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Black Velvet Cake: Halloween Cake

October 11, 2012 by Jenn

 I’m going to get a little disgusting for a minute.  So stop reading if you don’t want to be grossed out. 

If you eat this, your poop will be green. 

I warned you! 

This cake is a play on a Red Velvet cake, but instead of red, we’re using the black dye for the cake!  It’s perfect for a spooky Halloween cake . . . which is bound to impress your family, guests, or coworkers.  

But remember, if you don’t want to be asked uncomfortable whispered questions in the hallway at work, “Um, Jenn?  Was there something in that cake that… maybe…might have…um…?”. 

Black Velvet Cake, Part 1

 Black Velvet Cake, Part 2

In this part of the cake series, we use the Cricut Cake!  **Curses**  Now, as you may know, my Cricut Cake can be slightly temperamental, but, thanks to the beauty of video, it appears flawlessly executed!  If you are currently “bargaining” with your Cricut Cake, YOU WILL GET THROUGH IT!!  In this video, we are using Photofrost Icing Sheets which we airbrushed black to match the cake theme of bats and Halloween.

The beauty of using the Cricut with icing sheets is that they tend to travel through the Cricut smoother and is cut easier than a fondant/gum paste mixture.  It is more like true paper.  Using the icing sheets makes for less time spent rolling, setting up, tearing, re-rolling, re-setting….etc! 

 

Black Velvet Cake

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Filed Under: Cakes, Holiday Baking, Tutorials, Videos Tagged With: Black Velvet Cake, cake, cricut cake machine, Halloween Cake, photofrost icing sheets

Birthday Cake Surprise

July 25, 2012 by Jenn

I was honoured to be asked to be a part of a special birthday surprise a couple of weeks back.  A friend of mine’s daughter was about to celebrate her 10th birthday, and D, her mom, wanted to give Paityn an extra special birthday treat this year.  A baking opportunity with me!  Me?  Yes, me!  

The Set Up:

Paityn was under the assumption that I was going to teach her how to bake and decorate with fondant, a cake for a 10 year old’s birthday that was the next day.   What she didn’t know was that the cake she was baking and decorating was actually for her!  

The Filming:

D, brought Paityn over to our house, where we film our videos, and Paityn was an incredible filming partner!  She is super adorable, and knows her stuff in the kitchen!  I had Paityn choose the flavour (chocolate) and choose the fondant designs, colours and style.  She was right at home with the baking, icing and fondant work. 

The Surprise:

After Paityn’s day spent smiling into the camera, we had to surprise her with her special cake.  Paul and I snuck into her house as her and her party guests were celebrating down stairs . . . you’ll have to watch the video to see the shocked, I-don’t-undertsand- what’s-going-on look.  It’s adorable! 

Chocolate Birthday Cake Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flower
1/2 cups butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 oz. melted unsweetened chocolate
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup milk

Vanilla Butter Cream Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
4 cups icing sugar (powdered sugar)
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

A special thanks to D, for asking us to be a part of this fun project, and of course to our filming partner, the 10 year old star, Paityn!  

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Filed Under: Cakes, Tutorials, Videos Tagged With: birthday cake, make birthday cake, surprise birthday cake

How to Make Cake Balls and Decorate Them – Video

May 26, 2012 by Jenn

Cake Balls.  Balls of Cake.  Shaped cake into balls.  Well, there is no eliquent way to say it . .  balls of cake = cake balls.  Not so refined, but hey, it works!  

Making cake balls is one of the easiest treats you can make in your kitchen and they can be customized for any event, and can be any flavour that you desire!  

If you bake a lot of cakes, the perfect way to use up the cake scraps is by making them into cake balls.  All you need is the left over cake pieces, and some icing to get started.  

Watch the video to check out the How-To! 

 You will need:

Cake scraps, crumbled

Icing (about 1/2- 1 cup)

melted chocolate (any kind)

Dragees, sprinkles etc for decorating the round cake. 

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Level Cakes with Bake Even Strips: Baking Quick Tip Video

May 23, 2012 by Jenn

Using a knife is not the only way to level a cake . . . well, it’s arguablely the best way to level the cake AFTER the baking process, but to cut down on cake “waste”, try out these Bake Even Strips!  

All you do is soak them in water for a couple of minutes, and then wrap them around your baking pan! The ones that I have fit around my 8″ and 9″ baking pans and they seriously work wonders!  

Basically, and I am NOT a scientist, the strips cause the heat to be more evenly distributed throughout the pan, so the edges don’t bake so much faster than the middle.  I’ll admit, I was a doubter when I first was recommended these, but after my first use of them, I was convinced.  They totally work and basically eliminate the rounded middle of cakes.  Pretty cool, but if you don’t believe me, check out the video and see for yourself.

Enjoy our Level Cakes with Bake Even Strips video in our Baking Quick Tip Series! 

Have you ever tried bake even strips?  What did you think?

You can buy Bake Even Strips Here

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Filed Under: Cakes, Tutorials, Videos Tagged With: Bake Even Strips, cakes, cakes cranbrook, cranbrook cakes, how to level a cake, how-to, jj's custom cakery, levelling cakes, video

How to Level a Cake: Baking Quick Tip Video

May 21, 2012 by Jenn

When first learning how to bake a cake, I totally overestimated the importance of levelling a cake!  Yes, it was a rookie mistake . . . which I have made MANY of. . . but any way 😛 .  

Levelling a cake properly will save the cake baker tons of time whether you are just baking a cake for the family, or creating a huge 3D cake structure!  

Fighting with the icing to get the levelling done properly can be avoided if you have the right tools!  Does that sound like I have experience in that fight . . . why yes I do . . .LOTS!  Grrr . . . 

[Read more…]

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Filed Under: Cakes, Tutorials, Videos Tagged With: cakes cranbrook, cranbrook cakes, jj's custom cakery, level cake, Leveling cake

How to Make Red Velvet Cake – Video

May 15, 2012 by Jenn

Mmmm . . . red velvet!  So popular and simple to make.  Who would have thought?  Like I said in my previous post about Red Velvet Cupcakes, you will find yourself enjoying this delicious cake after barely breaking into a sweat!  

Unless your air conditioning has broken in your kitchen.  And then no matter how easy something is, you will be sweating.  Especially with the oven on.  And the dishwasher on.  

Oh lord, get out of the kitchen and just give up!  Bake at night.  It’s the only solution.  

Or wear the trendy 80’s sweatband on your forehead if you’re like that.  

Red Velvet Cake Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups table sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons red food coloring
1 teaspoon vinegar
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cocoa powder

In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt and cocoa powder. Set aside. In a bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, vanilla and red food colouring and combine until mixed. Scrape the sides of the bowl and the paddle as needed to ensure that all of the ingredients are incorporated. Add half of the flour mixture into the butter mixture, mix briefly, add half of the buttermilk, mix. Repeat with remaining flour mixture and buttermilk. In a small bowl, combine baking soda and vinegar, and quickly add it to the cake batter while it is still bubbling. Mix it for about 10-20 seconds. This helps the cake to be light and fluffy.
Grease two 9″ round cake pans, or one 9″x13″ cake pan and bake at 350F for 30-35 or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, remove from pan, and cool completely on a wire wrack. Frost as desired.

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Wildsight – Downtown Cranbrook Goes Wild (Earth Day 2012)

April 30, 2012 by Jenn
Scott Niedermayer’s speech on Wildsight

Scott Niedermayer’s speech on Wildsight

During this year’s Earth Day celebrations, Wildsight (“Wildsight works to maintain biodiversity and healthy human communities in Canada’s Columbia and Rocky Mountains ecoregion. We are focused on three core areas: the southern Rockies, the upper Columbia River Valley, and the Columbia Mountains. This ecoregion provides critical genetic connectivity for western North America’s wildlife populations”) hosted Downtown Goes Wild in Cranbrook’s Rotary Park.  

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Filed Under: Cakes Tagged With: Cranbrook, jj's custom cakery, Rotarty Park, Scott Niedermayer, Wildsight

Mother’s Day Cupcakes

April 23, 2012 by Jenn

JJ's Custom Cakery, Cranbrook Cakes, Cakes Cranbrook

Coming right around the corner is the day to celebrate the most important person in the world . . . our MOM’S!!  My mom is a pretty amazing lady, and I have big things planned for her 🙂  Since she got her new iPad (so jealous) I think she might actually keep tabs on me, and read my blog, so I better not let anything out!  She has Facebook now too.  So with the times my mom is!!

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