To honor Halloween’s finest gross out goodies – I have decided to give you a list of my favs from around the internet.  These are in no particular order, they are all equally disturbing. 

1.) Brain Cupcakes 

Ooeey, Gooey Brain Cupcakes

Brain Cupcakes are taken from Xsomnis’ PhotoStream on Flickr.  Please view more of her cakes and cupcakes here.  Check out her Zombie Food Guide.  She gives you complete instructions on how to make the Brain Cupcakes as well as were to buy the molds. Nice, thanks Xsomnis! 

2.) Just a really GROSS cupcake 

Most of the time it is the way we decorate the cupcakes that makes them look unappealing – but the inside of the cupcake still looks delicious.  Well, this is a twist on making a gross cupcake…it really is just that, a gross looking cupcake inside and out.  Sugar Plum Pastries created this one, and yes, it is entirely made of sugar.  I really don’t think I could eat this one.  Could you? 

Ewwww...gross. This really is a gross cupcake.

3.) Human Heart Cupcakes 

Some of the most realstic, anatomically correct cakes and cupcakes are created in the Evil Cake Shop.  If you have a second, and a strong stomach, take a look through their website.  But beware, they have several NSFW body parts as well.  Sick. 

Eat your "heart" out

4.) Human Jaw Cupcakes 

Another winner by the Evil Cake Shop, take a bite out of these toothy cupcakes at your next Halloween party. 

Bite Me

5.) Monster Cupcakes 

Chef Lynn of Yummy Cakes by Lynn created these cool monster cupcakes by first crafting an eye out of fondant, then working around that.  I love the bright colors in these kooky creatures!  So fun. 

I've got my EYE on you

6.) Broken Glass Cupcakes

Oh Martha, you always have the best ideas!  Thanks to Martha Stewart for these Broken Glass Cupcakes which use shards of sugar “glass” and a red fruit sauce for blood.   These really are the perfect Halloween Cupcake.

Careful with these ones.

7.) Kitty Litter Cupcakes

You’ve probably seen it before – Heck, I made a Kitty Litter Cake a few years ago – but have you ever seen Kitty Litter Cupcakes?  Cupcakeables took the famously nasty Kitty Litter Cake and modified into a cupcake version.

Meow!

I will have many more creepy Halloween Cupcakes in the days to come…keep checking back.  Happy Halloween!

Farm Animal Baby Shower Cake for Miss Dawn

Let me start off by saying I love this goofy little cake!   It has been a while since I was truly excited about a cake.   Many of the cakes I have done recently have been repeats of ones prior…not much of a challenge.  This time I was given free rein in design and decorating…I love when that happens.  

Two things were for sure…the cake needed to be two tiers and needed to incorporate farm animals.  I got to work the same way I always do by heading to the internet!   Yes I have ideas of my own, but the internet is an invaluable tool when putting together my vision.   I can find new techniques and borrow bits and pieces from others to come up with my master plan. 

This time around I planned to stay away from decorating with fondant; instead I would try my hand at decorating with buttercream.  Don’t get me wrong, I love how smooth and flawless fondant makes a cake appear, but there is something whimsical and scrumptious about buttercream.   Buttercream makes you want to dive in and devour that cake. 

I needed some technique other than decorating with buttercream, something to make it a bit more fun.   Sweetopia not only is one of the cutest websites online, they make the most beautiful cookies.   Aside from showcasing their work, they offer informative tutorials on decorating with Royal Icing.   Did you know…aside from piping royal icing on cakes and cookies you can pipe designs onto parchment paper, let dry and then apply directly to a cake?  Here is the article on how to do it… Royal Icing Flood Work or Runouts.

My Royal Icing Sheep

I decided to break-up the tiers of this cake.  The bottom tier would be the ground…pastures with fence and cute farm animals.  The top tier would be sky with a few clouds and a couple of birds. 

Top Tier of Cake

I tried the royal icing technique on the farm animals.  Pigs and Sheep seemed an easy way to start. I drew out a few designs and placed parchment paper over the top of the design. I then piped royal icing over the lines.  Seems easy enough, doesn’t it?   After all the animals were complete, I placed them on cookie sheets to dry overnight.  I removed them by simply sliding an offset spatula underneath to release them.   They were attached directly to the cake with a couple dabs of royal icing…voila!  Those little sheep and piggies just made me smile…perfect!

Elmo Cake

I just had to share this adorable Elmo cake that my sister made.  She sent me the photos the other day…and I knew it had to go up on the site.  I am not entirely sure of the whole story behind this super cute Elmo cake, but I assume it was made for a birthday party.

How cute is Elmo?

So what better way to celebrate and honor the 2010 Winter Olympic Games then with a collection of the best Winter Olympic inspired goodies I could find.  Really, this search was prompted by one shining example, Marian’s Olympic Mascot Cookies from Sweetopia.net.  She is a true sugar master.  The time that goes into these cookies is incredible.

Sweetopia's Olympic Mascot Cookies - Miga and Mukmuk

Sweetopia's Olympic Mascot Cookies - Quatchi

The mascots this year are comical.  Quatchi is  a sasquatch – how funny is that?  A sasquatch that wears boots and earmuffs no less.  And Mukmuk…a marmot. “Hey, nice marmot!”

Another great example of an Olympic inspired sweet is this is Olympic mascot cake done by Anne Elizabeth Cakes.  I love the mascots – she did an excellent job.

Anna Elizabeth Cake's Olympic Mascot Cake

Of course we need a cupcake – so here it is…the Olympic Ring cupcake done by Clever Cupcakes in Montreal, Canada.

Clever Cupcake's Olympic Ring Cupcake

Since the Olympics are being held in Vancouver, British Columbia we should probably have a native dessert as well.  The Nanaimo bar is named for the city of Nanaimo in British Columbia and consists of wafer layer, a custard layer and then is covered in chocolate.    Here, The Kitchn shows us their version of this Olympic inspired treat.

Yum...Olympic Inspired Nanaimo Bars

I hope this inspires you to make your own Olympic themed treats  to eat while cheering on Team USA, of course.  Win Big Team USA – you make me proud to be an American!

Coconut Cream Pie made with Dream Whip

There was a small blip in history – I remember it well – when my mom jumped onto the cream pie bandwagon.  It had to be late 80s, maybe even the early 90s, when my mom would prepare these incredible cream pies; Banana Cream Pie, Coconut Cream Pie, Chocolate Cream Pie and so many other creamy flavors – all delicious.  Her secret…(quiet now)…Dream Whip. 

Ever heard of it?  If you are over 40, perhaps you have; Dream Whip is powdered non-dairy dessert topping mix that was invented in 1957 by the Birds Eye Division of General Foods. Yes, non-dairy topping – Ewww!  The sound of anything non-dairy scares me…but don’t give up on this post yet.  Dream Whip has its place in your cupboard, I promise. 

Kraft Foods, who has since merged with Birds Eye, now owns Dream Whip.  Kraft certainly has the whipped topping market cornered; they also own competitor Cool Whip and Redi-Whip, surprisingly.  The Kraft website states “With Dream Whip Topping Mix in your cupboard, you never need to go without a topping!”  Well there you go…you will never have to go without a whipped topping ever again with this fantastic little box of magical powder.  Thank goodness I never have “whipped topping” emergencies. 

Ok, so it doesn’t make the best topping….what is it good for then?   For starters, Dream Whip can be prepared and then mixed into cakes to add moisture and fluffiness.  It can also be mixed with pudding or other pie fillings to become a light, fluffy, dreamy mixture.  This is the absolute best use for it in my opinion.    

Go ahead, give Dream Whip a chance with this Coconut Cream Pie recipe. The addition of Dream Whip creates a velvety consistency that is unlike any other cream pie.  This Coconut Cream Pie recipe has another twist – it uses animal crackers for the pie crust instead of your usual graham cracker crust.  

Dreamy Coconut Cream Pie 

Ingredients: 

• 2 (1 1/3 ounce) envelopes Dream Whip brand whipped dessert topping mix
• 2 3/4 cups cold milk, divided
• 1 cup shredded coconut, toasted
• 2 packages (4-serving size) JELL-O instant vanilla pudding
• 1 ½ cups crushed animal crackers
• 6 tablespoons of melted butter
• ½ pint whipping cream

Directions: 

1.)  Prepare your crust by mixing the animal cracker crumbs together with the melted butter.  Pat them down into a pie plate, covering the sides and bottom.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.  Once it is baked, set aside to cool. 

Crush these animal crackers for the perfect pie crust

2.)  If you haven’t toasted your coconut yet, do so now.  Simply place shredded coconut in the pan over low to medium heat, stirring constantly until this is browned slightly on the edges.   Set aside to cool. 

Perfectly toasted coconut

3.)  Beat Dream Whip whipped topping mix and 1 cup of the milk in large bowl with electric mixer on high speed 6 minutes or until topping thickens and forms peaks. Add remaining 1 3/4 cups milk and pudding mixes; blend on low speed. Beat on high speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. 

4.)  Fold in ¾ cup of the toasted coconut.  Set the rest aside for the top. 

5.)  Spoon the mixture into your baked crust. 

6.)  Whip your  cream with a hand mixer until soft peaks form.  Spoon over your pie filling.  

7.)  Refrigerate at least 4 hours.  After it has filling has set, sprinkle the remaining coconut on the top of your pie before serving so it remains crisp. Serve and enjoy. 

My Version of Hummingbird Cake

Baking is a science. Unlike cooking which allows you to add a pinch of this and a tad of that to taste, baking recipes need to be followed to a tee.  Otherwise, the result can be disastrous.

I, like many great bakers, borrow recipes and ideas from the pros.  There are always certain things you can do to put your signature on a recipe and make it your own.  Let’s take Hummingbird Cake for example…there are so many variations of this cake out there for you to try.  My personal favorite is Paula Dean’s version of Hummingbird Cake. Her version is delicious as is, but I wanted to make this recipe my own and give it a personal twist.

As a guideline, I never mess with the amount or type of flour used in a recipe.  The leavening agents are also something I stay spot on with.  When it comes to sugar you can probably get away with adding a bit less, but I wouldn’t recommend changing the actual “type” of sugar. Brown sugar has more moisture than granulated sugar and some sweeteners such as Splenda or Equal don’t translate the same as granulated sugar.  I must not forget to mention that calorie-free sweeteners can leave an unpleasant aftertaste in your baked goods as well as cause them not to rise up. 

Changes should be subtle…adding a different kind of nut, chip or spice.  Making a recipe your own can even be as simple as adding slightly more of one ingredient.

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a cuckoo for coconut – it is one of my favorite ingredients to work with.  Simply adding a ½ cup of sweetened flake coconut to this Hummingbird Cake created a whole new layer of flavor and a bit more texture.

The next twist I made on this Hummingbird Cake recipe was replacing the finely chopped pecans with more roughly chopped toasted pecans.

***Chefs Note on Toasting Pecans***

To toast pecans simply place them in a dry pan over medium heat.  Be sure to keep an eye on them and stir often.  Pecans have oil in them that left unattended can burn. And no one wants burnt nuts in their cake.  You will know when they are done when they smell aromatic and are slightly browned

The last change I made to this Hummingbird Cake recipe was to kick up the cinnamon.  To bump up the warmth cinnamon can add, I increased the amount of cinnamon to 1 ½ teaspoons. 

I finished the cake with cream cheese icing, toasted coconut and whole toasted pecans. 

I am still learning about the science behind cake baking.  For more information on this topic check out these sites:

About.com – Baking Ingredient Science

WilliePrejean’s Baking and Baking Science

Hummingbird Cake

Ingredients
Serves 12

FOR THE CAKE

• Nonstick vegetable spray
•  All-purpose flour, for pans
•  3 cups self-rising flour
• 2 cups granulated sugar
•  3/4 cup vegetable oil
•  1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
•  2 very ripe large bananas, mashed
• 1 (8-ounce) crushed pineapple, with juice
•  1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 large eggs, beaten

 FOR THE FROSTING

• 1 pound (1 box) confectioners’ sugar, (for the frosting)
• 1 (8-ounces) cream cheese, room temperature (for the frosting)
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, softened (for the frosting)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, (for the frosting)
• 1 tablespoon milk, or more if needed (for the frosting)
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans, (for the frosting)

****(My changes to this recipe include…adding ½ cup sweetened flake coconut, larger toasted pecans and ½ teaspoon more cinnamon)

Directions

1.   Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray and flour three 8-by-2-inch round cake pans, tapping out excess flour; set aside.

2.   Prepare the cake; in a large bowl, stir to combine self-rising flour, sugar, oil, pecans, bananas, pineapple, vanilla, cinnamon, and eggs.

3.   Divide batter evenly between prepared pans, smoothing with an offset spatula. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until the tops spring back when gently pressed with your fingertips, 26 to 28 minutes.

4.   Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool 10 minutes. Invert cakes onto wire rack. Re-invert cakes and let them cool completely, top sides up.

5.   Prepare the frosting; in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine sugar, cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon milk on medium speed until frosting is smooth. If needed, add more milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, to achieve the proper spreading consistency.

6.   Using a serrated knife, trim tops of cakes to make level. Place four strips of parchment paper around perimeter of a serving plate or lazy Susan. Place the first layer on the cake plate. Spread the top of the first layer with 1/4 of the frosting. Place the second layer on top and repeat process with another 1/4 of the frosting. Place the remaining layer on top of the second layer bottom side up. Spread entire cake with remaining frosting. Sprinkle the top with pecans. Remove parchment paper strips; refrigerate until ready to serve.

Photo courtesy of Joshua Wood Photography

December is a month full of activities.  Holidays, shopping, cooking, cleaning, and if you have children, well they are home from school for half the month.  This past December I took on a new task, one that was not only stressful but also worthwhile as it would test both my organization and baking abilities…I signed on to do my first wedding.

Weddings are a whole other department in the baking world.  This isn’t just someone’s graduation cake or birthday cake…this was someone’s WEDDING!  Most brides want it to be the most perfect day of their entire life…that’s a lot to live up to. 

The bride and I met back in April for a cake tasting. She sampled the four flavors of cake I had so skillfully prepared…Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Swiss Meringue Butterceam, Spice Cake with Cinnamon Buttercream, Funfetti with Swiss Meringue Buttercream, and Strawberry Cake with Swiss Meringue Buttercream. 

Along with eating cake we discussed her vision for the wedding.  One thing that remained an unchanged constant was the wedding cake.  She brought me a photograph from Real Simple, the cake was elegant and understated…quilted white fondant with silver floral and pearl accents – perfect for a winter wedding. 

Fondant that has a quilted effect and pearl accents.

The wedding cake was going to be used simply for display and the cutting ceremony; whereas, the cupcakes were to be served as the actual dessert. The bride wanted each guest to receive three mini cupcakes, in three different flavors: chocolate, spice and funfetti.  Each cupcake would be decorated with a gum paste flower that would mimic the flowers on the wedding cake. 

The wedding cake consisted of three layers, each a different flavor.  The bottom layer was Funfetti Cake; Funfetti being the bride’s favorite cake flavor from her childhood.  The middle layer was Chocolate Cake…who doesn’t like chocolate?  The top of the wedding cake was Spice Cake; her fiancé’s personal favorite.

Once the month of December hit, my stomach went into knots.  I found myself thinking about it day and night.  Was I up to this challenge?  I found my mind racing at night while lying in bed.  “How much butter?”, “How many eggs?”, “How much gum paste is needed for 650 daisies?”. 

Gum Paste Daisies, 650 of them...

One thing I knew for certain is that I needed to organize myself by creating a timeline.  The timeline was crucial for staying on task. Baking is the easy part in my eyes.  The real time comes in the decorations and details. 

The gum paste flowers for 650 mini cupcakes were definitely the first order of business. The next step was figuring out how much butter, sugar, flour, etc. I would need.  I did this by breaking down recipes and with a couple of calculations…viola, the list was together. 

The week of the wedding came and I had briefed my family on the rules.  There was to be no whining, no hanging out in my work space, no friends over, and we would be doing a lot of carryout meals. 

The kitchen became more of an assembly line on certain nights with my good friend Bridget and my husband Tom working the line. They were incredibly helpful…love you guys!  Somehow it all came together just in time.  I officially have a wedding under my belt, and boy am I proud of myself and my work.

Photo courtesy of Joshua Wood Photography - www.JoshuaJWood.com

Special thanks to photographer, Joshua Wood, for the use of his gorgeous photos of the cake and wedding. www.JoshuaJWood.com

Santa did bring me some wonderful presents and I plan to feature some of them on the site in the coming months.  I can’t wait to try out my sister’s new camera, the NikonD5000 to be exact.  But in the meantime this post is meant to pay homage to my baby, my good old Canon EOS Rebel xs.  I too, have not finished the manual (not sure if I ever will?).  This camera is a joy – I love taking pictures and having good equipment makes it that much better.  Here are a couple of Christmas season photos Canon Style!

Nutcracker

christmas bulbs

My Stocking

Daisy

Our New Addition...Boo Boo

Alex asleep in closet next to Boo Boo

Knex rollercoaster...only took 6 1/2 hours to build

Hope your Holidays were as wonderful as mine!

A grade school legend...the Peanut Butter Square

Growing up we called them Peanut Butter Squares, some called them Hollywood Squares (anyone who grew up in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio) – these little peanut treats are sure to bring back memories of grade school lunches.  

I borrowed this recipe from the Hollywood Squares recipe originally printed in the Cuyahoga Falls News-Press.  After going over the ingredients, I was a bit hesitant in preparing it – it’s really nothing but sugar and fat.  Not the best recipe to be publishing so early in 2010 when many resolutions are already hanging by a thread.  

These Peanut Butter Squares are certainly delicious and very rich.  Kind of like a peanut butter cup on steroids.  One tiny square and your peanut butter craving will be cured.  Yep, I said “peanut butter craving” – I get them all the time.  I usually cure mine with a bit of Skippy Peanut Butter mixed with vanilla ice cream.   Now I have a new medicine.     

Peanut Butter Squares, aka Hollywood Squares 

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups peanut butter
• 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ½ cup graham cracker crumbs
• ½ cup melted butter

Topping: 

• 4 squares semi-sweet baking chocolate
• 2 tablespoon peanut butter

Directions: 

1.)     Combine all ingredients except topping ingredients.  Mix well and place in a buttered 9″x13″ square pan.  

2.)     Melt the topping ingredients together and spread over the top of the peanut butter mixture. 

3.)     Chill until topping is firm. 

Peanut Butter Squares on Let’s Get Cookin’ 

Hollywood Squares on Tasty Kitchen

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake

If you are seeking the perfect dessert to serve this Thanksgiving, look no further.  This is the perfect twist on your classic Pumpkin Pie.  The filling is very similar to pumpkin pie, perhaps a bit sweeter, but also a bit creamier.  The crust is soft and extremely buttery.  The combination of the two create an amazing mouthfeel and offer a satisfyingly sweet end to a rich Thanksgiving dinner.

The Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake sits amongst my favorite all time desserts.  After serving it to family and friends, I imagine it sits at the top for many people.  Since this is a classic Paula Deen recipe, you shouldn’t be too surprised at how rich it actually is.  And like the name implies, it is not lacking in butter.

But, it is Thanksgiving after all.  It is the one time of year you are expected to overindulge.  Oh Paula Deen and your butter rich recipes…you kill me.   

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake
Ingredients:

Cake:

• 1 (18 1/4-ounce) package yellow cake mix
• 1 egg
• 8 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:

• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 8 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions:

1.)  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2.)  Combine the cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well with an electric mixer. Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13 by 9-inch baking pan.

3.)  To make the filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter, and beat together. Next, add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mix well. Spread pumpkin mixture over cake batter and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Make sure not to overbake as the center should be a little gooey.

4.)  Serve your Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake with fresh whipped cream.