LITTLE DELIGHTS CAKES

a little faith and a lot of frosting

GingerSnaps

I love those Ginger Molasses cookies that are soft and chewy and this is THAT recipe! I was so excited when my friend Paige shared it with me. I even make them with Whole Wheat Pastry flour (trying to cut all the sweets this time of year!) and they taste FANTASTIC. Cream together: 1 1/2 cups shortening 2 cups brown sugar 1/2 cup molasses 2 eggs shift together then add: 1 tsp salt 2 tsp ginger 2 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp cloves 3 tsp baking soda 4 1/2 cups flour Scoop or roll into balls ... VIEW POST

Mini Cakes

Mini Cakes! These were perfect for centerpieces on all the tables at a baby shower. My friend made the gorgeous cake stands with dollar store candlesticks and a glue gun! For more details and photos see How to make Mini cakes under "Tricks of the Trade." ... VIEW POST

Pinewood Derby!

Making my own cake toppers is ALWAYS a hit, its the easiest way to personalize a cake perfectly. Complete recipes for the Rice Crispie mix, Modeling Chocolate and the best homemade fondant can be found under "Tricks of the Trade." To make these toppers I formed the basic shape with Rice Crispy and then went over them with my fondant roller until they were as smooth as I wanted. I pressed Popsicle sticks through each car so the ends stuck out the sides, giving me a place to attach the wheels, ... VIEW POST

Hello Kitty (smooth frosting for decorating)

I love the look of smooth fondant but I don't love the taste, and people usually just peel it off to get to the good stuff! I mostly get requests for the smooth frosting option. I have to use my cake turner, it makes is SO much easier. I use an inexpensive one for small and medium cakes, the "Wilton Trim N Turn" and for large or stacked cakes the "Wilton Tilt N Turn Ultra." To get smooth and even frosting I give my cake a crumb coat then put it in the refrigerator to chill. Once it is ... VIEW POST

Buttermilk Caramel Glaze

This is THE best stuff. It can be used as a syrup on pancakes or cooked a few minutes longer for a thicker glaze. Delicious! I always use this on my carrot cake. On the stove over med-high heat mix 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup buttermilk 1/2 cup butter, cubed 1 tsp corn syrup (I use light) 1/2 tsp baking soda While stirring constantly bring to a boil- it will foam up so be sure your pot is deep- remove from heat (or cook 1-2 minutes longer until caramel colored for thicker glaze) and add 1 tsp ... VIEW POST

Cake Stacking

3 things I always do when stacking cakes: 1. Make sure the cake layers are level before building each tier. This means using a cake leveler, mine is a simple wire one that cost $4 at Michael's, and I couldn't live without it. 2. Punch a hole in each cake board right in the center with an apple corer, then wrap it in saran wrap. This prevents any soggy, wilting, tilting boards and allows you to easily put a small dowel straight down the center of your cake after the layers are stacked. 3. In ... VIEW POST