above). I also assume you could use those smaller 1/2 pint - jelly jars as well. You just can't fill them up all the way to the top because they puff up quite a bit. I had to experiment with one jar first before making all of them to determine how long they needed to cook and how high they would rise.

I wish I had more photos of these because they were really so cute. But I suppose that means I'll just have to make them again sometime. Hmmm...who's birthday is coming up next....

Italian Flag cookies

These cookies are my husband's favorite cookies - ever - almond flavored with jelly and chocolate. On a rare occasion these cookies could sometimes be found in the fresh baked goods section of our local supermarket, but it was very rare. However, when they were spotted, they would more often then not find their way into our cart because he just couldn't resist. I used to complain that they were so expensive for the small amount of cookies that were in each pack and to top it all off...I didn't even like them! One day he suggested I just learn how to make them so that he wouldn't have to  buy them the next time.

Challenge accepted!

It's been about 5 years now that I've been making these cookies. I've heard them called Italian Flag Cookies because they represent the colors in the italian flag or sometimes referred to as Rainbow cookies or 7-Layer Cookies as well. Regardless of what you call them, everyone seems to be a huge fan.


The recipe I follow for these is Rainbow Cookies - By, Carole Walter. This recipe most resembles the cookies my husband has grown so fond of.


Over the past few years I've made these cookies around Christmas time, we always spend the holiday with family at various locations and everyone seems to attack these cookies like they're gold. I've come to discover why the cookies were so expensive in the store...they're very very time consuming to make - but ask anyone - totally worth it. Enjoy!

Birthday Lady Bugs (GF)

My sister and I are extremely close despite our living 2000 miles apart. We talk frequently so we always know what's going on with each other - and we both like to cook so we like sharing good recipes when we come across them. When I discovered cake pops I told her how she HAD TO make them too! I figured since she's a professional artist, cake pops would be right up her ally as they combine both cooking and art! But alas, she's been eating Gluten free for about a year now, and therefore eating "boxed cake" was not an option.

Her birthday was the other week and as much as I wished I could spend it with her I couldn't. I decided I would surprise her with a tray of Gluten Free cake pops and ship them out in time for her birthday. Two weeks before, I asked her to send me a list of "things she liked" to which she replied: "i like hot baths, animals, the way fish move, clouds, poppies, miniature paintings, popcorn and wine (together), a car hot from the sun, the smell of a puppy, ladybugs, the color burnt orange, Smart Puffs, blackberries, saunas, bare feet, fruit trees, cheese, goats, farmers markets, pretty bowls and nice people."

Luckily I figured Lady Bugs was something I could tackle so I gave it a go. After several failed attempts (faces dripping off and extra parts that might chip off during shipping) I settled on a design that would ship the best without being destroyed.

I started with Cherrybrook Kitchen's Gluten Free Dreams Chocolate cake mix I also discovered that Pillsbury Chocolate Frosting is also gluten free and bonus: So were the Wilton Melting Chocolates (which I read on a number of places online)!

Next I began coating them in red candy coating. After they were cooled, I dipped the "faces" in chocolate and used a pastry bag to make a line for "wings". I used some extra eyes I made for the Pigs and some Heart-Shaped sprinkles for the mouths.

And finally, All packed up with tissue paper in tupperware (there was a lot more tissue paper that went on top) taped it up packed it up and off it went.

And I received a photo after they arrived, and all things considering they arrived almost 100% in tact. My sister was thrilled about this gift and has even stashed some in the freezer, she claims, she'll be enjoying them for months. Somehow I doubt that - $5 says they'll be gone before valentines day!

Angry Birds Pig Cake Pops

For Christmas this year my business partner surprised me with a book I've been secretly wanting for the past year: Cake Pops by Bakarella

I've been reading Her Site since I began researching cake pops...She's incredible! Her ideas are as smart as they are stunning. Her use of candy and decorations is amazing. And now I own this book!! I now declared this year "the year of cake pops" as I plan on baking my way through this book or at the very least, using it for some serious inspiration to create my own designs.

Knowing how addicted we've all become to the game - Angry Birds - I thought I'd make a Green Pig Pop. Here's how it went:

 

The inside was following the basic recipe previously mentioned, I used Chocolate Cake & Chocolate Icing. I used Wilton melting candies for the outside coating. In order to make the right color green for the pigs, I had to combine green AND yellow candy melts:

I dipped the pops in my custom green candy mixture and laid them down on a parchment lined cookie tray. After racking my brain trying to figure out what type of candy I could use to make the right features I decided that nothing pre-made would work. I decided I'd have to custom make the features myself if I wanted them to resemble the character. In order to make the right "pig parts" I lined another tray with parchment and with melted candy in a disposable pastry bag and began pouring shapes for the snouts, eyes & ears: 

After the pops (and Parts) have cooled, using the remainder of the melted green candy for "glue" I began adhering the parts to the pops. The result of which is this:

I am in love with this method, and in love with the result. They were almost too cute to eat! (Almost.)

Cake Pops Take 1

The very first time I had a cake pop was about a year ago. This lovely girl I play Derby with, made some, and handed them out at practice one night as a way to promote her cake pop side business - pure genius! Before this moment I had never even heard of cake pops let alone eaten one. It was amazing! To this day it is still the best cake pop I have ever had.

I had to find out how to make them. The following week I began googling recipes for cake pops. If you do this you'll come up with a huge variety of recipes. Since I just wanted to see if this was something I could even conquer, I decided to pick the easiest recipe I could find. It went like this:

1 box of cake mix (any brand)
1/2-1 can of ready to use Icing (any brand)

Choose complementary flavors. For example: Chocolate cake + Chocolate Icing or Carrot cake + Cream Cheese Icing.

In fact Veronica's Cornucpoia was the blog I stumbled upon with the best directions and where I learned how to make cake pops. Thank you Veronica!!!

I made my first few standing up in styrofoam like Veronica suggests, but found it quite difficult. After about 10 (failed) attempts, I decided I'd lay my pops on a baking pan lined with a sheet of parchment. This ended up being the best decision ever. It also makes it much easier when it comes to decorating! Plus, you can always hide the ugly (flat) side by serving the pops in a mini cupcake liner.

Below are images of my second round of cake pops, I made these over 4th of July weekend as we had quite a few parties to go to, and I could bring them with us where ever we went - needless to say, they were a big hit...

Vanilla Cake (dyed pink), Vanilla Icing coated with Vanilla Candy coating:

Carrot Cake, Cream Cheese Icing with Vanilla Candy coating (White & Orange):

Vanilla Cake with Chocolate Candy coating:

Like I said, these cake pops were a huge hit. I think I made everyone I knew have some that weekend. But after spending what turned into DAYS making these, I give my friend a ton of credit starting a cake pop business. It is a ton of effort. Something I don't plan on doing myself, that's for sure. But every once in awhile, when I have some time to kill...Instead of knitting (my usual go-to hobby), I like to make little desserts that look just as good as they taste.

2012 Adventures in Baking...

This blog is something I've wanted to do for awhile now. I have to admit, I've been inspired by such stunning sites as Bakerella , Smitten Kitchen & Bakingdom where the authors have created such incredible recipes and taken equally as amazing photos.

I have absolutely no training in the culinary arts. None at all. I have a degree in fine arts, which is probably why I enjoy baking delightful little things so much. I always seem to gravitate towards the recipes that are the most complicated or look the prettiest when finished. Of course they have to taste delicious as well, but being captivated aesthetically by these little works of art is what draws people in and makes them want to indulge. That's the point of this blog. To post images (and instructions, when possible), about what was made and how it was constructed including any tips and tricks I've learned along the way (always giving credit where credit is due!). This is more of an adventure for me then it is anything else and I'm sure it'll improve as I move along so please bear with me. Enjoy.