Pink and Purple Baby Shower Cake

This baby shower cake was for my husband's cousin, who is expecting her first baby girl in June. Originally the theme was princess penguin which I had the most amazing cake plan for but when the party people went shopping, they discovered they couldn't find much that matched that theme. So instead they went with a pink and purple theme.

They had complete confidence in me for the design. I admit I was at a lost. I really wanted to do something the the mommy-to-be would appreciate but since I don't see the family that often I wasn't sure what that something would be. I did however know that the baby girl was to be named Natalee Rose so I thought - roses!

I have been seeing a lot of the rose swirl done on cupcakes (and had just happened to practice the technique on some cupcakes for a party my mom was hosting) so I decided to use the technique to frame the top of the cake. I also wanted to use a mommy and daughter silhouette to decorate the cake so I researched online until I found one that I liked.

The cake really was elegant and sophisticated. It matched the party decorations well and the mommy-to-be loved it! I had also tinted the inside of the cake purple which was much to her liking! I really loved the way this cake turned out. The frosting smoothed very well and I didn't even use the paper towel method! I made my buttercream a little stiffer this time (using one less tablespoon of milk than normal) and then used the hot knife trick to smooth it. I really like the results and may use this method more in the future.

I really want to start doing more with buttercream frosting. The taste can't be beat! Fondant is great for decoration... decoration that can be removed and discarded so you can eat the tasty cake! I really want to work on some buttercream roses! But they will just have to wait! I have one more huge (wedding) cake and cupcake order and then it's hiatus time to practice some techniques of my own! June 30th here I come!

Chocolate Toffee Cookies

There's nothing like homemade cookies. Now don't get me wrong. I love a good Double-Stuff Oreo, Girl Scout Samoa or E.L Fudge Cookie in a pinch...but there is still nothing like a homemade cookie. My Dad is a bonafide Cookie Monster so cookies are something I have grown up with. Cookies have the ability to please so many people on a wide-spread scale that it is amazing. There are chewy, crispy, crunchy, chunky, gooey, no-bake, soft... the possibilities to please are endless!

These particular cookies fall into the crispy chewy category. Crispy cookie with chewy toffee bits in it. Kind of like a Heath bar cookie. I happened to have almost all the ingredients for these already in the pantry so it made a perfect selection for my weekend baking treat!

Chocolate-Toffee Cookies

(from the American Test Kitchen Magazine)

2-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 bag (8 ounces) chopped milk chocolate toffee pieces (such as Hershey's Heath Bar baking pieces)

1. Heat oven to 375°. Coat baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

2. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt in a medium-size bowl; set aside.

3. In a large bowl, beat together butter and both sugars until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla.

4. On low speed, gradually add in flour mixture. Beat for 2 minutes or until blended. Stir in chocolate chips and toffee pieces.

5. Drop batter by tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets and bake at 375° for 12 minutes or until golden. Cool baking sheets on wire racks for 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool completely.

Hints and Tips: I used mini semisweet chocolate chips in mine. I wanted the chocolate to be spread throughout the cookie instead of in chunks, plus that's what I had in the pantry to use. Coat your baking sheets very thoroughly with cooking spray! The toffee in the cookies will stick to your pans even with the spray and I can't imagine how difficult (or I should say even more difficult) they would have been to remove from the baking sheets. My cookies got too brown cooking at 12 minutes so I reduced to 11 minutes. This also helped with removing them from the pans. Bake the first pan according to the directions and then adjust cooking times depending on your oven performance.

Even with all the drama of removing the cookies from the pan (I only had two of the 4 dozen fall to pieces on me) these cookies were a huge hit! My husband and daughter loved them and the 3 dozen I took to work disappeared before lunch time. The next time I do make them, I might try cooking them on parchment-lined baking sheets. Sometimes that will make the cookie softer and it will lose the crispy texture. I guess I will just have to try it out and see what happens!

Double Chocolate Brownies

So I have been really busy lately. Husband started a new job. Enrolling Lana in pre-school. It has been hectic. And when I feel like I am totally losing it I bake. Have you ever seen the movie Julie and Julia? There is a scene where Julie has had the most terrible day at work and she is feeling completely overwhelmed by her life. So she goes home and bakes a chocolate pie. And she is explaining to her husband how she doesn't know about a lot of things but she knows if she puts these ingredients together and cooks them just right it will turn into a perfect chocolate pie. Yes that scene is my life. Baking is my therapy. And thankfully I have a work who is all too eager to take all those calorie-ridden treats off my hands. Still on the diet folks. Down six pounds!

So anyway back to these brownies. I dug out the old recipe binder that is overflowing from magazine recipe tear-outs. Back from the days before Pinterest, when I received multiple food magazines via ye olde mailbox and I was a newlywed. I canceled those subscriptions and promised myself I would renew them when I got through some of the recipe binder bulk. Yeah so that didn't happen.

But things have changed now. I have a Kitchenaid mixer. I have a three-year-old daughter who loves to be my baking assistant. And I work at a lab that has a break room to dispose of the goodies. I'm trying to bake one new thing a week to try some recipes and keep some sanity during my jam-packed summer. Every weekend there is an event!

So here is the first recipe. Double-Chocolate Brownies from the America's Test Kitchen magazine. They were pretty much amazing. Tasted like gourmet brownies but went together like a simple box mix. The only down-side was they tended to dry out quickly. I'm not sure if it was because I pre-cut and packaged them for special deliveries or the recipe just tends to be better the first few days after they are baked. My special delivery peeps didn't have any complaints so maybe I am just being a dessert food snob!

Double-Chocolate Brownies

(from the America's Test Kitchen Magazine)

3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter

4 ounces (4 squares) unsweetened chocolate

2 cups sugar

4 large eggs

1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup chopped pecans

1 bag (12 ounces) chocolate chips (2 cups)

1. Heat oven to 350°. Line a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan with nonstick foil, leaving overhang.

2. In large glass bowl, heat butter and chocolate in microwave on HIGH for 2 minutes; stir until smooth. Let stand 5 minutes to cool slightly. Whisk in sugar, eggs, flour and vanilla. Stir in pecans and half of the chocolate chips (1 cup). Transfer batter to prepared pan. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup chocolate chips.

3. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes, until top is dry to the touch. Let cool completely in pan on wire rack. Lift brownie from pan with foil. Cut into squares and serve.

 All the gooey rich greatness about to be mixed together!

 My little helper mixing up the goodies!

 All mixed up and in the pan. Now time to sprinkle some more chocolate chips on top!

 Right before going into the oven...

The recipe says that it makes 24 brownies. I was good and cut mine into 24 pieces. Be warned - they may look small but they pack a wallop of richness! They are best eaten in the following two to three days. Enjoy!

Mickey Mouse First Birthday Cake

Okay so let me just say that yes, the smash cake in this photo got a little pre-smashed. Unfortunately it slid a little in the car and hit the side of the tote it was in. My first casualty in cake delivery! And thankfully my beautiful friend just went with it and said "Hey, it's going to get smashed anyway, right?"

Levi is the son of one of my dear friends from the high school days. He is an absolutely gorgeous little boy with blond hair and an impish grin who immediately fell in love with my daughter and followed her around trying to gain her attention when it was diverted from him. And he turned the big one this week!

His mom had sent me a picture of a cake topper she had planned to get about a month ago and asked me to theme the cake after it. No problem right? Sketched up a cake, got her approval and we were on our way to Mickey Mouse Cakedom! After I got the cake finished and sent her a photo, she told me the topper had been discontinued and she had to improvise on the cake topper. It all worked out in the end but let me just say on a side note for all those parents out there - buy party supplies when you see them and decide on the party theme! I don't know how many times I have uttered the phrase "I'll pick it up next time" just to be completely bummed out when it wasn't there when I went back. Let's just say my husband is tired of hearing it!

For example, my daughter is My Little Pony crazy. And Wal-mart has the party supplies. And her birthday is in September. Guess who has a laundry room full of pony party supplies? That's right. I have learned from my past mistakes.

I hope that Levi had a wonderful party and everything (else) went smoothly for his parents. Here's to a great first year with many more to come!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Cake

I have a large family... and a large extended family... and a large not really family but we see each other so much that we're practically family. This cake is for some of that family. My sister-in-law's nephew's birthday is here and he is just Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle crazy (as are his two brothers and his little sister)! And when his mom found out that the local bakery didn't do Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles she turned to me for help.

It just so happened that I had this Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle pan to make everything perfect! My grandmother who lives in North Carolina always shops the thrift stores and picks up any Wilton pans that she can find for me. Isn't she awesome? Thanks grandma - love you bunches!

Cody loved the cake and his little brother promptly put in his order for his November birthday. What a cutie! Now it's time to get some Easter preparations done and then it is on to a Mickey Mouse first birthday cake for another little one's big first birthday!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Breakfast is a hard thing for me to do. Eggs and hash browns and bacon and sausage are delicious... and time consuming. And staring in the face of returning to work full-time led me to devise a new plan of attack. Bulk breakfast baking on the weekends for fast grab (and healthier) breakfasts on-the-run weekdays. First bulk baking dish on the menu? These Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins. Made with a mix of all-purpose and wheat flour and a dose of pumpkin, their fast, delicious and packed with some good for you stuff!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

(from Pinterest via www.brighteyedbaker.com)

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

2/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 cup pumpkin

 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Additional chocolate chips for muffin tops

1. Preheat oven to 375°F and grease or line a standard 12-cup muffin tin. (This recipe actually made 24 muffins for me. I used the large cookie scooper from Pampered Chef to fill the liners.)

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose and whole wheat flours, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, all spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to evenly combine.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the eggs with the brown sugar on medium speed, for about 30 seconds, until smooth. Add yogurt, oil, pumpkin, and vanilla extract and beat into the mixture until smooth. Add dry ingredients to wet (a little at a time) and mix in at lowest speed just until evenly incorporated. Fold in 3/4 cup chocolate chips with a spatula.

4. Divide the muffin batter between the 12 muffin cups (I used the large cookie scooper from Pampered Chef). Top each muffin with about 5 chocolate chips, placed strategically around the top surface, pointed tip up. Place muffins into oven, reducing temperature to 350°F once inserted, and bake for about 25 minutes (I baked mine for about 20 minutes). test muffins with a toothpick, making sure it comes out free of batter. Enjoy warm. Allow muffins to cool before storing leftovers in an airtight container. Leftover muffins can be reheated in the microwave for 20-25 seconds.

Chunky Chocolate Cookies

So these cookies were not planned ahead of time. My brother and sister-in-law have gone away on their first cruise (hope you guys are having a blast!) and today was my day to look after my beautiful niece, Elise! Lana and Elise always have a blast together! Lana and I set all of her dollhouses up in the living room to make a town, I had planned a trip walking downtown to the library, dress-up trunk was loaded up for hours of fun!

My niece arrived and her and my daughter dove right into the toys. They played with the town for awhile but then they headed back to my daughter's bedroom to break out the play kitchen supplies. Before I knew what was happening I was hearing "Please, please can we make a real food?" Who am I to say no to these two adorable girls? I scrounged around in the kitchen to attempt to come up with something they could help me make. Of course I have been on a bit of a healthy kick so my fridge was filled with fresh fruits, veggies, yogurt, cheese and meats. Nothing there. My baking supplies are low... and then I found my cake mix!

I have heard a lot about cake mix cookies but the only time I attempted one I was less then thrilled with the final product. But... the girls were gunning to help me in the kitchen and this was all I had to go on. Luckily there was a cookie recipe on the side of the chocolate cake mix box for Chunky Chocolate Cookies. I had most of the ingredients but was running low on chocolate chips. So I substituted some rainbow chips and we were in business! Of course the rainbow chips made them a lot more colorful and fun for the girls as well! Here is what we whipped up:

Chunky Chocolate Cookies

(from Duncan Hines Dark Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix Box)

1 pkg. Duncan Hines Classic Dark Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix

2 large eggs

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, melted)

1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

1.Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Place cake mix, eggs, butter, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large bowl. Stir with spoon until thoroughly blended. Stir in chocolate chips and pecans (or walnuts). Drop by level measuring tablespoonfuls onto greased baking sheet.

3. Bake at 350°F for 12 minutes for chewy cookies (cookies will still be puffed) or 14 minutes for crisp cookies. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheets. Remove to cooling racks. Cool completely. Store in airtight container.

I found these cookies to be much better than the result of my first cake mix cookie experience. They are best eaten in the first few days after you make them as they do tend to dry out faster than regular cookies do. Enjoy!