Easter Cake

One of the first cakes I remember making in Home Economics is this cute bunny cake. I decided it would be easier to show the kids how to make small ones. By making small cakes, the kids can decorate their own anyway they want. Since I love coconut chips, I elected to forgo the sweetened coconut. Next time, I will crush the coconut chips a little finer. My bunny looks like he has a thick winter coat. I decided to make the cake from banana bread. I cooked the bread in the miniature cake pans. Then I cut them. For the diagram, click here. After cutting, I placed the banana bread into the freezer for a couple of days since I didn't have time to decorate them at the time. I think the bread being firm worked out pretty good.

Bunny Cake
2 small circle banana bread/cakes (4.5 width cakes)
1 cup white frosting
1 cup coconut chips, crushed
assortment of candies for the decorations

Directions:

1. Set one cake onto a wire cooking rack over a plate. (Easier clean up.)
2. The second cake cut two half circles leaving a center bow tie. 
3. Place the two ears and bow ties onto the wire rack.
4. Heat the white frosting in the microwave for about 30 seconds. 
5. Stir the frosting and pour the frosting over the cake. 
6. Sprinkle the crushed coconut chips over the frosting.
7. Using a little of the frosting, decorate the bunny with the candies.

Recipe adapted from Kraft foods. 

One year ago...............................I made  Egg Cupcakes.
Two years ago.............................I made Pound Cake.
Three years ago...........................I made Chocolate & PB Ribbon Dessert.

Did you already know.................
-Female rabbits are called a doe and male rabbits are bucks.
-A wild female rabbit can have up to eight litters of babies a year.
-Rabbit's teeth never stop growing.

He had a haircut later in the day!

Happy Easter!

Mille-feuille

Alright, I thought this would be an easy dessert to make. Oh, foolish me. Even with the purchase of the puff pastry dough, this recipe has a lot of steps. I made the pastry cream, whip cream, and icing. We thought it was great. Since Valentine's Day is approaching, I decided to skip the chocolate on top. If you want to make a fancy dessert, this is a great choice. Just remember to wash your berries and allow them to dry before placing them onto the whip cream unless you like the streak look.

Mille-feuille aka Napoleon
1 box of puff pastry sheets
frosting (recipe below)
Pastry Cream (click here)
Whip Cream (click here) 
1 box of fresh raspberries

Directions:

1. Defrost the puff pastry dough according to the package.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
4. Roll out the dough and cut into 3 equal pieces.
5. Transfer the dough onto the baking sheet.
6. Cover with parchment paper.
7. Place another cookie sheet on top and place a heavy oven proof dish on top.
8. Bake the puff pastry dough for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
9. Uncover and allow the dough to continue baking for another 5 minutes.
10. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
11. Once cooled, place one piece of the puff pastry onto a wire rack.
12. Evenly spread the white frosting on top of the puff pastry.
13. With the red frosting, create designs on top of the white frosting by piping or dragging a knife through lines. Set aside to set.
14. Place another piece of puff pastry on a serving dish.
15. Spread the pastry cream over the first layer.
16. Place the second layer of puff pastry on top of the pastry cream layer.
17. On top of the second layer, spread the whip cream on top.
18. Sprinkle fresh raspberries on top of the whip cream.
19. Place the frosted piece of puff pastry on top of the raspberry layer.
20. Refrigerate an hour before serving. 

Mille-Feuille recipe adapted from About.food.

Frosting:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
2 Tbsp milk
1 drop red food coloring

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, combine the powdered sugar with the butter and milk. (Add additional milk if needed for the desired consistency).
2. Remove 1/3 of the frosting and place into a small bowl.
3. Add the red food coloring and mix.

Frosting recipe adapted from Culinary Couture. 

One year ago............................................I made Spartak Cake.
Two years ago..........................................I made Vanilla Cupcakes.
Three years ago.......................................I made Wild Mushroom Soup. 

Did you already know.........................
-Mille-feuille name means cake with thousands of layers.
-Another name for mille-feuille is Napoleon.
-The dessert was not named for Napoleon Bonaparte since it was named before Bonaparte was born. 

Frosted Sunflowers

My sister's favorite flower is the sunflower. If she is to draw a picture of a flower, it is a sunflower. If you want to get on her good side, give her sunflowers. She is not a carnation type girl. So, I wanted to make her some cupcakes with a sunflower on top. I will admit I am not a pro at frosting. I have never attempted to make a flower out of frosting. I watched a couple of tutorials online. They make it look so easy. I will admit I could have been using the wrong tip but overall I liked the looks of them. The main thing I wanted to show you was how to make the seeds of the sunflower. What do you think? I hope you can tell my flowers are suppose to be sunflowers. I am just glad my sister liked them.

Frosted Sunflowers
Frosting
1/2 cup Sugar
Food dye

Directions:

1. In a plastic bag, add the sugar.
2. Add a couple of drops of the desired food color to the bag.
3. Seal the bag and mix. If a darker color is desired, add a couple more drops of food dye and mix again. Set aside until needed.
4. On a piece of wax paper, pipe the desired flower shape.
5. With a toothpick, gently pick up a little sugar and place in the center of the frosting flower.

One year ago..........I made Stracciatella Double Cookie Dough Ice Cream.

Did you already know...............
-Sunflowers are a native flower to America.
-Kansas state flower is the sunflower.
-Sunflower's color range from yellow to burgundy. 

Peanut Butter Frosting

Do you like those peanut butter cups that are shaped like Easter eggs? They are so addicting so I have not had one. I can't say the same for my husband. I think sometimes when you avoid something than you want it even more. Yes, I have been baking with a lot of peanut butter but I still haven't had any of those PB eggs. It doesn't help since my family have been requesting more peanut butter recipes lately. My youngest son even requested chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter frosting for his birthday party. My oldest daughter tried to talk him into the cookie dough frosting since it is her favorite but he wanted peanut butter. I decided to make them both happy and adapted the recipe. Oh, it came out really good. Now, if I had only cut up some of those PB eggs for a topping then they would have been decadent.

Peanut Butter Frosting  
16 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened  
1/2 cup brown sugar  
2 1/3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2/3 cup all purpose flour  
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup peanut butter  
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla

1. In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until fluffy.
2. Slowly add the powdered sugar until smooth.
3. Add the flour and salt. Mix well.
4. Mix in the peanut butter until incorporated. 
5. Add a little milk and vanilla extract until well blended and the desired consistency.   

Recipe adapted from here. 

One year ago..................I made Sloppy Joes. 

Did you already know...
-The first person to patent peanut butter was Marcellus Gilmore Edson from Quebec in 1884.
-In 1904, C.H. Sumner introduced peanut butter to the U.S. in St. Louis.
-In the U.S. Krema is the oldest peanut butter company. 

Cookie Dough

Why did it take me so long to try these cupcakes? I love cookie dough ice cream. It could have been the lack of peanut butter. It could have been they seemed like a lot of work. I'm not sure of the reason but they are delicious. My children loved them. My oldest daughter said they are one of her all time favorite cupcakes. I brought them to work and my coworkers seemed to like them. I even have some left over cookie dough in the freezer so it wouldn't be hard to make them again. 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes
Cookie Dough Filling:
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
6 Tbsp light brown sugar
1 cup flour plus 2 Tbsp flour
7 oz. sweetened condensed milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

Cupcakes:
18 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
4 eggs
2 2/3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla extract

Frosting:
16 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 1/3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 cup all purpose flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:
Cookie Dough Filling: 

1. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
2. Add the flour, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla. Mix until smooth.
3. Fold in the chocolate chips. 
4. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for at least one hour.

Cupcakes:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. Line two cupcake pans with paper liners.
3. In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Add the eggs one at a time. Beat well after each egg. 
5. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir until well blended.
6. Slowly add the flour mixture alternating with the milk to the creamed butter mixture. Mix until just incorporated after each addition.
7. Add the vanilla and mix until just incorporated. 
8. Evenly divide the batter between the cupcake liners.
9. Bake the cupcakes for 10 minutes. While the cupcakes are cooking, remove the cookie dough from the freezer and roll into 1 tsp size balls.
10. Very carefully remove the cupcakes from the oven and place one cookie dough ball on top of the half baked cupcakes.
11. Return the cupcakes to the oven and bake for 8 to 10 more minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean. 
12. Remove from oven and allow to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before transferring the cupcakes to a wire rack. 
13. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:

1. In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until fluffy.
2. Slowly add the powdered sugar until smooth.
3. Add the flour and salt. Mix well.
4. Add a little milk and vanilla extract until well blended and the desired consistency.
5. Frost the cooled cupcakes and enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Annie's Eats. 

One year ago.......................I made Buttermilk Corn Bread.

Did you already know.........
-Ben and Jerry's has made cookie dough ice cream for over 20 years.
-It is still a very popular Ben and Jerry's ice cream flavor. 
-The idea for the ice cream tip came for an anonymous tip from a customer.

4th of July

Do you have any 4th of July plans? Do you have any traditions? We always watch fireworks. My favorite place to watch fireworks would be over the ocean. Since the water reflects the fireworks, the display always looks twice as spectacular. Do you have a favorite place to watch fireworks? I'm partial to Monterey but I can't fly there every year (or ten years). One year I was in Colorado and it hailed on the 4th of July. I guess it is better than rain.

When I showed my oldest daughter these cupcakes, she thought they looked wonderful. If you are going to make the batter red, white, and blue, it is easier to have another person helping than taping the bags. I think next time I would just leave the batter white and decorate the tops. I can only tell you that everyone said they tasted delicious. I served these cupcakes at a party and they were gone fast. I think my youngest daughter hid one for later since she liked them so much. They were suppose to look like snow cones but my colors are a little to vibrant and not as coned shape as desired but

Red, White, and Blue Cupcakes
2 2/3 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
4 egg whites
1 cup skim milk
1 Tbsp vanilla
2/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 tsp salt
food coloring, if desired

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
3. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, and baking powder.
4. In another bowl, mix together the egg whites, milk, and vanilla.
5. To the flour bowl, add the butter and mix until it starts to combine.
6. Slowly add the milk mixture and mix until completely combined. (Add any food coloring at this step if desired.)
7. Fill the cupcake liners 3/4 full. 
8. Bake the cupcakes for 16 minutes or until done.
9. Remove the cupcakes and allow to cool before frosting.

Frosting
1 cup butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
4 cups powder sugar
4 tsp milk
1/4 tsp salt
food coloring
sugar crystals in coordinating colors to the food coloring

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, cream the butter and vanilla together.
2. Slowly, add the powder sugar and beat until combined.
3. Add the milk to the butter cream and mix until smooth.
4. Divide the frosting evenly into three bowls.
5. Set one bowl to the side without adding any food coloring
6. Add a different color of food coloring to the other two bowls. Mix well.
7. Pipe the white frosting down the center of each cupcake.
8. Add the white sugar crystals over the white frosting.
9. Pipe one side of the cupcake with one of the colored frosting. 
10. Add the coordinating color to the colored frosting.
11. Repeat with the remaining color on the other side of the cupcake.
12. Add the colored sugar crystal to the same color on the cupcake.
13. Sprinkle a little of the white sugar crystal over the whole cupcake.

Recipe adapted from Bakerella.

Did you already know...
- In 1919, Samuel Bert produced the first snow cone at the State Fair of Texas.
-In 1920, Samuel Bert created a ice crushing snow cone machine.
-A stuffed snow cone is a snow cone with soft serve ice cream in the middle.

White on white buttermilk cupcakes

We've been having lots of birthdays lately. Since it is wildcard this week for Project Pastry Queen , I decided to try the White-on-White Buttermilk Cake but with the chocolate frosting variation. Buttercream frosting is the best. 

 My oldest daughter isn't a big fan of frosting and she said she could eat the whole bowl of it. Since I had some left over frosting, I decided to store it in the freezer for another day or maybe just hide it from my oldest. If it becomes missing, I'll know why. 

 This cake recipe was selected by Beth of The Powdered Plum. She used a Jack Daniel's Buttercream frosting. The cupcake recipe is found here.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
3 eggs
4 egg yolks
1/2 cups water
2 cups sugar
3 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 tsp salt
6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, melted

Directions:

1. Whip the eggs and egg yolks in a large bowl on high speed for 5 minutes.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine the water and sugar.
3. Simmer the water and sugar until a candy thermometer is between 234 degrees F. and 240 degrees F.
4. Immediately and slowly, add the sugar mixture to the egg mixture while mixing on low speed the whole time. 
5. Increase the speed to medium and beat for about 7 minutes.
6. Add half a stick of butter at a time while beating on medium speed.
7. Let the butter mix for about 20 seconds before adding the next half of stick of butter.
8. Once all the butter has been added, beat on medium speed for about 3 minutes so the frosting thickens. 
9. Stir in the salt and the cooled chocolate.

Recipe adapted from The Pastry Queen cookbook.

Did you already know.......
-Some types of buttercream are: American, Swiss, Italian, German, and French.
-The Swiss, Italian, and French buttercreams are meringue based.
-The German buttercream is custard based.

Vanilla Buttermilk Cupcakes

My mother-in-law has told me that her father's favorite cake was vanilla with chocolate frosting. So when my husband's maternal uncles came to visit from out of state, I thought these cupcakes would be the ideal dessert to serve. I am glad I made them.

This recipe is perfect if you have buttermilk you need to use. The cupcakes came out moist and delicious. I think it was a good choice for any party. The frosting is the fastest homemade frosting I have ever made.

Vanilla Buttermilk Cupcakes

Makes 30 cupcakes

4 whole eggs

2 egg yolks

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups buttermilk

3 cups cake flour

2 cups sugar

4 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk, the eggs. Add the vanilla and ¼ cup of buttermilk to the eggs. Whisk well.
3. In another bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the butter and 1 cup of buttermilk to the flour mixture. Whisk together until fluffy about 2 minutes.
4. Slowly add the egg mixture to the flour mixture. Combine well.
5. Fill the cupcake liners about slightly over ½ full.
6. Bake in the oven for about 18-21 minutes. Test the cupcakes with a toothpick for doneness. Let cool before frosting.
7. Makes 30 cupcakes

Chocolate Fudge Frosting

4 oz. unsweetened chocolate

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

3 cups powder sugar

3 Tbsp half and half milk

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In a microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate for about a minute in the microwave. Mix well and set aside to cool.
2. In a food processor, pulse the butter and add the powder sugar.  Add the milk and vanilla. Pulse a few times.
3. Refrigerate the cupcakes until ready to serve to set the frosting.

Recipe adapted from Sweetapolita.

Did you already know............
-Chocolate means bitter water in Aztec.
-The oldest and largest chocolate company in the U. S. is Hershey.
-Ancient Aztecs believed chocolate had magical powers like improve a person's strength.
-Fudge is a soft candy made from sugar, butter, and milk or cream.