Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Say No To Cake Mixes!


A cake mix is something that I despise, being still young and with a reasonable amount of time on my hands. Maybe in 5 or so years when I have babies and toddlers I will be able to appreciate the necessity, but for now I tell you, MAKE YOUR OWN!!! It is so simple and what is an extra 15 minutes?

I made these In the Night Garden cupcakes for my friends 2 year olds birthday. They were pretty simple to make but I wasnt THAT happy with the results. She was though so I guess that is all that matters. A trick that I have learnt is to melt the icing ( I always use store bought vanilla or chocolate icing in those tubs..I know that sounds hypocritical to the cake mix, but the icing is so consistant and a joy to use)melt the icing untill it is liquidy and then plop cupcakes upside down in it and roll around untill cupcake top is fully covered. Drip off excess icing and then allow to harden/cool. You will now have a completly smooth colored surface to add other intricate icing patterns. A few notes on that is to add food coloring and fully incorperating it into icing before melting in microwave. And I always bake my cupcakes day or days before icing them, and then place them in freezer so that I am working with a Frozen cold cupcake, which allows icings to harden faster and avoids pesty crumb residue while icing.
Memo to myself: tea cupcakes, cardamom mango (lime?) cupcakes.

Monday, December 28, 2009

Day One












To get to know one another before furthering this friendship, allow me to allow you to browse some of my finer works involving the oven. This will be a messy and unorganized blog with many spelling errors and technical difficulties but I thought that it was time to share my love of baking and decorating with those who might appreciate it as I appreciate others baking blogs. The begining of an everlasting love affair started with a Woman's Day issue, back in June 2007 with a poolside themed cake featured on the cover. It was magnificant and I had never know such a wonder could be created. Since then I have been inventing my own cake themes and further stealing them from Woman's Day, Family Circle, Canadian Living and other various magazines. Another turning point in my baking life happend to be a book titled "Hello Cupcake!' which I first purchased in early 2008. It has also been a huge inspiration and I am in awe of its creators.


I hope that my blog will inspire you as those family magazies and cupcake decorating books have and that you will create your own artworks and masterpieces.
Cakes from top to bottom: cookie monster cupcakes, halloween 2009 cupcakes, watermelon cookies, raspberry citrus cheesecake, and night club night life cake.