Foodgasms

[1hotbabe]

I made those as a surprise for my son. The cupcakes have piped icing as the spaghetti, a Ferrero Rocher hazelnut chocolate as the meatball, strawberry preserves for sauce, and I shaved white chocolate for the parmesan. Very easy and a lot of fun to do!

Wow! What an amazing mom! Those look awesome!

 

[Collette]

*stagery whisper*

Does he know you get me super-mega virtual gifts and talk cooking-dirty with me online?

No! No! Stop outing me here!



(Fortunately, he understands the lust for good cutlery and the joy of an open stock sale.)

 

[Vikingstone]

No! No! Stop outing me here!



(Fortunately, he understands the lust for good cutlery and the joy of an open stock sale.)

I got my Chef Mate knife sharpener....I'm scared of all my knives, now.

 

[Collette]

what a cool idea! Thank you for sharing that!

Anytime, hon! I just made my first batch of fondant today so I'll post whatever oddities I come up with.

Wow! What an amazing mom! Those look awesome!

Thank you, sweetie! Hope all is well with you.

 

[1hotbabe]

Anytime, hon! I just made my first batch of fondant today so I'll post whatever oddities I come up with.

Thank you, sweetie! Hope all is well with you.

All is well, thank you! Another jewelry class coming up! I trust things are going well for you?

 

[leZilla]

I wish I could do ANYTHING with cakes. Decorating them, piping icing onto them, nothing intricate. The best cake I know how to make is a pumpkin-caramel-walnut cake, and while it is devine and pretty...it isn't exactly "decorated". I'll show you what I mean.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v87/Zillapics/DSC04024.jpg

But what I want to do is something like this: (lifted this photo off the net)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v87/Zillapics/bdaycakeidea.jpg

I don't even know where to begin though.

 

[Collette]

All is well, thank you! Another jewelry class coming up! I trust things are going well for you?

Yes, though he left to go back home today, which was hard. Still, we had a great week and I have lots of projects to get started on.

 

[fallenupright]

I wish I could do ANYTHING with cakes. Decorating them, piping icing onto them, nothing intricate. The best cake I know how to make is a pumpkin-caramel-walnut cake, and while it is devine and pretty...it isn't exactly "decorated". I'll show you what I mean.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v87/Zillapics/DSC04024.jpg

But what I want to do is something like this: (lifted this photo off the net)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v87/Zillapics/bdaycakeidea.jpg

I don't even know where to begin though.

Take classes. I'm sure you can find some offered near you. My sister took a bunch, she makes awesome cakes.

She makes stuff like this: http://slocakes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/2007_nisha5.jpg (not hers, but that level of difficulty)

 

[LostBaby]

I wish I could do ANYTHING with cakes. Decorating them, piping icing onto them, nothing intricate. The best cake I know how to make is a pumpkin-caramel-walnut cake, and while it is devine and pretty...it isn't exactly "decorated". I'll show you what I mean.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v87/Zillapics/DSC04024.jpg

But what I want to do is something like this: (lifted this photo off the net)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v87/Zillapics/bdaycakeidea.jpg

I don't even know where to begin though.

Damn! That pumpkin cake looks good!

Recipe?

 

[Minkey Boodle]

I don't even know where to begin though.

Practice. Practice. Practice.

Start small - you can find six inch round cake pans at all kinds of cookin'-type stores. You can make pastry bags at home by cutting off the corner of a gallon ziploc bag (you'll probably have to buy tips, but those bad boys generally cost less than two dollars). Check out some books and go to town.

 

[foodsnob]

.....

 

[leZilla]

Damn! That pumpkin cake looks good!

Recipe?

Oh DAYUM that pumpkin cake is delectable. Ever since I learned the recipe it is requested on Turkey day in lieu of pumpkin PIE! Can you believe that? It is seriously yum. Easy to make too. It's a trashy Kraft recipe even, but once I tried it I was a believer. I've passed this recipe on so much, even my therapist has it.

Luscious Four-Layer Pumpkin Cake

Prep Time:
20 min
Total Time:
1 hr 42 min
Makes:
16 servings, one slice each

1 pkg. (2-layer size) yellow cake mix
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin, divided
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup oil
4 large eggs
1-1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice, divided
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed
1/4 cup caramel ice cream topping
1/4 cup chopped pecans

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. Beat cake mix, 1 cup of the pumpkin, the milk, oil, eggs and 1 tsp. of the pumpkin pie spice in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Pour evenly into prepared pans.

BAKE 28 to 30 min. or until wooden toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 min. Remove from pans to wire racks; cool completely. Beat cream cheese in small bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Add sugar, remaining pumpkin and remaining 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice; mix well. Stir in the whipped topping.

CUT each cake layer horizontally in half with serrated knife. Stack layers on serving plate, spreading the cream cheese filling between layers. (Do not frost top of cake.) Drizzle cake with caramel topping just before serving; sprinkle with the pecans. Store leftover cake in refrigerator.


(It calls for pecans but I make it with walnuts. I think they taste better, but pecans are good too.)

 

[1hotbabe]

Yes, though he left to go back home today, which was hard. Still, we had a great week and I have lots of projects to get started on.

Awwww...that's always tough to say goodbye! Have fun with the projects!

 

[leZilla]

That last thing is pretty easy to do, sweetie.

Hell, even I could do it, and pastry scares me. All you have to do is go to the grocery store and pick up some multi-colored toothpaste tubes of sugary crap.

Wanna see some amazing work? Google Awald and Susan Notter. They're so good it's offensive.

For cake, check out Colette's Cakes, or anything Gale Gand has ever done.

Btw, how are you doing?

I'm doing really good. What've you been up to??

It looks SO EASY but in my experience they are a messy disaster.

I know about those toothpaste frostings, used 'em before. But I can't wield the buggars. I don't know why. I need some kind of fine point tip. That's what I'm thinking anyway. Because I'm careful and all that but they turn out a wreck. It's because they fall out of the tube instead of my directing the icing as if it were a ball point pen. Know what I mean?

So what is it that I should DO?

 

[JustSkye]

Notter is amazing. His sugar work is incredible.

 

[JustSkye]

I'm doing really good. What've you been up to??

It looks SO EASY but in my experience they are a messy disaster.

I know about those toothpaste frostings, used 'em before. But I can't wield the buggars. I don't know why. I need some kind of fine point tip. That's what I'm thinking anyway. Because I'm careful and all that but they turn out a wreck. It's because they fall out of the tube instead of my directing the icing as if it were a ball point pen. Know what I mean?

So what is it that I should DO?

If you have a Michaels craft store near you, they do weekly or monthly Wilton classes.

 

[foodsnob]

.....

 

[leZilla]

If you have a Michaels craft store near you, they do weekly or monthly Wilton classes.

No, I'd have to travel 100 miles probably. I live in a small town.

Susan Notter is amazing! She is more of an artist than a pastry chef.

 

[leZilla]

So glad to hear you're doing well.

The tubes I'm talking about are basically neosporin tubes. Built in fine points.

Other than that, you could get a pastry bag and buy some very fine point tips. Plus, practicepracticepractice.

I'm sure some of the girls here will have some more usefull pointers. I swear, half the reason I passed pastry is that the instructor really liked me. Hell, she even helped me on my final!

What do you practice with? I mean...some kind of basic and cheap frosting, so you don't practice with the expensive ones.

 

[LostBaby]

Thanks, leZilla!

I can hardly wait to try it! I will be house sitting in a couple of weeks in a house with a, dare I say it, full kitchen! OMG, I am baking cake! *kiss*

 

[fallenupright]

What do you practice with? I mean...some kind of basic and cheap frosting, so you don't practice with the expensive ones.

Buy a pastry bag. Make basic frosting. Get a tray, or tin foil. Cover table. Experiment with tips.

Get a book. (Cake Decorating for Dummies)

Try to do the basic things, like rosettes, flowers, writing. On tin foil. On table.

(or take class)

 

[foodsnob]

.....

 

[JustSkye]

What do you practice with? I mean...some kind of basic and cheap frosting, so you don't practice with the expensive ones.

If you have a wally world and can bear to shop there they have pre-made buttercream frosting, and all the wilton decorating supplies you will need, including books with instructions.

 

[leZilla]

Thanks, leZilla!

I can hardly wait to try it! I will be house sitting in a couple of weeks in a house with a, dare I say it, full kitchen! OMG, I am baking cake! *kiss*

My husband protested that I share "our pumpkin cake recipe".



Thanks for the advice guys, I'm gonna get a book, order some supplies and start practicing! Hopefully I will be able to turn out a kick-ass cake when my son turns 7 in September.

 

[Tati]

It's available on the Lit pass-around-a-pan program.

Thank you! I'll post the photo of them here, too. My son just kept giggling the whole time I was trying to explain what they were.


Spaghetti & Meatball Cupcakes
http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h134/collette_mtb/spagcupcakes-1.jpg

you are a clever minx, you are! It needs to be put on tastespotting!