Cakes!

So, for my daughter's birthday party in September, I made a cake and decided to have some fun decorating it by making and using fondant. The following cakes were all decorated using ONE batch of the fondant. I still have a tiny bit left over, but I have to say that getting three really pretty cakes from one batch of fondant is pretty good, especially considering that making fondant only costs about $6, while buying the stuff from the craft stores easily runs you $15... for less than half the amount you get making it yourself.

The recipe I used for the fondant can be found on Amy's blog at Muddy Boots.

The birthday cake... I used the Wilton gel 8 icing color pack. They work wonders. A tip... after opening, place a bit of saran wrap on them before closing the lids to keep the colors a gel for longer... otherwise they dry out after a long period of time.

Cake for a gathering


Mmmm...

Cake for a baby shower.

Sugar baby... made from the fondant

One thing I recommend... I didn't do it with the first cake, and while it was good, the fondant didn't want to stick to the cake as easily when cutting it. The other two cakes were slathered with a layer of butter cream icing (I tend to put on less than they say to, mainly because I find the stuff sweet enough as is). Oh, and using my normal butter sponge cake recipe with the fondant was extremely sweet... the Never Fail Chocolate was a much tastier choice in my opinion.

Carrot Ginger Cake with Spiced Cream Cheese

So, I wanted to make something a bit different for Thursday Night Dinners. I found this recipe online, and since I had a spice cake mix, I thought it perfect to use it!

Carrot Ginger Cake with Spiced Cream Cheese

Ingredients
1 pkg spice cake mix
3/4 cup shredded carrot
1 Tbsp ground ginger (do less if not fresh... I did 1 tsp)
1 tsp ground cinnamon, divided
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted (I omitted these since I don't have them)
1 pkg cream cheese
2 cups cool whip, thawed.

Heat oven 350F. Prepare cake batter as directed on the package. Stir in the carrots, ginger, and 3/4 tsp of the cinnamon, and walnuts.

Spoon batter into either 9x13 pan, or muffin tins, etc. Bake less than directed on the package... 15 minutes if 24 muffins, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let it cool completely.

Beat cream cheese in a medium bowl with a wire whisk, or a fork, until smooth. Gently add whipped topping. Spread over the cake or cupcakes. Sprinkle with the reserved 1/4 tsp of cinnamon.

Refrigerate the cake before eating. It tastes best when it's been in the fridge awhile.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

I got this recipe from the Mennonite Cook Book. My mom made it quite often and it is great to make use of that cream that has gone sour, or maybe the sour cream that is past the expiry date but still 'good'... yet you don't want to eat it the way it is anymore... that sort of thing. Keeps us from trashing/dumping perfectly good cream! As my dad says, how does sour cream go bad? It's already sour!

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 cup sour cream

2 cups flour (I do half white, half whole wheat)

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

dash salt

1 tsp vanilla

Mix in small bowl:

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup nuts (I usually omit these as I don't have them)

Preheat oven to 350F.

Cream butter and sugar. Add well beaten eggs. Mix dry ingredients and add alternatively with the sour cream. Add vanilla.

Pour half the batter in a greased tube pan (flour it as well if you feel the need... I usually don't bother). Sprinkle half the sugar/cinnamon mixture over it. Add remaining batter, and sprinkle the remaining mixture over it.

Bake at 350F for 40-50 minutes.

Pomegranate Banana Bread

Apparently, November is national Pomegranate Month in the USA. I didn't know that before, but thought it interesting. I love pomegranates, a friend I met in university introduced the fruit to me... I had never actually seen one before. Anyway, we bought one for Christmas and with the hustle and bustle of the month, completely forgot about it. Not one to let a fruit that good go bad, I thought it best to try to bake it (otherwise we wouldn't eat it fast enough). Lo and behold, my hubby finds this recipe on POM Wonderful, and since we also had 2 over-ripe bananas, I thought it would be the perfect thing to try!


POM, Banana & Pistachio Bread
20min prep
1 1/2 hours baking and cooling
makes 1 loaf



Ingredients
1 cup arils from 1 large Pomegranate
2 cups flour (I did 1 white and 1 whole wheat)
3/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
dash salt
2-3 bananas, mashed (1 cup)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup shelled pistachios or slivered almonds, chopped (I didn't have these so I omitted them)


Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F

2. Grease one 9x5x3 inch loaf pan.

3. Score pomegranate, place in a bowl of water. Break open the pom under the water to free the arils or seed sacs. They will sink while the membranes will float (I didn't know this until reading this recipe... would have saved me lots of time pulling those seeds out like I usually do!). Sieve and put the arils in a separate bowl. Reserve 1 cup to put aside (snack on the rest... yummers).

4. In a large bowl stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a smaller bowl, stir together bananas, oil, milk, and egg. Add liquids to flour (and arils and pistachios if used) until just moistened. Don't over mix.

5. Spoon batter into prepared pan. You can sprinkle leftover nuts/arils over top if you like. I didn't bother (didn't have any left over... oops...).

6. Bake 50-60minutes until wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove onto a rack and cool completely. To store, wrap it tightly or you can freeze for up to 1 month by wrapping tightly in foil.



Nutrients per serving (1 slice... don't ask how big the slice is because it doesn't say)

162 calories
3g protein
24g carbs
6g total fat (1g saturated)
12mg cholesterol
139g sodium (if you do 1/2 tsp salt... I always do less)

Easy Mix Cake

Again, I forgot to take a photo. These are currently in the deep freeze, so I don't feel like getting them at the moment. ;) Got this recipe from my Kraft cookbook.

Mix-Easy Cake

Ingredients
1/3 cup oil
2 squares chocolate or 1 cup chocolate chips (see below)
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup liquid (see below)
1 egg
1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
enough add ins to your liking (see below)

Cake 1: semisweet chocolate, coffee, shredded coconut and chopped pecans
Cake 2: unsweetened chocolate, water, chopped walnuts and chocolate chips
Cake 3: white chocolate, orange juice, chopped almonds and dried apricots, plus a spoonful of orange peel
Cake 4: butterscotch, water, chopped walnuts

You can mix and match a variety of items from the listed 4 cakes to get your own creation.


1. Heat 1/3 cup oil and chocolate or butterscotch in an 8 inch square nonstick pan in 350F oven for 2 minutes. Stir with fork till smooth (if making cupcakes, put in microwaveable bowl and mike for a couple of minutes)

2. Add 3/4 cup each of liquid and sugar, 1 egg, 1 1/4 cup flour (I like doing about 60% whole wheat and 40% white), and 1/2 tsp baking soda. Stir together until smooth. Stir in a handful of add-ins, reserving some for on top.

3. Bake 30 minutes (20min if cupcakes, makes 1 dozen) or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool.

Birthday Cake

Here are two recipes for cake that works well in layering. I made an R2 D2 cake for hubby's birthday using 2 recipes of the Never Fail Chocolate Cake and 3 of the Butter Sponge.



Butter Sponge Cake

Ingrediants
2 eggs
dash salt
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup milk
1 Tbsp butter
1 cup sifted flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 Tbsp grated orange rind
3 Tbsp sugar

Beat eggs until very light, beat in salt, sugar, and vanilla. Heat milk and butter to boiling point (I do so in the microwave till it starts to bubble). Add to first mixture. Sift in flour and baking powder... blend in. Bake in greased 8 inch square pan at 350F for 25-30 minutes (less if doing cupcakes). When done sprinkle top with orange rind and 3 Tbsp sugar. Turn off heat and return to oven for 5 minutes (I don't usually bother with the orange rind and sugar at the end).

Never Fail Chocolate Cake

Ingrediants
2 Tbsp butter melted with
5 Tbsp cocoa
1 cup white sugar
1 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
pinch salt
1 tsp vanilla

Break one egg into measuring cup and fill with milk (1 cup). Sift dry ingredients. Add milk and egg, then butter/cocoa mixture. Mix well. Bake in 8 inch square pan in 350F oven for 30 minutes.

To Make R2 D2 cake

Make 3 batches of butter sponge. Bake in the following size pans: 2x 6 or 7 inch round pans and one 8 inch square pan. Make 2 batches Never Fail Chocolate. Bake in one 6 or 7 inch round pan and one bowl or half round pan that is the same size as the rounds.
Once cakes are baked, layer one white and one chocolate round layer. Place wood dowels or shishcabob picks into the cake and place a cardboard layer on top (cut a bit smaller than the cake and covered in tinfoil. Spray before putting on). Then put the last white layer and the chocolate bowl cake on top to make a dome. Cut the legs of R2 out of the square. Also cut a small triangular piece for the front of R2.

Ice the dome portion of the cake using your fave icing (I made butter icing using 1/4 cup softened butter, 4 1/2 cups icing sugar mixed into it, add 1 tsp vanilla and then add milk until spreading consistancy, about 3 Tbsp). Keep it white and just cover the round cake layers (not the "dome") with the icing for now. Add the legs to the cake using toothpicks to "fasten" into place. Also add the triangle piece. Cover these pieces with white icing. Add enough black coloring to the remaining icing to make a silvery grey color. Cover the dome. Pipe this icing (thinning if necessary) to the bottom of the cake. Make more icing if necessary and add enough blue coloring to make bright blue icing. Ice the blue sections around the head, the top, the back, and the legs. I used a toothpick to "cut" the pattern of panels and such into the current icing on the cake. This adds a 3D effect. Fill those panels that need to be blue.

Once done that, out of silver paper make the vents, fans, and the lights on top of R2 D2's head and use icing to fasten the "flat" pieces. The lights can just be "plugged" into it. If you have black shoestring licorice (I do not) use them as the wires on the legs. It's easier to decorate the cake if you have a pic of the unit in front of you.

There you have it. One R2 D2 ready to eat.






Here are two other cakes I made using these recipes. Enjoy, and have fun baking.

The Second Week

So, this week I did something different. I didn't make a lot to freeze, but I did do some.

Monday: I made mashed potatoes and chicken with veggies. Made triple the potatoes and put 2/3 in the fridge for later meals.

Tuesday: Burritoes for today. We make the meat with 1 lb hamburger, a can of red kidney beans, onions, and tomato paste, ketchup, spices, etc. We put 2/3 of it into the fridge yet again.

Wednesday: This is the supper with friends day yet again. Loads of fun!

Thursday: This is where I used the leftovers. I made 2 leftover casseroles and froze one of them. I also baked a lot of cake... 5 batches to make a birthday cake for my hubby's 30th birthday party I planned for Saturday. Ended up freezing about half of it.

Friday: We made pizza. I planned on making stirfry, but decorating hubby's cake took so much time I forgot to make the rice which takes an hour (I do NOT make minute rice). Instead, I made the stirfry Sunday (today)... with extra rice for one of next week's meals.

Saturday: This was hubby's birthday party... even though it is 3 weeks early. I brought out the tie fighter pigs in a blanket I made using the bun dough from last week's baking. There were veggies, cake, chips, and a meat and cheese tray a friend brought. Not to mention punch (made using 2 cans orange juice, 4 of water, 1L of ginger ale, and some scoops of raspberry sherbet). Here's a pic of the cake.



And today was the stir fry... from friday's plan. Again, not a lot went into the freezer, but this week was focussing on hubby's birthday party and trying to get the meals later in the week to be easier so I could focus on that cake... which took 6 hours work to finish. Crazy.

Sweets and Snacks

Here are the sweet recipes, as well as good party snack foods.

Cookies
Carrot Coconut Cookies
Cream Cheese Cookies
Reese's Cookies
Spritz Cookies
Unbaked Cookies

Muffins and Cakes
Banana Blueberry Muffins
Banana Macadamia Nut Bread
Bran Muffins
Butter Sponge Cake
Carrot Ginger Cake
Cocoa Fudge Cake
Easy Mix Cakes
Never Fail Chocolate Cake
Sour Cream Coffee Cake
Zucchini Bread/cake

Fondant/pics of cakes with fondant

Squares / Desserts
Apple Crisp
Granola Bars
Easy Chocolate Brownies (top recipe in link)

Other Snacks and appetizers
Chocolate Truffles
Deep Fried Popcorn Shrimp (plus various other appetizers)
Spinach Dip (bottom recipe in link)

Cocoa Fudge Cake - Happy Father's day!

For Father's Day I made a double batch of this cake, which is really super easy, and turned one batch into a 9x13 cake, and the other into an 8x8 and 15 cupcakes... large cake for my family and my dad, cupcakes for Chuck (and us... lol), and 8x8 for his parents. I topped the cakes with whipped cream and then decorator's icing. The cupcakes have no whipped topping, as we'll be adding that seperately later.

Cocoa Fudge Cake

Ingredients

-1 2/3 cup flour
-1 1/2 cup sugar
-2/3 cucp cocoa
-1 1/2 tsp baking soda
-salt
-1 1/2 cup buttermilk (or 1 Tbsp lemon juice mixed with milk to make 1 1/2 cup)
-1/2 cup shortening
-2 eggs
-1 tsp vanilla

Heat oven to 350F. Grease and flour pans (see below). Beat all ingredients in a large mixer bowl on low 30 seconds, scraping constantly. Beat on high, scraping bowl occasionally, 3 minutes. Pour into pans.

Bake until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. cool. Frost if desired.

13x9 pan - 35-40 min
2 round 8 or 9inch layers - 30-35min
bundt cake pan - 40-45 min
2 1/2 dozencupcakes (fill 1/2 in papers) - 20 min

Recipes Part VII: Zucchini Bread and cake (aug 6, 2007)

Today's recipe is Zucchini bread. Really good stuff too. The recipe I got that I modified is from the internet somewhere. It called for more oil and double the sugar, but I like things with a bit less sugar, and quite honestly didn't think the recipe needed 1 cup per loaf. So, here you go.



Zucchini Bread

Ingrediants
- 1 cup walnuts/pecans, chopped (I omitted these, as I didn't have any)
- 1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini (about 1 medium)
- 1/3 cup veggie oil
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a mixing bowl, combine oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla, baking soda, cinnamon, baking powder. With a hand mixer on medium speed, beat till ingredients are blended (30 seconds).
Add flour; mix till moistened. Stir in nuts and zucchini. Pour batter into a greased and floured (I didn't bother flouring mine) loaf pan.
Bake 65-75 minutes, or till a toothpick inserted comes out clean.


Here is another recipe. I didn't make it this time, but I've made it before.

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
- 3/4 cup butter
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/3 cup cocoa
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 3 eggs
- 2 cups shredded zucchini
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 Tbsp vanilla

Combine flour, baking powder, soda, cinnamon, and cocoa. Set aside. Beat butter and sugar until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat until smooth. add zucchini. mix in dry ingredients alternately with milk. Mix well. Pour into bundt cake pan or tube pan (greased and floured or sprayed with cooking spray).
Bake at 350 F for 60 min or until firm on top. Frost with melted chocolate.