The lemoncello and ginger experiment
Posted by: bakeaholics on: January 24, 2012
I discovered that BevMo sells little airline sized bottles of liquor. As such it is now much less expensive for me to experiment with different flavors and alcohol. Woohoo!
First up was a lemoncello cake with a ginger liqour frosting and a lemon pudding filling. And just for fun, I made some sugared lemon zest for the top.
General feedback was “yum! best cupcakes yet!” so I think I have a hit! Now to remember the recipe, write it down and make it again. Although I think a chocolate cake is in order next so lemoncello might need to wait a little.
Now these cakes have… balls. Really!
Posted by: bakeaholics on: January 14, 2012
I was recently commissioned to create a birthday cake for a friend who happened to be having his party at a pool hall. I’ve wanted to get more comfortable with carving, so figured this was a great chance to try something different.
The cake is supposed to suggest a pool table, unfortunately I didn’t have the time to make it truly look LIKE a pool table – but wanted to at least suggest the location. I also had fun “making” a new billiard ball since there isn’t a 0.
The cake itself was the “After Eight” cake: Chocolate creme de menthe cake with irish creme frosting. The balls are cake crumbs covered in fondant, and are the only bits of fondant on the cake.
I learned that creating clean lines with two colors of butter cream frosting on a cake is much harder that it looks, and took much longer than I’d have liked. But was so worth it!
Next up, a co-worker recently got married. I didn’t have the chance to bake before the wedding, so to celebrate, I made a strawberry-lemon cake with strawberry frosting with a “ball and chain” theme. Again the ball is cake crumbs covered in fondant. The chain is gumpaste covered in fondant, which while making I felt like I was rolling a very odd cigarette. Of course all you would get if you lit them would be creme brulee! (*drum snare*)
I have to say they were both great fun to make! I hope to have some time soon (once school is done) to make more theme type cakes.
Happy New Cookie Year!
Posted by: bakeaholics on: January 3, 2012
For new year’s I thought I’d be a rebel, a wild child, a down right crazy person and not bake a cake or cupcakes. I know… the insanity! Instead, I baked some apple hard cider snickerdoodles.
The apple slices look either like a half moon or a smile. Sure, that was on purpose… no it wasn’t a complete accident. Not at all!
I wasn’t too happy with how the fresh cut apple slice baked up on top, and realized next time I’ll put double the amount of cut up apple IN the cookie. However, overall they were tasty and my friends and co-workers seemed to enjoy them. How I really knew they were a hit though… my husband inhaled the ones I kept at home!
So with that… happy new year to all! May it be filled with laughter and endless sweet treats!
December Birthdays in Review
Posted by: bakeaholics on: December 29, 2011
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It’s December!!! You know what that means? Time to get out the wrapping paper and ribbon, find that funny or sweet card because…. IT’S BIRTHDAY SEASON (part 2. part 1 is October). I hear there’s this other “holiday” around December 25th, but it isn’t nearly as wonderful as 3 birthdays!!
First up is my long-standing tradition of cake baking for my dad’s birthday. This year, guiness cake with chocolate frosting. I had a little too much fun making fondant leaves. *grin* Fall theme in December? That’s normal, right?
Next, but really at the same time, is my nephew’s cake. He’s a SF Giant’s fan, so I made a chocolate fondant jersey with his name and age on it. Added a “Go Giants” on the side because I wasn’t convinced the cake was properly Giants themed otherwise. This was a “kids cake” so no alcohol involved, but I figured kids love pancakes… so it’s a maple flavored cake (tastes like a pancake with syrup on it) and chocolate frosting.
Last, only because his birthday is after the other two, is my brother-in-law. He’s a quiet guy who never asks for a thing, and avoids the spotlight at all cost. Which of course, is why I couldn’t pass up the chance to make him a cake! It’s a “hot damn” carrot cake with bailey’s cream cheese frosting. (Hot Damn is a cinnamon flavored… liquor?.. schnapps ? … just call it an alcoholic liquid.) Inspired by the “carrot cake” drink, although unlike the drink mine contained carrots.
Go ahead cake. Make my day.
Posted by: bakeaholics on: December 29, 2011
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I recently had the opportunity to make a cake for a co-worker of mine who is off to pursue his next great adventure. Now what to make. I opted for a butterny nipple cake, because I’ve been wanting to make one for awhile, but then came the really tough question: what to put on it?!
A moment of genius struck me as he was aiming his USB rocket launcher at a co-worker walking by. The result:
Yes indeed. It’s his USB rocket launcher via buttercream transfer. Minus the actual rockets which had mysteriously gone missing recently. I love how he refused to cut that side of the cake.
And the inside of the cake, which was a butterscotch schnapps filling.
Tasty goodness that surprised him and made him laugh. Mission accomplished!
Candycane cake experiment
Posted by: bakeaholics on: December 6, 2011
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It’s the holiday season!!!! Which for me is an excuse to bake like a maniac. A tasty maniac. First up, had some family over for dinner and wanted to use a cake plate that was given to me by one of the family members… not usually how I start the process for “What should I bake” but what the heck!
I’ve also always wanted to try one of those “cloud like” finishes on a cake and I wanted to try a holiday themed alcohol drink. The result:
The drink is: Candycane Shot. This is a creme de cacao cake with a peppermint schnapps frosting.
I had fun with the inside and dyed some of the cake red. This is my first time playing with colored batter… not to shabby!
Happy Mummy Halloween
Posted by: bakeaholics on: October 31, 2011
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For halloween this year I didn’t have the amount of time I’d have liked to make some fun treats. Halloween is my favorite holiday of the year, so I don’t just want to “Bake something”. I want it to be nifty and fun and result in “oohs” and “ahhs”.
But, I still don’t know how to put 30 hours in one day… so I went for something fun and simple…. mummy cupcakes! (Actually these are blue moon ale cake with bacardi frosting because I was out of triple sec)
We have a customer!
Posted by: bakeaholics on: October 27, 2011
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A friend of mine “commissioned” me for two-dozen car bomb cupcakes! (That’s how she asked for them – and there’s something about “commissioned” that just makes me smile) It’s my first paid for baked good!!!!
As a result, I put together a temporary website, should anyone else desire to purchase baked goods from me (cupcakes or cakes). I’m currently experimenting with baked bar-type treats so I could potentially ship as well. Very excited, although there haven’t been any emails just yet, still… it’s an exciting first step!
It’s my birthday and I’ll bake if I want to
Posted by: bakeaholics on: October 4, 2011
For my birthday this year I decided to try making a cake of whatever flavor I wanted, and whatever shape. Since I’m making it for fun and not for someone else, I’m willing to let it slide if it’s not perfect (or as close to perfect as I can get without spending a few hundred dollars in baking supplies).
The result: I’ve wanted to try an Angry Bird 3-D cake. So I did! In my mind it’s a cake fail. Although I learned a few important things (That I likely already knew, but this proved it. 1) When you crumb coat, it must chill over night. Not just for 30 minutes. 2) Don’t make a beak out of fondant covered cake and only use toothpicks to attach it. Use gumpaste and proper supports and make it the night before. and 3) STOP ROLLING THE FONDANT SO THIN! the red layer started tearing immediately and just arg. It was too thin.
Fortunately, my co-workers are incredibly kind people. They have been complimenting and “oh” and “Ah”-ing all day… and inhailing it. So I’m glad the experiment is tasty and enjoyed!
Completed cake (fun-fetti with butterscotch schnapps cake and strawberry frosting). The shine is from being brushed with water… he just needed to “shine” for some reason.
(Tail, beak and top “feathers” are fondant. Tail specifically is chocolate fondant and quite tasty.)
You know you’re old when…
Posted by: bakeaholics on: September 28, 2011
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you get a kid’s cake for your birthday!!
A very wonderful man turned 70. He happens to love watching spongebob square pants. Which in my mind meant one thing – A SPONGEBOB CAKE!!!
Sorry…. got a little excited there. I have to admit I enjoy the cartoon myself and have been looking forward to the chance to practice the butter cream transfers and some simple fondant sculpting.
The results:
Close ups of the figures:
First up is Plankton
Next is my favorite, Gary
It was chocolate frosting and lemon cake (with triple sec). I was happy with how it all turned out and the birthday boy got a kick out of it – so mission accomplished!
