Pumpkin Squares with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ok, I don't have a picture on hand of these, but I wanted to share the yummiest recipe ever, just in time for Thanksgiving. Trust me on this, you want to try out this recipe, you'll thank me later. If you live in the area, this is a take on the pumpkin bars from Old Grist Mill. My friend Chelsie figured this out and now I'm sharing it with you.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

4 eggs

1 2/3 c. sugar

1 c. oil

*16 oz. pumpkin

Beat these ingredients together very well.

Add

2 c. flour

2 tsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

*Most cans of pumpkin are bigger than 16 oz. So my friend said she just uses 2 cups. I have to admit I tend to change recipes a bit, so I use almost the whole can, not the entire thing but almost. I feel it makes it more "pumpkiny," and more moist. So feel free to use 2 cups, or as much as you would like.

Mix well and pour on a greased baking sheet.

Cook for 25 minutes. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

Cream cheese frosting:

1 stick of butter softened

1 8 oz. package of cream cheese softened

1 tsp vanilla

4 c. powdered sugar

whip until fluffy.

The best thing about this recipe, is that it makes quite a lot. Depending on how big you cut the squares, you've got plenty to take around to neighbors, or set out for a christmas party. Try them you'll love them, and you're welcome! :)

Cute Owl Cake

Well, I had my first cake disaster, I was going to take a picture of how bad it turned out. Then I could show how I fixed it. But it was just such a mess, I didn't want to take the time.

Tip #1 If you are sculpting a cake, put a skewer or two down in it, to help it hold it's shape.

Tip #2 Dirty ice your cake and put it in the fridge or freezer for a little bit, to help it hold it's shape.

Confession: on this cake I skipped these steps. And because of that, the cakes inside the fondant started to shift, when I tried to straighten them back up, the fondant wrinkled. Leaving an old, wrinkly, sad, and crooked little owl.

Well of course I'm not going to give a sad looking cake, so remake it I did!

And now look how cute it turned out.

I just love the way owls are all over the place lately, So I had to make one myself. I debated about making it even more colorful, with more stripes or other patterns.
The owl is a super moist carrot cake, with cream cheese frosting.

Turkey cupcakes.

I whipped these out quick for my daughter's pre-school treat. (Note to self, when in a hurry just buy cookies.) I actually had to put the turkey heads in the freezer to harden them up enough, because I was making them so last minute.

If you want to make these, they are super easy. I used the petal tips, 104, 103, and 102. For the Red I used the larger petal tip, then for orange the medium size, and for yellow the smallest. Then I just poked in my little turkey heads,(mmf), (put these on a toothpick for a little added support.) Add the eyes using a small circle tip, a little red gobbler, and a beak. (I used the leaf tip, and pulled it out a bit).
For the frosting I used orange cream-sickle buttercream, which is quickly becoming my fav flavor. Happy turkey days!

Super Cute Halloween Spider

Ok, I love this spider. (Although I have to say, that it was purple and black, and my camera made the purple look blue, just bear with me on that.) I debated all day whether I should put Happy Halloween on the cake board, but finally decided to go without. I just didn't want anything to detract from this cute little guy.

Don't you love the legs, I found out a secrect, that of course I will share. It's called Pocky. What the heck is Pocky? You ask, well, I'll tell you. It is a Japanese stick cookie that is covered in chocolate. (you can get them in different colors as well, like orange, pink, and white, I think.)

My thought is anyone can stick licorice out of a cake and call it spider legs, but this is much cuter, and looks harder. Which in all actuality was not much harder.

Here's what you do:

Cut the extra cookie part off your pocky sticks. Make sure you cut them at an angle. Then melt some chocolate. Use the chocolate to "glue" your two sticks together. Lay them on wax paper. (I put mine in the fridge to help them set faster.) Then wa la! You've got some awesome spider legs. Of course be very careful with them, as you pick them up and put them into your cake.

I was excited about finding these, it gives me all kinds of ideas, I already want to use them as arms for a snowman.

p.s. Pocky can be found at Japanese stores, (I don't have any around me that I know.) I called around to all my local stores, and actually found them at Walmart. And, bonus, they were only $1 for a box. Also the box doesn't tell you how many come in a box. But in my box, there were 21 sticks, just so you know how much to buy.

Happy Halloween everyone.

Monster cupcakes

I know, not a great picture, I literally snapped this picture as we walked out the door of our Halloween party. These cupcakes needed a little more time and attention then they were given, but still a fun little treat.

GraveYard Cake

Now you can see how it all comes together. The idea for this cake started when, my 4 yr old daughter and I were watching a food network, Halloween themed cake Challenge. She turned to me and said "mom, their cakes are way better than yours, huh?" I admitted that they were, and she decided to sketch me out a cake that would be just as great, and that she would "help me."

So I made all the figures, with toothpicks, so she could poke them in for me. Although it was a bit hard giving the power of the cake over to a 4 year old, especially when you've already spent a bit of time on it. She reminded me, (when I tried to change a few things,) "Mom, this is my cake, and I make the decisions."
There she is, finishing the cake, without my help.
I have loved getting into the hand painting aspect of things lately, I feel like it brings out more details. I was watching The Nightmare Before Christmas, and it was full of wonderful rock walls, so I had to add one last minute, but I think it made a lot of difference.

This is a home made yummy chocolate cake, with vanilla buttercream, modeling chocolate tree, and marshmallow fondant figures.
Happy Halloween!

Making Fondant Charachters

These are for a cake I will be making tomorrow. But I wanted to mention a few tips for any beginners who are looking to start trying fondant figures on their own. The great thing about fondant is you can do so many thing with it.

Tip #1 : Get a little dish and put a small amount of crisco in it. ( Pure white, all vegetable)

Tip #2 : Keep a SMALL amount of crisco on your fingers or your fondant will stick.

Tip #3 : If making a bigger figure, make it in separate sections (see my mummy) and put it together later. (The fondant is too soft to try to make it all at once, It might look ok at first, but then can kind of sink.)

tip #4 : Try to do this at Least a day ahead of the time your making your cake. (If you want things to stick straight up, or if your making a bow, you really need a week.)
Tip #5 : Putting toothpicks in them when it's soft, makes it easy later to secure it to the cake, and could save you cracking your figure later, if you try and shove a toothpick in it when it's dry.

(See my mummy? I'll put him together later.

Tip #6 : I put my figures on a clean cookie sheet, or glass plate to dry. If you need something to stay, put it against the edge of the cookie sheet, or use something else to hold it in place.
See on the mummy and the gravestones, I hand painted them. I'm really liking this effect. It gives it more depth and shadowing, and just gives it a little something more than just a flat color I pre-made. Also on the gravestones, I purposefully rolled the fondant to look a little cracky so they would look more old. It's all about the details.

This is my modeling chocolate, spooky tree. I still want to paint him a little to give him some shadowing. The reason why I used chocolate instead, is because he is so big, he'll hold his shape much better.

(Yes I'm aware it's not Christmas, I'm not sure why I put him on my snowflake plate, but oh well.)
See how much fun you can have? The sky is the limit, you can make anything you can think up. So get thinking and creating, and have fun.