LITTLE DELIGHTS CAKES

a little faith and a lot of frosting

Baking CC

These two cupcakes were baked with the same amount of batter. Not all batters are alike and sometimes I have had a hard time with lighter batters that want to sink or overflow without doming up. All it takes is heating the oven up to 400 and putting the cupcakes in the center. They will cook for less time but the higher temp causes them to rise up faster. I have also lowered the temperature (after about 8 minutes of baking) back down to 350 and that works well too. Watch them well the first time ... VIEW POST

Graduation Cupcakes!

To make the caps I used store bought fondant (Wiltons Fondant) because they needed to dry nice and firm. I made them a couple days in advance to make sure they didn't wilt, the bottom is just a strip of home made fondant (see Tricks of the Trade for recipe) that I cut and rolled with a tiny bit of water to make it stick in a circle. I let these dry completely before placing the square piece of fondant on top, securing that with a bit of meringue powder mixed with a tiny bit of water. For the top ... VIEW POST

It’s official.

The jury is back, the verdict is in. I am crazy. Let me explain a little better. Since last October I have been struggling with anxiety, and until I experienced it myself I never really had any idea of what it was like. I am a bit astounded at how very physical it is. As the mom of 2 boys with special needs, which include floppy airways (if only we didn't ALWAYS have to breathe.....) I have not been a stranger to anxious and terrifying moments, but they were just moments, not days and weeks. ... VIEW POST

How to make Rose Cakes

These cakes are my favorites. It is so pretty and easy to do with a little practice. Its not meant to be perfect, in fact that is what I love about it! I use a large 1M Wilton tip to make this large size "rose." I lifted up between the swirls for the photos but it needs to be done all in one swoop, no stopping! The first swirl is to give that middle center, I pull straight up to give it a little base and then give it a tight whip around. (This is what I had to really practice, once this is ... VIEW POST

How to make a Side Ruffle Wedding Cake

This is one of my favorite looks. It takes a lot of patience, and one strip of fondant at a time! I built and stacked the layers,frosted them, and let them sit in the refridgerator to set for a few hours. Then I pulled up a stool and got to work. I rolled out a piece of fondant on a mat and covered it with plastic wrap so I could keep going back to cut my strips. I rolled it thin but not too thin, because once I cut my strips I needed to have enough fondant to "ruffle" on one side. I cut C ... VIEW POST

3 Things to Know about Cake Pops

1. NEVER dip a pop that is not completely chilled. Once you roll your pops refrigerate them in a covered container for at least 3 hours or overnight. When dipping leave, them in the fridge only taking 2-3 out at a time to dip. 2. When tapping off the excess chocolate off the pop, only tap the wrist holding the pop, never tap the actual stick or the pop will drop off. 3. To get really round pops that don't crack I always double dip. (Make sure the pop has completely dried before re-dipping.) ... VIEW POST