Baby Shower Cake

Sometimes you just need to have fun with fondant.

Baby Shower Cake

Cake - chocolate
Frosting - vanilla butter cream
Fondant - wilton pre-made

Fondant can be tricky to work with.  I've made it from scratch before but sometimes the packaged works a little better - especially if the cake is not going to be kept in the refrigerator.

Fondant tips
- fondant rollers, cutters, and mats are worth the investment.  Specifically, the fondant roller.
- if using packaged fondant, be sure to knead it until it's soft
- use powdered sugar on your flat surface when rolling out the fondant to prevent sticking
- regular cookie cutters can be used to make designs
- to get the fondant to layer (like the blocks) use a little bit of water to dampen the cut out
- once a cut out is stuck onto the cake you can move it, just re-wet and re-stick.  If you use packaged fondant the color shouldn't run, however, with homemade fondant you may end up with a little discoloration
- don't expect it to turn out perfect on the first attempt (or the second, or the third...)

German Chocolate Cupcake

Chocolate Cake

I personally like the recipe from the Hershey's Cocoa Powder box.  Or check out: http://www.hersheys.com/pure-recipes/details.aspx?id=184&name=HERSHEY'S

This is a pretty dense cake.  A favorite with my family, but certainly a heavy, rich cake.

Chocolate Frosting

Chocolate Butter Cream.

For this cupcake I use the recipe from the Hershey Cocoa Powder box.  It's really creamy and rich, perfect for this decadent cupcake.

Coconut Topping

1/4 cup (4 tbs) of butter or margarine
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup pecans
1/2 cup flaked coconut

In a small sauce pan stir brown sugar and margarine over low heat until melted.  Add coconut and pecans and stir until thoroughly mixed.

Decorating

Using a Wilton #1M decorating tip, start at the edge of the cupcakes and make a ring, leaving space for the Coconut Topping.  Spoon coconut topping on cupcake

Apple Pie

Apple pie has always been a fall favorite, and fortunately it's not all that difficult to make.

Preheat oven to 425

Filling
6 cups (about 7-8) apple sliced (Spies, Rome, and Empire apples work best)
3/4 sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp cinnamon

Peel apples, core and slice.  Put in large bowl.  In separate bowl combine sugar, flour, nutmeg, and cinnamon.  Pour onto apples, mix and set aside.

Cinnamon Crust
2 cups all purpose flour
2/3 + 2 tbs Crisco solid
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
5-6 tablespoons cold water

Step 1. In large bowl combine flour and salt.  Add crisco.  Using a pastry blender, mix until pea sized particles form.  Sprinkle in water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost cleans side of bowl (1-2 tablespoons can be added if necessary). 

Step 2. Gather pastry in a bowl; divide in half; shape into flattened rounds on a clean, lightly floured pastry mat or counter top.  Using a flour covered rolling pin, roll pastry 2 inches larger than inverted pie plate.  Once desired size is rolled, place rolling pin on one side of the flattened round and roll part of the pastry up so that the pastry crust hangs about evenly on either side of the rolling pin, then unroll into pie pan. 

Step 3. Press pastry firmly into pie pan. 

Step 4. Pour filling into pastry lined pie plate.  Repeat Step 2 with second ball of dough.  Place upper crust on top of filling.  Cut slits so steam can escape.

Step 5. Trim overhanging edge of pastry 1 inch from the rim of the plate.  Fold and roll top edge under lower edge, pressing on rim to seal; flute.  Cover edge with aluminum foil to prevent excessive browning; remove foil during last 15 minutes of baking.

Step 6. Bake for 40-50 minutes.  Be sure to remove foil during last 15 minutes of baking.  Crust should be slightly brown and juice will begin to bubble through the slits in the top crust. 

Allow to cool on a wire rack.

Chocolate Hazelnut Cupcakes

Cake
Chocolate Hazelnut

I'm a fan of the recipe on the back of the Hershey's cocoa powder box.  The only change I made was by adding about 1/2 cup of ground hazelnuts to the batter.

Frosting
Chocolate hazelnut

I also used the recipe on the back of the Hershey's cocoa powder box.  The big change - I replaced one tablespoon of milk with hazelnut flavoring (the kind you put in coffee).

Decorating
Using Wilton decorating tip 1M, swirl the frosting onto the cupcake starting with the outer edge working towards the middle.  Top with toffee pieces.



Pumpkin Patch Sugar Cookies

Spritz sugar cookies were a holiday staple at my house growing up.  Although the original recipe calls for a cookie press and sprinkles, I have always rolled them out and decorated them with icing. 


Spritz Cookie Dough
3 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cups margarine (3 sticks)
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 400

Stir together flour and baking powder.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat butter or margarine for 30 seconds.  Add sugar and beat until fluffy.  Add egg and vanilla; beat well.  Gradually add dry ingredients (about 1/2 a cup at a time) beating well after each addition.  Mix until blended.

Do not chill dough.

Sprinkle flour on a surface (counter top).  Divide dough in half.  Ball half of the dough, press flat between your hands, dust with flour on both sides and then using a rolling pin, roll dough until it is about 1/4 - 1/2 inch thick.  Use cookie cutters and put cookies on a baking sheet.  Add leftover dough to remaining dough in bowl and repeat until all dough has been used.

Bake in oven for approximately 7-8 minutes.  Edges will start to get slightly browned.  Cool on a wire rack, parchment paper or paper towels.

Icing
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Milk

Put powdered sugar in a bowl, add vanilla, add enough milk to make a drizzling consistency.  Add food coloring if desired.

Spread icing on cookies.  If decorating, add all decorations (sprinkles, chocolate chips, etc) immediately after frosting as the icing will harden quickly.

The jack-o-lantern cookies pictured have chocolate chips for the eyes and nose and mini chocolate chips for the mouth. 

Pumpkin Spice Cupcake

Cake

(www.duncanhines.com)

1 box spice cake mix

1 can pumpkin (Libbys pumpkin)

½ cup water

Mix and bake for approximately 21 minutes.  Makes 22-24 cupcakes

Frosting

3 ounces cream cheese

¼ cup butter or margarine

1 tsp vanilla

~3 cups powdered sugar

Cinnamon

Nutmeg

Beat cream cheese and butter until combined and fluffy.  Add vanilla and ½ tsp of cinnamon.  Beat together.  Add powdered sugar ½  cup at a time beating well after each addition until desired consistency is reached (I always add enough sugar so that the frosting is slightly more stiff rather than creamy - reason: frosting needs to be thicker when using decorator tips).  Add a dash or two of nutmeg.  Add additional cinnamon until desired flavor is met. 

Frost cupcakes using a Wilton 1M tip starting from the outer edge and swirling the frosting towards the middle.  Sprinkle with cinnamon. 

Banana's Foster Cupcake

Cake

Part 1

2 bananas

4 tablespoons dark rum

2 tbs butter

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup brown sugar

Part 2

1 box yellow cake mix

Rum

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 tbs caramel

Part 1

Slice bananas.  In a skillet, heat rum, butter, vanilla and brown sugar on medium heat until mixture bubbles.  Add bananas and cook for 2-3 minutes until bananas are hot..  Set aside.

Part 2

Prepare cake as directed, replacing 1/3 cup of the water with rum.  Add cinnamon, caramel and bananas.  Bake as directed.  Tap the top of a cupcake.  If the top springs back they are done baking.  If an indentation is visible, leave in oven and check again after 2-3 minutes.  Repeat until cupcakes spring back upon touch.

Frosting

Caramel Buttercream

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine

1 tsp vanilla
3-4 cups powdered sugar (1 box)
2-3 tbs milk
2 tbs caramel

Beat the butter and vanilla together.  Alternately add the powdered sugar and milk until desired consistency is reached.  Add caramel and blend into mixture.  When using decorating tips, frosting should have a slightly thicker consistency, otherwise it will look melted on your cupcakes.  Note: if you end up with frosting that is too thin, just add more powdered sugar. 

Decorating
Using Wilton decorating tip 1M squeeze 1 large star of frosting on to the top of each cupcake.  Dust with Cinnamon.

Keep refrigerated.