So Many Cakes so Little Blog

Well...I'm BAAACCK...

I don't know how the bloggers do all the stuff they do. Taking pictures of their work and uploading them to their blogs and writing! It takes me so long to do it all and worse...I'm NOT computer savvy. I don't understand when things go wrong with the computer that somehow...just somehow I happen to be the culprit that did it. I don't know how I did but yet that's what the computer fix-it guy tells me.

So I'm back on and have been making quite a few cakes and trying new things. Joined ICES and took some classes. Lots of fun! I LOVE to learn new things. I've have been out painting Plein Air. (I like to paint in oils and watercolor.) Have any of you been baking? If so...show me your works of art. I'd love to see them. I will upload more pics (as soon as I figure out why I can't get into my Picasa program). Ugh!

The Amazing Gelatin!

Hey all,
Remember when I was on last time I said I would tell you all how to do that gelatin thing? Well, I didn't forget and I will share with you how it's done. First let me show you again the cake I put it on.

Well in case you are wondering...this cake is suppose to be some kind of metal "thing" with a portal enshrouded with purple flames. It didn't quite make it past the idea stage but all those "flames" are made of gelatin. Here's how you can do it. Bye the way...try a bow.

Okay. Take 2 1/2 parts of water to 1 part gelatin. Warm in microwave. Let sit 5 - 10 mins. Peel the scum off and rewarm what's left so that it liquefies. Take a paint brush (1/2 inch works well) and paint the gelatin onto a stiff textured plastic surface. As it dries it will pop off by itself. Don't touch it until it has popped off a good amount. You can color and flavor the gelatin as you heat it. When it gets to the point of popping off you can peel it off the rest of the way. From here you can cut it with scissors into whatever shape you want. Now...I got this idea from my favorite website: www.cakecentral.com . You can visit their website and search for gelatin bow. You then can see pictures of all I've listed. Have fun and check it out! 'Til next time!

Let's Celebrate Birthdays!!

Hello friends.
While we celebrate the birthday of our nation...Happy Fourth!...I've also been celebrating my kids' birthdays. Happy Birthday Carter of "Carter Safari" clothing! Check her clothes line out at http://www.cartersafari.com/.
It's been a busy time of year for me with cakes to make and then there were also my own kids' birthdays to also celebrate with cake. This is a picture of Sean's cake. He wanted a Runescape cake complete with portal. (Runescape is an online computer game set in a medieval world. It's actually a fun game. I play it myself...when I have time...and my two sons taught me.) Sean wanted 8 characters. They are all his character wearing different armor and garments. But eight???!!! It was very hard to do these figures. I made them out of gumpaste. I was so stressed that when it came time for Christian's cake... I said no please no! Here's what it looked like.

and one more closer.

Christian's birthday was next. Now this wasn't one of my better cakes. Chocolate cake from scratch. That was good...but...he wanted "Sonic the Hedgehog" in two different forms and...quite frankly I wasn't up to it. After doing Sean's cake, (remember he wanted 8 guys on that cake!) and trying to make those men...I just...didn't...want to...do it!!! NOOOOOOO!!! Please no! So he opted for purple flames. I did try to put 1 Sonic in the middle but it didn't work out. It looks kind of messy to me. But...here's some interesting technique to use. The flames are made of jello! This is such a cool and fun thing to do! I will share it with you on my next post so be looking for it! Oh...I cheated on the piping frosting. Don't do what I did and buy store bought already made frosting unless you plan on adding a lot more powdered sugar. It just doesn't work out. My piping (I was feeling a little lazy and didn't add the sugar) looks poorly. :( Again...he was happy with it. Kids are so forgiving. His friends and he enjoyed the eating.

Then there was Samara's cake. Well...not really cake...BROWNIES! They could be CAKELIKE brownies...anyway she wanted a Rain Forest Cafe Volcano cake, only I forgot the whipped cream!
I added some exotic looking flowers and we didn't have a sparkler. Oh well. She was very happy with it. Isn't that all that counts though. If we could make everyone happy with cake wouldn't that be nice? I doubt the French would say yes to that! Or parts of Africa! It was truly yummy!!!

So until next time...Happy Birthday United States and happy celebrating!

Babies and Showers

Hi again! Twice in a month and within 2 days of each other! I'm making up for lost time.

Well, I can upload some photos for you and would like to share some sugar with you. I mean it. First take a look at this cake.

This is a baby shower cake I did recently but take a look at the bassinet. Here is another view.

See the texture? It's ALL Sugar! This is the first time I've ever done a dry sugar mold. Here's what you do:

Take 1 cup of sugar (granulated)

1/4 teaspoon of water

Mix with your hands thoroughly. Avoid the temptation to add more water. It will feel dry. I should know...I made that mistake and it fell apart. Now I didn't have a mold for the bassinet. I just used a small bowl about the size I needed that was smooth inside and nice and round. Pack the sugar into the bowl all the way to the top. Now you do need to judge just how many cups of sugar you will need for the bowl you are using. After you pack that bowl (like you would with brown sugar), smooth the top with wax paper. Take a carboard piece or cake board, put over the top and invert. Wax paper and all. Let it dry overnight or for at least 8 hours. It will be solid and hard. Then just carve it out with a spoon. All the sugar you carve out is reuseable. Put it right back in your sugar bowl for coffee or tea. It's that easy! One caution...when you decorate it, don't use anything that is too wet or you will cause it to crumble. Have Fun! And please send me pictures! I'd love to see what you come up with!

Here's one more picture of a closeup of the baby. I'll tell you about that next time.

Computers!

Hey you cake bakers, cupcake makers and I'll include you cookie makers as well.

My computer has been being a bad little machine and is being fixed. So I have no pictures for you. I haven't been able to get on here either. I am on a borrowed laptop right now.

I checked my e-mails today and Bakerella has sent out her blog for the month. I want to encourage you to check her blog out. She is very clever and creative and she has introduced us to a store you might be interested in. This is th 2nd time she is introducing it actually. This time though, there is a contest you can enter. Just type in www.Bakerella.com or just click on this link.

Good luck and I'll be back soon!

Weddings

A whole month of being very busy has gone by and I've missed writing to you! The final cake I created was a graduation cap. Quickly done and lotsa fun! I like rhyming.

Here it is:And here is another view...

What does this have to do with weddings? Just that it is wedding season! Weird that weddings actually have a season but this is when you cake makers/bakers/decorators out there are very busy. Before this cake, I was working on a wedding cake. Here is the picture of the finished cake:

And again...
And the final, full view...drum roll, please...

Sometimes you do all this work, get all excited about the creative process but when you see the finished results you're not happy with the work. That happens a lot with me. Does anyone go through this too? The cake looks great! Don't get me wrong. It's just that I know all the problems I had with it. For starters, it was suppose to be covered with fondant. The top tier is. I had ordered two nice big buckets (only 5 lbs. ea.) of ivory fondant. I didn't want to make my own and chance the texture not being right, so I ordered it. Well the 2nd bucket's texture was dry and wouldn't stretch. I tried to add a little of ingredients that would help but 3 hours later and behind schedule, I gave up. The end result was no one seemed to notice the 2 bottom tiers didn't have the fondant covering and ooed and ahhed at the cake. In my mind though...not how I wanted it to look.

I have found out though that even those beautiful professional cakes, even Duff's of Ace of Cakes, have something go wrong or is wrong that they have found a way of hiding. So...I won't be discouraged and neither should you be. Until next time...Happy baking AND decorating!

Recipe time!

Ever wanted to just bake all day or paint or...or anything you've been dying to do but just wasn't able to find the time? Running around with the kids, doing laundry, errands...etc. I know you all have had this happen to you at some point. Well me too. When you finally get to do what you've been longing to do, you feel like a burden has been lifted. Or, at least this is how I feel and felt the last few days. I've wanted to share this recipe with you. It is really chocolatety (is that a word?) and moist and...I think you'll really enjoy eating it! (The best part.) Or having someone else enjoying eating it.) So as I promised, here is the chocolate cake recipe. It is a Toba Garrett recipe:

2 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1 1/4 c.granulated sugar
3/4 c. dark brown sugar (packed)
1 c. Dutch processed cocoa powder
2 1/4 tsp.bakingsoda
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/4 c. buttermilk
1 c. unsalted butter (room temperature)
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
6 oz. melted semisweet fine quality chocolate

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and parchment line two 8x2" baking pans
2. Measure all ingredients (except the chocolate) into a large mixing bowl.
3. Blend for 30 secs. on LOW speed, scraping bowl constantly.
4. Blend in the melted chocolate and beat 3 mins on High speed, scraping the bowl.
5. Spoon into the pans and level them well with a offset spatula.
6. Bake layers for 45 to 50 mins. or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Storage: Double wrap the cake in plastic wrap. It will keep in the refridgerator for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Yield: Two 8" cakes.

Check out this link to see Toba Garrett and an advertised class she will be doing in Massachusetts.
http://www.piskypixie.net/index.php/workshops/toba-garrett

Hope you like this cake. Blessings from me :) Pinkslppr