Cherry "Boy Bait" Cake

If you're looking for a basic cake recipe to use with fruits of the season, this is it. The original "Boy Bait" cake is moist, flavorful and works well with any fruit you chose to incorporate. Today, I had some fresh sweet cherries on hand. I made some changes to the original recipe and used all brown sugar and topped the cake with a crumb topping made of oats, nuts and cinnamon. I was pleased with how the cherry variation turned out and have been fantasizing about trying it with chunks of peaches the next time around.

 

Marbled cupcakes

For almost the entire month of April, my home has been a construction zone. Mr. Incredible and I had been planning on installing hardwood floors in our living room the first week of April, but it was delayed a week due to shipping issues. I found a DYI wainscoting project to do in the upstairs reading room while we waited for the flooring to arrive. Surprisingly, Mr. Incredible was willing to take it on. It was to be a short and easy project...3 days maximum. It took a little longer than that, but I think it came out well.

Dark Chocolate Stout Bundt Cake

 
I woke up this morning with every intention of baking a wonderfully frilly and delicate strawberry layer cake with Chantilly cream. But I didn't. If there's one thing I'm good at it's talking myself out things. Ok...maybe with exception of talking myself out of things I really need of course (refer to this post).

"A layer cake, really? You know it'll turn out lopsided." ..."do you really want to wash all those dishes?" Curses! So instead, I talked myself into a simple fuss free recipe that incorporates chocolate and booze. Mmm booze.

Pound Cake

Happy January everyone! With the mild 65 degree days we've had in Texas, it doesn't feel like winter, but more like spring. It put me in the mood to bake up something light and sweet. I know pound cakes aren't typically described as "light," but with its delicate crumb, this version tastes like a buttery chiffon. It would be great with a dollop of whipped cream and tart berries on the side.

Tish Boyle's original version includes soaking the cake with a lemon sugar syrup. I left this step out because I was too impatient. She also recommends cooling the cake completely before slicing and eating. I also left this step out. Yes, for the same reason mentioned above. Happy eating!
 

Junior's Cheesecake

Fill in the blanks game...ready?

1. "I'd rather eat a ____________ than a ______________"

2. "My ___________ has improved remarkably since ______________"

3. "_________ will keep us ________________"

4. " Wow, I wish I wouldn’t have bought that ____________"

5. "I wish cheesecake went straight to my _____________  instead of my _____________ ."

Tiramisu Cake and Le Petit Brioche's first birthday!

I starting food blogging as a way of documenting the recipes I enjoyed making and eating. Along the way, I've developed friendships with many talented home bakers and cooks who share the same passion for food and food pornography photography. They've inspired me to try new dishes and be more creative with my own.

Thank you to my blog followers and friends who stop by to check out the new recipes. Your kind comments always make my day a little brighter.

In honor of this occasion, I made one of my favorite desserts in cake form. Tiramisu cake. Layers of sponge cake are soaked with a coffee-sugar syrup spiked with Kahlua then topped with mascarpone filling.

Heavenly!

My Dad's Iphone Birthday Cake

I had the most splendid day yesterday. The Kansas City Chiefs won against the 49ers (which meant Mr. Incredible was in a good mood), I gorged myself on my mom's home cooking, we celebrated my dad's 56th birthday with extended family and enjoyed a piece of the Iphone cake I made for his party. Family + Food = a great day. Can I interest you in some food pornography? 

 

On the menu...Lechon, which is delicious roasted pork. The best part is the crisp skin.

Pancit Canton (Noodles with chicken and vegetables)

Arroz Valenciano (stewed chicken and sticky rice)

Beef BBQ

Sweet and Sour Tilapia fillets

Mr. Incredible's Xbox 360 Birthday cakes (Halo Reach edition)

Fondant used to hate me. I also used to hate fondant. I hated it so much that I swore never to work with it again. But it was Mr. Incredible's birthday today and I had been planning the perfect birthday cake for weeks. The problem was that I couldn't make it without ::gulp:: fondant. So I gave it another go only this time I used marshmallow fondant.

  

It turned out much tastier and surprisingly easy to work with. I went with an Xbox shaped cake with two controllers. Mr. Incredible bought a limited edition Halo Reach Xbox 360 slim a few weeks back but it's not set to be released until September 14th. 

I thought it would be cute to surprise him with a cake that looked like it.

The cutting of the cake was a little painful to watch :o

I made the Xbox out of two layers of carrot cake with white chocolate ganache filling.

The controllers took a couple hours to complete because of all the little details (thanks to my cousins for their help), but it was still fun to make. 

We ate one controller and saved the other.

The cake was a chocolate guinness cake with chocolate ganache frosting.YUM.

Happy Birthday Mr. Incredible!

Marshmallow Fondant recipe by Wilton

Ingredients:

• 1 package (16 ounces) white mini marshmallows (use a good quality brand)
• 2-5 tablespoons water
• 2 pounds (about 8 cups) sifted confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening

Makes: About 2 pounds marshmallow fondant.

To make marshmallow fondant, place marshmallows and 2 tablespoons of water in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave 30 seconds on high; stir until mixed well. Continue microwaving 30 seconds more; stir again. Continue until melted (about 2 1/2 minutes).

Place 3/4 of the confectioners' sugar on top of the melted marshmallow mixture. Fold sugar into marshmallow mixture. Flavoring can be added at this point if desired. Place solid vegetable shortening in easily accessed bowl so you can reach into it with fingers as you are working. Grease hands and counter GENEROUSLY; turn marshmallow mixture onto counter. Start kneading like you would dough. Continue kneading, adding additional confectioners' sugar and re-greasing hands and counter so the fondant doesn't stick. If the marshmallow fondant is tearing easily, it is too dry; add water (about 1/2 tablespoon at a time) kneading until fondant forms a firm, smooth elastic ball that will stretch without tearing, about 8 minutes.

It's best to allow Marshmallow Fondant to sit, double-wrapped, overnight. Prepare the fondant for storing by coating with a thin layer of solid vegetable shortening, wrap in plastic wrap and then place in resealable bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible. Marshmallow Fondant will keep well in refrigerator for several weeks.

When not working with fondant, make sure to keep it covered with plastic wrap or in a bag to prevent it from drying out. When ready to use, knead fondant until smooth. Roll out fondant 1/8 in. thick.

To color fondant: If you need to tint the entire batch of fondant, add a little icing color to the melted marshmallow mixture before adding confectioners' sugar. For smaller amounts of tinted fondant, add icing color to portions of fondant as needed.

The first and most likely last time I work with fondant.

There's something you should know about me. I am not only addicted to baking I'm kinda sorta also addicted/obsessed with all things COACH (don't judge me). COACH whiskey colored leather gets my blood pumping like a thick slice of triple layered chocolate cake. No joke.

Tonight, I express my love for all things COACH through these cupcakes...inspired by two of my favorite pieces, the Koi charm and the Asia exclusive floral skinny. I used white fondant and edible pearl dust diluted with vodka and painstakingly formed and painted fondant for hours. HOURS. This explains the title of this post. The first and most likely last time working with fondant. The end :)

Dark chocolate cupcakes with ganache

Now that you know how to make ganache let's do something extreme. You've heard of OD (over dose) and after a good steak you may OB (over beef). I have three words for you friends. Chocolate on chocolate. Is there such a thing as OC (over chocolate?) No, I didn't think so. I knew we'd be good friends :)

Let's have the pictures do all the talking (recipe to follow). You will need a shot or two of milk after this.

Strawberry Cream Cake

The best compliment I have ever gotten went something like "Oh wow. Aw (long pause). Aw man. It's like there's a party in my mouth!". It's definitely the most memorable compliment I've gotten on my goods. Ahem, baked goods. And it was that same thought I had when I took the first bite of strawberry cream cake. It's a mouth party. It has the basic assemblage of strawberries, whipped cream and sponge cake but what made this cake different was the addition of cream cheese in the whipped cream filling. This pairing worked out perfectly because the cream cheese gave the whipped cream more stability and was able to hold up better between the cake layers and strawberries. Cream Cheese + Whipped Cream = BFF's with a heart around it.

Let's get this party started.