La Petite Baker - Baking Sweets with Love!: July 2009

7/29/09

Julie & Julia movie

Something I am excited about next week is the new movie Julie and Julia. I can't wait to go see it. Meryl Streep looks so funny as Julia Childs and she is awesome anyway. I will give my review of the movie as well. In the mean time, you can check out some movie clips at the web site http://www.julieandjulia.com/

7/28/09

Chiffon Cake Recipe Video

Video recipe from The Culinary Institute of America. Get the full Chiffon cake recipe on the CanolaInfo website

7/27/09

Sunday Baking - Chocolate Cake

This Sunday I wanted to try a chocolate cake from a box with coffee; to give a deeper taste. I have been using box cake mix lately but adding a few different ingredients to make the taste better and almost like all homemade; it just saves a lot of time and you get almost the same. I wouldn’t do it if it was a special order, but just for us at home it’s really perfect. I still bake homemade cakes once in while but why not take advantage of the box mix and save time.

Anyway, the replacement and extra ingredients are:

1 cup of sour cream
1/3 cup of real butter
1 cup of 2 % milk
In this cake, I also used strong coffee (½ of the liquid ingredients)
Chocolate chips (optional)
Cocoa powder (1 tbsp)
1 tsp vanilla extract

The cake came out delicious and I just used some butter cream icing I had from my last cake, plus added some Nutella to cover the sides and embellished with berries and whipped cream – DELICIOUS! I even added a chocolate design on top.

7/23/09

Vintage Hand Mixer

My co-worker recently moved to a new place and, in the process, she found some kitchen small appliances that she didn’t use and decided to give them away. When she brought this cute GE vintage hand mixer, circa 1980’s we think, I was so excited and temped to take it for me; just in case I am ever using my own hand mixer and needed someone else to help with another mixing in the process, I would have a second one. But, I figure it’s just one more thing to clutter my house and I don’t really need it.

Even though I decide to not take it for me I still wanted to give to someone that needed and would appreciate; VOILA! I had a moment and remembered my friend Melissa; she needs one! Melissa need to start baking once in a while for her 10 year old son and husband – actually she is about to give birth to her second child and I am not sure she will have time to bake for a while or learn to bake; because she never did. By the way – I will be making a baby shower cake for her in a few weeks – came back for it.

So, back to the vintage hand mixer, Melissa was very glad I offered her the mixer and said “YES, I NEED IT! Thanks.” So, the cute hand mixer is going to a good home and will be put to work soon, I hope.

What most impressed me about this hand mixer is the fact that it has instructions about speed on both sides of the handle and the beaters are a bit different too; it also has little attachments o n the sides to hold the beaters, too cool! Maybe I over reacted, but I was happy to be able to give to a friend that needs it.

Check out the GE hand mixer pictures …

7/20/09

Here comes the bride, wedding cake, and carved watermelon

This weekend I went to friend’s wedding. I was one of the bridesmaids and could not be involved in making that cake. Also, the bride’s cousin was already in charge of the cake. Surprisingly enough I did not take a picture of the cake, but I did take a picture of the carved watermelon. It looked so cool with their names carved on the outside and roses carved inside. The top was carved out of yellow squash.

The wedding cake was a 3-tier square chocolate cake with butter cream icing only and fresh flowers, plus a coral ribbon around each tier. If I was making the cake I would use fondant to give it a more sophisticated look and I would also make a richer chocolate cake; perhaps adding espresso coffee or even chocolate chips. I have a book called Confetti Cakes that has a great chocolate cake recipe. Overall it was an OK cake, but nothing too special. I guess most people have very high expectations for wedding cakes and it’s easy to be let down.

Well, cake aside, the important thing here is that I had a great time and I am very happy for my friend and her now husband. Congrats!

7/14/09

Chocolate Cake with Swiss Run Buttercream Icing

This was a cake I made for my husband's birthday. I took a delicious cupcake recipe from this book and turned into a small cake. The Swiss run butter cream icing was soo delicious. See more at http://webbyzard.wordpress.com/2009/05/24/delicious-chocolate-cake/

7/13/09

Strawberry Cake with Kiwi and Coconut

This cake turned out delicious, I made an strawberry Swiss buttercream icing. I do have to say that I used a different brand butter and the icing has a little bit of butter taste to it. But, not as much after the first day. The fresh strawberries and kiwi makes it even more scrumptious! Ah- and the chocolate shavings just give it a fancy look too ;-)

7/8/09

My Baking Blog

I have another blog but decided to create this one just for baking - all of my cakes and dessersts are at http://webbyzard.wordpress.com/la-petite-baker/ - I will be moving all of it to La Petite Baker blog and adding more as time permits.

7/6/09

Coconut Cupcakes

Key Club Chocolate Cake

Peach Pie for July 4th!

Chococlate Raspberry Cupcakes

Soccer T-Shirt Cake

Heart Cakes

D&G Purse Cake

Purse Cake

18 year old birthday cake for my girl-friend's daughter.

Cupcakes for the Cure

Gift Box Cake

I made this this cake for my boss's birthday; she loved and so did I. It's great to make someone smile when looking at something you made; plus I had so much fun doing it! It was a chocolate cake with coconut butter cream icing. Ans, for this icing I used coconut milk instead of water or just coconut extract; it made the icing very light and fluffy - delicious!

Then, decorated the outside of the cake with colored fondant; I only use Satin Fine fondant. See steps on how to use decorate a cake with fondant