Baking with Kids!

Last weekend was super busy, with personal chores and some fun baking party, with kids of So, last Saturday I went to my girl-friend’s place, btw right on the beach! Can’t have a better view! So, I went there to help her bake some cupcakes and a cake with her grandchildren, for their Easter Sunday.

I was all equipped with my cake decoration tool box, a cupcake pan, and design cookie cutters for the fondant just in case; yes, I brought some colored fondant too, but we ended up not using. The kids had plenty of other decorations to finish up the cupcakes and cake. I even wore my fun and fancy cupcake baking apron that lights up – I was in style LOL!






We first made some vanilla cupcakes, from scratch but Val, my g/f only had salted butter- so, that’s what we used. It tasted good, but the icing was little different for my taste – but who cares? The kids loved all the way! When the cupcakes were in the oven, we made the green color vanilla icing, which was used to pipe the grass on top of the cupcakes and then topped with peeps, jelly beans, marshmallow eggs, and some M&Ms! Can you imagine the sugar rush!

Then, we made two other small cakes, a vanilla and a chocolate one. Baked the cakes, stacked them with the vanilla on the bottom. We made cream cheese icing with the salted butter LOL! And again they loved! We added blue color to the cream cheese icing.

It all turned out great and they were able to celebrate their Easter with some fun Easter decorated cakes and cupcakes. And, I even got a cute thank you card from the kids because they had so much fun. Their parents said I need to open a business for kids parties; baking with kids. They said parents are always looking for what to do for their kid’s parties, theme etc. So, I am considering as a side job.

"The children enjoyed this soooo much! Thank you." Val Palermo

Restaurante Yakisoba, enjoy fresh pasta and more

Yokisoba Chinese Restaurant in Liberdade, Sao Paulo, Brasil. Here you can eat tasty Chinese food and enjoy fresh pasta made right in front of your eyes. I had lunch there two days ago with my uncle. It was great! The video shows the chef making some fresh pasta ...

Cup of cold rich delicious chocolate

I just had to stop by the chocolate store during my vacation, Kopenhagen Besides getting a bunch of chocolate and easter chocolate eggs, I also had a cup of cold and rich delicious chocolate .... A shot of heven!

Happy Birthday Grandma - 90 years old!

Grandma turned 90 years old on April 9th, it´s a milestone! I made her a little rum cake; it was a little challenge not being in my own kitchen, but it turned out moist and yummy! Grandma still cooks and looks great for her age, I hope I can look that good and and be as healthy as her if I reach 90. But, I am not really sure I want to get up there.

Happy Birthday Grandma!

Delicious Rum Cake!

I made a chocolate rum cake a while ago which turned out so moist and delicious. Last weekend, due to a rum cake order, I made another rum cake for the family and, again, delish! I used a bottle of really good Haitian rum . My husband didn’t want me to use that rum b/c it was from a place that supposedly was shut down after a hurricane and will never produce that rum again; whatever I used anyways and I will make many more rum cakes with that rum; until it’s all gone!! It’s better than getting old inside my liquor cabinet, right?

So, here it’s how it’s done – no big top secrets like many bakers make it sound. Just use a good yellow cake recipe, and if you want to make it on the light side; replace the oil or butter with unsweetened apple sauce; double the amount. If you have ½ cup butter then use 1 cup of the apple sauce. Also, instead of using sour cream you can use low fat Greek yogurt (more protein and less fat). Now, I rather use milk instead of water like many recipes call for. But, I use low-fat milk. You can even use the fat-free organic milk from Organic Valley, it’s a little more expensive but delicious with a no fat.

For the glaze, I used Domino dark brown sugar, rum, and ½ stick of unsalted butter.

TIP: you can use this same glaze to make bananas foster; another delicious dessert!

You can even make a gluten free version of a Rum Cake with a gluten free cake mix or using the various gluten free flour options.

Rum cakes are great with coffee and just because, after all it has rum and it might even give you a little buzz!