Snake Cake

It seems like forever since I have been able to post a picture of a cake.  Probably because it has been forever since I have made one.  I was nervous about this one.  Mainly because I am less than a couple weeks from having a new baby.  I didn't know if I would be able to make a cake that I would be happy with.  No worries the birthday boy and this mama were very pleased with the results. 

The cake is three round cakes that I carved just a bit to give it more snake like curves.  The head and the tail were both fondant.   

To get the snake skin texture I used one of those plastic orange bags that your oranges come in.  Then I painted it using a little bit of clear vanilla and gel food coloring.

I thought he would never ask for anything other than a Thomas cake.  The kids love catching snakes in the yard.  He was excited to have a snake cake for his birthday. 

6 years?  He is getting so big.  In just a month our oldest will be 8!!  I remember when they were so much younger.  I love that they are growing up and the kids they are, but it does make me sad too.

Easy Custard Cream Cake Filling

Once again it is cake time.  Doble is celebrating his 6th birthday on the 12th.  However, with our new baby arriving on the 16th and another family celebration on the 12th, his birthday party will be a week early.  Doesn't hurt my feelings.  In fact it makes it a bit easier to get it done and out of the way before the new baby arrives.  I thought I would share with you a favorite filling amongst the kids for thier cakes.

This can be done with any flavor of pudding.  However, my kids love the Oreo pudding filling with added oreos crushed on top. 

Easy Custard Cream Filling

1 large box of instant pudding (any flavor)

1 cup milk

1/2 cup whipping cream

1 tsp honey (I have done this with or without the honey)

1.  On low/medium speed whip all ingredients until incorporated.

2.  Thicken on medium high/high speed.

3.  Let set for an hour or so before using (I usually make this a day ahead.  I like to make my frosting the day of so this eliminates having to make too many things all on the same day.

Tips:

Before using in your cake, create a dam using frosting.  This will keep your filling from oozing out the sides.

Flavor Variations:

Vanilla with fresh strawberries

White chocolate with raspberries

Chocolate with chocolate chip

The flavors are endless.

Cub Scout Blue & Gold

Feels good to finally make and cake.  But I will be honest it feels good to be done with it too.  This was one of the fastest cakes I have done in a while.  I haven't done an all buttercream cake in a long time.  It was nice not having to work with fondant.  I also decided to go with American Buttercream.  Cub Scouts don't care if the frosting is too sweet.  Heck they probably prefer it.  It saved me a bunch of time and a bunch of BUTTER. 

The cake was 16 x16

Made from American Buttercream

All hand piped

White Sour Cream and Almond layer on top

Filled with Oreo Custard filling

Chocolate Cake on bottom layer

Funfetti Watercolor Cake

It took me 4 months to post it, but here is Auntie Bails Birthday Cake.  We were so excited to give her this cake.  Not just because it was her birthday, but she came home from her 18 month mission from the Philippines on her birthday. I made the cake, but the kids helped to decorate it.

We made her favorite, Funfetti.  Then covered it with fondant and left to pick her up from the airport. I wish I had pictures to show of her homecoming, but we were all so excited to give her hugs that we didn't take any pictures.  After the reunion we headed home so she could get cleaned up and the kids started their masterpiece.

If you are wanting to try this at home you will need:

A fondant covered cake

Gel food coloring diluted with clear vanilla extract

Clean paintbrushes.  We have special food only paint brushes.

Eager Artists

Once the kids were done with painting every inch of the cake I put some extra touches on it to hide the bottom. 

Doesn't it look like stain glass?  They had so much fun and she loved that it was made by the kids.

Happy Birthday Bails.  We are so glad you are home!!

What's Your Favorite Kind of Cake?

I have been MIA in the cake world for the last 4 months.  The last cake I made was for my sister.  It was a simple cake that actually my kids decorated.  I have yet to post it on here.  I do have a good excuse though.  If you follow my other blog, Positively Peaches, you would know that we are expecting.  Right after I finished making Razy's birthday cake, I got really sick.  I was never sick with my other three kids.  This one though really did me in.  I thought I would never get over it.  I am now well into my 2nd trimester.  25 weeks!!! Yay.  It wasn't until about week 15 that I was starting to feel better.  Luckily I have a wonderful husband who took care of lots of house work and stuck through lots of eating out. 

When I was asked by the Cubscout Committee Chair to make a cake for the upcoming Blue & Gold I was leary, but excited.  I have been itching to make another cake.  However, this one is going to be a fairly simple one with just piping.  No fondant.  I didn't have it in me to spend the extra day making and kneading the fondant.  With that being said the cake is in the oven right now.  I am making my favorite, White Sour Cream and Almond.  I thought it would be fun to see what kinds of cake you all enjoy eating or making. 

What is your favorite kind of cake? 

What flavor of icing do you like?

What flavor of filling is your favorite?

If you have a recipe that you wouldn't mind sharing I would love to hear them (djpeachparty5@gmail.com).  Who knows maybe I will have to try it and feature YOU!!

Baked Doughnuts

We have had a week off of school due to atleast 12 inches of snow this week.  The kids and I have had lots of fun playing in the snow, drinking hot chocolate, and playing video games with daddy.  Along with all this fun the snow has also gotten me in the baking mood.  Must be the due to the fact that I didn't get my Christmas time baking fix in like I would have liked to because of morning sickness.   I really did want to make cookies, and cakes, and other goodies, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it.  Now I have been feeling lots better and now I am in the mood. 

I love pinning.  I found this doughnut recipe while doing so.  The recipe was easy to follow and the end result was pretty yummy.  Daddy and the kids all loved them.  I think they could be even better if I could find a yummy maple glaze. 

***This recipe was taken from Krissy's Creations***

Baked Doughnuts
Makes: About 15 doughnuts (& doughnut holes)

For the Dough
3/4 cups Warm Milk
1 packet Active Dry Yeast (2 1/4 tsp)
1 tbsp. Unsalted Butter
1/3 cup Sugar
1 Egg
2 ½ cup All Purpose Flour
Pinch of Nutmeg
½ tsp. Salt

For the Glaze
* Enough to glaze all the doughnuts
¼ cup Milk
1 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract
2 cups Confectioners Sugar

For the Cinnamon Sugar Topping
*Enough to cover all of the doughnuts
½ cup Unsalted Butter
1 cup Sugar
1 tbsp. Cinnamon

To make the dough, place ¼ cups of the warm milk in the bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle the yeast over the milk. Let sit for 5 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the remaining ½ cup of milk with the sugar and butter. Add it to the yeast mixture. Stir to combine. Add the egg and stir until incorporated. Add the flour, nutmeg, and salt and stir until the dough starts to form. Change to the dough hook and knead for until the dough starts to become smooth. If the dough is too sticky, slowly add more flour until it is no longer sticky.

Transfer to the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic and has formed a ball. Place the dough ball in a large lightly greased bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit in a warm place for about 1 hour, until doubled in size.

Once the dough has risen, roll it out on a lightly floured surface until ½ thick. Using a doughnut cutter (if you don’t have a doughnut cutter, you can use 2 biscuit cutters – 1 that is about 3 inches, and the other that is about 2 inches for the inner circle) cut out the doughnuts until you have no dough left. If desired you can gather up the scraps into a ball and roll it out and cut out more doughnuts. However, I found that the dough got too hard to work with.

Place the doughnuts on a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper, about 2 inches apart. Cover with a clean towel and let sit for about 45 minutes.

Preheat the oven 375 degrees F.

Place the baking sheets in the oven and bake for 7 minutes, until lightly golden brown. Be careful to not overbake these. You want them to be light and doughy inside. Let the doughnuts cool for about 5 minutes until ready to top with either the glaze or cinnamon sugar topping

While the doughnuts are cooling make the glaze and/or cinnamon sugar glaze. Each recipe makes enough to cover all the doughnuts. I made a half recipe of each and topped half of the doughnuts with each topping. Or you can choose to just do one of topping for all the doughnuts.

To make the glaze, combine the milk and the vanilla in a small saucepan. Heat over low heat until just warmed. Slowly add in the confectioners sugar and whisk until the mixture is smooth. Remove the glaze from the heat and place over a bowl of warm water.

To glaze the doughnuts, dip them halfway into the glaze and place on a draining/cooling rack set over a baking sheet. Sprinkle with sprinkles if desired. Let set for about 10 minutes.

To make the cinnamon sugar topping, melt the butter in a saucepan or a microwave, and place in a small bowl. Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a medium sized bowl.

To top the doughnuts with cinnamon sugar, dip the halfway into the melted butter. Then dip them into the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Set on a draining/cooling rack to set, about 5 minutes.

Serve and enjoy :)!