Back to School Cupcakes

I made these yesterday for my kids first day of school. The chalk board is a chocolate covered graham cracker, the apple is a red hot candy and the chalk is a ti tac. Who knew school could be this sweet right!!

Rosette Cake

So this is a technique I learned from the I am baker website (listed below). She did this on a round cake like the one below. I loved it so much I topped a sheet cake with it and loved how it turned out. This is a simple way to dress up a sheet cake and it perfect for any occasion. All you do it put your frosting in a pastry bag that is fitted with a really large star tip. Make rosettes all over the cake close together and then fill in any empty spots with a swoosh of frosting and you are done!! Happy Frosting!!http://iammommy.typepad.com/i_am_baker/

Here is how is looks on a round cake and sprayed with edible food spray. It make it look like fresh cut roses!!

Here is a view from the top down, I love the pattern and texture to it!

Strawberry Lemonade Bars

So I made these recently and they were very tasty. The strawberry added a nice sweet factor to go along with the tart lemon flavor. They are light, refreshing, simple and delicious. I found this recipe at allrecipes.com

Strawberry Lemonade Bars
Crust
2 Cups Flour
1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar
1 Cup Butter Softened
Combine until it resembles a crumbly pie dough and press into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes until just golden.
Filling
8 Eggs
2 Cups Sugar
1 Cup lemon juice
2 TBS. Lemon Zest
2 Small Pkg Strawberry Jello
Combine and pour over baked crust. Bake for another 20 minutes or until set. Sprinkle the top with powdered sugar when cool and serve.

Welcome to the dark side!

Check out my new shirt. I bought it at Kohls in the mens section and when I read it I laughed really hard. I guess I will always be on the dark side, how about you?

Fresh Raspberry Frosting

I have so so happy that my raspberries have finally been ready to pick. The kids love to search for them in the bushes and gather big bowls full. This recipe is so simple, but flavorful and fresh that it will impress anyone who gets a taste. It is also really versatile. Above I put it on a chocolate bunt cake. It is also awesome on a lemon cake as seen below. Add it to your favorite cake and enjoy!!

Here is my frosting just as I have thrown in the berries. I love the swirls of flavor and color coming out!!

Here we are one it is all mixed in. I love the natural color it makes, so bright and fresh!

Here it is on top of a lemon cake. I just poured big spoonfuls around the top of the cake and let it drizzle down the edges. Then I topped it off with some whole raspberries so those eating it would know what flavor is was. Mmmmmm raspberries!!

Fresh Raspberry Frosting
1/2 Cube Butter melted
1 tsp Vanilla
1 Cup Raspberries
Powdered Sugar
Milk

Combine the melted butter and vanilla then start to mix in your powdered sugar. The reason I didn't put an amount is because it depends on how juicy your raspberries are. Add about 2 cups powdered sugar and mix together. Once combined throw in you raspberries and start stirring to break them up. Now add powdered sugar or milk to get the quantity and consistency you would like. If you want to drizzle it over a bunt cake it should be a thinner consistency. Because the juice will continue to come out of the raspberries frost your cake right before serving.

Smore Brownies

So I think it is kind of obvious that I like things that are sweet. I do have a few favorites though, and smores is definitely one of them. I love eating them in the summer with a nice fire going, but I also enjoy them from the microwave or roasted over my stove. I also think that you can't just have one. I think six is about right. Anyway, thus the inspiration for my latest creation. I must say I have had lots of smore cookies, but can't get over the fact that the marshmallow turns into one big glob or gets all crunchy. This is not the case with these. You get a graham cracker crunch, dense moist brownie covered in melted chocolate and a soft and creamy marshmallow. Hee hee! Sorry, I will try to calm down. In the mean time give these a try and watch them disapear at your next barbeque!!

Start off with your graham cracker crust. I didn't count how many crackers made a 1 1/2 cups crumbs, but it looks like somewhere around 18. My kids had a great time crushing these while I got the other ingredients ready. This gets pressed into a double tinfoil lined 9x13 pan and baked for a while while you get the rest mixed together.

Here we are after the crust is baked. Just pour 2/3rds of your brownie batter in and spread evenly.

Now here is the trick for your marshmallow to keep is creamy and nice. Mix a small jar or marshmallow creme with a small can sweetened condensed milk.

Then spoon it all over your brownie batter.

Once you have your marshmallow on spoon on the extra batter. The more you cover the marshmallow the more creamy goodness you will have. I left some out because I wanted creamy with a bit of toasted marshmallow too. I topped it all off with three Hershey bars and baked.

Here is the finished product. Lining the pan with foil makes them a lot easier to cut.

Smore Brownies
(Crust from food network and marshmallow creme from Our Best Bites)

Crust
6 Tb butter melted
1 1/2 -2 Cup Graham Crackers crushed
2 Tb Sugar
Pinch of Salt

Press into a 9x13 greased pan and bake for 10-15 minutes at 325 degrees.

Brownie Batter
2 Cubes Margarine melted
10 Tb. Cocoa
2 Cups Sugar
4 Eggs
1 1/2 Cups Flour
Dash of Salt
Spread about two thirds of the batter onto the cooked crust then top with your marshmallow mixture.

Marshmallow mixture
1 small can marshmallow cream
1 small can sweetened condensed milk
Drop the rest of the brownie batter by spoonfuls on top of the marshmallow and spread around. Top with three Hershey bars broken into their small pieces and return to the oven for another 20-25 minutes or until the brownie is cooked through.

Flower Fairy Cake

So here is a cake I actually made for my daughter this last week. She wanted a surprise so I made her as a fairy on top of the cake. She loved it.

Here is the fairy up close. One fun trick to this cake was that I had no time to make fondant or modeling chocolate so the fairy and flowers were all made from melted starbursts candy and laffy taffy's! Try that on your next cake!!