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KitchenAid Pro 5, KitchenAid Artisan and KitchenAid Classic Mixers Compared – Video

January 13, 2012 by Jenn

KitchenAid Pro 5, KitchenAid Artisan and KitchenAid Classic MixersKitchenAid makes a lot of different models of their mixers, each with slightly different options. This makes comparing all the different model difficult if you’re only looking at the names. Since we’ve used our fair share of the different models in our baking, we’ll try to give you a fair assessment between the three of the most popular models; The KitchenAid Pro 5, Artisan and the Classic.

 

We’ll start by reviewing what all the KitchenAid mixers have on common:

Stainless steel bowl: The size of the bowls may differ, several models have handles and there are a few different types of finishes.

Mixer Attachment: All KitchenAid mixers come with three attachments: a flat beater, a dough hook and a wire whip. These attachments vary in size and in coating, depending on the mixer model.

Speed Range: All models have a 10 speed settings on the switch

Motor and Transmission: All models use an all metal motor and have a straight drive gears that removes the need for a belt that might breakdown.

Power Hub: Each mixer has a power hub for extra KitchenAid Attachments.

[Read more…]

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Filed Under: Videos

Fortunate Friday- 2011 Hiking Recap

December 24, 2011 by Jenn

I am very fortunate to be able to spend the holidays with (most of) my family, Paul, and Paul’s mom.  It is one of my favourite seasons and I can’t wait for the fesitivities to begin tonight.  The baking is done . . . all 300 lbs of cookies, bars and treats!  The decorations are up, and the presents are wrapped. 

This year, with Paul and I in our new home, we are having to juggle each other’s families and traditions . . . and attempt to build our own.  Also, I am having to learn to work around someone who is less than enthusiastic about the Christmas season . . . I know that all I have to do is give him a video game, and he will have a great day . . . other than that, it’s best to leave him alone.  

The first year that Paul and I were together, he willingly went to the grocery store and loaded a cultured, perfectly shaped tree into the back of his truck.  Little did I know that that was the last time that would happen!  The next year we went out and cut down one from the bush.  We also happened to find the largest, perfectly coiffed tree for my parents.  We got a small one for Paul’s mom too, but it was NOT liked by her . . . so we took it to my Grandma’s.  This year, we continued our only existing tradition in heading out into the bush and cutting down a real bush tree.  It’s up in all of it’s Charlie Brown splendour, in our first home, and it is as perfect as I could ever want.

As 2011 is coming to an end, one of the things I have been most fortunate for is all of the many outdoor adventures that we were able to go on, despite being busier than I have ever been in my life!  Hunting for Christmas trees is one adventure that I love, but it doesn’t really get the heart rate up . . . hiking does!  

We made a couple of videos to go with our East Kootenay adventures in hiking, so enjoy as you check out some of the amazing secenry that I am fortunate to live surrounded by!

Hiking Kimberley Nature Park

 Kimberley is a community that is famous for it’s winter time sports of skiing, but as we discovered for the first time, it also has some beautiful trails through their nature park.  We were out on an early fall day and basically had the woods to ourselves!  We encountered a couple of bikers, and noted that next time, we would definitely bring our bikes back to ride the trails.   They made for decent walking trails, but weren’t much for actually hiking.  

[Read more…]

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Filed Under: Cardio, Hiking, Videos Tagged With: British Columbia, Canada, Climbing, Cranbrook, East Kootenays, hiking, Lakit Lookout, Lakit Mountain, Park, Park (name)

How to Make a Fondant Snowman for Christmas Cake Decorating Video

December 19, 2011 by Jenn

As a kid, I remember rolling, and rolling and rolling to make the biggest and greatest snowman that I could.  My brother, being 3 years younger than me, was either helping me, or trying to beat me.  He was slightly competitive!

Often, our attempts were futile, as the pieces of the snowman would get so big that we could never get them off the ground and piled up on top of each other.

Once, back inside, warming up with a mug of hot chocolate, I remember looking out the window and seeing all of the tracks that the rolling snowballs made all over the lawn, and the “dead” snowballs at the end of them. . . the ones that were too heavy to roll any further, or even attempt to lift.  They were often quite ugly, tube shaped and covered with brown chunks of grass that had been picked up along the way!

[Read more…]

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Filed Under: Cakes, Tutorials, Videos Tagged With: cake, Christmas Cake, Christmas Cupcakes, cupcake, decorating, Fondant Snowman, Gumpaste Snowman, how-to, Icing, Merry, winter

How to Make a Fondant Reindeer Cupcake/Cake Decoration Video

December 16, 2011 by Jenn


We are on a roll with the Christmas decorating videos these days!  It’s so much fun! The ideas are endless, there are unending Pins to Pin on Pinterest and it’s just a jolly good time around this holiday.  The thing that gets me every year, and I’m guilty of it, is that WHY IS IT SO STRESSFUL?

Every year, I approach the season with excitement, but as soon as December is two weeks old, I’m freaking out and a ball of stress!!  There is always so much to do at home- baking, decorations, finding the perfect tree, wrapping all the presents.  At school- Christmas Concert practice, Secret Santa, decorations, Gingerbread Houses, and now, add a business to the mix- cupcakes, cakes, cookies, platters!

There are always so many gifts to buy, despite the fact that every year I say “I’m going to give the gift of time with my family” as if I’m gift enough . . . hahahaha!  I’d like to think that I am 😉  but I’m sure they would think differently.   I know that I must be on crack when I have those thoughts as they just delay my inevitable freak out, as I run around shopping to buy things I swore I wasn’t going to.

[Read more…]

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Filed Under: Cakes, Cupcakes, Holiday Baking, Tutorials, Videos Tagged With: cake, cake decoration, Christmas, cookies, cupcake, cupcake decorating, cupcakes, fondant, Fondant Reindeer, gumpaste, Gumpaste Reindeer, Holidays, how-to, red nose, reindeer, Rudolph, winter

Christmas Cupcakes Video – Christmas Tree, Candy Cane and Christmas Holly

December 14, 2011 by Jenn

Bah humbug!

Just kidding.  I live with a bah humbugger, but I definitely don’t feel that way!  But, after a week of 22, 5 year olds with Christmas excitement, I’m about ready to boycott the holiday.  There are only two more days of teaching left though, so I’m sure I can make it through . . . and then I will be basking in my unlimited time time off to bake!

Unlimited?  Ha!  Christmas cupcakes!  Christmas Cakes!  Christmas Cookies!  Christmas Platters!  They are all on my agenda for my time away from the day job.

I have found the time to put together a couple of Christmas Cupcake videos for you to enjoy.  These Christmas Cupcake ideas are dead easy.  Dead!  I promise.  If you don’t think so, you can leave a mean comment in the comment box . . . like some people like to do!  Honestly, why waste your time commenting, if all you have to say is something mean?  I just don’t get it. [Read more…]

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Filed Under: Cupcakes, Holiday Baking, Tutorials, Videos Tagged With: candy cane, Christmas Cake, Christmas Cupcake Decorating, Christmas Cupcakes, Christmas tree, cupcake, decorating, Holiday, Holidays, how-to, Icing, Merry, Merry Christmas, winter

Cricut Cake — Cutting Fondant and Gum Paste Basics for Cake Decorating

December 13, 2011 by Jenn

I’m going to be honest with you right now and tell you that if there is an easy way, or a short cut, or a lazy way to do something, I will find it.   Just ask Paul about my housekeeping “abilities”.

Sweep? Isn’t that what a vacuum is for?  Dishes?  Dishwasher! Bleach?  I don’t want to wreck my clothes!

When we first bought the Cricut Cake, I thought, “Awesome!  No more hard work!” Boy, was I ever wrong.

Paul and I have filmed a tutorial on how to use a Cricut Cake, but before you go off an watch it, I have a little bit of stuff to tell you . . . let the honesty continue!

Background Information:

The Cricut Cake™ Personal Electronic Cutter is specifically designed for decorating cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and confections in no time at all. Just choose a shape, a size, and press “cut”. Decorating like a professional has never been faster or easier. (source)  The idea of the Cricut Cake is brilliant.  How awesome would it be to have a machine that would cut out whatever shape you wanted, in a matter of seconds?  Cake decorators everywhere would be lining up to buy them by the truckload!

The Cricut Cake is different from the Cricut that scrapbookers use with paper, as all of the parts of the machine that come in contact with food are made from food safe plastic or stainless steel. Cricut also added silicone covers to protect the machine and to make clean up easier.  Also, according to the Cricut website, the machine was specially designed for cutting food materials.

[Read more…]

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Filed Under: Cakes, Tutorials, Videos Tagged With: Cricut Cake, fondant, gum paste

How to Ice (Frost) a Cupcake

November 27, 2011 by Jenn

I’m back into the land of blogging, after WAY too long of a break.  They (who “they” are I have no idea, but lets just go with it) say that having your own business is like having a baby.  You have to feed it, love it, encourage it, encourage it, promote it . . . and while all those things are being done, my blog has been NEGLECTED!

Over the last couple of months, some of our encouragement, promotion and love for our business has found us doing Bridal Fairs, craft fairs and Winter Markets!  My favourite thing about running this business is getting out and hearing from our fans.  It makes the hours and hours of hard work worth it.  Here are some of the comments that we get regularly:

“How to you make your cupcakes look so beautiful?”,

“They look like pieces of art!”

. . . and the number one comment I get?

“They look too beautiful to eat!” . . . and my response . . . “Then buy two!  One to look at, one to eat!” Duh.

Paul and I put together a number of YouTube videos to teach our readers, customers and watchers exactly how to do it yourself!  It must be the teacher in me . . . and the marketer in Paul.  Watching others decorate cupcakes on YouTube is exactly how I learned to do this myself . . . a mere 8 months ago (how times flies!).  Google searches and blog pictorials were helpful as well.  Watching someone else do it and then trying it myself, is definitely my learning style.

The following four videos are going to show you how to do the following things:

How to get the perfect swirl on a cupcake using the 1M tip,

How to pipe hydrangeas as a cupcake topper,

The 1M Open Star Tip (Swirl) is also sold as Tip 2110 from Wilton.  Find it here.

How to decorate a cupcake using the 1A round tip:

1A Round Tip.  Find it here.

How to use a 2D drop flower tip to create a swirl top to your cupcake

2D Tip Drop Flower Tip.  Find it here.

My tips that I use in the video are from Wilton, but you can purchase similar ones from any cake decorating supply store. Hope you find the videos helpful!

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Filed Under: Cakes, Cupcakes, Tutorials, Videos

7 Tier Acrylic Cupcake Stand Review

October 25, 2011 by Jenn

Back in the spring, we purchased a couple of tiered cupcake stands to use throughout the summer for the many weddings that we had booked.  We ordered them from MCLazer Pro, through their store on Ebay.

We got a square stand . . .

And a round stand . . .

Overall, we are really happy with the way the tier stands look and are holding up.  But, there’s a but.

BUT, when we got the stands, we opened up the round one, found everything in tip top shape, and left the square one unopened.  Our mistake as the square stand was NOT in the same shape that the round stand was.

The edges were not smooth and the cracks had to be sanded out, and buffed smooth.  We contacted custom service a number of times, sent pictures and basically their attitude was “too late, too bad”.

Obviously, we should have opened the box as soon as we got it, but hindsight is always clear!  The packaging for shipping could include a little bit more protection, and obviously, a little more care in the customer service department would have been nice.

For more information, watch my video on it!

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Filed Under: Videos Tagged With: 7 Tier Acrylic Cupcake Stand Review, cupcake stand
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