Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Cake

This cake is based off of the science fiction comedy book The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams.  

There have been many different covers for his book, but I happen to have the one with this crazy little green guy on it, so that's what my "art" is based on.  For those of you familiar with Deep Thought, this design happens to be pretty funny for anyone turning 42 who is familiar with the book.

Cake
Baker's choice.
Frosting
Baker's choice.

Note - I always frost cakes before adding the fondant for the following reasons:
1. it gives the fondant something to stick to
2. most people (like me) don't like the way fondant tastes, so this way they also get frosting.

Fondant
Ingredients
1 bag marshmallows
3 tbs water
Crisco solid - at least 1/4 cup
powdered sugar - about 2 lbs
food coloring

Other things you'll need
large microwave safe bowl
wooden spoon
Fondant mat, wax paper or parchment paper
Fondant rolling pin
Fondant cutter/knife

Use Crisco to grease large microwave safe bowl.  Add marshmallows and water.  Microwave on high for 2 minutes.

Use Crisco to grease the wooden spoon (you'll want to grease all the way up the handle and you'll most likely want to grease your hands once you've laid out your fondant mat, gotten out the rolling pin, and opened the powdered sugar).

Stir marshmallow mixture with wooden spoon (it should be liquidy).  Add powdered sugar by the cupful, stirring well after each addition, until batter is no longer sticky - it's going to take a lot of powdered sugar and you'll want to keep testing it with your hands to make sure it's not sticking to you.  Once complete, you'll have a giant bowl of white fondant.  Approximately 2/3 will be used for the initial covering of the cake.

Before moving on, grease your hands.  It prevents the fondant from sticking to you.

If you want to color the fondant, take the amount of dough that you'd like to color and stretch it out slightly.  Add a few drops of food coloring to the center and fold dough in on itself (this prevents the color from getting all over you).  You'll end up with a ball of colored dough to work with.  Set aside.  Repeat process with white fondant until you have all desired colors.

On to the messy part..

On your fondant mat (or wax/parchment paper) cover with a layer of powdered sugar.  Roll out the dough so that you have enough to cover the entire cake.  To pick fondant off of the paper, drape the edge of the rolled fondant over your rolling pin and loosely "roll up" the dough from the mat.  Basically, it will end up looking like you've hung a towel over a rack.  Carry over to your cake (or put your cake directly under the draped fondant and smooth the fondant over the cake.  Using a fondant cutter remove the excess fondant from the bottom of the cake. 

If your cake looks a little powdery, all you have to do is get your hands damp and brush the top of the fondant.  The powdered sugar will dissolve into the fondant.

The decorating is easy - just cut out the designs, shapes, etc that you'd like to add to your cake.  Add them to the top and lightly press down so that they adhere to the base fondant.


Note: Since this fondant is made from marshmallows it can be a little bit melty.  It's best to store in the refrigerator if you aren't going to serve it within a few hours.  Also, this fondant is 100% edible although it is incredibly sweet.

Cherry Tarts

Cherry Tart

Preheat oven to 350

Filling
Cherry pie filling - duncan hines (this has the best consistency - homemade cherry pie filling has yet to turn out well for me and this one has a great taste)

Pie Crust Recipe
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup + 1 tbs crisco solid or butter
2-4 tsp cold water

Mix flour and salt.  Cut in crisco using a pastry blender until small pieces start forming.  Add cold water 1 tsp at a time mixing with the pastry blender well after each addition.  Dough will start to cling. 

Once dough is workable, roll out onto a floured surface using a floured rolling pin.

I use a large circle cookie cutter to make circles.  To make "cups" form dough on the OUTSIDE of a cupcake tin and place the tin upside-down in the oven and bake for approximately 10-12 minutes.  Cool for a few minutes before removing from cupcake tin.

Place tart cups on a cookie sheet, fill with cherry filling.  Bake for 5-10 minutes.

Place tarts on a cooling rack until completely cool.  Refridgerate.

Fun with Fondant

Yellow cake with vanilla buttercream.  Wilton fondant. 

Summer Dessert

One of my favorite summer desserts -

angel food cake topped with sliced strawberries and cool whip

Patriotic Cupcake

An easy cupcake for the 4th of July....

Chocolate cake
white vanilla buttercream frosting
red sprinkles
blueberry.

Strawberry Pink Champagne Cupcakes

Cake
1 box white cake mix
1 1/3 cup champagne
3 egg whites
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped strawberries


Combine all ingredients, add red food coloring until desired color is reached, bake as directed.

Frosting
1/2 cup butter or margarine (1 stick)
1 lb (1 box) powdered sugar
3-5 tablespoons pink champagne
Red food coloring

Beat butter with electric mixer.  Alternately add powdered sugar and champagne.  Add 5-10 drops of red food coloring until desired color is reached. 

Decorating
Using Wilton tip #1M start from the outside edge and swirl frosting in.  Top with sugar crystals. 

Cupcake does not require refrigeration.

Fruit Cupcake

Cake
1 box yellow cake mix
8 oz can of crushed pineapple in juice

Prepare cake as directed replacing water with juice from crushed pineapple.  If not enough to replace, add additional water to make up the difference.  Mix and add the crushed pineapple.

Bake as directed.

Filling
1 4 serving size cook and serve vanilla pudding
4 oz cool whip
1 jar marshmellow fluff

Prepare vanilla pudding.  Allow to cool.  Once cooled add the cool whip and marshmellow fluff, stiring with a spatula to combine.  Set aside and refrigerate.

Decorating
1 can mandarin orange segments - drain liquid and pat segments dry with a paper towel
3 kiwis - sliced to produce 24 slices
blueberries

Once cupcakes have cooled take out the center/middle (approximately 1 teaspoon).  Fill with the pudding mixture.  Top with a slice of kiwi, one orange segment and blueberries.  Refrigerate until serving.

Note: Cupcakes can be made the day before, however, fruit should not be added until a few hours before serving.