Cakery

I have a love/hate relationship with cakes. I love it when they're done.  I hate it when they're not.  I love that I make my own fondant.  I hate that I don't have enough time to enjoy all the busy work.  Back in the old days, pre-kids, I loved to (in the words of one Mister Fred Rodgers) "take my time to do it right" and dote and fawn over the tiniest details. 

Nowadays, I get so hung up on getting everything done and ready to go on time, especially when set-up is required, I forget to take pictures or grab my camera. So I often rely on the kindness of friends to get pictures to me. 

Anyway, here's a small gallery of some cakes past and present for your viewing pleasure.

Meagan's Wedding Cake, October 2011

I love that they used the wedding cake as a backdrop for the rings!

Mel & Chris's Wedding, July 2011

I have mad tweezer skillz.

Mom & Dad's 50th Wedding Anniversary 

Egyptian Birthday Cake, December 2010

The heiroglyphic tiles spell "Happy Birthday"

Anna's Easter Red Velvet

Complete with edible bird's nest filled with Cadbury mini eggs.

Ray's Birthday TARDIS, June 2011

(Quick and dirty...I had two hours to make this cake!)

Pirate Birthday!  With Sugar Shark!  ARRRGH!

I'm sad I didn't also get a picture of the cupcakes I made with gold doubloons!

Tami's 30th Birthday Funerary Cake

The most morbid fun I've ever had making a cake.

Melonie's "Saloon Girl" Birthday Cake

Twilight Rifftrax Party Cake...

Complete with bad grammar!

Thanksgiving, et al

I've been pretty consistent at not updating my blog, and I apologize.  But I do have a good excuse!  I went back to college!  Speaking of which: Hello to anyone who is visiting from my customer service class!  Last night was so much fun!  I was supposed to sell something to my class, so we had a little tasting party featuring Browned Butter Rice Crispy Treats and Gingerbread Caramel Corn. 

Anyway, I am kind of strapped for time these days, so I thought I would post links some of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes seeing as it's two weeks from today.   I know, right?  I haven't been given my assignment for this year's feast, but I imagine it will probably be Lambert's Throwed Rolls or Butter Crescent Rolls.   Although I do love the idea of adding in some decadent desserts to round out the pumpkin pie: Coconut Buttermilk Pie
Cheesecake Factory Pumpkin Cheesecake
Lemon Cake Pie

While I'm At It...Pizza!!

Hey guess what?  I'm going to do another post.  I've been holding out so long, I realized I have another awesome recipe for you.

The husband man and I were watching the Travel Channel a few weeks ago and saw this sicilian pizza from a NY eatery called Spumoni Gardens that looked like it was from heaven.  I decided I must have that pizza.  Sicilian pizza is a thick but light crust covered in cheese, then tomato sauce then more cheese, then olive oil. 

A few recipes later I think I have a pretty awesome pizza going on.  My brother in law wasn't sure what to make of it, not having any meat, but we love it. 

Sicilian Pizza

dough:

1 1/2 cups water (105 F to 115 F)
2 (1/4 ounce) packages dry yeast -or- 4.5 teaspoons yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups flour (approx.)

~Coat a large bowl with a teaspoon of olive oil and set aside.
~Stir water, yeast and sugar together and let sit for 10 minutes, until nice and foamy.
~Place one cup of flour on work surface.
~Pour olive oil into yeast mixture, then add salt and 3 cups of the flour. Stir until as combined as possible.
~Turn out onto floured surface.
~With well floured hands, knead dough to work in the cup of flour on the board.
~Continue kneading until nice, smooth dough-ball is formed.
~Place in oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, then a kitchen towel and let sit for 30 minutes. In the meantime, make the sauce if you haven't already. 
~Dough should doubled (at least).
~Punch down the dough and cut in half for round pizzas or use all of it for a rectangular half sheet pan.

Sauce:

2 cans petite diced tomatoes  (I think S&W has the best flavor)
1/2 teaspoon salt (don't add more until you taste it)
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
dash of red pepper
2 cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Pepper to taste

~Drain as much of the juice from the tomatoes as you can so the sauce isn't too thin.
~Put everything in a blender or food processor.  Blend until fairly smooth.
~Taste and adjust spices.
~Keep it in the fridge until ready to use.  The longer it sits, the better it tastes!

To make the pizza:

Sliced or grated mozzarella
Grated Parmesan
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

~Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
~Press the dough into an oiled pan.
~Cover dough with sliced or grated mozzarella. 
~Spread the sauce generously (I use all of it) over the top of the cheese, right to the edge of the dough.
~Sprinkle the sauce with grated parmesan, and drizzle with olive oil.
~Bake for about 20-25 minutes. 
~I will usually turn on the broiler for the last 3-5 minutes to get it really browned on top, but you need to watch it closely so it doesn't burn.
~Let rest for about 5 minutes before cutting.

Pardon My Dust

Christmas is over and the new year is in full swing...I have been cooking, I just haven't been posting.  I am so NAUGHTY.  I have dug up some awesome childhood memory recipes over the last few weeks, but I can't post them until they've been through the rigorous testing process...which means I gotta make 'em and then have someone eat 'em.  Also, one is top secret for a party so I can't post it until the weekend anyway.

In the meantime, we've been making Chocolate Pudding Cake as the standard Sunday Dinner dessert at our house for the last few weeks.  Never had it before?  Think chocolate cake with a layer of hot fudge pudding on the bottom.  And it does that all in the oven without your help.  You can make it Vegan and you will more than likely have all the stuff in your kitchen already, so no trudging out in the snow for ingredients.  And warm out of the oven with a scoop of ice cream? (Moosetracks!!!)  Fuggedaboudit! 

Chocolate Pudding Cake

3/4 cup sugar
1 cup flour
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk (you can use soy or almond milk)
1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

topping:
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 and 1/2 cups hot water

~Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
~Whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.
~Mix in the milk, butter and vanilla.
~Spread the batter into a 9x13 pan.
~Mix together the white sugar, brown sugar and cocoa powder.  Sprinkle all the mixture evenly over the cake batter. 
~Pour the hot water over the sugar mixture.
~Bake in oven for 40 minutes.  Don't worry about testing it.  It should look like cake with little pudding volcanoes here and there.
~Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.  Scoop into bowls and serve. 

Hot Spice-A-Rama

A word about spices:  I ran out of cloves the other day, and I needed them STAT for a recipe I was in the middle of.  My adorable husband man went out to fetch them for me.  He came back with a tiny wee bottle and we were FIVE DOLLARS poorer!  I just don't understand that.

I have found, when it's not midnight and I'm desperate, that the best place in the world to buy spices is World Market.  All their bottled spices are $2.99. (Less for bulk if you already have a bottle to put it into.) And that's for the regular size bottle, not the tiny one that looks like something an Elf in a hollow tree would use. 

If you need bigger bottles of common spices, hit up your local Costco.  It is still the best place to buy a large bottle of Saigon Cinnamon.  I store all my baking spices in the freezer door (right next to my giant bag o' yeast) to keep them fresh.  Here are the ones I always have on hand:
Ground and Stick Cinnamon
Ground Ginger
Ground and Whole Nutmeg (seriously, if you've never had fresh grated nutmeg you are missing out on a divine thing in life.)
Ground Cloves
Ground Allspice
Pumpkin Pie Spice

And now, on to the recipe!

Where I live, we sometimes get autumn weather.  Autumn is my favorite time of year...sweaters come out, things get crisp and decidedly chilly.  Unfortunately, here we usually get unseasonably warm September followed by random snowstorms and a day of fall here and there before a big fat snowstorm comes and knocks all the pretty leaves off the trees.  I'm at the point where I don't even know why they call September "unseasonably" warm, when it's been like that for the last decade or so.

Anyway, we have moved more firmly towards winter weather here already, and I decided it was time to make some hot chocolate.  The stuff in a can or packet can never measure up to the homemade variety, and it's so sinfully easy to make hot chocolate from scratch I wonder why I ever bother with the pre-packaged stuff.  This recipe got a thumbs up from everyone in the family...it's creamy, chocolatey and slightly spicy in very best way.

Mexican Hot Chocolate

4 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons cocoa
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 1/3 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dash of ground red pepper (optional)

-Combine sugar, cocoa and cinnamon in a small, heavy-duty saucepan; gradually whisk in milk.
-Warm over medium heat, stirring constantly, until hot (do not boil).
-Remove from heat, stir in vanilla.
-Beat with wire whisk until frothy.

Carrots!

Whenever I say "carrots!" I always think of Gilbert from Anne of Green Gables.  This carrot cake is almost as swoon worthy.  It's full of yummy things like pineapple and coconut, and, of course, lots and lots of carrots.  One of these days, when I'm not making it for a big party (see 50th Anniversary cake below...this cake was the two top tiers) I will also add toasted pecans, slather it with cream cheese frosting, and probably just eat it from the pan, lying on the floor like David Hasselhoff.

Please be prepared to have your cake sink a little in the middle.  Sometimes a lot.  It still tastes awesome. Just more room for frosting!

Carrot Cake

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 3/4 cups white sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup chopped nuts - pecans or walnuts (optional)
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained

Frosting:
1 8 ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter, room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.
- Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon; make a well in the center and add sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla. Mix with wooden spoon until smooth.
- Stir in carrots, coconut, walnuts and pineapple. Pour into 9x13 inch pan and bake for about 45 minutes.
- Don't panic, the center will sink a little.
- Allow to cool; when cool, ice the cake. You can certainly use your favorite cream cheese frosting to ice this cake, but the one I've included is highly recommended (I usually leave the cake in the pan and just ice the top).
- To make the frosting: Cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth; add the powdered sugar and beat until creamy.

Happy Anniversary!

So guess why I haven't blogged in a while?  We threw a big party for my parent's 50th Wedding Anniversary last night!  We had chocolate fountains, I made a big cake and lots of rhubarb slush to drink.  It was fabulous, we had lots of guests, and everyone had a great time.

This is the only picture I have of the cake so far because, as usual, I forgot my camera.  (I'm sad because the lovely brooch - the one that's sitting on the table in front of the cake - wasn't on it yet.  It was kind of heavy and I was afraid it would sink into the fondant, so I left it off until just before the party started.  It should be sitting right over the bow.)

Without further ado, here is the recipe for the Rhubarb Slush.  It's really refreshing and surprisingly easy to make...especially if your parents are on a cruise to Alaska and you raid their rhubarb patch. :)

Rhubarb Slush


8 cups rhubarb, chopped
8 cups water

-Put in a large pan and bring to a boil.  Boil until rhubarb is tender. 
-Pour the rhubarb and water into a sieve set over a large bowl.  Press through the sieve.
-Discard the solids left in the sieve.
-Alternately, if you have a Vitamix or a heavy duty blender, you can blend the rhubarb and water until smooth.
-Return the rhubarb water to the pan.

Add:

3 cups sugar
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 (3 oz.) pkg. strawberry gelatin

-Mix together, then bring to a boil. Remove from heat.
-Cool the mixture, pour into an airtight container and freeze.
-To serve, scoop frozen slush into a glass and pour lemon-lime soda over the top.

Rice Crispy Redux

Holy cow!  It's been nearly 2 months since I've posted a new recipe! 

This recipe is my new favorite thing! Because it's an old favorite thing only revamped to be more awesome.  Now don't run away when I tell you it's rice crispy treats.  I know, I know.  Your Mom makes the best ones.  Your Aunt Eloise makes the only ones you'll eat.  Your neighbor makes the best ones ever and only at Christmas. But guess what?  I bet they don't make them with double the butter.  And not just double, but BROWNED butter...rich and caramel/nutty fantastic browned butter. 

Four ingredients and a little bit of patience...you should give the recipe to your Mom.

Browned Butter Rice Crispy Treats

9 cups rice crispy cereal
1 16 ounce package marshmallows
3/4 cup (1 and 1/2 sticks) salted butter
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

-Butter a 9x13 inch pan.
-Measure out the rice crispies into a bowl and sprinkle the salt over it.
-In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. 
-Watch the butter closely after it melts and stir occasionally.  It will foam, then turn clear, then the solids will begin to brown.  At this point, continually stir to keep the browned bits moving so it doesn't burn.  DON'T walk away from the butter - it only takes a few seconds to go from browned to burnt. 
-When it becomes a golden nut brown color (and smells amazing!) remove the butter from the heat.
-Stir in the marshmallows and continue to stir until completely melted.  If the marshmallows don't finish melting from the heat of the butter, put the pan back on low heat and stir just until melted.  (The key to soft and chewy rice crispy treats is to just melt the marshmallows until smooth, not cook them.) 
-Stir in the cereal/salt mixture until well combined.
-Pour into buttered pan and press with buttered fingers or a buttered piece of waxed paper. 
-Cool before cutting.