Graduation season

Graduation...always the start of my busy season with graduation, change of command, weddings, and birthdays. Here's the latest graduation cake for a graduate from the AF Academy. The AF seal is made from my homemade gumpaste  and cut out on my Cricut Cake. All lettering is freehand except for the "United States of America." That is cut out of an icing sheet, using a scrapbook punch. The letters are then attached to the gumpaste with just a tiny bit of water. If you use too much water, the letters will dissolve. Next on the agenda... change of command cake for Thursday, and 6 dozen cake pops for Saturday.

Experimenting with New Recipes

I never tire of experimenting with new recipes, so when I get a request for a new appetizer for a catering job, I get really excited. Today, I tweaked a recipe for stuffed cucumber cups...turned out so yummy. I decided these could be done with a variety of nuts, even though the original recipe called for walnuts. So I tried almonds also, but still liked the taste of the walnuts when it was combined with the taste of the blue cheese. 

Here's the recipe...

Stuffed Cucumber Cups

1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese

1/2 cup cream cheese, softened

3 T. sour cream

1 T. minced green onions or chives

1/4 t. seasoning salt

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

2 cucumbers

Using a zester, score the length of each cucumber to create a striped effect. Remove the ends and cut each cucumber into 3/4 inch rounds. Using a small melon baller, scoop out the seeds from the center of each round to form a cup. Reserve a few of the walnuts as a garnish. Combine remaining ingredients and stir until well blended. Spoon the mixture into the cucumber cups and sprinkle with remaining nuts. Chill until serving time. 

Here's a sweet little tip ...

I saw on Pinterest awhile back how someone had used push pins to elevate something they were painting so that the bottom side would not touch the surface while it dried. So, when I was doing this baby shower cake last week, I thought, "why not try that with my cake decorating?" So when I was covering these cute little baby blocks, after I piped the icing on the bottom of the rice krispie blocks, I put 4 push pins in the bottom, and then decorated the rest of the blocks ... perfect. I left them there until I was ready to assemble the cake. 

Having fun with veggies ...

As I have mentioned before, I love learning new skills. Last week, I wanted to try something different for a veggie display we were doing for a catering job. So I purchased several inexpensive glass containers and a mirror, and put the veggies with green glass marbles and ice .... to keep the veggies cool ... into the different containers, along with a fun edible veggie arrangement. We always serve our veggies with a yummy dill dip. Here's the final results ...

The menu also included two warm appetizers, a fruit display, chocolate peanut butter rounds, mint rounds, and a small wedding cake. The flavor was yellow with Bavarian creme filling, which is always a big hit with the guests.

 Spinach spirals and pepperoni pizza puffs

 Chocolate peanut butter rounds and mint rounds, both made with Ritz crackers

 Yellow cake with Bavarian creme filling

Best Peanut Butter Cookies Ever!

For those of you who follow my blog, you know that I have problems from time to time with high altitude baking since we live at almost 7000 feet here in Colorado Springs. Most of my cookies turn out fine, but every once in awhile, a cookie recipe will turn out a less than desired result... usually flat flat cookies. Such has been the case with my peanut butter cookies. However, not too long ago, I found this amazing peanut butter cookie recipe that works very well here in Colorado. Stock up on your peanut butter because this recipe calls for allot of peanut butter, but worth every bit. These cookies can be made with or without chocolate chips and they literally melt in your mouth... yum.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies(makes 4-5 dozen)
1 cup butter, softened2 cups smooth or chunky peanut butter1 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar1 cup granulated sugar2 large eggs1 1/2 tablespoons milk1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda1 teaspoon baking powder1/2 teaspoon salt2 cups chocolate chips (or peanut butter chips or both) optional
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine butter and peanut butter in large bowl and beat until light and fluffy. Add the brown and granulated sugars and mix until well combined. Add the eggs and beat for 1-2 minutes, until light and fluffy. Mix in milk and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and mix briefly. While there are still spots of flour, add in the chips and mix until well combined. Let cookie dough set for a few minutes to firm up. Scoop tablespoon size balls onto parchment lined baking sheets. Criss-cross with fork dipped in water. Bake for 10-11 minutes, taking care not to overbake in the slightest! Leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes to firm before removing them carefully to the cooling rack. The cookies may look slightly underbaked, but will firm as they cool. 

I finally have all my ducks in a row!

Look at this... all the little duckies in a row on this fun baby shower cake...

The awesome customer that I did this cake for went to the Ducky Shop in Manitou (I didn't even know that one existed) and got these 8 little baby duckies to use on the cake, then sent me a picture of a "ducky" cake. She gave me my decorator's free license to design the cake I wanted, and this is what I came up with. 

I had lots of fun making mama ducky out of rice krispie treats...

and learning how to make gelatin bubbles...

Click here for a link to the tutorial for making gelatin bubbles.

and making pearlized fondant ball "bubbles"

My customer, Jeanene, called after the shower to let me know that the cake was a huge hit and that it tasted wonderful (fudge marble with chocolate mousse filling). One of the greatest joys of being a cake decorator is hearing positive feedback from your customers. Thanks Jeanene.

Opposites...chocolate and vanilla fondants...same design

 

Look at these two cakes... very similar, yet very different... like night and day. Chocolate fondant with vanilla buttercream dots on quilted pattern, and vanilla fondant, with chocolate dots on quilted pattern... interesting comparison.