How about a little

O.R.E.O.
Ice cream cake

for a birthday.

Cake Balls or Pops

I am all to easy entertained! I was so very excited when I found this idea...

I stumbled on to Bakerella a few days ago where I was introduced to Cake-Pops/Balls/Cupcakes for the first time.
I could hardly contain myself!
Pathetic huh.
I knew I had to try them.

Instructions:

• Put 1 9x13 baked cake and about 1# icing together in a mixing bowl.

I made my own cake and icing, but you could purchase both.
You can choose any flavor your heart desires.

• Then mix.

• Your mixture will look like this after a few minutes.
• Chill the mixture for an hour to overnight.
  

• Next, roll into balls. Be forewarned, this step is a bit messy!
  

I used a medium sized cookie scoop.
I ended up with about 60 balls.

• Cover and freeze for several hours or overnight.
  
• Next dip in almond bark.

You have a couple of options at this last step...
1. Put sucker sticks on the frozen balls, then dip and decorate.
2. Dip the ball as is. Then 'pretty up' by drizzling icing on top or sprinkling with sprinkles/colored sugar

I made snowmen.
I can take no credit for the Snowman idea, I stole it from Bakerella.
Aren't they cute?
And not half bad for my first attempt :)

I've been having dreams of making:
Basketball Pops
Princess Heads
Beach Balls and Buckets
Smiley Faces
Rockets
Big Bucks
Coffee Mugs
Hot Cocoa Mugs with Stir Sticks and Marshmallows...

Oh the possibilities are endless!

Angel Food Cake

An Angel Food cake is easier to make from scratch than you might think. It is made of ingredients you will most likely have on hand, it doesn't take much time, and it can be served 'dressed' in many ways.

What you'll need...

• Approximately12 eggs, you'll only need the whites
  
• 1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar

Separate eggs, measure egg whites to equal 1-1/2 cups, adding additional egg whites if needed. Place in a mixing bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. (Egg whites will whip higher at room temperature)

Mix confectioners' sugar and flour. Sift 2-3 times; set aside. Add cream of tartar, extracts and salt to egg whites. Beat on high until white and fluffy, but not stiff (1 minute at most). Slowly add sugar, beating until sugar is dissolved and stiff peaks form. By hand, gently fold in flour mixture, 1/2 cup at a time. Spoon into an ungreased 10-in. tube pan. Cut through batter with a knife to remove air pockets. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Immediately invert pan; cool completely before removing cake from pan.

Variations:
*After flour is incorporated, divide batter in half. Spoon half into a 10 inch tube pan. Flavor the other half with 1 box jello. Drop by spoon fills over batter. Cut in and swirl with a knife. Bake.
*Bake on a lined 11x15 jellyroll pan for 15 - 20 minutes. Cool 5 minutes. Flip cake out onto a towel dusted with powdered sugar. Gently peel of waxed paper. Roll up jelly-roll style starting with a short end. Cool. Unroll, fill with ice cream, thick pudding, sweetened cream cheese/pudding mixture... to 1/2 inch of edges. Roll up and refrigerate or freeze.
*Angel Food Trifle

Birthday Fun

We had a great party!
Tyson helped decorate is dinosaur cake.

It was all he could do to wait aaaalllllllllll day for dad to come home to open his gifts.
From the amount of excitement he showed, I think they were worth the wait :)

He picked swimming as his B-day activity. No complaining by me! I love the pool :)

Big brother had fun mastering the floating logs.

Miss Gabrielle enjoyed relaxing in the water.
How does she know that pose already!

Cake Ideas

It's birthday season around our house.
Here are a few hints for you when you are making your child a special birthday treat...

*Brown sugar makes great sand.
*Use shape/character cake pans to bake large cookies, Rice Crispy Treats, Bars. No need to decorate. Or decorate simply with candy for eyes, ears, nose...
*Use stick pretzels and Royal Icing to make fences *Royal Icing recipe below
*Upside down sugar cones frosted green or rolled in frosting and then rolled in green dyed coconut flakes look like pine trees.
*Green dyed coconut flakes look like grass.
*Brown icing is easier achieved using cocoa powder than it is using food coloring.
*Piping Gel colored blue looks like water.

*Royal Icing
3 egg whites
1# powdered sugar
Whip for 7 - 10 minutes on high. The icing will become bright white and fluffy. After whipping, keep covered with a damp cloth or the icing will start to crust over. Store in the refrigerator.

cake pans

Cake Pans for Rent
Information:

Please return within a week.
Most shape pan use approximately a 9x13 cake recipe. Please ask about specific pans if you have questions. Most shape pans will serve 10- 14 people. I have books available you may take with your cake pan to help you decorate it. I will also give you ideas and tips.

Here we go...

Barbie full body
Barnie
Batman
Book
Bear holding a block
Bugs Bunny
Clown Face
Clown Full Body
Cross
Datamation
Dinosaur
Football
Guitar
Rocking Horse
Winnie The Pooh

3-D Barbie Dress
3-D stand up Bear
3-D Stand up Bunny
3-D Stand up Train

mini Bear face - 2
mini Bugs Bunny face - 1
mini Shells - 2

Round pans 6" - 18" even sizes
Square Pans 6", 8", 12", 16", 18"
Hexagon Pans 6", 9", 12", 15"
Hearts 6", 10", 12", 14"

1/4 sheet pan (9x13)
1/2 sheet pan (11x15) - 2
12 x 18 pan


Sorry for the picture quality on some of the pictures. I was taking pictures of pictures. I don't have a picture of each cake pan decorated.
If you are interested in renting cake pans to make a tiered cake, please ask about my other supplies/pictures.

Carrot Cake

2 Cups Sugar
1 1/2 cup oil
4 eggs
1 tsp salt
1 tsp soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
2 cups flour (whole wheat or white)
3 - 4 cups packed shredded carrots
1 cups diced pecans - optional

*Cream sugar and eggs. Add oil. Add dry ingredients. Mix well. Add carrots and pecans if using. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 335* for 45- 50 minutes.
Cool and frost with cream cheese icing.

Cream Cheese Icing
4 oz Cream Cheese
1/2 cup butter
Powdered sugar
Vanilla
*Mix well. Icing should be thick and stiff.