Closed Peony Center Tutorial!

Several weeks ago, I posted my Open Peony Tutorial...  I've received such great feedback on it, so if you haven't seen it, check it out!

 

Well, this week, I want to share a follow-up to that tutorial... how to make a closed center! 

  I typically use the closed centers when I want to make a smaller peony for a cake...  I would add a calyx to the base and use this as the peony bud, as well.

 Check out the video below to see how to make the closed center :)

Hope you enjoy and will trying making this beautiful flower!

Happy Caking :)

Donate with Causora!

Hi Everyone!

Today, I wanted to take a moment to introduce you to Causora, a new sponsor of my blog.  I know they are not really related to baking, and typically only work with companies that are.  However, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to share this great cause and opportunity! 

A little about Causora from their website:

YOU GIVE = YOU GET

Support your favorite cause and get rewarded for it.
Causora is a One-for-One giving platform that rewards donations.

Our mission is to help causes raise more funds by rewarding donations with the support of our network of socially conscious merchants.

We’re a team of entrepreneurs, engineers, strategists, and general do-gooders who are hoping to change the face of philanthropy. We love what we do and hope you are equally impressed with Causora.

Causora has created a new ecosystem that links donors, charities, and businesses.

For every $20 you donate you will receive a $20 gift certificate as a reward! 

I've decided to feature the Cure Alzheimer's Fund as my charity of choice.  Just a couple of months ago, in November, my grandmother passed away after her struggle with the disease.  It was heartbreaking to watch her go through it.  She was always so proud of her large family and stood as our proud matriarch.  So when she could no longer host the family parties, slowly lost her independence, and started to forget who her own children were it was painful for all of us, including her.  I am hoping that by supporting the Cure Alzheimer's Fund on my blog I can help raise even a little, to fund research to fight the disease.  You can read about the Cure Alzheimer's Fund here.

If you are inclined to donate, you will find the donation widget in the right hand column.  Any little bit will be appreciated!

Happy Caking :)

  

DISCLAIMER: This is a sponsored post.  Causora reached out to me and asked me to feature their widget and write a post about them.  I am being compensated for this post and will earn a small commission.  However, all opinions are my own.

Open Gumpaste Peony Tutorial!

It's been a while since I've put out an in depth tutorial...  Well, today I have a great one for you all!  Recently I was asked to make a peony video, and that is what I am going to share today!

I love the look of the open-style peony!  I think they are full, and beautiful and natural looking.  They are beautiful, ruffley statement flowers for wedding cake (or any occasion!).

Take a look at my video, to see how I made this beautiful open peony!

How to Make an Open Gumpaste Peony

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7YlcUxYbfU

I hope you'll feel confident to give this flower a try!  If you do, head on over to my Facebook Page and share your photos!

Happy Caking :)

Gingerbread Cupcake Recipe!!

Happy Holidays!  Looking for a great recipe to bring to your holiday gatherings?  Today, I wanted to share my recipe for Gingerbread Cupcakes!  It's a delicious holiday treat (also, great for any time you want a gingerbread treat!!).

Ingredients:
-1/4 Cup Unsalted Butter (softened)
-1/2 Cup Dark Brown Sugar
-1 large egg (room temperature)
-1 1/3 Cups All Purpose Flour
-1/2 tsp Baking Powder
-1/2 tsp Baking Soda
-1/4 tsp Salt
-1 tsp Cinnamon
-1 tsp Ground Ginger
-1/2 tsp Nutmeg
-1/4 tsp Allspice
-1/2 Cup Milk (room temperature)
-1/2 Cup Molasses
-1 tsp Vanilla

I topped my cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, with a little orange zest!  So yummy!  I'll have my cream cheese icing recipe coming soon!

Rimmed with sanding sugar and topped with mini gingerbread cookies, these cupcakes are a cute dessert for holiday gatherings, or a sweet gift!

Happy Holiday Caking!

Craftsy Flash Sale! (October 30th-31st)

Happy Halloween!!  I know I've been pretty absent from my blog and Facebook lately... I delivered my last cake of the 2013 Wedding Season a few weeks ago and I've been busy celebrating birthdays, tending to family matters, preparing for Halloween and the holidays and just generally being "Mom" for a while!  I've got some tutorials, videos and recipes planned, but those will be a few weeks out.

But, I just heard about the Craftsy Flash Sale going on today and tomorrow in celebration of Halloween and wanted to make sure my readers knew about it!  Be sure to check out the sale for a great deal on some of the wonderful classes offered on Craftsy!

Happy Halloween!

...and Happy Caking :)

Apple Tea Cake Recipe!

Hi Everyone...  Today I am excited to share a recipe, perfect for fall!  Here in New England it has been prime apple picking season...  Pick-your-own is one of my favorite things to do with my son and we try to take advantage of whatever is in season during the summer.  Last week we made it out to the apple orchards to pick a peck of Cortland apples! 

 This recipe has been handed down to me from a family member... I hadn't made it before, but I'm so glad I decided to try it!  Apple Tea Cake, like a coffee cake, is a not-too-sweet crumb cake... perfect for enjoying with a cup of afternoon tea.  It was a huge hit with my family and will probably become a staple through the fall!

Apple Tea Cake Recipe:

• 4 Lipton Tea Bags
• 1 Tart Apple
• 1 ¼  Cups Sugar
• 2 Cups All Purpose Flour
• ½ tsp Baking Powder
• ½ tsp Baking Soda
• 12 Tbsp Unsalted Butter (softened)
• 2 Eggs
• ½ Cup Sour Cream
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• Crumb Topping* (recipe to follow)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F
2. In a medium bowl, pour 2 cups of boiling water over tea bags, let steep for about 5 minutes.
3. Remove tea bags, add ¼ cup of sugar and stir to dissolve.  Add peeled, cored and rough chopped apples and let stand about 1 hour.
4. After an hour, remove apple pieces and set aside.  Also, reserve ¼ cup of tea liquid.
5. In a small bowl whisk together dry ingredients and set aside.
6. Add sour cream & vanilla to tea liquid, and stir to combine.
7. In a large mixing bowl (or in the bowl of your stand mixer) cream together the butter and 1 cup of sugar.  Then, add eggs one at a time.
8. Next, alternate adding dry & wet ingredients, be careful not to over mix!
9. Fold in apples with a spatula and then spread into a lightly greased 9” spring form pan.
10. Evenly spread the crumb topping over the top of the batter, and then bake about 1 hour (or until a toothpick comes out clean) in a 350°F oven.
11. Let cool completely on a wire rack before removing from pan.
12. Optional: sprinkle powdered sugar over the top!

 *Crumb Topping Recipe

• ½ Cup Brown Sugar
• 1/3 Cup All Purpose Flour
• ½ tsp Cinnamon
• 1 Tbsp butter (softened)
• ½ cup chopped pecans (or walnuts)

1. In a small bowl, combine all ingredients (except pecans) and blend with a fork until the mixture resembles crumbly, wet sand.  
2. Stir in nuts.

I hope you will try this recipe... Enjoy!

Happy Caking :)

Pleats & Brooches Cake!

Here is another of the cakes I did in September!  I was excited to work on this one, I had designed a cake with diagonal pleats some time ago and never had the opportunity to make it.  So, I was thrilled when my bride told me this was what she wanted!

I used a scribing tool to roughly mark out where I wanted the top line of the pleats to go.  I added a little tylose powder to the fondant I used to make the strips with, to stiffen it up and make it easier to work with.  Using my pasta attachment, I rolled strips of fondant to a #4.  I trimmed the fabric strips to roughly 1.5 inches, it didn't need to be exact because the bottom edge would be covered with the pleat below.  I moistened one side and folded the strip in half so the top edge was a nice rolled/finished edge and the bottom was the open seam.  Starting from the top, overlapping my scribed line, I layered the pleats!  When I got to the bottom border of the cake, I used an exacto blade to make everything nice and neat.

The brooches and topper were supplied by the bride.  I love the sparkle they added to this otherwise "simple" looking design.  It's hard to capture the sparkle of the "bling" in these photos!!

Thanks for looking!

Happy Caking :)