2009 NaBloPoMo

I made it a little more than half way, then lost it. Which stinks because I got off to a good start. Ah, well, life happens. Maybe I'll give 'er a go next year!

Til' then, Congratulations to those of you who were able to get in 30 posts in 30 days!

I Like Cake.

That's all.

And NaBloPoMo is hard. Uninspired today.

A Break

I'll be the 1st to admit that it's nice to take a break after two consecutive weeks/weekends of caking. Having a hobby such as this is so bittersweet. I love it, I really do, but after spending countless hours preparing, thrashing my kitchen, not sleeping and ignoring my family, I'm exhausted and want nothing to do with it.

A brief, cake-free break rejuvinates me for my next go-round. You know, after I've missed it for a while.

I honestly don't have much planned right now, so I'll be doing more leisurely baking. Seasonal cookies for the holidays. I'd like to get a little better with iced sugar cookies because they make such great gifts. But honestly those take almost as much time as cakes. Well, it is different. Different materials and prep time, and ultimately, different results.

Yes, I definitely see sugar cookies. And maybe I'll organize my cupboard and cake kit. It's long overdue.

Until next time...

Forgive my rambling, it's NaBloPoMo.

Riley's Cake

The end result. Riley's barnyard themed birthday cake and cupcakes. Super cute and fun cake & cupcakes.

Bad lighting = poor photo.

6" cinnamon chocolate cake and cupcakes with vanilla buttercream. Cake is covered and decorated with mmf and the cupcake toppers are also mmf.

The piping is actually pink, but turned our electric orange in the photo.

Faces you can't help but love. The sheep were my fave.

A cow says...moo.

#2 Slacker Post

To put it into Twitter terms - #FAIL.

Letter Cutters...

are the bane of my existence. Despite my tip for easier removal, unless your gumpaste is firm, it's not fun.

Steadily working on Riley's cupcake/cake creation.

Just A Little Something I'm Workin' On

Oink Oink!

Caking Again

Not much to post about today. Working tonight and the rest of this week on cupcake and cake toppers for a 3rd birthday party this weekend.

It's so fun to be able to do things I haven't done before. I'm not crazy about cupcakes, but I do enjoy making cute things, and what I'm making are sure to be CUTE!

Can't wait to post pictures!

*fingers crossed*

That's what I do every time I enter a giveaway from a fellow blogger. Yep, I hate to admit it and it sounds awful using the term, but I am a giveaway whore.

I'm nearing my four year anniversary of blogging (on my other blog) at the end of this month. And in my four feeble years, blogging has swung from people posting random thoughts and musings, then wondering (or hoping) someone else other than themselves might actually read it, into thousands of hits per day for those who've found a niche audience.

And you know what, corporate America has taken notice.

So much so, that blogs have sponsors. And sponsors give things to these bloggers to give away to their readers. There are those super cool bloggers who buy or make awesome stuff to give away, but if you're generating traffic to your site in areas that impact big business, it can definitely work in your favor.

Cooking and baking are unique fields of interest because there are so many needs and uses to create delicious and becoming food. And in hosted giveaways, appliances, utensils, cookbooks, product, gift cards, apparel, jewelry, aprons are things I've come across so far. I've seen a lot because I've entered a lot of giveaways*. And guess what? I've won a couple of times too; see that cool apron I'm wearing? I just so happened to have won that in a giveaway hosted by i♥cuppycakes in February.

It's a virtual lottery.

I follow a lot of blogs, especially food blogs, and more than those listed to the left in my blogroll. There are some amazing bloggers out there who have become so popular that they've gone on to publish books, cookbooks and even make television appearance with your better-known foodies.

They are everyday people who enjoy what they do and want to share it with other everyday people like myself. The only exception is that they're now virtual celebrities with free stuff to give away. I like that. Not just because I might win, but because these are products or companies that they'll stand behind. Products I might be willing to actually spend money on because they've brought this amazing-must-have-item to my attention.

Not that I wouldn't want to, but I'm not sure I'll ever be in a position to host a giveaway. I certainly appreciate those who do and am grateful for the opportunity to participate. Even when I don't win, I'll still keep going back to those blogs for the delicious eye-candy, tips, and recipes and imagining the winners squealing with excitement just like I did.

*Just so you know, I don't enter EVERY giveaway I come across.

Easy vs. Hard

More often than not, I tend to do things the hard way. Well, maybe not, I guess it all depends on how you view it.

If you've never been a parent, despite what people may tell you (or warn you), you learn as you go, as your relationship with your child grows. Trial and error, figuring out what works and what doesn't, it's an ongoing process. The same can be said about everything; parenting is hard, writing a thesis is hard, changing a tire...HARD. All true if you've never done it before, but once you get the hang of it...

The same can be said for cake decorating. Sure, you can go to culinary school and they can teach you the fundamentals of cooking/baking, but until you're flying by the seat of your pants and winging it on your own, you haven't learned anything.

In my caking world, time management is key and probably my biggest challenge.

I like to think that I've scheduled my cakes appropriately and in most cases I do. Allowing myself ample time to bake, make fondant, buttercream and figurines. However, in my scheduling process, I think my big FAIL is always on assembly and decorating time.

Once everything is prepared, I just don't seem to schedule enough time for assembling and decorating. And it's in those 1:00-2:00 a.m. moments that I'm cursing myself and longing for my pillow, wondering if I'll EVER get this done.

Truth be told, icing my cakes, covering with fondant and stacking are my cake-nemesises* (nemesi..nemessisies??). This is where a nice big Somerset dough sheeter along with a dedicated work space would be GREAT. I'll tell ya, after rolling out some difficult fondant this weekend, my core is sore! Yah, that's right, my abs are killing me. I must've been throwing myself into my fondant.

Basically, what I'm saying is, what took me so long, shouldn't freakin' take me SOOO long. I'm sore, I'm exhausted and I've lost valuable time I could have been spending with my family.

I always say I'm going to do things differently so it's not so hard, but honestly, it's not always that easy. But, it's getting easier.

Oh, and everyone should have nemesises, because when you beat your nemesis, there's no better feeling. My other nememsis: holes with water on the golf course. It gets in my head and screws with me like a true superhero arch-villan would.

Two-Faced!

Last week and this weekend, I was busily working on a cake for a twin's 3rd birthday. I originally thought I'd make two separate cakes, since it was both a Tinkerbell and Cars themed party.

As the week progressed, the idea of making two cakes overwhelmed me when I thought of all the baking and fondant I'd need to make. I do have a full time job and those darned familial obligations as wife and mother. So, there was obviously no time for that. I then sketched out a two-faced cake, and I'm super happy with how it turned out!

12" cinnamon chocolate fudge cake with vanilla buttercream and 8" white cake with white chocolate swiss meringue buttercream. Covered and decorated with marshmallow fondant.

In my opinion, Tinkerbell left much to be desired and unfortunately, I don't have any close-ups of either figurine. Lightening McQueen turned out better than I thought; it was fondant but decorated mostly with royal icing. I'm finally becoming a little bit more confident piping. And I thought the royal icing stitching between the two designs was SO cute.

More caking to do for next weekend! Another 3rd birthday!

NaBloPoMo Slacker Post #1

Barely a week into NaBloPoMo and I've already missed a post. Although, in my defense, I do have a good excuse. I'd been working diligently on a cake, which leave no time in front of a computer, especially on the weekends.

Must focus (read: write and schedule posts, just in case).

A Few Helpful Tips

I am always on the hunt for new methods or techniques for doing the same 'ol things. If you have an amazing tip that changed the way you bake, cake, cupcake or cookie, care to share? I love them, I use them, I write them down and I'm willing to share too...

Here are 10 that have come through for me in one way or another (in no particular order):

1. I hate it when the fondant pulls away from the cake circle of the upper tier of a cake. When stacking cakes, dust the the top of the cake tier with powdered sugar prior to placing the next tier on top. It prevents the bottom of that next tier from sticking and pulling away the lower tier's fondant when separating to serve.

2. Bake your cakes at a lower temperature to prevent them from doming and baking unevenly. The is especially great for larger cakes and makes leveling a lot easier. I tend to bake at around 300-315 degree farhenheit.

3. When using small letter cutters, dust the fondant well w/ powdered sugar and place plastic wrap between the cutter and the fondant. This will help prevent the fondant from sticking in the small crevices. And if it's stuck to the plastic wrap, pull taut to release letter.

4. To make fondant ropes, use a clay extruder or the less expensive Playdoh Fun Factory (just be sure to lube well with shortening to prevent sticking).

5. Coating chocolate chips or nuts with flour before adding to cake/muffin mixture will prevent them from sinking to the bottom while baking.

6. If you use an airbrush, do not begin spraying directly on cake. When doing overall color application, start to the right or left of the cake (which should be airbrushed in a closed space -- cardboard box, etc.), then apply. This is the best way to avoid unintentional streaks of color.

7. Do you doctor your cake mixes? If so, instead of using water as instructed on the box, use milk, chocolate milk - for chocolate cakes, lemon juice - for lemon cakes, coffee, etc., as liquid replacement to enhance the flavor of similarly flavored cakes.

8. Does your recipe call for buttermilk and you have none on hand? Add 1 Tbsp white vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup of milk and let stand for 5-10 minutes. Voila!

9. I rarely have cake flour on hand, so....use 1 cup minus 2 Tbsp all purpose flour for each cup of cake flour. SIFT.

10. Use uncooked spaghetti noodles to test cake doneness and you're less likely to waste all those toothpicks you need for something else.

Late Nights

Between busy days at work and late nights working on cakes, I'm barely squeaking by for NaBloPoMo. But I'm making excellent progress...on the cake part.

I'm working on cake accents for a good friend's three year-old twins' birthday. The party is on Sunday and it's a Cars and Tinkerbell themed party. I'm really excited about my sketch, the figurine and other features I've made so far!

Until tomorrow...

d.

The Notebook

When I first started caking, I pulled directly from my Joy of Cooking cookbook for my cake and ganache recipes. I used Wilton fondant and turned to the CakeCentral website for inspiration and how-tos.

My first cake was a hot mess. The cake was dry and my fondant application left much to be desired. Matter of fact, the best thing about this cake was the ganache, which sadly, years later, I have not been able to replicate, neither in consistency nor flavor. I'll attribute this to the Colorado altititude, which by all accounts MUST have made my cake try too, but I'm not pointin' fingers.

Almost four years later, I like to think I've come a long way. And over time, I've graduated from keeping my multiples print-outs of recipes and cake photos spread throughout my house, to consolidating it into a little notebook.

Yep, I'm a lefty.

My cute little notebook houses mostly recipes that I've tried and liked...my go-tos, of sorts. But it also has detailed notes of the amount of cake, buttercream and fondant I needed and used for a four tiered wedding cake serving 150 and things of that nature. Doodles, stationary I think would look cute as cake, and a running list of random cake musings and tips too.

God forbid I ever lose this thing.

Me vs. The Pros...Take 2

As I was writing yesterday's post, more and more things kept coming to me about what would make my life easier as a caker. I'd love to open my own shop and share my creations with the neighborhood, but I'm not yet in a position to do it because I think I still have so much more to learn. But (big but), it doesn't mean I don't fantasize about it. And I often do it while I'm in the throes of a cake at 1 a.m.

So, without further adieu, more Me vs. The Pros.

5. Work Surface. I mentioned yesterday that I had an island in my kitchen. I always wanted an island in the kitchen of our first home and I got one. It's ideal for working free of cupboards and in not so many words, spread the mess around. Ah yes, free to get powdered sugar everywhere. Yup, more counterspace to collect things and have to try and keep clean. Everything has it's place right? It's just that most of it ends up not in it. What to use?

Me: My island.

A lazy day in February for me and the hubs and of course, our island in the background.

This is the best picture I could find of our island, which funnily, happens to have a cake on it. You may (or may not) also notice that there's a sink, smack-dab in the middle of it. This feature is not uncommon, but I SURE do wish that it was mostly left of mostly right. The rental house we lived in before we bought our house had a large island, sans sink, and beautiful granite counters. I's-a got some remodelin' to do! Oh, and did you notice all the other miscellaneous crap. Nice, huh?

The Pros: Stainless Work Table

No sink. No clutter. 'Nuff said.

And fairly inexpensive, about $150.00.

6. Spacesavers. Now, I often like to dabble in other baked goods. I've been known to make cupcakes, cookies, iced sugar cookies and cake balls/lollipops. And what I lack in cooling racks, I also lack in counter space. And if I want to leave my cookies out on the counter, I must beware of super-sly three-year old hands, or interfering in every day things like, you know, making dinner. What to use?

Me: I got nothin'.

I've put things on top of the fridge, on top of the microwave, on top of spa-gheeettttiiii, aw geez, I just don't have adequate space to put anything. And if I do, I have to hawk-it to make sure curious fingers don't innocently feel the need to help.

The Pros: Proofing/Bun Racks

I have visions of trays of iced cookies and cake ball-ffles, setting to perfection in their own designated space; a place they can call home, until they get in someone's belly. Maybe a cake or two, leveled, iced and waiting to be adorned. If only... And about as inexpensive as a work table.

7. Goods. There have been many a nights when I have run out of something and had to bolt to the store before it closed at midnight. Things I generally have on hand until a batch goes wrong in the making. I hate this. It makes me feel helpless and slows down my decorating time. I'm pretty organized, but when SMBC turns to soup and you need more egg whites, you have no choice.

Me: The Grocery Store

I'm grateful that I have a Safeway store about 200 yards from my house. Last I remembered, they used to be open 24 hours, but this one is only open until midnight. I have made a desperate run at 11:57 p.m. for a bag a powdered sugar.

Also at my disposal is Costco Wholesale and every time I go there, I just can't convince myself that I need a 50lb bag of powdered sugar. IF I were to buy it, I'm sure I'd use it over a period of time, but then again, seriously, where do you put it and how do you keep critters out of it. Obviously, I'd have to put it in a bin, but that's a mess waiting to happen. Don't get me started on butter, eggs, flour, etc.

The Pros: Wholesale Delivery

Just make the call...

Eggs...

Butter...

Flour...

Chocolate.

Me: "Yes, I need you to deliver 100 lbs of powdered sugar, 72 lbs of butter and 30 dozen eggs, blah blah chocolate, flour and blobbity blah cream, please.

Them: "As you wish."

This is when the previously mentioned reach-in fridge/freezer is awesome and the above work table has storage space for bins of sugar, etc.

Must be nice.

Until tomorrow...

Me vs. the Pros

As a caking hobbyist, I certainly don't have all the accoutrements of professional cake decorators and bakers. My caking tools have their own cupboard in the kitchen and the rest is stored in a sealed storage tub and Wilton tool kit (you know the one).

My kitchen is spacious but there are several things just waiting to be upgraded. And I love being able to decorate on an island, but I can guarantee, where I create my cakes is no chic and stainless commercial kitchen.

I pride myself on working cleanly and making the most of what I have, but let's compare what I use and what the pros have at their disposal. Much like man vs animal, this is me vs. the pros.

1. Fondant. I work exclusively in fondant. It's the medium of choice for a more finished look of my cakes. However, in addition to making my own fondant, I knead in the color and roll it out by hand before covering makes cakes. What to use?

Me: A rolling pin.

You're guaranteed to work up a sweat regardless of how much fondant you actually knead...er, need (heh). Not to mention your forearms are to be reckoned with afterwards.

A rolling pin can be found anywhere, from your local grocery store for a few bucks or upwards of $40+ at specialty cookware stores (Williams-Sonoma, etc.). And don't get me wrong, many well-known decorators use a rolling pin like me. But many use...

The Pros: A Somerset Dough Sheeter

Retailing for $2,945.00 - $4,500.00 this puppy wouldn't even fit in my kitchen. But it doesn't make me want one any less. I'd be the fastest decorator in the West, with fondant of perfect thickness every time.

2. The Mixer. No decorator is complete without a stand mixer. I fondly look back on the days helping my mom make yellow cakes with chocolate frosting, from the box and the tub respectively. And we only needed three things, a bowl, a spatula and an electric hand mixer. But these days, everything is easier with a stand mixer. What to use?

Me: The KitchenAid Artisan 5-quart Stand Mixer

This is the best thing I ever registered for when I got married. This is my baby...I love her. A little more than my husband, I think. Just kidding.

She purrs when making cakes, frostings, cookies, bread dough and fondant. My only wish would be that I had a bigger one or more than one bowl to do all the things I use her for. Talk about dish-pan hands when washing between uses. There are several different models ranging in price from $299.00 to $600.00 and multiple attachments, to include a pasta maker and juicer.

The Pros: 20 quart floor mixer.

The sheer quantities of sweet creations to be made (insert evil laughter)! I'm almost certain I'd make a gigantic mess, but again, time would be saved if I could make singles batches of anything with this baby. For $2,590, you'll get the mixing bowl, wire wisk, dough hook and spatula. And hopefully a warranty with an on-call repair man!

3. Baking. In an effort to be efficient with my time, I have a schedule I follow when preparing cakes. Baking on this day, making fondant and icing on another day, and covering, assembling and decorating on the 3rd day, in that order. However, when baking a large cake, I have to bake and freeze in advance, giving me plenty of time to bake all the cakes I need in my modest little oven. What to use?

Me: GE Freestanding Electric Range

Not a double oven or a convection oven, but your run-of-the-mill-it-came-with-our-house-observe-aforementioned-upgrade-comments range. She works well, but darn it if our house doesn't become it's own oven when I'm on a caking frenzy. And let me remind you that I live in Arizona where it should never be as hot inside as it is outside. Available at Sear's for $450.00.

The Pros: Vulcan VC4GD Single Convection Oven

You're rolling with the big boys now. There are several different types of convection ovens depending on your needs and available space. I can't begin to tell you how glorious it would be to make a cake I'm certain would fit in my oven (think 16-18 inchers), bake evenly and not take a gazillion years. And for a mere $3,500.00 (on special from Bakedeco.com), it could be all mine.

4. Cooling. After making aforementioned cakes, I'll usually level, wrap well and leave on the counter before I need to assemble my cakes. However, if I'm baking a larger, tiered cake, I'll bake and freeze for a few days. Wrapped cakes on the countertop, even in AZ, can start to smell a little off if left on their own for too long. So, ideally, you chill or freeze, either iced or not. What to use?

Me: Kenmore 18.2 cu ft Top Freezer Refrigerator

I'm not very particular when it comes to refrigerators. As long as it works and has enough space to hold all my food, frozen and fresh, I'm good. And let's just say, it's near impossible to freeze or even chill cakes if you plan to freeze any other food in your house. "Sorry kid, but the chicken nuggets have got.to.go." or "you didn't want ice with that right, my bad." It just doesn't fly. I'd happily settle for an energy efficient chest freezer for the garage.

The Pros: Top Mounted Solid Door Reach-In

(fridge & freezers available)

Aside from a walk-in, this is the next best thing. Alas, everything at arm's reach. Fresh, cool, and without the random peas that freed themselves from the partially opened bag in the back. Approximately $2,500.00-$3,500.00 smackaroos.

I could go on and on about what you can find in a professional baker's kitchen and well, I think I will! It's NaBloPoMo...I've got the time. Check back tomorrow for more Me vs. The Pros.

NaBloPoMo

I've decided to try my hand again at NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month), but this time on my caking blog. I did it in 2007 on my other blog and was thoroughly challenged to post thoughtful posts on a daily basis. I was four days short. However, I'm actually looking forward to it on this blog.

I am a huge fan of blogs, every kind, and it's so inspiring to see how people are willing to let you into their world, whether through a photo, funny story, their expertise or general life experiences.

Let's see what I can come up with!!