raspberry

Wilton Cake Courses- Week One, Class One

January 26, 2011 by Jenn

I signed up three cake classes that are being offered by Cranbrook’s Parks and Recreation group.

The first course (Class One) is teaching basic decorating skills.

Our job this week was to come back to my Wednesday night class with a baked cake, iced with Wilton Icing, and extra cup of Icing to learn how to pipe flowers etc. I decided that since I know what a cake is (that was seriously one of the steps of the first class), I would teach myself how to do something . . . and I double “torted” the cake. Basically that just means that I cut my 10″ cake into three layers.

Step One: Lemon Raspberry Torte Cake

I used a cake leveller and this step was crazy simple! You just change the height of your leveller and you come out with a smooth, even cake layer!

I put a layer of Raspberry Icing on the bottom layer, as this is what I had left over from the Giant Cupcake from yesterday. I didn’t need to put a layer of icing around the outside as this raspberry icing is very thick….so thick I couldn’t spread it without the cake crumbling underneath it.

For the next layer, I used a lemon spread. As this lemon spread was thinner than the raspberry icing, so I was worried about it spilling out of the sides, so I used the thicker raspberry icing to edge the cake. Yup, it’s messy! That stuff was THICK!

Torted cake!

All it needs now is the base coat, and it’s ready for Wednesday’s class.

Filed Under: Cakes Tagged With: cake, lemon, raspberry, torte, wilton cake class

Birthday Princess Cupcakes

January 19, 2011 by Jenn

Hasn’t every girl dreamed that she would one day be a princess?

This week, I had the pleasure of opening up my fondant again to jump head first into the land of fairy tales! Princess, princes, magic wands, castles, and magic. What more could a four year old girl want for her fourth birthday? It was up to me to make it happen (boy, does that ever make me sound important). When I actually realized what I had signed on for, a little panic ripped through me . . . not going to lie about that one! After hours of searching Flickr (check out CCC profile out here), I finally had enough inspiration to get started.

The birthday girl requested Funfetti with Raspberry Cream Icing . . . mmmm . . . too bad one wasn’t for me 🙁

Here is the recipe for the Homemade Funfetti.

I used a different type of sprinkles for these cupcakes than I did in the original recipe that I made. I would stick with the long oblong sprinkles, over these small little ball sprinkles, as these ones coloured the batter. Also, I think they might have made the cupcake a little bit crunchier than necessary . . . I’ll have to ask the birthday girl to figure that one out!

The princess' age

I got started in the morning, working with the fondant shapes that I wanted for this design.

The princess' castles

The princess' wands

No princess is complete with out her crown!

The princess' crowns

Like my improvising with the spice bottles? Can you tell that I’m new and don’t have all the tools yet? Thank goodness I’m resourceful. I needed something to shape the crown. If you’re a fondant expert, please let me know how you’re REALLY supposed to do this!

On to the icing . . .

Raspberry Cream Icing

1/2 cup of butter

1/2 cup of raspberries (fresh or frozen) If using frozen, make sure they are thawed.

4 cups of icing sugar

1 tsp of vanilla

1-2 tbsp milk (if needed)

Cream butter and raspberries in a stand mixture. Add one cup of icing at a time. Mixing in-between cup additions. Add vanilla, and mix. If the icing is too thick at this point, add one to two tablespoons of milk to thin.

Time to add the fondant! Abracadabra!

Filed Under: Cupcakes Tagged With: birthday, cupcakes, girls birthday, princess, princess cupcakes, raspberry, raspberry cream icing

Whole Wheat Raspberry Banana Muffins

January 12, 2011 by Jenn

I’ve decided to start to make and bake things a little bit healthier around here! *Sigh*, I know my waistline will thank me in the long run. There is one catch though . . .

If I’m baking for other people, there is no cutting sugar corners. I have found that I am willing to subject myself to “treats” that taste “healthy” . . . dry mouth, chalk-like texture, lips smacking together = healthy . . . but when it comes to other people, I can’t do that to my friends! I wouldn’t have any friends . . . or friends that would tell me they like my cupcakes! So, for all you friends out there, I make the real deal. Butter and sugar galore!

I know that all you healthy food bloggers out there have HUGE repertoires of tasty healthy delights (I’ve stalked you!), but whenever I think of the things I have made in the past, they are dry, dry, dry. And heavy. What’s with that? I think it has something to do with the protein powder added in . . . I always feel it goes quite cake/chalky like . . . when a cake is not involved.

I think I might have found an exception to this unfortunate rule with Whole Wheat Raspberry Banana Muffins. They are so tasty I could pass it off to said friends as unhealthy! They aren’t dry at all, in fact, quiet moist (I think thanks to the raspberries). The recipe I was using for inspiration was from the Best of Bridge Series, and makes enough for two loaves of bread. I ended up making one loaf and 12 muffins to enjoy.

Whole Wheat Raspberry Banana Loaf/Muffins

(loosely adapted from Best of Bridge)

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup Splenda (sugar substitute)

3 cups mashed ripe bananas (6)

4 eggs, well beaten

1½ cups whole wheat flour

1 cup oats

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

3/4 cup raspberry (fresh or frozen)

Preheat oven to 350F. Cream butter, applesauce and sugars until light and fluffy. Add bananas and eggs and beat until well mixed. Mix dry ingredients and blend with banana mixture, but do not overmix. Pour into two lightly greased loaf pans, a bunt pan, or muffin tins. Bake 55 minutes to 1 hour; test for doneness (toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean) and cool on rack for 10 minutes before removing from pans*. Freezes well.

*The muffins were finished in about 20 mins and the loaf took the full hour.

Filed Under: Other Baked Goodies Tagged With: banana, muffins, raspberry, raspberry banana muffins, whole wheat

Wilton Cake Courses- Week One, Class One

Birthday Princess Cupcakes

Whole Wheat Raspberry Banana Muffins

Happiness is Homemade

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Wilton Cake Courses- Week One, Class One

Birthday Princess Cupcakes

Whole Wheat Raspberry Banana Muffins

Happiness is Homemade

Join Me On:

Subscribe

Tags

Site Stuff