A Real Cake...

Sort of.

I realize I haven't posted a cake cake for a while. Sorry. What can I say...I am like a little bird. I get sidetracked easily.

Now that I am focused, Here is a cake I did for a local Chocolate show last November. It is a dummy cake covered in chocolate fondant and handmade chocolate pine cones and pine needles. I also made the meringue mushrooms (the white ones) and the gum paste toadstools (the red ones) Chocolate cookie crumbs for dirt and real peat moss.These photos are not the best... The lighting was terrible and my little point and shoot was on it's last leg. Just pretend it looks even better than what you see :)

Want s'more?

After the huge success of my banana boat cupcakes, I decided to try another campfire classic in cupcake form...S'mores! I know this concept is no new, but it is delicious! I made chocolate cupcakes and stirred in a few graham cracker goldfish into the batter. Topped them with a fluffy marshmallow frosting, and torched those babies with my blow torch. (okay, it is just a little brulee torch, but that sounds wimpy) Here is the marshmallow frosting I used: (it is Jennifer Shea's from Trophy Cupcakes)

Makes enough for 2 dozen cupcakes
8 large egg whites
2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Directions
Place egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar in the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer. Set over a saucepan with simmering water. Whisk constantly until sugar is dissolved and whites are warm to the touch, 3 to 4 minutes.
Transfer bowl to electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and beat, starting on low speed, gradually increasing to high, until stiff, glossy peaks form, 5 to 7 minutes. Add vanilla, and mix until combined. Use immediately.

Don't be intimidated! It really is easy! Make sure to toast them with a torch or under your broiler just before serving so you get the crispy outside!

Dad's birthday

A cake for my Dad who loves to travel. A trip around the world (cake style). I had the itinerary all written out with the names of all the 5 star hotels he would stay at and what he would see... It was awesome. The idea was that he would circumnavigate the globe. I wanna go with him.

Pack your bags: we leave from Las Vegas and fly to the big island of Hawaii, where he will sit on the beach and eat fresh pineapple and drink pina coladas. (the green umbrella)
From Hawaii, he will fly to Beijing, China and visit the Great Wall and Tienanmen Square and the Forbidden City.
From Beijing to Cairo, Egypt to see the Pyramids (and stay in the most amazing hotel on Pyramid row). Then up (on the cake) to snorkel in the Seychelles. Hotel has a private pool and jacuzzi for each bungalow, and private beach.

From the Seychelles, he flies to Pisa, Italy to visit the leaning tower of that city. A few nights in a villa in Tuscany, then he takes a train to...

Geneva, Switzerland to visit the Jet d'eau on Geneva lake. From Geneva, he heads to Paris, France to see the Eiffel tower. (He is not required to go to the top...)

Then, back to Las Vegas, with a stop at Chicago to catch a game at Wrigley Field (ran out of room on the cake). All the way around the globe on a cake for your birthday, Dad! I hope it was a great one!

Everything on this cake is edible, except the pole on the umbrella. I made it all by hand. The Eiffel Tower on top was made out of royal icing in 20 separate pieces, then when they dried, I glued them together with more royal icing. The Las Vegas sign and the Jet d'eau are also Royal icing, everything else is fondant or gumpaste.

Cake Tasting

My cousin is getting married!I am so excited. I love my family. I love weddings. Bryan and his fiancee asked me if I would make their wedding cake. I'd be honored! But you gotta choose what kind first. Tough job, I know. I had the happy couple over a few weeks ago to have their cake tasting, and to be my testers for a new experiment. Here it is: (it was a big hit)
Lemon cake with grapefruit buttercream. I used grapefruit flavoring oil and a pinch of citric acid in the buttercream.

They also tried almond cake with strawberry buttercream

chocolate with Oreo, butter pecan, and coconut.

Which did they choose?

Coconut with coconut buttercream, lemon with grapefruit buttercream, and chocolate with raspberry buttercream. I can't wait to do this cake! I'll have pics up of it soon, as the wedding is this month!

Not cake, but oooh maaannn.....

My wonderful neighbor and friend brought me a box of beautiful apricots she had just picked from her Aunt's tree. They were perfect. as soon as I shut the door, I asked my kids if we should make grilled apricots. You'd think I'd asked if they wanted to go to Disneyland. So, before we even started making dinner, we heated up the grill and got out the honey. They were so simple and delicious. Just cut the apricot in half, remove the pit, and brush with honey.

Welcome to the grill, pretty fruit. enjoy the toastiness in there! (remember to oil the grates well, that honey can get sticky!)

OOOOOOHHHH...perfect! Well, almost...

A la mode, anyone?

Try it. You will love me (even more).

Thanks for sharing, Ariana & Aunt!

Cupcakes on the brain.

Okay. So, I have cupcakes on the brain today. My church group has asked me to teach a little cupcake decorating class in two days, and I am drawing a blank. What I love about cupcakes is that they can look so classic and yummy when decorated simply. So, I hope whatever I come up with will not be too disappointing. I have been looking through my pics and trying to get inspiration, but they all look similar...with a cupcake it is all about the flavor combos! These are the only cupcake pics I have not posted.

Teeny tiny ones are always fun.

These are chocolate cupcakes with caramel buttercream. (wowie!) and a chocolate dipped caramel heart.

Same thing, different packaging. I love putting my cuppies into great packaging to deliver...

And when this is inside, you can't miss!