Suit Case Cake

Sorry I haven't been on for a while, so I brought you probably my favorite cake that I have make thus far. My best guy friend and his new wife were coming over for a BBQ before they moved out of state to further their college education and start their new lives together. So I decided to make them a going away cake. The whole thing is make from scratch. Chocolate cake, butter cream frosting, and marshmallow fondant. I pondered over what I wanted the cake to look like. They are very into history, but I didn't know how to portray it in a cake. They are also into Greece and Italy, and sense it was a going away cake, I figured that I would make the cake look like a suit case, and so I add to suit case stickers that looked like the Italian and Greek flag. Although it took me hours to make, I was very please on how it turned out. It looked great and taste great also.

Easter Cake

I made this cake for Easter. I wanted to do something that would not only work for Easter but Spring also. I haven't been able to  really master the skill of homemade frosting, so with this cake I just went and bought frosting. I used strawberry mist frosting, and cream cheese frosting for the decorations. The cake is a yellow cake, made by scratch, and I also made homemade marshmallow fondant. 

Yellow Cake:

What you will need:

• 2 Cups All-Purpose Flour.
• 4 Tsp. Baking Powder.
• 1/2 Tsp. Salt.
• 1 1/2 Cups Sugar.
• 1/2 Cup Butter, Softened.
• 1 Cup Milk.
• 1 Tsp. Vanilla.
• 3 Eggs.

 How to make:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour cake pan. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together in large mixing bowl. Stir in sugar. Add butter, milk, and vanilla; beat with electric mixer at low speed for 30 seconds. Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Add eggs; beat for 2 minutes. Pour into prepared cake pan and bake for about 30 minutes. Give or take. I like to check on it half way through, and turn it. Cake is done when you insert a toothpick and it comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting and decorating. I prefer to put it in the freezer. It speeds up the cooling process and it is easier to work with.

Marshmallow Fondant:

What you will need:

• 1 8 Oz. Package Mini Marshmallows.
• 4 Cups Powdered Sugar. 
• 2 Tbs. Water.
• Food Coloring (your choice, I used violet for the fondant, golden yellow, and leaf green in the cheese cream frosting.)

How you make it:

Place pot on stove. Pour water, and mini marshmallows in pot. Using medium heat, melt marshmallows, stirring constantly, making sure that the marshmallows aren't burning or sticking. Once there are no more lumps in the melted marshmallows, remove from heat, and pour into a medium to large mixing bowl. You can add you food coloring for the fondant in at this time. Then mix in the powdered sugar a little at a time. I usually have to use my hands shortly after adding the powdered sugar, by kneading it like dough. Once it is not sticky any more, roll into ball, wrap with plastic wrap, place in fridge and let sit for about 2 hours. Once it has sat, have a prepared area for when you start to roll out the fondant. I use wax paper, and extra powdered sugar to make sure it doesn't stick when rolling out. Decorate the cake as you please.

Coffee Chocolate Cupcakes w/ Bailey's Irish Cream Frosting.

This was the first time that I used this recipe for both the cupcake batter and the frosting. Now this recipe has alcohol in it, and shouldn't be given to anyone underage of course. But I wouldn't see any problem with substituting the Bailey's Irish Cream (I used Duggan's Irish Cream, it was about $5 cheaper, but with the same outcome.) for the Bailey's Irish Cream Coffee Creamer, which has no alcohol in it. I wasn't thrilled with the outcome of the frosting, but then again I don't usually drink, and dislike the taste of the alcohol. I found this recipe off of the same website of the banana cupcakes, and the apple cupcakes that I have on my blog on the left side. Of let's get this going.

What you will need:

Frosting:

• 1 Stick Butter.
• 4 Cups Powered Sugar.
• 1/4 Cups Bailey's Irish Cream (or coffee creamer for no alcohol, or Duggan's (off brand)).
• 1 tsp. Vanilla.
• 1 tbsp. Milk.
• 2 tbsp. Coffee.

 Cupcakes:

• 1/2 tsp. Baking Soda.
• 1/4 Cup Buttermilk.
• 3 Heaping tbsp. Cocoa Powder.
• 1 Stick Butter.
• 1/2 Coffee.
• 1 Cup Sugar.
• 1 Cup Flour.
• 1/4 tsp. Salt.
• 1 Egg.
• 1/2 tsp. Vanilla.

Directions for Cupcakes: In small bowl, dissolve baking soda is room temperature buttermilk. In a sauce pan, on low heat, melt butter, and add cocoa. Mix til smooth. Add coffee to the cocoa mixture, then remove from heat. In another bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, and the salt. Add the cocoa mixture and egg to the flour mixture, and beat at low speed. Add the buttermilk mixture, and vanilla, beat until smooth. Preheat over to 350 degrees, bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Directions for Frosting: Beat all ingredients together until smooth. Spread onto cupcakes. 

Hope it turns out good, and you enjoy it. Happy Valentine's Day.

Cupcake #24

Blackberry Pie Crumble.

I found this recipe from pinterest.com and I couldn't resist. This was my first time making something like this, and I have to say, it turned out AMAZING. I followed the recipe from the website that I found it from almost exactly, but I did change one ingredient, and sense I don't have a food processor I used a pastry cutter, and my hands for the crust. I made sure that my hands were clean of course. It just made it a whole lot easier to combine the crust ingredients.

Things that you'll need:

Crust and Topping:

1. 3 cups all-purpose flour
2. 1 1/2 cups sugar
3. 1/4 tsp salt
4. 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled

Filling:

1. 4 large eggs
2. 2 cups sugar
3. 1 cup sour cream
4. 3/4 cup flour
5. pinch salt
6. zest of 1/2 lemon
7. 1 tsp almond extract ( I used Vanilla extract.)
8. 2 (16-oz) packages frozen blackberries, thawed and drained

To make the crust and topping, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.

Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor (large mixing bowl).  Pulse a few times to mix (or use pastry cutter to mix together).  Cut the butter into 1/2-inch cubes, and add to the flour mixture.  Process until the butter is evenly distributed but the mixture is still crumbly, 30-60 seconds (or use pastry cutter/hands to cut in butter).

Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the mixture to use as the topping.  Press the remaining mixture into the bottom of the pan, and bake 12-15 minutes.  Cool for at least 10 minutes.

To make the filling, whisk the eggs in a large bowl, then add the sugar, sour cream, flour, salt, lemon zest, and almond extract.  Gently fold in the berries and spoon the mixture over the crust.  Sprinkle the remaining flour mixture evenly over the filling, and bake 45 to 55 minutes.

Cool at least 1 hour before cutting into bars, or scoop out of the pan to serve cobbler-style.

I enjoyed it very much, and I would make this again, and possibly use other fruits. I would consider using apple pie filling, peaches, cherry pie filling, or some other yummy fruit. I hope this turns out as good as it did for me as it did for you.

 

The link to the recipe that I used, but used vanilla instead, and no food proccesor.  

 

Blogs I Follow

http://adayinthelifeofamilitarywife-usmc.blogspot.com/

http://modernmomsguidetolife.blogspot.com/2012/01/responsible-kids.html

http://thiscrazylifeasamom.blogspot.com/2012/01/another-day-down.html

White and Green Stir Fry.

The white and green stir fry is an original recipe that I came up with while I was making it. The measurements are pretty much to taste, but I did try to measure them out. This will make quite a bit.

What you will need:

1.  2 Medium Zucchinis. (washed, cut in half length ways, and sliced)
2. 1 Bag of Frozen Broccoli. (or fresh)
3. 1 lb. of Bean Sprouts (rinsed and drained)
4. 2 4oz. Cans of Sliced Water Chestnuts.(drained)
5. 1 Medium Yellow or White Onion. (cut in half and sliced)
6. 1 lb. Of Sliced White Mushrooms.
7. About 1/2 Cup Soy Sauce. (more or less if desired)
8. About 1/4 Cup Worcestershire Sauce. (more or less if desired)
9. Salt.(season to taste)
10. Pepper.(season to taste)
11. Garlic Powder. (season to taste)

 In a large skillet put a small amount of vegetable oil and put to medium heat. The first ingredient that you want to start cooking is the broccoli. Cook for about five minutes or until no longer frozen, stirring occasionally. Next you want to throw in the onions, and let cook for another five minutes or so, til they are starting to become translucent, still stirring occasionally. Then you will put the mushrooms in, let cook another five minutes, give or take. Then the water chestnuts, let cook another few minutes, making sure to stir and mix all the ingredients together. Next you will put in the bean sprouts, mix together. Add salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Mix thoroughly. Finally add the soy sauce and  Worcestershire sauce. Mix all really well, and let cook down till the bean sprouts are just limp. Serve and enjoy.