Playing With Color

I am always looking to try new things and have been looking for some cake decorating tips. I gave in and signed up for my local Michael's Cake Decorating class with a bunch of kids and house wives. It has been fun, but I like to put my own spin on things and the class is pretty focused on making things look just like the book. PLEASE! We were supposed to bring in a frosted cake....no surprise to me that I was the only one who brought in a neon orange cake!

The crumb coat...the refrigerated before adding the colored layer.

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Smoothing out the frosting. Too bad the cake looks like a block of cheddar cheese!

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Mixing up some colors for the piping bags...

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Playing withe the different textures...

So, here is the finished cake with after my class. I used flower shaped fondant cutters to layout the flowers and then filled them in with the frosting.

Cheers to new experiences and making things your own!

xoxo,

Tipsy

Red Velvet Gone Bonkers!

For my dear friend's birthday I decided to make some red velvet petit fours! Even though he asked for the same cake as last year I thought I could give it a little re-mix. I just can't make the same thing the same way twice, I love trying new things!

I started with the red velvet cake recipe (just like I made for Alyssa- same frosting and all from http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Red-Velvet-Cake-IV/Detail.aspx

Once the cake was baked I popped it out of the pan and chilled it in the fridge.

P.S. You will have to drink all the White Wine in your fridge to make room for all this madness!

I cut the cake in half and filled with a generous layer of the white chocolate cream cheese frosting.

I could eat it just like this... but there are many steps ahead to make it look even better.

It went back into the fridge with a crumb coat to keep it together and for extra flavor!

In the mean time, what to do with this mess that didn't come out of the pan so nicely!

I crumb it up and mix in some frosting so that I can roll it into balls for some cake truffles.

Once they are chilled I dip them in some white chocolate (8 oz.) and (2 tbsp.) shortening to make it easier for dipping.

Then back into the fridge with them~

I cut the cold cake into small petit four size/shape mini cakes and then, you guessed, back into the fridge.

I mix up some easy glaze to seal in all the yummyness! http://www.ehow.com/how_4489842_make-petit-fours.html

Then I started pouring the glaze over each one. The rack is over a pan so that I can use the glaze that runs off each one to glaze the next.

Back into the fridge of course.

Then I melt some chocolate to fancify the petit fours. They need a little something and the cake truffles came out so funky they needed a cover up!

Before:

After:

The Final Petit Fours-so yummy I can't resist.

Finally, everything comes together for the birthday boy!

I don't know when I will ever try this again! But, it was fun and ended deliciously. I just have to say that you need almost a whole day to make these petit fours happen. Let me know what you think!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAVID!!!!!

xoxo,

Tipsy...and Bonkers

Bossy Cake

When your boss comes into your office for the sole reason of letting you know that just in case you were to bake her something for her birthday to just go ahead and bring it on Tuesday because, don't forget she has Monday off, do you have to bake her something?? I sure as hell felt like I did. Thus, this is Bossy Cake!!

I am actually glad she so subtlety hinted to make her something because she loves cinnamon and pumpkin anything, so I tried something I wouldn't have otherwise.


I found this recipe for the cake and icing and it sounded so good (I always go for cakes with no oil..butter is better...and buttermilk is always a good sign!!): http://www.classbrain.com/artfamily/publish/pumpkin_spice_cake_recipe.shtml


I added about half a teaspoon extra cinnamon and nutmeg to spice it up...and am so glad I did!

The Flour, Salt, Baking Powder & Soda, Nutmeg and Cinnamon...
















The Pumpkin, Buttermilk, Vanilla & Orange Zest (some extra vanilla and orange zest made it extra delicious).

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Blending the Wet and Dry Mixture into the already blended Brown Sugar, White Sugar and Butter.

The perfectly bakes beauties...

























The Pumpkin Cream Cheese Frosting is super strong with pumpkin flavor and the cupcakes are too good to cover with it.

I had to add about 2 extra cups of powdered sugar before the frosting was thick enough to use.


I decided to go really light with the frosting by using a piping bag and then finished them off with a touch of brown sugar mixed with pumpkin pie spices...They turned out looking like mini pumpkin cinnamon rolls!

I just had to eat one...or maybe I had 2! These little bebies are so addicting!!!

Good luck keeping your hands off these bossy little things and cheers to growing cahones big enough to demand baked goods on your birthday everyone!!!

xoxo,

Tipsy

Strawberry Sunday Special

After a day with the little kiddies on Saturday, the hubs and I were oh-so ready to relax yesterday!

I was so excited to find that I had some strawberries in the house! I blended them up and started mixing this magical beverage!

Vodka and some orange mango tonic water...mix to taste, no measuring necessary. If you must it is 1 shot vodka (+/-), then half orange mango tonic (love the Stater Bros. Brand)/half orange peach mango juice and then strawberries on top.

Can you guess which one is mine?

Top off with my favorite juice: Orange Peach Mango

Add a couple tablespoons of the strawberries:

Stir, drink, repeat and most importantly, be merry!

Cheers my dears!!!

xoxo,

Tipsy

Jonathan is 1!!

My cousin's sweet little Jonathan Bean turned one this weekend and of course I had to make something BIG for him! I just couldn't wait to see him demolish his first sugary baked good!

I mixed up a funfutti & chocholate cake mix for the top & bottom of the cake.



Mixing up some classic buttercream frosting while the cake is baking...

Mixing up some fun frosting colors, no vodka required this time!

Building the giant cupcake...

The frosting..mmmm...

Drawing on some J "sprinkles"

Adding some little rainbow sprinkles...

This bebe has no idea what's comin!

Not sure what to do and very careful...

Getting a little messy

The damage...I know if it were me this thing would have been destroyed!

Happy Birthday Jonathan! Love you lots!

xoxo,

Tipsy