Tangled Cake fit for a princess

I love how this cake turned out but let me tell you I had many sleepless nights trying to decide how to design the tower.  I ended up making it out of Rice Crispy Treats so that it would be strong and sturdy.

Things needed to create this cake:
Baked cake ( you will need two different sizes of pans to make the two tiers.  Bake two cake levels for each tier)
Butter cream
Rice treats
Wooden rods
Forms to create tower pieces, a cylinder, cube, and cone
Sugar flowers and butterflies
Purple fondant

Bake your cake layers and allow to cool completely.  Build your layers by filling the centers with a filling and put a layer of frosting around the layers.  Place the cakes into the fridge so that the cake and butter cream can harden up (at least for an hour)

These are the two levels with the filling showing.  I added fun colors so when the cake is cut into the colors would show.


While the cake levels are setting in the fridge begin making your rice treats.  I found different forms in my kitchen to create the shapes I needed.  I used a funnel for the top of the tower, a square lemon dish for the tower body, and a tall skinny glass for the tower. Once your Rice treats are mixed press them into your forms and place into the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

 

You will need four wooden rods to make sure the cake and tower remain standing.  Start to build your cake: Stack your cake tiers, then center the cylinder rice treat on the top, run two wooden rods down the center of the rice treat and cake tiers, add a little frosting to the top of the cylinder treat, add the square treat, add frosting to the top of that treat, add the cone shape treat on top, and finish by running two more rods down the center of all the treats.

 



 

Place this stage back into the fridge for 10 mins.

 

Time to start frosting your cake.  Start to create the colors of frosting you will need.  For the cake tiers you will need a med. green and a lighter green. The tower you will need pink, dark brown, yellow, light brown, and white.

You will want to frost the tower first before the cake tiers.  Start from the top to the bottom.

Cone: frost with white because you will be adding fondant circles later, make sure to cover to make it smooth

Cube: frost pink make it thick enough to not tell its rice treats under. Smooth well on all four sides and square off the corners as best as you can

Cylinder: frost yellow but add a little light brown to give it a stone look. This level does not have to be smooth as you are going for a stone look and texture.

Cake tiers: use the light green to cover both tiers and smooth out as best as you can

 

The picture above does not follow the color formula I just laid out. But I did this first and then had to change it. So this is a lesson learned for me as well. :)

Add to the fridge again to allow this layer of frosting to harden.

 

You will now start to decorate your cake.  I started from the bottom and moved upward to the top of the tower.  Use the med. green frosting to make the vines and leaves Two piping bags are needed: one with tip 2 and the other with tip 67.  Tip 67 is for leaves which you will want to make a boarder of leaves on the bottom tier.  Then begin to create vines and add leaves here and there.  Once both tiers are designed add sugar flowers and butterflies.

 

Now it is time to move to the tower.  This will take patience so move slowly. Add your dark brown frosting to a piping bag with tip 2. Create the detail on the body of the tower: a window on each side, railings, and a boarder.  Then add vines, leaves, and small sugar flowers.  In one window you will want to make Rapunzel.

I used white frosting to create her face and little hands. Added a little pink for her lips, dark brown for eyes, and yellow for her hair.

 

Great job!! You are now to the last big step Purple fondant work. 

You will need a very small circle fondant cutter.  Roll out your purple fondant and begin to cut out a ton of circles.   Start at the bottom of the cone and work around the circle.  Each layer should start in a stacked look as it looks like in the picture below.

 

I added sliver edible glitter mixed with water to give the fondant a pretty look.  Add a few vines and flowers to the top of the tower.  Done!! Place in the fridge to harden the detail work. 

Now you have a Tangled cake that any little girl would love as her own!!!







WHOOOOO are you?? (cakepops)

I am in love with Owls right now so when I saw these little cuties I HAD to make them.  The first one I made was all wrong until I changed my pieces now they are to cute to eat.  :0

Owl Cake Pops (yes sir!)

Things needed:
cake balls
cakepop sticks
melting chocolates  (brown and any color for the belly)
choc. chips
candy eyes
Choc. covered sunflower seeds
flower candies for feet
almond slices

Make your cake pop (I have a cakepop maker so I do it the easy way)

 

Dip your stick into the melted choc. then put into one end of the cake ball. Allow to chill

Cover the cake pop completely with the chocolate and allow to chill and harden.



Dip the bottom of two Choc. chips into the melted choc. and place on the top allow to chill. 

Lay out your pieces to make the body of the owl: eye candy, choc. covered sunflower seeds, sliced almonds, and flower or leaf sprinkle candies.  Now redip your cake pop add the eyes, wings, and nose.  Allow to chill.

Melt your other colored chocolate and add to a sandwich bag to make a piping bag.  Cut off the tip of the bag.  Start at the nose and make a "V" down to the stick. Fill in the "V" and add the feet to the bottom. Allow to Chill

Now you have super cute OWLS!!

Rice Garden

My little girl is growing up so fast and wants to do everything that Mommy does.  So I bought her a Kitchen so she could bake when I bake. Her Nana got her a vacuum to help mommy clean the house. Now I have a garden and she wants to dig in it and pull up all the plants.  Therefore we made a fun little colorful rice garden.

Things needed:
25 lbs of long gran rice
1 bottle of rubbing alcohol
3-4 different colors of food coloring
Gallon Zip lock bags
something to  lay rice on to dry (cookie sheets with edges)
Wooden spoon
Plastic tub with Lid
Sand toys

How to make:

One color = Zip lock bag (double bag) fill with 8 cups of rice, 18 drops of food color, and 3 tablespoons of alcohol  (I had to make two of these bags of the same color to fill my tub)
Zip close both bags and shake until all the rice is covered with the coloring.
Spread out colored rice onto cookie sheet and allow to sit out in the sun to dry. After 15 minutes use the spoon to stir so the bottom rice is allowed to dry.
Pour colored rice into the play tub and add toys to play!!

Cheesecake with Chocolate Ganache and Berries

Oh Heaven just landed at my door step with this dessert!!  I needed to make my good friend Jacqueline a Birthday dessert and she loves.....cheesecake and Chocolate covered strawberries.  Last year I took these flavors and made her a pie so this year I made this divine cake. ::smack lips::

You will need to start by preping your pan, then make crust, filling, ganache, and finish with berries.

Pan:
Spring form pan, wrap the bottom of pan with tin foil and spray the whole pan with Pan pil spray.

Crust:  Preheat Oven 350 degrees

1 1/2 package of Chocolate Maid Graham crackers

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon flour

1 stick of melted butter

Crush crackers into a fine crumble, add sugar and flour mix well. Melt butter then add to the cracker mixture.  Add cracker crumble to pan and press evenly over the bottom, also press some up the sides for a small edge. Place into the oven and bake for five minutes. Remove from the oven, using a spoon press down the crust and set aside to cool. Make filling

 

Cheesecake Filling:    Oven remains at 350 degrees

4 packages of cream cheese/ at room temperature

4 eggs/ at room temperature

1 1/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 zest of a lemon

Using an electric mixer cream the Cream cheese and sugar together, add one egg at a time until well mixed. Incorporate the vanilla and lemon zest and slowly add in the whipping cream. Make sure to scrap the edges of the bowl throughout the mixing so everything is well Incorporated. Pour Cheese mixture into the prepared pan with the crust.

Cover the bottom of the pan with tin foil and return to the oven. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and add the spring form pan to a larger pan. Add some water to the larger pan so that the cheesecake is in a water bath, return to the oven and bake for another 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. (if the middle is still a little jiggly that is fine but if it still moves like loss liquid then bake for a little longer.)

Once cooled cover and place into the fridge (allow to set up for at least two hours). 

 

Chocolate Ganache:

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

3/4 cup Heavy whipping cream

5 Tablespoons powder sugar

 

Add all choc. chips into a microwave safe bowl add 1/4 of the heavy cream to chocolate.  Place into the microwave and heat at 30 second increments until completely melted.  You will need a hand mixer for this part.  Begin mixing the chocolate at a slow speed while adding the remaining cream.  Once the cream is mixed in well start to add the powder sugar slowly.  Your ganache should be thick and if not add more melted chocolate.

Pour the ganache over the top of the cheesecake.  Add cheesecake to the Fridge to setup.

 

Berries:

5 strawberries

small handful of blackberries and raspberries

Lemon and zest

 

Cut all berries into small pieces.

Zest one lemon over the cut berries.

Just add berries to the middle of the dessert just moments before serving.

Raspberry Lemonade Bars

The special treats I made for my Birthday this year where Black forest Parfaits, Key Lime Pie cupcakes, and Raspberry Lemonade Bars.  I got to share my treats this year with family in CO. and everyone enjoyed them.  This post I am going to share the recipe for the bars.

 

RASPBERRY LEMONADE BARS (Adapted from The Improv Kitchen)
Crust:
9 tbsp butter
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 tsp vanilla essence
pinch of salt

Filling:
2 1/2 cups frozen raspberries, thawed
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup lemon juice (about 3-4 medium lemons)
zest of 3 lemons
3 egg whites
1 egg
2/3 cup flour
pinch of salt, extra

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line and grease a 8x8 inch square baking dish.
To make the crust, cream together butter and sugar until light. Add the flour, vanilla and salt and mix until combined well. Do not over mix as this can make the base tough. Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until just golden brown. Remove from oven and cool.

To make the filling, place all thawed raspberries in a fine sieve and press them into a large bowl with the back of a spoon. Discard the caught seeds and skin. Add the sugar, juice, zest, whites, egg, flour and salt and combine, until well incorporated.
Pour the raspberry mixture onto the base and place in the oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Cool on the bench before placing in the refrigerator to set completely (about 3-4 hours) Cut and decorate as desired.

 

 

 

Blackforest Parfait

Well another year has come and gone and I'm turning another year older.  I love chocolate covered strawberries so I wanted to make something that had those wonderful flavors in a cake form.  This was a simple and fun treats to make. 
Buy plastic wine glasses to hold the parfait.  This dessert has three components choc. cake, strawberries, and lime flavored whipped cream.

I made a dark chocolate cake and added choc. chips to the batter to add extra chocolate.
Then I chopped fresh strawberries (small bits are the best :))
Make the whipped cream:
* Heavy whipping cream
* powder sugar
*vanilla extract
*lime zest and juice
1.  You will need an electric mixer with a whisk attachment.  Pour the whipping cream into the mixer bowl along with 1 tsp of vanilla and 1 tsp of lime juice, and add also zest from half of a lime.  Turn on the mixer onto one speed above slow.
2.  Allow to mix until it starts to thicken, then begin to add 1 tbs of powder sugar at a time, you will need to add at least 5 tbs but taste to see if you want it sweeter.  Continue to mix until the peaks are stiff.
Build your Parfait: (make sure cake is completely cooled)  Cake/strawberries/cream......repeat. :)

Strawberry Cheesecake

Strawberry Cheesecake with a drizzle of Chocolate

 

 

While I was in Colorado my brother asked me to make Gumbo and a yummy dessert.  I decided a creamy cheesecake with some fresh fruit would be nice after a spicy-Gumbo.  Oh, everyone was drooling all over themselves because of this cheesecake.

 

It is best to make this cheesecake a day ahead so plan as such, but you can make the same day.

Begin with the crust, move to the filling, and finish with the berries.

Crust:    Preheat Oven 350 degrees

Spring form pan

1 1/2 package of Honey Maid Graham crackers

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon flour

1 stick of melted butter

 

Crush crackers into a fine crumble, add sugar and flour mix well.  Melt butter then add to the cracker mixture.

Spray the bottom and sides of the pan.  Add cracker crumble to pan and press evenly over the bottom, also press some up the sides for a small edge.   Place into the oven and bake for five minutes. Remove from the oven, using a spoon press down the crust and set aside to cool.  Make filling

 

 

Filling:    Oven remains at 350 degrees

4 packages of cream cheese/ at room temperature

4 eggs/ at room temperature

1 1/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 zest of a lemon

 

Using an electric mixer cream the Cream cheese and sugar together, add one egg at a time until well mixed.  Incorporate the vanilla and lemon zest and slowly add in the whipping cream.  Make sure to scrap the edges of the bowl throughout the mixing so everything is well Incorporated.  Pour Cheese mixture into the prepared pan with the crust.

Cover the bottom of the pan with tin foil and return to the oven.  Bake for 30 minutes.  Remove from the oven and add the spring form pan to a larger pan.  Add some water to the larger pan so that the cheesecake is in a water bath, return to the oven and bake for another 20 minutes.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool.  (if the middle is still a little jiggly that is fine but if it still moves like loss liquid then bake for a little longer.)

Once cooled cover and place into the fridge (allow to set up for at least two hours).  Do not loosen the spring pan until the next day.

Just before you are ready to serve undo the spring on the pan and remove. 



 

Topping:

1 pint sliced strawberries

1 1/2 tablespoon of sugar

1/2 lemon zest and juice

 

Slice the strawberries and place into a bowl. Add sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest mix well. Put a cover on and place into the fridge to marinate (over night is best).

Slice Cheesecake and cover each slice with Strawberries and a little drizzle of Chocolate, serve and witness the drooling from your guests.