Little Angel is Almost in her Double Digits

and she's requesting a Barbie cake....or maybe a Disney Princess cake?....I'm certain either would make her happy.   I'm just happy that she still loves Barbies and Disney Princesses:)  So, not being the world's best cake decorator, I'm scoping out options, or at least toppers that will make her smile on her big day.  Here are some ideas:







ok, so some aren't realistic for me to make, but aren't these SO SWEET!
 
and I think Little Angel's envisioning this:)


 not sure where the last 10 years went, but here we are:)
 

  so grateful for my beautiful princesses!

Happy Birthday to my Hubby!

quote from Fairy Girl today: "Daddy, I'm really afraid we won't have enough candles?"








J requested carrot cake (like we had on the first layer of our wedding cake;)  I baked it...Little Angel Frosted it....Fairy Girl decorated it...and Piper tried VERY hard to snag it;)  A true team effort ;)


and there was an appearance by this little dragonfly; of course:)

a great day and yummy carrot cake was had by all!


Happy Birthday J!!!!

Peach Cobbler Cake

Ingredients:

1 box yellow cake mix, divided use

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 packet active dry yeast

2/3 cup warm water

2 eggs

2 (21 0z.) cans peach pie filling

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1 cup powdered sugar

3-4 tbsp. milk 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F degrees.

Spray 9x13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

The first thing you need to do is measure out 2 cups of the cake mix.

Put aside the leftover cake mix. We'll use that later for the crumble topping.

In a mixing bowl combine the 2 cups of cake mix, along with the flour and yeast. Stir until combined.

Then pour in warm water and stir well.

Next add eggs and stir. 

Batter will be pretty lumpy. It will be blob like.

Spread the mixture into your prepared baking dish.

This will take you a minute to do as it is kinda stretchy because of the yeast.

Then spread both cans of pie filling on top of cake batter.

Try to spread it out as evenly as possible.

In a bowl, combine the rest of the cake mix (that you set aside earlier) with the butter.

I cubed the butter to help blend it in easier. 

You can use a pastry cutter to combine it together or a fork or even your hands. 

It should be clumpy.

Sprinkle this topping mixture over the pie filling.

 Then bake at 350F degrees for about 45-55 minutes.

Topping should appear golden brown.

Allow the cake to cool for about 10 or 15 minutes.

optional: 

Now, this next step really isn't totally necessary.

But let's face it, icing makes everything just a bit better.

In a bowl, combine powdered sugar and milk.

Start with a smaller amount of milk and then add more until it gets to the desired consistency.

Drizzle icing all over the top of cake. 

http://www.thecountrycook.net/2013/04/peach-cobbler-cake.html

How CUTE is THIS!!! My girls would LOVE this!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00188HVXW/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00188HVXW&linkCode=as2&tag=fascplactotra-20

Chocolate Sheet Cake

 

Cake:

2 tsp flour

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup water

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 large eggs.

1. preheat oven to 375  degrees

2. prepare 15x10 or 9x13 pan with greese and flour

3.  Add two cups flour.  combine flour with next 4 ingredients in a large bowl:  whisk well.  Combine water, 1/2 cup butter, and 1/4 cu cocoa in small saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring frequently.  Remove from heat; pour into flour mixture.  Beat with a mixer at medium speed til well blended.  Add buttermilk, 1 tsp vanilla, and eggs; beat well.  Pour batter into prepared pan: bake at 375 degrees for 17 minutes (for 10x15 or 22 min for 9x13) (or til toothpick comes out clean).  Place on wire rack.

Icing: 

6 tbsp butter

1/3 cup milk

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

3 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted

2 tsp vanilla extract

1.  To prepare icing, combine 6 tbsp butter, milk, and 1/4 cup cocoa in a medium suacepan: bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat, and gradually stir in powdered sugar, pecans, and t tsp. vanilla.  Spread over cake (while still hot).  Cool completely on wire rack.

Easter Garden Cake

 

Created especially for you by Little Angel and Fairy Girl!

This is One Hip Cake!

Ok, so I admit I stole this photo from a friend's FB page, because I couldn't get this incredible cake out of my head---they make really cool cakes for their family/friend events!  So, this is my inspiration cake!  I purchased a really cool acryllic two tier cake stand.  Why acryllic?  Because we pretty much leave and take some sort of cool vacation for our birthdays now (like Disney, or camping in the Smokey's!); but that doesn't mean I should forget about putting some sort of fun cake together, especially for the girls!  So, this is my inspiration photo, because as far as cakes go, in my book this one is groooooooooovy!

Mini Pineapple Upside-Down Cakes

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 2 (20 ounce) cans sliced pineapple
• 1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
• 3 eggs
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 12 maraschino cherries, halved

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and butter; mix well. Spoon into 24 greased muffin cups. Drain pineapple, reserving the juice. Trim pineapple to fit the muffin cups; place one ring in each cup.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, eggs, oils and 1-1/4 cups of the reserved pineapple juice; mix well. Spoon over pineapple, filling each cup two-thirds full. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
3. Immediately invert onto wire racks to cool. Place a cherry in the center of each pineapple ring.

Microwave Cake in a Coffee Mug

Ingredients

---

• 1 large coffee mug
• 4 tablespoons plain flour (do not use self-rising) 
• 4 tablespoons sugar 
• 2 tablespoons baking cocoa 
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 
• 1 egg 
• 3 tablespoons milk 
• 3 tablespoons oil 
• 3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional) 
• Small splash of vanilla 
• chocolate syrup (optional) 
• whipped topping (optional)
• Cherries (optional) 

How to make it

---

• Add dry ingredients to mug, & mix well .
• Add egg & mix thoroughly.
• Pour in the milk and oil and mix well.
• Add chocolate chips (if using), vanilla, mix again.
• Set mug in the microwave & cook for 2½ to 3 min at 1,000 watts.
• Cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed!
• Some report that 2½ minutes works best. It depends upon your microwave. So, watch carefully to not over do it!
• Remove from microwave.

Chocolate-Coconut Cake

CAKE:

2 cups of flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1-1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1-1/2 cups packed light-brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup low-fat buttermilk

FROSTING:
1 box (16 oz) confetioners' sugar
1/4 cup boiling water
1-1/2 sticks unstaled butter, cut up
4 oz cream cheese, cut into pieces
1/4 tsp coconut extract
3 cups sweetened flake coconut (opt. raspberries or strawberries or chocolate shavings to garnish)

1.  Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Coat two 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick spray.
2.  Cake: in bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.  In large bowl, beat butter til smooth.  Add brown sugar; beat til blended.  Beat in eggs, one at a time, and vanilla.  On low, alternately beat in flour mixture and buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour.  Spread into prepared pans.
3.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or til toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean.  Cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes.  Invert cakes directly onto racks; cool completely.
4.  While cakes cool, make frosting.  Place confectioners' sugar  in a large bowl.  Beat in boiling water.  Add butter and cream cheese, beating well on medium-high speed after each piece.  Beat in extract.  Refrigerate til firmer consistency, 30 minutes to 1 hours.
5.  Place on cake layer on pedestal.  Spread top with 1 cup frosting and 1/2 cup coconut.  Add second layer.  Spread frosting on top and side of cake.  Press remaining 2.5 cups coconute into frosting.  Garnish as desired (fruit, chocolate shavings).

Kahlua Torte

1/2 cup Kahlua
1 cup milk
1 pkg chips ahoy cookies (original in blue package)
1 container of cool whip, thawed

Mix Kahlua and milk.  Dip cookies in mixture (about 5-10 seconds).  Line bottom of springform pan with cookies; layer with 1/3 of cool whip.  Alternate layers (3 each) ending with cool whip.  Garnish with chocolate shavings if desired.  Freeze over night (or longer) (put plate under pan in case it leaks).  Optional: when serving, drizzle chocolate syrup on plate and serve torte on top.

Chocolate Eclaire Cake

2 boxes of French Vanilla instant pudding
2 cups milk
8 oz tub cool whip
2-3 sleeves of graham crackers
chocolate frosting

mix milk and pudding together well.  Fold in all of the cool whip.  In 9x13, cover bottom with graham crackers.  Take haof of the filling mix and cover crackers.  Top filling with another layer of cracker and the rest of the filling.  Add one more layer of crackers to top.  Cover with chocolate frosting (melt in microwave and pour over).  Cover and let sit overnight to soften.  

Tastes just like an eclair!! 

More fifth birthday pictures

My Little princess had a great fifth birthday, receiving new games (including a neat jr. edition of monopoly--it's fun!), an inflatable globe, an interactive globe, a pretty new quilt, etc---a true day fit for a little princess!

When I Grow Up, I Want to Be:

me: NOT a cake decorator!
(more later on the cake:)

fairy girl: A trapeze artist or a paratrooper!
She LOVES to jump, and out of all the kids in her tae kwon do class, she's the only one who gets big compliments on her jumping abilities--I can't wait until she does those flying kicks--I'm sure she'll amaze all of us as she defeats the laws of gravity!

Christmas Cake Diva

This year I decided to pass on baking all the cookies, pass on the pie since I'm not a huge pie fan (though I will eat it if it's put in front of me:), and bake a Christmas Cake! I will say this, I can bake--I don't think it's too difficult to do if you follow the directions and use quality ingredients, have good bakeware, and know your oven! And I've gotten really good at knowing when something is done to perfection--so generally when I bake, it tastes pretty good. But where I've never done very well was cake decorating--I CAN'T FROST A CAKE! Actually I LOVE looking at beautifully decorated cakes--I even admire them. I've come to love watching a couple of television series that specializes in cakes and (weddings, those are fun to watch too, and usually those involve a cake:) So, I decided to quit being a passive cake admirer and to take action! I decided it's going to be a new hobby of mine to learn to decorate cakes for special occasions (or whenever I have a few hours to do so:) I even purchased a domed cake plate, and semi decent cake pans for the occasions. So, this Christmas I made a Christmas Cake (of course completely from scratch, I haven't used a box mix in many many years)!
Here is my first pretty cake creation, and I thought I did a decent job frosting it (for the first time ever:)--I now have mastered the art of cooling the layers and doing a crumb layer first:

Three layer chocolate fudge cake, with a raspberry glaze between the layers.
Buttercream frosting with a hint of lemon.
Glazed fruit (this took two hours of simmering to accomplish), comprised of fresh orange slices, freshly diced pineapple, dried apricots, dried cherries, and dried cranberries, and toasted walnuts, all reconstituted in a simple syrup to create the glaze.

I'll let you know how it tastes after we cut into it tomorrow:)