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I have finally decided to put my 3 blogs all into one place.  And I am finally blogging again.  Find me at pinkowlsweets.com

Wedding cake tips

By doing things wrong I have learned some valuable lessons I don't want to forget.
-I use crisco and flour to prepare my pans so the cakes won't stick. What is also helpful is to line the bottom of the pan with wax paper. This has saved many cakes for me.
-Freezing the cakes before filling and crumb coating is actually important. When the cakes are at room temperature they tend to slid around and not stay put. I covered them in two layers of plastic wrap to keep them moist.
-Cutting the cakes is easier after they have been chilled.
-The frosting used to make the dam needs to be very thick frosting, thicker then what I would use to frost the outside of the cake. If it is not thick enough it will spill out and show even after I have put my fondant on.
-Wait at least 12 hours after filling to put on the fondant. This gives it time to settle.
-Putting them then in the fridge in preparation for the fondant is also very helpful.
-After I had my fondant all rolled out I pulled the cakes out of the fridge and gave them a nice small mist of water using my spray bottle. This helped the fondant to stick to the hardened butter cream.
-Next time I need to make flowers make them more then a month in advance so that I am not overwhelmed. Also try to mix gum paste with a small amount of fondant. This way they might not be so hard. The flowers could have been used as ninja weapons.
-To attach the flowers and pearls I used a small paintbrush to apply the edible glue. Why I have not done that before is the beyond me. So much easier then what I have down in the past.

Remember that doing wedding cakes is more time consuming then I think and charge accordingly. Also remember to say no if I am not excited about the design. I was excited to try the flowers on this last cake since I had never done that before.

Another wedding cake

I was really excited to do something a little more detailed for a wedding cake. I didn't however realize how time consuming this one would be.
My client is allergic to soy. Which means everything I usually use in my vegan cooking was out the window. I learned how to make the perfect fattening fluffy white cake. Lemon curd with real butter and fondant without using crisco.
I also learned how to make these beautiful flowers that took roughly 20 minutes a piece to make. I am sure if I did it more often I would become much more proficient. I was pleased with the outcome.
Next on my wedding want-to list is a colored cake with different shapes/colors for flowers. Anyone want to pay me to make that?

I have been making cakes... really, I have proof.

I made this cake for a friend. I love when someone gives me complete creative license when they ask for a cake. Her little girl was having a pj party and she loves Princesses Snow White being her favorite. While making this cake I think I achieved Cake decorating Flow. That place where everything comes together and the creativity just comes. Making it was so rewarding. I think I love making things I have never made before.
The head and foot boards are cleft over cake I covered with fondant. I colored the fondant brown and then cut wood grain into it with a dull knife. I then painted on it with brown food coloring mixed lemon extract. That helped to give it the stained look.
The blanket is just fondant. The bird and mushrooms are also fondant.

Emma loves to help make her cakes and she is super artistic. This year I let her splatter paint her cake. SO easy and she had so much fun. I melted frosting in the microwave for maybe 10-20 seconds. Then with a spoon she literally splattered it.How happy and fun is that?


This is a little outdated now. I made candy corn cupcakes. Super easy!

Found a couple old cakes I had made

Sarah wanted a high school musical 2 party a few years ago. If you have seen the movie then the cake will make sense. But I don't recomened going seeing the movie just to understand the cake. Of the three, this one was the lamest. But it did make for a great party theme! And really, that is all that matters.

Playing with cakes and a pie cookie

I have done some playing around just for the fun of it baking. Usually on Sunday I feel the need to bake.

I wanted to try a fondant flower. This one is a little to fat so next time I will have to roll it out thinner.


Lemon meringue cookie? It was good, we liked it, we eat them all!
Just because I wanted to make it after seeing a how to on the internet.
Friends invited us over for dinner and I offered to bring dessert. I couldn't decide between chocolate or strawberry so I did both.

Pina Colada cupcakes

I think these are my new favorite. So yummy, fluffy and light.
I found the recipe on Confessions of a Cookbook Queens blog. I altered it to make it vegan.

Ingredients:

1 box of Duncan Hines Pineapple supreme cake mix
20.25 oz can crushed pineapple
4 egg whites
1/2 cup vegan butter

Frosting

1/2 cup vegan butter
1/2 cup butter flavor Crisco
1/2 cup coconut milk (the kind used as a milk replacer)
1 tsp coconut extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 cups powdered sugar
Sweetened shredded coconut for garnish and added yummyness

Preheat oven to 350 and get your cupcake tins ready for goodness.

Strain pineapple pressing gently to get all the juice out. I was able to get exactly the 1 cup I needed from my can.

If you have a kitchen-aid, everyone should have a kitchen-aid, add cake mix, egg whites, butter, and pineapple juice. Beat on low speed until well combined, about 30 seconds. Turn up your speed to medium and mix another 2 minutes. Carefully fold in your pineapples. I forgot this step and had to add them to the cupcakes right before baking. Not recommended.

Fill cupcake liners about 2/3 full. Place in the oven and wait for your nose to be sent into a heightened degree of pleasure. Unfortunatly you will have to wait 15-20 minutes before you will get to burn your tongue tasting their goodness. They are better with frosting but still delightful on their own.

Once they are cool add frosting either by pipping or spreading on with a knife. I choose pipping because I was eager to try them. Sprinkle with coconut shreds and enjoy. My oldest son does not like the texture of coconuts but likes the flavor. I left the coconut off the top of one for him.